Grants offered through the Virginia Conference and others
2026 Conference Grants cycle now open
The Virginia Annual Conference Grantmaking Cooperative is accepting applications from October 1 through November 16, 2026. This year, the Cooperative is looking to fund initiatives across the Virginia Annual Conference that live out our connectional and missional calling, with the goal of large-scale community transformation.
The Cooperative is looking for strong applications will show that the initiative to be:
● coordinated among multiple United Methodist congregations and ministry expressions
● has defined, measurable impact in one or more communities
● promotes Wesleyan theology, ecclesiology, and praxis
● has buy-in from partner congregations and ministries
● is a new or renewed opportunity for partnership and community impact
Please note: grant funds may not be used for brick-and-mortar or overhead costs. Learn more & apply…
Virginia UM Foundation Grants
The United Methodist Foundation of the Virginia Conference Grants Committee exists for the primary purpose to make financial awards for proposals, projects, ministries, programs and activities at the CONFERENCE and DISTRICT LEVEL of the Virginia Conference.
(including Hanna Grant and Micah Grant)
*the grant applications are currently closed
Learn more about grants offered by the Virginia United Methodist Foundation.
Fresh Expressions Grant
The Virginia Annual Conference Church Development Team has established a grant to support local churches in their endeavor of starting a Fresh Expressions Initiative. Please fill out the form and allow us to assist you in this process.
Special and Sustaining Grants
SPECIAL PROGRAM GRANTS (formerly the Commission on Ethnic Local Church Concerns grants and the Common Table “Healing the Hurts” grants) are designed for programs outside of normal conference and local church funding processes.
SUSTAINING PROGRAM GRANTS are designed for programs outside of normal conference and local church funding processes. They are intended to provide funding for the sustaining of innovative programs of tangible and caring outreach that is beyond a local church’s current financial resources.
Click here for more information.
Disabilities
The Virginia conference offers Program and Accessibility Grants. Learn more…
United Methodist Denominational Grants
Church and Society
Church and Society Provides Grant Awards In Three Categories:
- • Peace with Justice Grants support programs and projects that witness to God’s demands for a faithful, just, disarmed, and secure world.
- • Ethnic Local Church Grants focus on the self-identified needs of ethnic local churches and persons as they address one or more chronic social issues or concerns.
- • Human Relations Day Grants support advocacy and community engagement aimed at uplifting the right of all God’s children to realize their potential in right relationship with one another.
The grant application is now closed for 2026. Learn more…
GCORR Action Fund
The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) recently opened applications for the CORR Action Fund (CAF), a grant initiative that supports bold and creative projects working to dismantle racism and promote equity and inclusion in The United Methodist Church and beyond. This opportunity is open to United Methodist churches, annual conferences, seminaries, and other affiliated organizations. Learn more…
Multiethnic Ministries Grants
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Racial/Ethnic Local Church Block Grant ($40,000) – Up to 5 Grants Available
Application Link: https://gbhem-umc.my.site.com/grantmanagement/s/login/
Racial/Ethnic Local Church (RELC) Block Grants support racial/ethnic churches in the U.S. by funding ministries and programs focused on leadership development and church growth and development. Eligible congregations must have at least 51% nonwhite membership. Grants are awarded to conferences, which then use the funds to strengthen local racial/ethnic ministries. Individual congregations cannot apply directly.
Program Objectives:
• Leadership Development
o Contextually appropriate local church training programs and resources for emerging racial- ethnic leaders.
o Local church training programs and opportunities that develop children, youth and young adults in racial-ethnic churches.
• Church Growth and Development
o The development of racial-ethnic new church starts and congregations.
o The revitalization of existing and emerging racial-ethnic congregations.
o The development, resourcing and multi-cultural congregations and ministries.
o One-year salary support for racial-ethnic pastors in racial-ethnic local churches and/or racial-ethnic pastoral leadership involved in the development and strengthening of racial-ethnic congregations. (This salary supplement cannot be used to meet conference minimum salary or to complete equitable compensation and salary supplement funds must include the appropriate fringe benefits.)
Program Criteria:
• No more than $10,000 can be used in a singular congregation.
• The ministry/project must focus on developing and strengthening the racial-ethnic local church for witness and mission.
• The ministry/project must be a program of a majority racial-ethnic local church or annual conference of the United Methodist Church in the United States.
• Grant funds must be used for ministry within the local church setting.
• Block grants can be used to provide smaller grant awards to local racial/ethnic churches.
General Board of Higher Education & Ministry
GBHEM Scholarships offers financial aid to United Methodist students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Every year, an average of $4 million is awarded to help students in the United States and abroad pursue their dreams through higher education. With this financial aid, GBHEM is opening pathways for students of all backgrounds to earn their degrees and serve as the next generation of leaders for the church and the world. Learn more…
Youth Service Fund
The Youth Service Fund (YSF) is the national United Methodist mission fund supported by youth. Through YSF, United Methodist teens raise money for other teens doing ministry in their churches and communities impacting poverty, illiteracy, absenteeism and social justice.
The Youth Service Fund is a unique ministry because it is run completely by, with and for youth. Learn more…
Leonard M. Perryman Communications Scholarship for Racial Ethnic Minorities
This $2,500 scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate pursuing the study of religion journalism or mass communications. Learn more…
Stoody-West Fellowship
This $6000 grant will assist a United Methodist student in their post-graduate study at an accredited U.S. college or university who intends on pursuing a career in religious journalism. Learn more…
UMCOR
Apply for a Mustard Seed Migration Grant
UMC churches in the U.S. can help immigrants, migrants and refugees living in their local communities. UMCOR’s Mustard Seed Migration Grants program provides congregations with up to $2,000 for a one-time, community-based service project. The application is open and up to 100 churches will be awarded a grant. Learn more and apply.
Facility Use Grants
Oldham Little Church Foundation - Facility Completion Grants
Oldham Little Church Foundation is a private foundation which funded grants in excess of $1,037,000 to small, evangelical Protestant churches throughout the United States in 2020. Since our founding in 1949, we have provided over 16,900 Facility Completion Grants totaling over $47 million for church renovations, repairs, and new construction projects. Learn more…
The Renfro Trust Fund
The Renfro Trust Fund awards annual “bricks-and-mortar” grants to small rural United Methodist congregations in the Southeastern Jurisdiction. Learn more…
Communications New Church Start Grants
New Church Start Grants
New Church Start Packages are a one-time, award for new faith communities within the first five (5) years of their launch. Learn more…The Intentional Growth Center
The International Growth Center announced on November 1 that it began accepting applications for a new round of grants. These grants are available to local congregations and church organizations. It will focus on ministries that increase Christian Discipleship and Church Leader Development for clergy and laity of all denominations. Primary attention will be given to projects of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church.
The application deadline is February 1, 2024. Grants are expected to be awarded in late March 2024. More information and the online application can be found on the ICG website.
The International Growth Center looks forward to developing new ministry partners throughout the Southeastern Jurisdiction as together we increase Christian discipleship and develop church leaders.
Virginia Council of Churches offers youth ministry grant
The Virginia Council of Churches (VCC) 2023-2024 Congregational Youth Ministry Grant applications are now open and will remain open through November 15, 2023.
Grants of $2,000.00, will be given to 11 congregations whose youth ministries were greatly impacted by COVID; these grants are supporting funds for restart, startup or enhancing congregational youth ministries. All completed applications are to be received in the VCC office by November 15, 2023. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Crystal Greenerl at greenerl@vacouncilofchurches.org. Access grant application…