Greetings in Jesus,
God gives us everything freely. His grace comes to us. Our meager finances and possessions that He allows us to have while on this earth are gifts from His goodness. He gives us salvation simply because He loves us. Anything we do is a response to that goodness given to us. So we give to others with joy! As Paul described in 2 Corinthians.
With that scripture leading us, St. Luke’s is very excited that you wish to step out in obedience to the Lord about the project He has laid on your heart. Your willingness to help others is how you grow in Christ as you become the hands and feet of Jesus.
This website is designed to help you decide if your project falls within the parameters of the LIFE Service Grant Program.
MISSION OF THE SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM
- To inspire St. Luke’s families to live a Life of Sacrifice by investing in ‘sweat equity’ style projects that may bring them into contact with members of the community that are new to them.
- To be a witness of Christ’s love to our community – especially non-believers – through “lifestyle evangelism.”
- To help groups (large or small) overcome any financial obstacle that makes the meeting of community needs difficult. Up to and including supplementation of funds provided by your group members.
WHICH SERVICE TRACK IS RIGHT FOR YOUR GROUP’S PROJECT?
Later in 2 Corinthians, Paul goes on to say, “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”
Therefore, we give because Jesus first gave to us everything we need. Thanks for taking part in spreading the generosity of Jesus to others.
LIFE SERVICE GRANT
(Smaller Project = Smaller Group)
Max Grant Amt: $500
- Projects require a minimum of 2 people, with a maximum of 5.
- Projects chosen should be designed for small groups, couples, or one family to take action towards a need they have identified.
- Projects are typically small scale and can be done reasonably quickly with a more pinpoint level of impact.
- Preferably ALL members of this smaller group should participate in the execution of the project.
- Participants need not partner directly with a local charity to proceed, but can if they wish.
- There MUST be a project leader to interface with the Stewardship Department.
GROUP SERVICE GRANT
(Bigger Project = Bigger Group)
Max Grant Amt: $2,500
- Projects generally require a minimum of 6 people to complete them.
- Projects are typically larger in scope and can take multiple steps and days to complete.
- Designed to have a significant impact on a larger group of recipients vs. just a few/one.
- Most often, these projects are coordinated with help from another non-profit in the community your group partners with. While this is not a requirement, it is encouraged.
- There must be a project leader to interface with the Stewardship Department and the partner charity (when applicable).
- The majority of group members must participate in the execution of the project, not just a handful.
IMPORTANT TIPS:
- No funds can be directly given to a partner charity/non-profit unless authorized by St. Luke’s.
- It is highly encouraged that the majority of your group participate in some part of the project’s execution. Avoid low participation by group members.
- Funds must be used to supply materials for creating/executing your project. No funds can be directly given to the intended recipients of your project (aka: do not donate funds to a person).
- It recommended that your group select the window of time that works best for your group and the intended recipients. Please avoid starting and stopping the project multiple times. Recurring projects should not take more than 10 days to complete.
- Projects that bless established in-house ministries of St. Luke’s will not be considered for this program because the program is designed for community impact and member faith mobilization. In addition, all of St. Luke’s in-house ministries are already covered under our annual budget.
PROJECT TYPES TO CONSIDER
(not an exhaustive list. Feel free to find/create/suggest your own!)
- Backpack item collection, assembly and hand out to local homeless people.
- Meal prep and delivery to homebound seniors through Meals on Wheels.
- Paint a house for shut-in who is ill and cannot do it themselves or lacks funds to hire a professional.
- Backpack collection and item assembly for school aged children.
- Replenishment of household goods for a Haven family displaced by a house fire or hurricane.
- Holiday meal packets and delivery.
- Purchase, assemble, and decoration of 12 student picnic tables at a school in Bithlo.
- BBQ and meet-n-greet encouragement/prayer time with homeless folks on Colonial Blvd.
- Equipment and materials purchased to knit caps for patients battling cancer.
HOW TO GET FUNDING
Determine which ‘funding track’ your project is best suited for. Make sure your project meets the parameters of the funding track you have selected. Confirm the majority (preferably all) of your group members can participate in some way.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU APPLY?
- St. Luke’s Stewardship Department will respond to your request within 2-business days.
- Your project idea will be considered viable if it meets the purposes established above, but the final decision rests with the St. Luke’s Stewardship Committee.
- All application and project questions should be submitted via email to meet auditor guidelines (stewardship@sllcs.org).
- While we endeavor to approve all project ideas within 2 business days, in rare cases, a project may not be clearly definable or Stewardship may have questions and need to consult the larger Stewardship Committee. We promise to keep you informed on the progress. In some cases, your project might be better served by our Church Benevolence Fund. Should we determine this to be the case, we will provide you with additional information.
- Once approved, depending on how you answer questions on the Application Form, we will move forward with the funding of your project.