Applications for the 2020 United Thank Offering (UTO) Annual Grants is March 6. The focus of these annual grants is Bless: Share faith, practice generosity and compassion, and proclaim the Good News of God in Christ with hope and humility. Grants are awarded to Episcopal churches and organizations as well as to churches and programs throughout the Anglican Communion. Application information and forms are available here.

The United Thank Offering was founded to support innovative mission and ministry in The Episcopal Church and to promote thankfulness and mission in the whole Church. 100% of thank offerings given to UTO are granted the following year. These awards have supported everything from staff positions, conferences, creation of educational resources, and contributing to building projects.

The United Thank Offering accepts grant applications for projects representing start-up costs for new ministries or new projects/programs within an existing ministry program as well as grant applications for seed money for start-up positions related to a new ministry.  To be considered, each application must be reviewed and signed by the bishop of the applicant’s diocese.

The application process opened September 6, 2019. The deadline for submitting a grant application is March 6, 2020 at 5:00 pm Eastern / 4:00 pm Central / 3:00 pm Mountain / 2:00 pm Pacific / 1:00 pm Alaska / 12:00 pm Hawaii time.

UTO highly recommends submitting your application to your diocesan office at least two weeks prior to March 6 to allow time for the bishop to read your application, offer comments, and sign it.  Early submission of applications via Formstack provides UTO Staff Officer, the Rev. Canon Heather Melton, an opportunity to scan it for missing documents or signatures in advance of the deadline.

Learn more about project eligibility, as well as the types of projects which are not eligible here; “United Thank Offering 2020 Grant Focus & Criteria”.

Please contact the Rev. Canon Heather Melton, staff officer for the United Thank Offering, hmelton@episcopalchurch.org, with questions.

Please note the following for dioceses of The Episcopal Church: Applicant understands that should its local diocese fail to pay its assessment in full or to apply for and receive a waiver, the diocese and the applicant shall be ineligible to receive grants or loans from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society unless approved by Executive Council.  In accordance with Canon I.4.6, (select the applicable response): The diocese pays its full assessment; The diocese has been granted a waiver for years (list); The diocese has made application for a waiver but has not been advised regarding a determination.