More than $1 million in United Thank Offering grants—designated for 22 projects related to creation care within The Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion—was approved by the church’s Executive Council during its April meeting.

The funds came from the United Thank Offering’s 2021 Ingathering, where monies collected in UTO “blue boxes” at Episcopal churches throughout the year are gathered as thank offerings.

This year’s focus for grant applications was “Care of Creation: Turning love into action by caring for God’s creation to protect the most vulnerable—who will bear the largest burden of pollution and climate change—through justice, advocacy, environmental reparations, or the development of fundamental materials.”

The UTO Board received about $1.8 million in requests from 42 applications. It was able to fund eight projects within The Episcopal Church and four projects from dioceses that receive block grants from General Convention; eight projects within the Anglican Communion; and two historical grants.

Grant recipients are listed below by category. Read details about each project.

Episcopal Church Awards

• Convocation of Churches in Europe — Embrace Diversity: Refugee Integration through Care of Creation: $54,014
• Episcopal Diocese of Alabama — Cherokee Heritage Garden: $54,750
• Episcopal Diocese of California — Jubilee Church Farm: $53,888
• Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast — Seniors Saving the Earth: $18,720
• Episcopal Diocese of Chicago — Climate Justice on the South Side of Chicago: $22,886
• Episcopal Diocese of Ecuador Litoral — Reforestation and Creation of Nature Engagement Sites: $55,000
• Episcopal Diocese of Honduras — Access to Water for La Santa Cruz and the Muchilena Community: $25,000
• Episcopal Diocese of Kansas — Cultivating Earth Stewards: $31,150
• Episcopal Diocese of Montana — Reduce Water Usage in 18 Rural Montana Episcopal Parishes: $22,180
• Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota — Environmental Reparations: $52,500
• Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan — Walking Together: Protecting Our Common Ground: $28,500
• Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota — Indoor Riding Area: Cheyenne River Episcopal Mission Camp: $99,541.50

Anglican Communion Awards

• Covenant Partner: Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America, Diocese of Panama — Solar panel installation at the Instituto Episcopal San José: $55,000
• Covenant Partner: Mexico, Western Mexico — Agriculture & Aquaculture Adapted to Climate Change: $57,973.90
• Burundi, Diocese of Buye — Erosion Control through Tree Planting and Contour Lines: $52,470
• Congo, Diocese of Goma — Improve Access to Water for the Vulnerable: $52,025
• Southern Africa — Food Justice: Action and Advocacy in Southern Africa: $32,040
• Southern Africa, Diocese of Grahamstown — Rejuvenating Rivers: Creating Environmental Change Makers Among Youth for a South Africa River System: $39,850
• Tanzania, Diocese of Lweru — Reduction of the Impact of Climate Change through Wells and Reforestation: $32,040
• Tanzania, Diocese of Southwest Tanganyika — Our Creation, Our Development: $49,227

Historical Grant Awards

• Presiding Bishop — Sacred Ground & God’s Creation: Churchwide Social and Spiritual Formation for Creation Care: $89,438.74
• Emery Trust No. 335 Award — Missionaries: Exploring History and Looking to the Future: $56,100

Every penny given to the United Thank Offering is given away to support innovative mission and ministry. Since 1889, UTO has awarded more than 5,400 grants for over $142 million. Click the “Resources” tab on this page to view a complete list of all UTO grants. Learn more about the United Thank Offering.