Potential applicants for the United Thank Offering (UTO) Young Adult and Seminarian (YAS!) grants are invited to participate in an informational webinar offered by the UTO board on January 14, 2020 at noon and 8:00 pm Eastern. The focus for these grants is Holy Gifts: Bringing together our blessings and gifts to breathe love, liberation, and life into our communities.

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.

UTO Young Adult and Seminarian grants offer start-up money for new projects. Each year, the UTO makes available up to five grants of $5,000 each to young adults age 19-30 and up to five grants of $5,000 each to Episcopal students enrolled in an ordination-track program at an Episcopal seminary or diocesan/regional training school.

The application process opened September 6, 2019; application information and forms are available here. The deadline for submitting a grant application is February 7, 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.

The following criteria apply for Young Adult and Seminarian grants:

• Grant applications must represent start-up costs for a new ministry or new projects/programs within an existing ministry program.
• All applications must be submitted in English and budgets must use U.S. Dollar amounts.
• Each diocese may submit one Young Adult Grant Application and one Seminarian Grant Application per year.
• Only Episcopal Church applications will be accepted.
• All budget items are allowed with some exceptions (see guidelines here).
• Applicants interested in starting an Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) program must show approval from ESC to be a part of the program.
• United Thank Offering will not fund the continuation of ongoing ministries.

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

More information on the informational webinar on January 14 at noon and 8:00 pm Eastern is available here; “Helpful Hints for Applying for YAS! Grants”. Or, contact the Rev. Canon Michelle I. Walker, associate staff officer for the United Thank Offering, miwalker@episcopalchurch.org, with questions.

UTO highly recommends submitting your application to your diocesan office at least two weeks prior to this date to allow time for your bishop to read your application, offer comments, and sign it.  Early submission of applications via Formstack gives UTO Associate Staff Officer the Rev. Canon Michelle I. Walker an opportunity to scan it for missing documents or signatures in advance of the deadline.

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.