Young Adult and Seminarian Grant Applications Now Available

On Friday, the UTO Board released the Grant Focus and Criteria for the 2018 Young Adult and Seminarian Grant application process. We hope you’ll share this information with your network!

The UTO Board will continue to award up to 10 grants of $2,500 each to young adults and up to 10 grants of $2,500 each to seminarians regardless of age. The purpose of these grants is to provide start-up money for new projects. There is a separate application form for young adults and seminarians, but the deadlines, criteria, and focus are the same. The Board pays careful attention to each grant application’s fit with the focus and criteria, regardless of who wrote it. Applications from seminarians will be reviewed and submitted by the seminary deans, but we hope you’ll encourage seminarians from your diocese to apply. Both applications can be downloaded from www.episcopalchurch.org/uto or www.UnitedThankOffering.org. Since two grant processes are happening at the same time, we hope the following will add clarity.

Young Adult Grant Process

1. Young Adult Grant applications must be written by and the subsequent project (if awarded) led by someone aged 19-30.
2. Young adults should submit their applications to their diocese by the deadline set by the diocese.
3. The bishop will select one application per diocese. The diocesan office will submit its choice to UTO by Friday, November 3, 2017, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, utilizing this form: https://dfms.formstack.com/forms/2018_young_adult_and_seminarian_grants. All applications must be submitted in English.
4. A completed Bishop Endorsement Form, which includes the bishop’s signature and comments of support, is required to be submitted with the application. Applications without the bishop’s signature or comments will not be accepted.
5. Young Adult Grant applicants will be notified of the status of their application on January 25, 2018. Grants will be paid to the diocese at that time, unless the diocese has outstanding grant reports.

Seminarian Grant Process

1. Seminarian Grant applications must be written and completed by a currently matriculating seminarian enrolled in a master of divinity program at one of the 10 accredited seminaries of The Episcopal Church (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/seminaries) or at one of the accredited seminaries as approved by the Commission of Theological Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (CETALC).
2. Seminarians should submit their applications to their dean, or the chair of CETALC, by the deadline set by the dean of the seminary.
3. Each dean, as well as the chair of CETALC, will select up to two applications to submit to UTO by Friday, November 3, 2017, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, utilizing this form: https://dfms.formstack.com/forms/2018_young_adult_and_seminarian_grants. All applications must be submitted in English.
4. A completed Seminary Dean Endorsement Form, which includes the dean’s signature and comments of support, is required to be submitted with the application. Applications without the dean’s signature or comments will not be accepted.
5. Seminarian Grant applicants will be notified of the status of their application on January 25, 2018. Grants will be paid to the seminary at that time.

We look forward to receiving your applications! If you have any questions about the grant process, do not hesitate to contact the Rev. Canon Heather Melton, UTO Staff Officer, at The Rev. Canon Heather Melton.