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Social Action Grants
This page contains information on the First Parish Social Action Grants Program, as well as this year's grant distribution list. A subset of Grants, Grant History, provides information on the SAC Grant distribution list for prior years.
Why does First Parish in Concord have a Grant making Program?

Social Action is a core element at First Parish. It allows and empowers parishioners to develop personal social action ministries and it expresses our collective UU values.

What is the Social Action Grants Budget?
Support for social action is approximately 7.5% of the annual pledge base. This year (2007-8) the grants budget is expected to be about $65,000.
What is an average grant amount?
The average grant amount has been about $2,000; ranging from $500 to $6,000.
How are grant recipients selected?
The process starts with parishioners. All requests originate from members of the First Parish community who work with, know about, or want to support a particular organization or project. Requests can be submitted by e-mail to Alane Wallis at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or to First Parish in Concord, 20 Lexington Road, Concord, MA 01742 attn: SAC Grant Making Program. The request should follow the format of SAC Grant Making Program summary which asks these basic questions:
  1. A a one page (or less) description of the project, including a statement of impact and how you will measure the results of this grant and a statement of qualifications of participating staff.
  2. If this project received money from First Parish last year, how did this grant make a difference?
  3. How much money does your project want from First Parish?
  4. When do you need the funds, to whom should the check be made payable, and where should the funds be sent?
  5. In what way are First Parish members involved with this organization?
Download this form to use as a guide.
How are the requests reviewed and evaluated?
The SAC Grants Committee evaluates requests quarterly based on parishioner involvement, project impact, and reflection of the values in our benediction.

  • INVOLVEMENT: Does the grant empower parishioners to develop personal, social action ministries? Is a parishioner willing to sponsor the project by writing a funding proposal and reporting on the impact of the grant? How many parishioners are involved in the project? How many hours a year do they spend volunteering on this project?
  • IMPACT: Will this grant have a high-impact on the project and make a difference in the world? To what extent does a project involve outreach into the community? Is it a new initiative or start-up?
  • INTEGRATION: We encourage projects representing a partnership with other groups in the church, including Music, WPA, Youth Program & Religious Education. To avoid conflicts of interest, we do not fund expenses incurred by FP volunteers; we do not fund organizations where parishioners work.
Who's on the Grants Committee?
The Grants Committee includes First Parish representatives from the Standing Committee, Religious Education, Youth, and Seniors. They are Alane Wallis, chair,  Eric Van Loon (SAC co-chair), Dave Dawson, John Lowe, Betty King, Alice Kaufman, Tony Gallo, Wendy Holt, Jenny Rankin , ex-officio, and Claudia Nimar, SAC co-chair.
How do I find out who has received money this year?
Grants are posted here on the web. Grants from past years are posted under Grants History in the menu. Recent grants are posted on the First Parish Social Action Community Bulletin Board.
What are the deadlines for grant request submissions?
The upcoming deadline for Social Action Grants is April 1, 2008. We accept requests on a rolling basis, requests will usually be considered in November and March.
For further information or to become more involved with Social Action at First Parish, please feel free to contact Alane Wallis at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (978) 369-1114 or any of the other committee members.

An important initiative of the First Parish Social Action Community (SAC) is a vigorous program of grant-making to agencies and organizations that represent our core values and help us live the benediction.
SAC Grants Awarded 2007-2008 Program Year
SAC Grants Approved  April 2008
   
OrganizationProject TitleGrant Amount  
First Parish in Concord Partner Church CommitteeTransylvania Community House$5,000  
Restoration ProjectRelocation to Concord$1,000  
Centro Arte Para La Paz Discpline with Love Project$1,000  
Household Goods Recycling MinistryManagement & general expenses$1,500  
Open Table MaynardNew meal program and onsite pantry$3,000  
Gulf Coast WorksNinth Ward Home Rebuilding$3,000  
UU Urban MinistryUrban Ministry, Renewal House and Roxbury Youth Program$15,000  
Total $29,500 
SAC Grants Approved  October 2007
   
OrganizationProject TitleGrant AmountFirst Parish Sponsor 
Black Heritage & Abolitionist Walk ProjectTeaching Tools$500S. Ryan 
Concord Climate ActionCommunity Education$1,000 B. Jenkins/L.  azaris 
Concord Prison Outreach Program funding & course materials$3,000 L. Reynolds 
Gaining GroundPurchase & install irrigation system for 4 acre farm$1,500 C. Ellis 
Domestic Violence Services of Central MiddlesexCourt intervention program$2,500 N. Beeuwkes 
Concord Acton Family Homelessness Advocacy NetworkConsulting fee for advocate Miriam Stein$700 J. Blumberg 
Amnesty International - Concord Group 15Attention to human rights$500 P. Villers 
Centro Arte Para La PazDiscipline with love$1,000 M. King Saphier 
Chiapas Photography Project Programming$1,000  E. Awalt 
Children's Island 2007 meals program & education for Argentina children's center$1,400  C. White 
Connect Africa FoundationEducation & small business start-ups $2,150 T. Englander  
The Sharing FoundationThe Roteang Orphanage 2007 $3,000  L. Steppacher 
Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Program 2006-07 Healing Our Community Collaborative (HOCC) $3,000  E. Van Loon 
MA Campaign for US Department of Peace Transportation & food costs, production of DVD costs $550 P. Simon/J. White  
Gulf Coast Works (formerly Bridge to Biloxi) Home rebuilding in Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans $5,000  K. Roberts 
The Friends of The Raphael Hernandez  SchoolArt in the Park $2,500 B. Seaver 
Total $29,300 

 

Grants Awarded for 2006-7 Program Year
SAC Grants Approved  March 2007
   
OrganizationProject TitleGrant AmountFirst Parish Sponsor 
Community Church UUChild size furniture for RE classroom$1,000 Susan Ellsworth 
Concord Housing FoundationAmmendolia & Old Beford Road Projects$2,000 Terry Rothermel 
Ecclesia Ministries Common Cathedral$2,000 Jim Reynolds 
Household Goods Recycling MinistryManagement & general expenses$2,000 Debbie Dormitzer 
Open Table MaynardNew meal program and onsite pantry$4,000 Rob Rodriguez 
Stand High/Stand UnitedManagement & general expenses$5,000 Mark Richards 
UU Urban MinistryUrban Ministry, Renewal House and Roxbury Youth Program$10,000 Patricia Waters 
Total $26,000 
SAC Grants Approved October 2006
    
OrganizationProject TitleGrant AmountProgram AreaFirst Parish Sponsor 
The Albert Schweitzer Fellowhsip ProgramHealing Our Community Collaborative$5,000HealthCareEric VanLoon 
Concord Group 15Amnesty International Concord Group 15$500InternationalPhillip Villers 
Bridge to BiloxiKatria Relief Efforts - Home Construction$10,000Special InitiativeSuzanne Lowe 
Children's IslandMeals Program Argentine Orphanage$1,400InternationalColleen White 
Cooperative Metropolitan MinistriesConcord Acton Family Homelessness Advocacy Network$700HomelessnessJane Blumberg 
Concord Area Pre-School AssociationScholarships for local Pre-Schoolers$1,000Community/ConcordBetsy Siebert 
Concord Prison Outreach, Inc.Program Funding and Course Materials$3,000Community/ConcordLinda Reynolds 
Concord-Carlisle Human Rights CouncilConcord - San Marcos Sister Cities Committee$2,000InternationalAl Armenti 
Connect Africa FoundationMicro Loans and Education$1,500InternationalTed Englander 
Domestic Violence Services of Central MiddlesexCourt Intervention Project$2,500Domestic ViolenceNancy Beeuwkes 
Friends of The Rafael Hernandez School, Inc.Art in the Park$2,000YouthBill Seaver 
Gaining GroundVirginia Road Project$1,000EnvironmentCynthia Ellis 
One Family, Inc.One Family Scholars Program$1,500HomelessnessBill Seaver 
The Sharing FoundationThe Roteang Orphanage, Cambodia$2,400InternationalLee Steppacher 
Total $34,500