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. In 2007-08 approximately $60,000 was awarded.
- 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 spambots. 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:
- 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.
- If this project received money from First Parish last year, how did this grant make a difference?
- How much money does your project want from First Parish?
- When do you need the funds, to whom should the check be made payable, and where should the funds be sent?
- 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, Dave Dawson, John Lowe, CC King, Alice Kaufman, 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 March 1, 2009. 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 spambots. 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.
Download a SAC Grants Request form.
SAC Grants Awarded 2007-2008 Program Year
SAC Grants Approved November 2008 |
||
| Organization | Project Title | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Amnesty International Concord Group 15 | Local justice & human rights efforts | $250 |
| Camino Verde | Agroforestry program in Peru | $3.500 |
| Centro Arte Para La Paz | $1,300 | |
| Children's Island | Meal program and education for children's center in Argentina | $1,400 |
| Concord Acton Family Homelessness Advocacy Network | January forum and advocacy consultant | $500 |
| Concord Housing Foundation | Subsidize affordable housing & the Walden Condos initiative | $1,000 |
| Concord Prison Outreach | Management & general expenses | $2,000 |
| Friends of the Rafael Hernandez School | Art in the Park | $2,500 |
| Open Table Maynard | $5,000 | |
| The Sharing Foundation | The Roteang Orphanage | $3,300 |
| Gaining Ground | Two internships | $1,200 |
| Total | $21,950 | |
SAC Grants Approved April 2008 |
||
| Organization | Project Title | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| First Parish in Concord Partner Church Committee | Transylvania Community House | $5,000 |
| Restoration Project | Relocation to Concord | $1,000 |
| Centro Arte Para La Paz | Discpline with Love Project | $1,000 |
| Household Goods Recycling Ministry | Management & general expenses | $1,500 |
| Open Table Maynard | New meal program and onsite pantry | $3,000 |
| Gulf Coast Works | Ninth Ward Home Rebuilding | $3,000 |
| UU Urban Ministry | Urban Ministry, Renewal House and Roxbury Youth Program | $15,000 |
| Total | $29,500 | |
SAC Grants Approved October 2007 |
|||
| Organization | Project Title | Grant Amount | First Parish Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Heritage & Abolitionist Walk Project | Teaching Tools | $500 | S. Ryan |
| Concord Climate Action | Community Education | $1,000 | B. Jenkins/L. azaris |
| Concord Prison Outreach | Program funding & course materials | $3,000 | L. Reynolds |
| Gaining Ground | Purchase & install irrigation system for 4 acre farm | $1,500 | C. Ellis |
| Domestic Violence Services of Central Middlesex | Court intervention program | $2,500 | N. Beeuwkes |
| Concord Acton Family Homelessness Advocacy Network | Consulting fee for advocate Miriam Stein | $700 | J. Blumberg |
| Amnesty International - Concord Group 15 | Attention to human rights | $500 | P. Villers |
| Centro Arte Para La Paz | Discipline 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 Foundation | Education & small business start-ups | $2,150 | T. Englander |
| The Sharing Foundation | The 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 School | Art in the Park | $2,500 | B. Seaver |
| Total | $29,300 | ||
Grants Awarded for 2006-7 Program Year
SAC Grants Approved March 2007 |
|||
| Organization | Project Title | Grant Amount | First Parish Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Church UU | Child size furniture for RE classroom | $1,000 | Susan Ellsworth |
| Concord Housing Foundation | Ammendolia & Old Beford Road Projects | $2,000 | Terry Rothermel |
| Ecclesia Ministries | Common Cathedral | $2,000 | Jim Reynolds |
| Household Goods Recycling Ministry | Management & general expenses | $2,000 | Debbie Dormitzer |
| Open Table Maynard | New meal program and onsite pantry | $4,000 | Rob Rodriguez |
| Stand High/Stand United | Management & general expenses | $5,000 | Mark Richards |
| UU Urban Ministry | Urban Ministry, Renewal House and Roxbury Youth Program | $10,000 | Patricia Waters |
| Total | $26,000 | ||
SAC Grants Approved October 2006 |
||||
| Organization | Project Title | Grant Amount | Program Area | First Parish Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Albert Schweitzer Fellowhsip Program | Healing Our Community Collaborative | $5,000 | HealthCare | Eric VanLoon |
| Concord Group 15 | Amnesty International Concord Group 15 | $500 | International | Phillip Villers |
| Bridge to Biloxi | Katria Relief Efforts - Home Construction | $10,000 | Special Initiative | Suzanne Lowe |
| Children's Island | Meals Program Argentine Orphanage | $1,400 | International | Colleen White |
| Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries | Concord Acton Family Homelessness Advocacy Network | $700 | Homelessness | Jane Blumberg |
| Concord Area Pre-School Association | Scholarships for local Pre-Schoolers | $1,000 | Community/Concord | Betsy Siebert |
| Concord Prison Outreach, Inc. | Program Funding and Course Materials | $3,000 | Community/Concord | Linda Reynolds |
| Concord-Carlisle Human Rights Council | Concord - San Marcos Sister Cities Committee | $2,000 | International | Al Armenti |
| Connect Africa Foundation | Micro Loans and Education | $1,500 | International | Ted Englander |
| Domestic Violence Services of Central Middlesex | Court Intervention Project | $2,500 | Domestic Violence | Nancy Beeuwkes |
| Friends of The Rafael Hernandez School, Inc. | Art in the Park | $2,000 | Youth | Bill Seaver |
| Gaining Ground | Virginia Road Project | $1,000 | Environment | Cynthia Ellis |
| One Family, Inc. | One Family Scholars Program | $1,500 | Homelessness | Bill Seaver |
| The Sharing Foundation | The Roteang Orphanage, Cambodia | $2,400 | International | Lee Steppacher |
| Total | $34,500 | |||