Social Action Grants
This page contains information on the First Parish Social Action Grants Program, as well as grant award information from fiscal year 2006and on. A subset of Grants, Grant History, provides information on the SAC Grant distribution list for prior years.
General Information
The Social Action Community (SAC) Grants Committee works to actively express our UU social justice commitment and our First Parish benediction. The Grants Committee manages the distribution of 7.5% of pledge income collected annually by First Parish in Concord. The Committee consists of First Parish member volunteers who review Grant Requests proposed by First Parish members and determine the dollar amount awarded. Currently chaired by Wendy Holt ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), the Committee reports to the Social Action Program Director, Faith Bade ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). SAC Grant Request Forms are found on the First Parish website and can be mailed to Wendy Holt c/o Social Action Grant Requests, First Parish in Concord, 20 Lexington Road, Concord, MA, 01742 or by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
SAC Grants Policies
- The First Parish SAC Grants Committee funds awards twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Grants Requests are not considered outside of this funding cycle and only one Grant Request per organization is allowed in a First Parish fiscal year (July to June).
- Every Grant Request must be sponsored by a pledging member of First Parish, who is connected to the requesting organization, and not by a paid staff member of the organization.
- The Committee allocates a portion of each year's awards to support local community organizations in which First Parish members are involved, as well as metropolitan, national and international organizations.
- The Committee actively encourages social entrepreneurship and gives extra weight to Grant Requests to provide seed money for a specified and limited time period to "incubate" new ideas. Grant award priority is given to these new concepts and ventures.
- Grant awards aim to make a meaningful difference in the success of a project. To that end, an organization's or project's overall budget and alternative funding sources are important components in Committee decision making.
- Extra weight is given to applications from organizations which create opportunities for increased First Parish connection and participation. These opportunities should be clearly outlined in the Grant Request. Repeat funding requests must clearly identify these efforts and their outcome.
- No individual scholarship requests or Grant Requests to support individual First Parish member activities are considered. Please contact the Social Action Program Director to explore alternative ways of funding individuals or to learn about scholarship options available to support the activities of First Parish members.
- Every grant recipient must submit a report within one year of the date of the Grant Request. Any subsequent funding is contingent upon receipt of a satisfactory report. The report must include information on how money was used, who was engaged or assisted with the project, and list the significant project outcomes. This report should be sent directly to Wendy Holt at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mailed to her c/o First Parish in Concord.
- The Committee follows conflict of interests of guidelines. No individual Committee members can sponsor a Grant Request. A Committee member in direct association with a Grant Request organization is excused from Committee discussion and vote.
- Beginning in November 2009, an on-line public comment process was instituted for First Parish members. During a specified and publicized time period, comments may be made on pending grant requests. The SAC Grants Committee will review these comments prior to making their award decisions.
Application: The next application deadline will be March 15, 2010. SAC Grant Requests forms have been revised and are now available at Grant Request Form and may be emailed to Wendy Holt, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or mailed c/o Social Action Grant Requests, First Parish in Concord, 20 Lexington Road, Concord, MA 01742.
Application Content Details
The Grant Request should include a one page description of the project, with a statement of impact, details on measurement of the grant results, and a statement of qualifications of participating staff. The summary should also answer the following questions:
- 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 to, and where should the funds be sent?
- In what way are First Parish members involved with this organization?
Notification: All Grant requests sponsors will be personally notified once an award decision has been made, usually within one month of the application deadline. Grant awards are posted on this website under Grants History, published in either the First Parish Sunday News or Meeting House News, and displayed on the Social Action Community bulletin board at First Parish.
Current SAC Grants Committee members: Wendy Holt (chair), Alane Wallis, Dave Dawson, Eric Van Loon, CC King, Alice Kaufman, John Lowe, Claudia Nimar, and Rev. Jenny Rankin (ex-officio).
Contact Information: Please contact Wendy Holt ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), SAC Grants Committee chair, or any SAC Grants Committee members with any questions.
SAC Grants Awarded 2009-2010 Program Year
SAC Grants Approved December 2009 |
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| Organization | Project Title | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Advocacy Network to End Family Homelessness | Creation of advocacy from Concord area for legislation on behalf of homeless families | $500 |
| Amnesty International | Advocacy for local justice and human rights worldwide |
$500 |
| Centro Arte Para La Paz |
Stipend for staffing of photo course for young people in Suchitoto, El Salvador plus $1700 match for fundraising of First Parish youth for the center during fall 2009 |
$3000 |
| Children's Island | Support for Argentina based food program for free preschool/afterschool program for single mothers | $1400 |
| Ecclesia Ministries (Common Cathedral) | Support for outreach program to housed and unhoused preople in Boston through Sunday worship and City Reach overnight (FP members participate) |
$1000 |
| Concord Prison Outreach. | Operating expense support for CPO mission to reduce recidivism through education & personal growth |
$2500 |
| Gaining Ground | Install second composting toilet for volunteers at farm where organic produce is grown for local hunger relief | $2500 |
| Open Table | Increase Food Voucher & Guest Support programs |
$7000 |
| The Sharing Foundation (Roteang Orphanage) | High school and college sponsorship for seriously disadvantaged or orphaned children in Cambodia. |
$2000 |
| Total | $20,400 | |
SAC Grants Awarded 2008-2009 Program Year
SAC Grants Approved May 2009 |
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| Organization | Project Title | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Communities for Restorative Justice | Management & Operating Expenses | $3000 |
| Concord Area Pre-School Association | Preschool Scholarship Grants | $2000 |
| Concord Carlisle High School | Be the Change Challenge Day intitiative at CCHS | $2000 |
| Concord Climate Action | Operating Budget | $2500 |
| First Parish in Concord | Partner Church Committee Szekelykeresztur Community House | $3000 |
| Head to Head, Inc. | Salaries for school in Haiti | $1000 |
| Household Goods Recycling of MA | General Operating Funds | $2000 |
| Restoration Project | OT services for SPED | $3000 |
| UU Mass Action Network | Management & Operating expenses | $1000 |
| UUUM | Youth, Renewal House, Stand High/Stand United, United Souls | $15000 |
| Total | $34500 | |
SAC Grants Approved November 2008 |
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| 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 | Art program for chidlren and peace | $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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 | |||