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the Healthy Steps Grant Initiative

Learn how we provide grant funds for small and mid-size churches to get coaching and consulting.

Helping Churches Take Steps Toward Health.

So many small-church pastors recognize that things need to change, that they need to invest in the health of their ministry. They’re hungry to have the greatest impact for Jesus they possibly can. But a lack of resources gets in the way. Here at 95Network, we get that. That’s why we help connect small and mid-size churches to BIG resources. 

We offer grant funds for one reason: To serve as a catalyst for change. Put simply, these funds exist to get churches moving in the right direction with the right resources, on a path towards long-term health. 

Page Contents:

- What Grants for Churches are Available?
- How Does the Process Work? (FAQ)
- Who Have We Helped?
- How Can I Provide Grants for Small Churches?
- Get in Touch

What Grants for Churches are available?

We don't want small churches to miss out on great resources because of finances. We have a powerhouse list of partners and services that we’ll connect you with to receive coaching and consulting. We consider these organizations to be the best of the best. And every partner we recommend and have approved has something they do to specifically equip pastors of small churches. Here are some of the options for grant funds:

COACHING

  • Leadership Coaching | Every leader has constraints. But a healthy leader leads to a healthy church. By using a 360 Leadership Profile, this year-long coaching cohort will help you recognize opportunities for growth and create an action plan to lead your church well.  

  • Organizational Coaching | Partner with one of our team members (or one of our partners) to walk through 12 core issues that create barriers to church health and growth. 

  • Communications Coaching | Experience a personalized introduction to effective internal and external communications strategies for your church.

  • Marriage Coaching | Don't let issues in your marriage be the reason your ministry fails. Invest in the long-term health of your marriage with personal, monthly coaching calls or a weekend-long retreat.

CONSULTING

  • Strategic Planning Weekend | Bring in an outside perspective to clarify how you're doing, where you're headed, and how you'll get there. 

  • Communications Services | Address deeper communications issues through branding, communications assessments, and website development.

How Does the Grant Process Work? (faq)

What is the purpose of offering grant funds for churches?

We offer grant funds for one reason: To serve as a catalyst for change. Put simply, these funds exist to get churches moving in the right direction with the right resources, on a path towards long-term health.

We have a big vision: To bring positive change to every small church in America. And the truth is that we can't do that alone. This is why we partner with others who have the same passion for the Church to make the best resources accessible to every church who desires to take steps toward health.

Our grant funds are a motivator to take healthy steps, and a catalyst to get moving in the right direction. 

How does my church apply for a grant fund?

The process is simple, and it starts by reaching out to us or one of our approved partners! If a grant is an option moving forward, here's what the process looks like:

  1. We'll send you our simple grant request form (takes about 5-10 minutes to complete.)

  2. You'll schedule a call with a member of our team so we can hear your story and discuss some details of the grant. 

  3. You'll receive a response on the status of the grant within 1-2 business days!

(Check out the answer for how the process of receiving funds works below.)

Where do the grant funds come from?

When you change a church, you change a community.

These grants are only made possible through the generosity of others who care deeply about the Church and want to invest in the long-term health of small churches across the country. Donors include the following:

  1. Healthy churches (both small and large) who have made 95Network a part of their missions giving in order to support small churches across the country and change communities for Christ.

  2. Kingdom-minded individuals and organizations who want to invest into the health of the Church in America, having an impact on a national level in communities across the nation.

If you'd like to learn more about the ministry we do and how you can support small and mid-size churches, click here to download our conversation guide!

What is the process for receiving funds?

We have tailored our grants to make sure every church follows-through on the contracted process, and has a significant amount of skin in the game with the service provider.

Financial assistance through the Healthy Steps Grant is limited in the sense that it typically only covers a portion of the service cost. The final amount of the grant will be determined based on a formula that takes the information submitted into account. The payout of the grant, if approved, will be provided in the form of a rebate.

  • Your church will be responsible for making all payments in accordance with any agreement between you and the service provider. Grants are not released up-front.

  • 95Network will write your church a check for 50% of the total grant amount around the halfway mark of your engagement with the service provider, providing your account is in good standing.

  • 95Network will write your church a second check for the remaining 50% of the grant amount at the conclusion of your formal engagement with the service provider.

In using this model, our hope is to provide both financial help and incentive to complete the process well, thereby putting your church in the best position possible to make the most of your investment and impact your community. 

How do I know if our church qualifies for grants?

The approval of our grants is determined by uniting a formula we've developed with the actual story of your church's current situation (part of the personal phone call during the application process). Here is what the typical grant recipient looks like:

  • Size. The church is usually around 200 in average attendance or smaller.
  • Budget. The church has a very limited budget. Without the grant fund, they could not engage with one of our partners.
  • Perspective. Leadership of the church is kingdom-minded and have a desire to take steps toward health.  
  • Attitude. The leadership of the church has a healthy attitude about their community, the process they're pursuing, and their current situation.
Are the grants denominationally-restricted?

No! We do not restrict our grants for churches based on denominational affiliations. We will support established churches or church plants from any denomination, assuming they have a strong commitment to Scripture and believe Jesus is the Son of God and Head of the Church. 

Who Have We Helped?

We've had the opportunity to partner with small and mid-size churches through grant funds all across the country. (If you want to read about the ministry we've been able to do, you can click here to download our conversation guide.) Here's the latest map of churches we've supported:

GrantMap-Updated-2-1

There is nothing like being able to tell a church that they have been approved to receive a Healthy Steps Grant as an encouragement for them to invest in the health of their ministry. Here are just a few things we've heard from some pastors we've supported:

"When we discovered we were approved for a grant, our whole church celebrated!" - Pastor Charles Robinson in Hampton, VA 

"95Network has allowed our church to position itself for future growth and has reinvigorated a tired leader. If it wasn’t for them, we’d still be stuck, I’d still be frustrated with our progress, and I’d still be disappointed with my inability to lead well. We are incredibly grateful." - Pastor John Orr in Cartersville, GA

"We could not have done what we have done without 95Network, or without people willing to partner with 95Network to help us with some of the costs to take steps towards health... My church is a firsthand testimony of what God is doing with that kind of assistance. So thank you, thank you, thank you." - Pastor Thayne Sparke in Codell, KS

Codell-Community-Church

How Can I Provide Grants for Small Churches?

Here at 95Network, we’re passionate about connecting small and mid-size churches with BIG resources. In 2018 alone, we were able to support 62 churches in 27 states, and committed over $130,000 to help them take steps towards long-term health. 

In order to continue making progress towards our vision, we rely on the generosity of people and organizations who will partner with us financially to help build the Kingdom. If this is something you're interested in, a great place to start is by downloading our conversation guide. And if you'd like to give today, you can make a donation -- all gifts are tax-deductible, and every dollar counts on this journey to support small and mid-size churches.

Here's the truth: When you help a church, you change a community. Supporting the health of a local church directly influences their ability to minister to their community and reach people for Jesus. 

Will you prayerfully consider helping us bring positive change to every small church in America by becoming one of the supporters who partners with us to encourage and equip small churches across the country?

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