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Self Develoment of People Grants

Are you a member of a group that has a vision for empowering your community?
If so, the Self-Development of People of the Presbyterian Church (USA) may have funds to help you realize your vision.
What is Self-Development of People?
Self-Development of People (SDOP) is a ministry that affirms God's concern for humankind. We are Presbyterian and non-Presbyterian people, dissatisfied with poverty and oppression, united in faith and action through sharing, confronting, and enabling. We participate in the empowerment of economically poor, oppressed and disadvantaged people seeking to change the structures that perpetuate poverty, oppression, and injustice.
What does Self-Development mean?
Self-Development is NOT charity. Rather, it is a ministry in which people join together to share and use the human and material resources God has provided. Self-Development is the spiritual, social, political, and cultural freeing of persons to be who God intended with dignity and worth. It is a partnership with the oppressed who have decided what they will do to change their situation. It is Christ's Church in action, made possible by the One Great Hour of Sharing offering.
What is required?
Self-Development funding is very special and very limited in scope. It is only for groups of economically poor, oppressed, or disadvantaged people to be used for projects that are owned and controlled by the people who benefit directly from them. While congregations and other organizing groups are encouraged to help groups develop and submit proposals, the proposals must be presented, owned, and controlled by the direct beneficiaries.
How to Apply
There are two types of funding available—local and national.

Local funding is provided through the Self-Development of People Committee, Presbytery of Genesee Valley. The Committee is currently accepting applications for funding up to $10,000. An application form and grant criteria are available from the Presbytery Office at 242-0080, or can be downloaded here.

Organizations may be eligible for extended funding over $10,000 through the National SDOP Committee. If you think your group may qualify or you know of a group who may, see more information at www.pcusa.org/pcusa/wmd/sdop/apply. You may download the Domestic proposal form at that site.

All local applications are due in the Presbytery Office by Saturday September 15, 2007
SDOP Grant Criteria
The following national criteria of the Presbyterian Church (USA) are used by Self-Development of People Committees to determine whether a proposal is valid for funding within this ministry. (Grant requests over $10,000 should be directed to National Self Development of People, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396.)
  1. A proposal will address long-term correction of conditions that keep people bound by poverty and oppression.
  2. A proposal will be owned and presented by a group of people who will benefit directly from it. The proposal will identify the people by name, economic situation, and background. While congregations and other organizing groups are encouraged to help groups develop and submit proposals, the proposals must be presented, owned, and controlled by the direct beneficiaries.
  3. A proposal will describe, in detail, its goal (the point of the proposal), its objectives (the specific steps the group will take to accomplish the goal), the way the direct beneficiaries will be involved in all stages of the proposed project, and the methods to be used to achieve the goal and objectives.
  4. A proposal will not advocate violence as a means of accomplishing its goal or objectives.
  5. A proposal will describe fully the resources known to be available to support the project, including a description of
    1. those within the community,
    2. those available to the community, and
    3. the in-kind and other financial resources sought or to be sought.
  6. A proposal will contain a balanced income and expenditure budget. A financial plan showing expected income and expenditures over the life of the project will be included, as well as a statement of how the group intends to manage the program.
  7. A proposal will specify how progress toward the stated goal and objectives will be evaluated by the group, and when the evaluation will be made. It also will say how the group will engage the greater community in evaluating the program.