Social Justice Seed Money For projects in 2014-2015

1. Application deadline September 30, 2014 The Great Plains Conference Mercy and Justice Team will administer funding to assist with projects that address issues of social justice • The criteria under which applications • can be made are: • The applicant is a United Methodist Church in the Great Plains Conference or an official United Methodist group in Kansas or Nebraska. • The project addresses one of to the issues authorized by the Great Plains Mercy and Justice Team and is consistent with or characterized in the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. • The project includes 1) social justice education; 2) social justice action; and 3) social justice advocacy. • The applicant presents a plan that addresses the root causes of injustice, including a goal*, strategies, time line and required resources, including funding, to accomplish the project. (Use of “SMART Goal” model is encouraged; google to see SMART steps) • A brief explanation of how the project will impact the issue through social justice education, action and advocacy. Select from these issues The Natural World ¶160, B) Energy Resources Utilization; D) Global Climate Stewardship The Social Community ¶ 162 H) Rights of Immigrants; I) Rights of Persons with Disabilities; L) Alcohol and Other Drugs; The Economic Community ¶ 163 D) Consumption; E) Poverty; H) Family Farms The World Community ¶ 165 C) War and Peace Paragraph (¶) and alphabetic section refer to official United Methodist positions as stated in the Social Principles of the church contained in The 2012 Book of Discipline. The Social Principles can be found at http://umc-gbcs.org/social-principles. Social Justice Seed Money For projects in 2014-2015 The grantee will return all unused funds to the Conference Treasurer

2. The Great Plains Conference Mercy and Justice Team Social Justice Seed Money Application • Name of United Methodist Church or official United Methodist organization • __________________________________________________________________________ • Contact person _____________________________________________________________ • Address __________________________________________________________________________ • Phone_________________________________Email_______________________________ • Seed Money Application Requirements: • 1. Description of the project that includes: • A clear goal statement of what the project will accomplish; • Identifying how the project will engage in social justice education, action and advocacy; • An explanation of how the project’s goal is supportive of one of the focused priorities from the UM Social Principles; • Strategies to be used to accomplish the project’s goal; • Timeline to complete the project, and, • A budget, including other funding resources or in-kind resources to be used, to carry out the project. • 2. What the applicant would need from the Mercy and Justice Team, e.g. a resource person to meet with on a regular basis, connections to the General Board of Church & Society, assistance with evaluation criteria or strategizing, etc. • 3. A written report, with digital photos and captions, of the project within 90 days of completion of the project period is to be submitted to the Great Plains Conference Mercy and Justice Team. • Optional but encouraged: To deepen your work for social justice, organize a group study of the UM Social Principles and God’s Renewed Creation (hopeandaction.org) Funding for each seed money project: Maximum amount: $1,000 Funding renewable for a second year upon application What is a “social justice” issue? As you begin preparations for your seed money application, keep in mind that the focus of the seed money is to address social justice, not charity or mercy. Charity includes direct services to those in need, such as supporting a food pantry or volunteering at a homeless shelter. Justice means working for social, political and institution-al change, such as working to change the mini-mum wage or affordable housing. Justice deals with systems, policies and structures. A social justice issue is an issue that impacts the larger community and requires change in the socio-economic or political community. For more information or to submit seed money application, please contact: Nancy Brown (nancybrowncor@aol.com) and Andrea Paret (amparet08@yahoo.com).