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National Development Grants

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Office of National Mission offers national development grants to aid LCMS congregations, Recognized Service Organizations, and districts to vigorously make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches and communities. This is an annual grant cycle. For this cycle, applications will be accepted through Feb. 1, 2023. Awards are announced in June.

We encourage innovative proposals that others can use to advance the domestic mission work of the LCMS.

For questions about National Development Grants, contact grants@lcms.org or 888-THE LCMS.

National Development Grant Process

Step 1 — Plan

  • Recruit a team from your organization to work together on your project.
  • Evaluate your ideas against the needs of your community and the grant eligibility guidelines.
  • Outline the project goals and how results will be measured.
  • Prepare a draft budget for your project.
  • Create a plan to implement your project.
  • Assess your organization’s capacity to accomplish your goals.
  • Garner support and buy-in from your leadership and members or staff.
  • Prepare a brief organizational history.
  • Secure a copy of your organization’s IRS Determination Letter of Non-profit Status (501c3 or 509a).

 

Step 2 — Apply

  • Seek the support of your district president and request his endorsement letter.
  • Decide who will manage correspondence with the LCMS for your project and create an account in the applicant portal.
  • Begin your online application. You may save and go back to your application as you’re working on it.
  • Upload a final budget using the LCMS budget template, which can be downloaded from within the online application.
  • Upload a brief organizational history and an IRS Determination Letter of Non-profit Status (501c3 or 509a) with your application.

 

Step 3 — Report

  • Recipients of national development grants are to be good stewards of the gifts given them.
  • Narrative and financial reporting is required for every grant.
  • Receipts and detailed expense records are required as part of the financial reporting.
  • Narrative reporting includes the measurement of goals identified in the application.

 

Begin your online application

This grant program is supplemented by funds from the Wiebe Mission Advancement Fund. Under the custodianship of the LCMS Foundation, the gift of John and Harriet Wiebe continues to have an immediate impact in the kingdom of God, even years after the Lord called them home. We give thanks for the Wiebes and for their example of generosity, foresight and love for the Lord.


Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is eligible to apply for a national development grant?

  • Who is eligible to apply for a national development grant?

    • LCMS congregations
    • LCMS districts
    • LCMS Recognized Service Organizations
  • What documents do I need to submit?

  • What documents do I need to submit?

    • Grant application
    • Budget template
    • District president endorsement letter
    • Organizational history
    • IRS Determination Letter of Non-Profit Status (501c3 or 509a)

    Photo Permission: When an applicant submits photographs, they give the LCMS permission to publish them in future resources, such as the LCMS website, giving catalogs, newsletters, annual reports and other documents. The LCMS Office of National Mission respects the privacy of our applicants. Materials submitted will not be given to any outside party for use apart from LCMS activities. Information regarding the project may be used to seek donor support.

  • Can I mail or email my application?

  • Can I mail or email my application?

    Applications are only accepted via the online applicant portal.

  • How late can applications be submitted on the due date?

  • How late can applications be submitted on the due date?

    • Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on the respective deadline. Applicants are strongly encouraged to create an account in the applicant portal and begin the application process early. Grants are awarded for a 12-month term
    • Applications are due Feb. 1; award decisions are announced in June.

    If Feb. 1 is during a weekend, the deadline will be the following Monday.

  • My congregation has many ministry areas and programs. May we apply for more than one grant?

  • My congregation has many ministry areas and programs. May we apply for more than one grant?

  • How and when will we be notified about grant decisions?

  • How and when will we be notified about grant decisions?

    Grant award notifications will be sent for all submissions, whether the final decision is positive or negative.

  • When will grant money be available to the recipient?

  • When will grant money be available to the recipient?

    Grant funds are ordinarily disbursed in July in accordance with and subject to each grant agreement. Smaller grant awards may be disbursed as a one-time payment. Larger grant awards may be disbursed in two payments and are contingent upon receipt of required reporting.

  • If we receive a grant, can we apply again for the same project after the grant term ends?

  • If we receive a grant, can we apply again for the same project after the grant term ends?

    Another new application can be submitted for the same project; however, there are no guarantees that an additional grant will be awarded. Applications for the same project are limited to three years. Any subsequent grants are awarded in declining amounts.

  • How and where should my district president’s endorsement letter be sent?

  • How and where should my district president’s endorsement letter be sent?

    Either of the following methods are acceptable for your district president’s endorsement letter:

    • An email directly from the district president to grants@lcms.org.
    • A letter written on official letterhead and mailed to:
      The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
      Attn: Grant Administration Manager
      1333 S. Kirkwood Rd.
      St. Louis, MO 63122

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The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Inc., including Mission Central (in Mapleton, Iowa), is an IRS registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity.

A contribution designated (restricted) for a specific purpose, when accepted, will be used only to fund expenses related to that purpose. Occasionally, we may receive more in contributions for a particular purpose than can be wisely applied to it in the foreseeable future or the purpose may cease to be feasible. In these situations, the LCMS will make reasonable attempts to contact contributors to apply their contribution toward another aspect of ministry that aligns closely the contributor’s goals and values. If a contributor cannot be contacted, the LCMS will use the gift to meet a similar pressing need that most closely matches the contributor's original intent.

Consistent with Synod Board policy and in recognition of a more challenging economic and philanthropic/fundraising environment due to inflationary pressure, not more than 12.5 percent of any charitable contribution will be allocated to administering gifts and communicating with contributors (compared to a not-more-than ceiling of 10.5 percent the previous fiscal year). Contributions received and accepted by the LCMS are deemed to be in agreement with this statement.

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