2006 Program Objectives

To Strengthen the Church in the Global South
Target Allocation: $820,000

The primary regional focus of this grant category is Africa, with limited responses to other parts of the Global South. This program area supports capacity building for Anglican Churches through programs that encourage leadership in their local communities. Programs must be church-based, have the active participation of the local Anglican Church, and serve the entire community. Provincial, regional, and diocesan programs that benefit several communities will have priority.

Program Emphases

Theological Education By Extension (TEE)
Distance learning and short-term contextual theological training that prepares both clergy and laity with the theological knowledge to serve churches in their communities. Particular attention will be given to Province-wide or ecumenical programs that address contemporary ministry needs.

Community Development
Training in communities, both urban and rural, to allow participants to take control of factors that impact their lives while improving their management, administrative, and decision-making skills. This can include community organizing around needed services, the development of local enterprise to improve income, improved agricultural techniques, and micro-enterprise development. Particular attention will be given to programs that take into account the interrelated concerns around Preventive Health Care and Development.

Primary & Preventive Health Care
Short-term training that equips community health educators who can work with communities to improve health standards, including education on the prevention of AIDS and STDs; child development; nutrition; hygiene; clean water access; and waste management. Particular attention will be given to projects of Provinces and regions that implement such training across diocesan boundaries.

Peace Building & Democratic Participation
Short-term and contextual training of community leaders to provide leadership in conflict resolution, consensus building, citizenship responsibility, and participation in public life.

Leadership and Management Training
Short-term, distance learning, and contextual training programs that prepare diocesan and provincial church leaders, both lay and ordained, to train others and to manage and administer programs of TEE, Community Development, Preventive Health Care, Peace Building & Democratic Participation. Particular attention will be given to programs that are planned, organized, and conducted by women to train women leaders and managers.

To Strengthen Telecommunications in the Anglican Communion
Target Allocation: $440,000

A major focus of this Program Objective will be to support database/online library creation that will enable our partners to easily access information. Priority will be given to projects at seminaries and institutions of higher learning that will make these resources available to students or utilize technology to make a contribution to future leaders of the Anglican Communion.

Program Emphases

Database Creation
Exploration of new technologies to enable the publication of digital resources and online libraries, such areas of program interest as theological education; leadership management training; community development; preventive health care; and citizens’ participation in public life.

Network development
Support for continuing development of the Inter- Anglican Information Network; a secured encrypted service through an Anglican Global Telecommunications Network, where it is feasible, as a coordinating mechanism and communications platform throughout the Anglican Communion. The focus is on establishing email capacity and Internet facilities in as many dioceses as possible and assisting in the installation of radio systems and other appropriate communication technologies. Priority will be given to proposals that make computer training available to seminarians, and young and emerging leaders in the Global South.

To Strengthen the Church in New York as a Catalyst for Social Transformation
Target Allocation: $750,000

The major goal of the Trinity Grants Program in Metropolitan New York is to engage the Episcopal Church as a catalyst for social transformation—not just offering hospitality to those in need but challenging the systems that allow human need to persist.

Program Emphases

1. Critical Issues

Special consideration will be given to proposals that focus on transformation in one or more of the following issues:

• Affordable housing
• Anti-bias/cross-cultural understanding
• Civic engagement
• Education reform
• Immigration
• Neighborhood organizing
• Prison reform
• Public health and HIV/AIDS
• Workforce development

• Strengthening lay and clergy leadership: Equipping leaders within the Episcopal Church with the theological background and practical experience to incorporate social transformation into their ministry.
• Identifying assets for transformation: Helping congregations to take a “next step” in their social outreach activities to focus on roots of problems by extending the boundaries of current efforts.
• Creating coalitions and networks of support: Organizing leaders, inside and outside the Church, to have the power to make a difference in their communities. Coalitions should work toward long-term relationships but also have a near-term animating goal.

• Reconciliation: The theme of the 2006 Trinity Institute Theological Conference is “The Anatomy of Reconciliation: From Violence to Healing.” This initiative will consider proposals from conference participants that spotlight how Episcopal faith communities work for reconciliation in Metropolitan New York.
• Feed the Solution: This initiative expands the ways that Episcopal feeding programs respond to hunger by (1) offering “next steps” that support guests’ self-sufficiency and (2) engaging guests, volunteers, clergy and congregations, and area dioceses in policy advocacy that shifts the economic, political, and social systems affecting hunger.
• Growing the Church in New York: This initiative supports new models of church growth in Metropolitan New York, as part of the Episcopal Church USA’s 2020 initiative.

5. Trinity Alternative Investment Fund
Created in 1972, the Trinity Alternative Investment Fund provides loans and equity investments for significant community development ventures in the Metropolitan New York area. For 2006, the Fund will focus on “stakeholder deposits” that connect opportunities for transformation identified by Episcopal faith communities with financial institutions that have the capacity to carry out significant development projects.

To Strengthen Spiritual Formation and Development in The Episcopal Church
Target Allocation: $500,000

Trinity Parish will invest in projects in which people of vision and imagination have found substantial, specific ways to deepen and enrich the spiritual quest.

We will also watch closely for Episcopal programs that focus on the journeys of unchurched individuals and encourage the grace of transformation among individuals of many ages, colors, economic settings, and faith traditions.

Program Emphases Young Adult Spirituality Investments in initiatives that focus on the spiritual lives of people in their 20’s and 30’s. Applicants must articulate a sound understanding of, and a deep commitment to, this population. Programs may include innovative liturgical forms, unusual types of Christian community, or alternative approaches to ministry in which the Gospel is proclaimed in dynamic and culturally relevant ways.

Coherent Congregational Spirituality Investments in congregations that are working toward full appropriation of a matrix of formational offerings, so that the contemplative life illuminates the life of the parish and is reflected in it. Applicants must articulate a working theology of spiritual formation (including both contemplative and active components), present their institution’s understanding of spiritual formation, explain how this understanding and theology are being imparted, and demonstrate how they are reflected in the specific program for which funding is requested.

Deep Leadership Investments in innovative initiatives by established spiritual training programs that address the Church’s need to train leaders for spiritual growth centered congregations. Applicants under this emphasis must articulate what a leader and guide of a community’s spiritual growth and maturation is and does, the qualities to be strengthened in spiritually authoritative “deep” leaders, and the formation methods used in the training program.

Special Opportunity
Target Allocation: $97,000

Program Emphases
Global Partners The “Global Partners” initiative will strengthen ties between the Episcopal Church in the United States and other parts of the Anglican Communion through mission-based partnerships. Our hope is that undertaking specific projects or exchanges together will lead to deeper partnerships that inspire other Episcopal faith communities in caring for and empowering others.

This initiative will support Anglican dioceses, congregations or institutions that are already in partnership. Funding will support current or emerging mission relationships that can serve as models of long-term partnership throughout the Episcopal Church.

Table of Contents    Next Section >