Comments on: Request for Information On Funding for Churches to Becoming Accessible http://www.uccdm.org/2007/01/28/request-for-information-on-funding-for-churches-to-becoming-accessible/ Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:24:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Dee http://www.uccdm.org/2007/01/28/request-for-information-on-funding-for-churches-to-becoming-accessible/#comment-915 Dee Sun, 28 Jan 2007 14:56:53 +0000 http://www.uccdm.org/2007/01/28/request-for-information-on-funding-for-churches-to-becoming-accessible/#comment-915 1. The backbone of obtaining a grant is to have done your home work. It is important to have proper consultation so you do not waste money, time and human resources making accessibility changes that are not up to ADA standards or that need to be undone later in order to accomplish additional changes. See http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm or http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/racheck.pdf. We have been well-assisted in the United Church of Christ through the UCC Fellowship of Christian Architects. Contact David Schoen at schoend@ucc.org to find the names of these architects in your conference who will do a free, on-site evaluation of your church and offer educated suggestions. 3. Have you taken a look at the Cornerstone Fund, http://www.uccdm.org/building-access/cornerstone-fund/? This special LOAN program is through the United Church of Christ. 4. Some conference-level Accessibility/Inclusion Committees have grant programs or other idea. For several years, our Nebraska Conference Disabilities Ministries Committee has offered churches in Nebraska Conference an accessibility building grant Nebraska Conference of up to a total of $500.00. One year, when we had no applicants, we offered a $500.00 matching grant for accessibility improvements at our church camp, Kaleo. This was amount more than met from conference churches. 5. Try contacting your association and/or known individuals within the denomination or within a larger church who might be willing to help with a grant or a matching grant. 6. Check out the following grant resources: http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/grants-catalog-index.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/grant-opportunities.html http://grants.library.wisc.edu/faqs.html http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2religio.htm 7. Check http:/www.uccnebraska.org from time to time as the Nebraska Record, January-February 2007 issue will host a special section about the variety of ways that several UCC churches in our conference have funded architectural and other accessibility changes in their buildings. Rev. Dee Brauninger Burwell, NE 1. The backbone of obtaining a grant is to have done your home work. It is
important to have proper consultation so you do not waste money, time and
human resources making accessibility changes that are not up to ADA
standards or that need to be undone later in order to accomplish additional
changes. See http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm or http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/racheck.pdf.

We have been well-assisted in the United Church of Christ through the UCC Fellowship of Christian Architects. Contact David Schoen at schoend@ucc.org to find the
names of these architects in your conference who will do a free, on-site
evaluation of your church and offer educated suggestions.

3. Have you taken a look at the Cornerstone Fund,
http://www.uccdm.org/building-access/cornerstone-fund/? This special LOAN
program is through the United Church of Christ.

4. Some conference-level Accessibility/Inclusion Committees have grant programs or other idea. For several years, our Nebraska Conference Disabilities Ministries Committee has offered churches in Nebraska Conference an accessibility building grant Nebraska Conference of up to a total of $500.00. One year, when we had no applicants, we offered a $500.00 matching grant for accessibility improvements at our church camp, Kaleo. This was amount more than met from conference churches.

5. Try contacting your association and/or known individuals within the
denomination or within a larger church who might be willing to help with a
grant or a matching grant.

6. Check out the following grant resources:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/grants-catalog-index.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/grant-opportunities.html
http://grants.library.wisc.edu/faqs.html
http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2religio.htm

7. Check http:/www.uccnebraska.org from time to time as the Nebraska Record,
January-February 2007 issue will host a special section about the
variety of ways that several UCC churches in our conference have funded
architectural and other accessibility changes in their buildings.

Rev. Dee Brauninger
Burwell, NE

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