GUIDELINES FOR THE South District
PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FOR
SMALL CHURCHES
 

1.   The purpose of the South District of the Texas Annual Conference Permanent Endowment Fund for Small Churches is to provide financial assistance to small Churches within the bounds of the district.  It is not intended to be used to pay operating expenses of the congregation.

2.   The Fund belongs to the South District, and thus the District Conference and any succeeding entity.  It is administered through a Trustees Committee composed for the District Lay Leader, the Chair of the District Finance Committee, the Chair of the District Trustees, the Chair of the Council on Ministries, the Chair of the Missions Committee and the District Superintendent.  These officers represent a cross-section of the District’s leadership and are elected by the District Conference.  The Trustees will meet at least twice annually to review requests and make grants toward the needs of small churches.  Called meetings may take place for emergency purposes.  A quorum will be four Trustees being present and an agreement of 4.  A Trustee cannot vote on a request from their home Church.

3.   The South District of the Texas Annual Conference Permanent Endowment Funds will be invested under the direction of the Trustees.  The Trustees will report to the District Conference annually as to the status of the Fund and the distribution of monies.

4.   In order for the Fund to remain a permanent endowment, at no time will any portion of the principal amount of the endowment, adjusted or inflation, be distributed.  The Trustees of the Fund will distribute only such portion of earnings from interest, dividends, or realized growth in any given year so as not to deplete or invade the corpus of the endowment.  The Trustees will reinvest such portion of annual earnings back into the principal or corpus of the endowment on an annual basis as may be necessary to negate the effects of inflation.

5.   Monies will be used to help with programs, capital improvements, and continuing education for small churches in the South District.  A small church is defined as one whose member is 300 or less or whose average attendance is less than 50.

6.   Grants may only be received by any one congregation once in any two-year period.

7.   Grant requests must be sent to the District Superintendent’s Office.

8.   Grant selections will take place twice annually, mid-September and mid-March.  Applications are due in February and August.  

9.   Grant application forms are acquired through the District Office or here and must be signed by the Pastor, the Church Lay Leader, and the Chair of the Finance Committee.

10.  A follow-up report showing the use of all funds and how the grant effected ministry will be sent to the District Office within six months from the date of grant funding.  Funds not expended for the purpose granted within a period of one year from the date of the initial grant funding shall be returned to the Fund, unless this time period is enlarged by the Trustees.

It is with grateful appreciation to Jesse and Alicia Dunn for their generosity and vision in making this possible for the work of God's Kingdom.