Infrastructure Grant Program
The Northern Virginia District is pleased to announce the recipients of the first-ever District Infrastructure Grants. These grants, made possible through the sale of district property, are designed to empower congregations to expand their ministry capacity by investing in key capital projects or reducing existing capital debt.
The recipients of the 2025 Infrastructure Grants are:
- Arlington Korean UMC
- Bethel UMC (Woodbridge)
- Burke UMC
- Crossroads UMC
- Floris UMC
- Friendship UMC
- Grace UMC
- Mount Vernon UMC.
- Oakton UMC
- Saint Stephen’s UMC
- Trinity UMC (Alexandria)
A total of 56 churches applied for funding, requesting nearly $10 million in grants. Recognizing the depth of need and the diversity of ministries represented, the District Strategy Team (DST) faced the difficult challenge of narrowing the field. With only $2 million allocated, the DST ultimately awarded grants to 11 churches, ensuring that each funded project could be fully realized from start to finish.
While it was deeply difficult not to fund every worthy application, the decision to fund these 11 projects was guided by a desire to ensure successful, completed outcomes. Spreading the funds across all applicants would have left many projects incomplete or unviable. Instead, this approach enables impactful transformation at 11 churches, each of which is contributing at least 15% in matching resources, collectively committing over $4.1 million toward their projects.
These churches represent a cross-section of our district, including five large churches, four medium churches, and two small churches. Among them is one ethnic congregation.
Projects receiving funding include: complete electrical rewiring of a church facility; renovation and upgrade of a church kitchen; sanctuary renovations including lighting, HVAC, carpet, painting, and accessibility improvements; a capital campaign aimed at reducing debt and supporting five mission initiatives; renovation of fellowship and education spaces including restrooms; installation of a new elevator to improve accessibility; infrastructure upgrades including HVAC replacement, A/V system installation, parking lot resurfacing, and signage improvements; replacement of 14 aging HVAC units; execution of a six-project capital improvement plan; construction of a secure, ADA- and code-compliant entryway; and the elimination of church debt to support food-based mission and future capital improvements.
Through this initiative, the District hopes to support congregations in living more fully into their missional calling by reducing financial burdens and investing in their physical infrastructure. Projects are expected to be completed by the end of the 2025–2026 Conference year. The first $1 million is being distributed to churches so they can begin work. The remaining $1 million will be distributed in stages in September 2025; March 2026; and June 2026, upon receipt of progress reports.
Find the full April 22 Press Release here.
About the Infrastructure Grant Program
The District Strategy Team is excited to announce the launch of the Infrastructure Grant Program. This program is designed to empower churches by providing financial support for infrastructure projects or by alleviating existing capital debt, allowing congregations to focus more fully on their missional callings.
We have allocated $2 million from the sale of district property to offer grants of up to $200,000 per church. These grants aim to enhance ministry capacity through projects such as facility improvements, accessibility upgrades, new construction, equipment purchases, or debt reduction.
Eligibility
Only churches in the Northern Virginia District are eligible to apply. Eligible applications must address the expectations of the grant and result in a positive, measurable outcome for the church and community. Applicants will be asked to describe how their proposal meets one or more of the following:
- Adding new space to do ministry/mission
- Renovating a current space to do ministry/mission
- Expanding a current space to do ministry/mission
- Building a new structure to do ministry/mission
- Paying debt on previous capital projects
Expectations of the Grant
Churches who receive a grant from the District will be expected to show and demonstrate:
- A clear and current picture of the church’s current viability and future sustainability
- An articulation of the church’s missional focus and the community or communities that would be served through the missional focus
- A willingness for the church to provide matching resources of 15% of the total grant received
- A focus on providing progress reports and updates as requested and in a timely fashion
Reviewing/Scoring
No laity or clergy associated with a church will be involved in scoring, reviewing, or approving any infrastructure grant application from their own church. Each application will be reviewed by at least two members of the Grant Review Team.
The Grant assessment is a three step process.
First, The application will be reviewed for completeness using the following criteria:
1. Application completeness (5 points)
2. Thorough description of the project proposed (10 points)
3. Demonstration of meeting the eligibility requirements (5 points)
4. Support for the church matching resources (10 points)
5. Submission of a detailed budget and narrative (10 Points)
6. A detailed work plan (10 Points)
7. Letters of support (10 Points)
8. Congregational assessment (25 Points)
9. Completion of the self-study summary (15 points)
Churches must receive a completeness score of 90% (90 points) in order to be considered for an award of the full amount requested.
Next, the grant review team will then assess each application.
There are scored criteria. Churches that receive a grant from the District will be expected to show and demonstrate:
- A clear and current picture of the church’s current viability and future sustainability
- An articulation of the church’s missional focus and the community or communities that would be served through the missional focus
- A willingness for the church to provide matching resources of 15% of the total grant received
- A focus on providing progress reports and updates as requested and in a timely fashion
Reviewers will use the following questions to evaluate and score each application based on the above expectations:
When evaluating the entirety of the application,
-
- do you see a clear and current picture of the Church’s viability?
- do you see a clear and current picture of the church’s future sustainability?
- is there a clear missional focus for this project?
- do you know and understand who this project will serve?
- is there a willingness to provide matching resources of at least 15%?
Reviewers are also asked if their score stands as is or if they’d like to offer 5 bonus points because the project has great potential and excites the reader.
After all grants have been reviewed and scored by their readers, the full grant review team will meet to discuss scores and make decisions regarding awarded funding.
You can find the score sheet that reviewers will use when evaluating applications here.
Important Dates
- The application portal will open on December 2, 2024.
- Q&A Session December 11, 2024 over Zoom.
- Application DEADLINE: January 31, 2025.
- We expect to make final funding decisions by the end of March 2025.
- Projects to be finalized by the end of the 2025–2026 conference year.
- Progress reports are to be submitted by September 15, 2025, March 15, 2026, and June 15, 2026.
- Final Report to be turned in no later than July 15, 2026.
Failure to submit the progress and final report will result in termination of the grant, and potential ineligibility for future grant opportunities.
Funding Cycle
Funding will be dispersed in four payments following the approval of the application and submission of each progress report as follows:
- Following application approval – 50%
- Following Progress Report #1 – 30%
- Following Progress Report #2 – 15%
- Following Progress Report #3 – 5%
The grant supports infrastructure and cannot be used to support personnel.
Failure to submit progress reports will result in not receiving additional payments.
FAQs
Below is a quick list of some of the most frequently asked questions.
A more robust FAQ, compiled from questions asked at our Q&A Zoom on December 11, is available HERE.
What if I have questions?
If you have questions about the grant or the process, you can email grants@novaumc.org
How is funding provided?
Funding is allocated by the Grant Review Team on behalf of the NoVa District Strategy Team. The funds come from a portion of the sale of property within the district.
Who is serving on the Grant Review Team?
No laity or clergy associated with a church will be involved in scoring, reviewing, or approving any infrastructure grant application from their own church. Each application will be reviewed by at least two members of the Grant Review Team.
Can we have multiple projects on the application?
Yes. A church may only submit ONE application, but that application can include multiple projects. $200,000 is the most any single church may apply for, but you are not required to find projects to fill all $200,000. Please only ask for what you expect your project(s) to cost.
What amount of funds might be granted?
Grants up to $200,000 will be allocated.
How do I apply for the grant?
You can apply using this link: Infrastructure Grant Application
How will grants be assessed?
No laity or clergy associated with a church will be involved in scoring, reviewing, or approving any infrastructure grant application from their own church. Each application will be reviewed by at least two members of the Grant Review Team.
The Grant assessment is a three step process.
First, The application will be reviewed for completeness using the following criteria:
1. Application completeness (5 points)
2. Thorough description of the project proposed (10 points)
3. Demonstration of meeting the eligibility requirements (5 points)
4. Support for the church matching resources (10 points)
5. Submission of a detailed budget and narrative (10 Points)
6. A detailed work plan (10 Points)
7. Letters of support (10 Points)
8. Congregational assessment (25 Points)
9. Completion of the self-study summary (15 points)
Churches must receive a completeness score of 90% (90 points) in order to be considered for an award of the full amount requested.
Next, the grant review team will then assess each application.
There are scored criteria. Churches that receive a grant from the District will be expected to show and demonstrate:
- A clear and current picture of the church’s current viability and future sustainability
- An articulation of the church’s missional focus and the community or communities that would be served through the missional focus
- A willingness for the church to provide matching resources of 15% of the total grant received
- A focus on providing progress reports and updates as requested and in a timely fashion
Reviewers will use the following questions to evaluate and score each application based on the above expectations:
When evaluating the entirety of the application,
- do you see a clear and current picture of the Church’s viability?
- do you see a clear and current picture of the church’s future sustainability?
- is there a clear missional focus for this project?
- do you know and understand who this project will serve?
- is there a willingness to provide matching resources of at least 15%?
Reviewers are also asked if their score stands as is or if they’d like to offer 5 bonus points because the project has great potential and excites the reader.
After all grants have been reviewed and scored by their readers, the full grant review team will meet to discuss scores and make decisions regarding awarded funding.
Why is the application so lengthy?
In order to be good stewards of this money and because grants up to $200,000 may be awarded, it is critical that applicants provide a detailed and thorough plan.
We feel this application and all of its parts will help our team assess the project and will also benefit the applicant in the process.
Not only do we want to know what you’re going to do. We need assurance that you are vital enough to do the work, and you are able to sustain the work. And the only way we can make that assessment is to have a full picture of your church. And so the application gives us all the information that we need to make decisions.
The application can be divided into pieces–no one person should be doing the entire application alone. One person needs to enter the information into the grant application online, but the gathering of the information can be done by many.
What is the timeline?
| December 2, 2024 | Applications Open |
| January 31, 2025 | Application DEADLINE |
| End of March 2025 | Final Decisions made |
| Early April 2025 | Recipients Notified |
| September 15, 2025 | Progress Report #1 Due |
| March 15, 2026 | Progress Report #2 Due |
| June 15, 2026 | Progress Report #3 Due |
| July 1, 2026 | Projects Completed |
| July 15, 2026 | FINAL Progress Report Due |
Failure to submit the progress and final report will result in termination of the grant, and potential ineligibility for future grant opportunities.
Where do I get the documents you need?
The application asks for many documents- including:
- Project Budget (Download Template)
- Trustee Letter(s)
- Ministry/Mission Partner Letter(s)
- Church Bulletins Sample
- Newsletter Sample
- Project Communication Plan
- Staff/Leadership Org Chart
- Statistical Data Report (Download Template)
We have also provided a Self-Study Checklist to help you gather the pieces required for that section of the application.
These linked documents are all in a Dropbox folder. You DO NOT need a Dropbox account to access them. Simply, use the Download button to save them to your computer.
