BUGB Mission Grants

The LBA administers applications for BUGB Mission Grants (formerly known as Home Mission grants) from the Baptist Union. Colin Hicks assists Paul Martin with their administration. Four types of grant are available. The over-riding criterion in assessing all grant requests is whether the grant will enable effective mission to take place. There are four main categories of grant that are open to churches.

Types of BUGB Mission Grant

Church-based ministry: Most grants are for church-based ministry. These grants can only be paid to churches with BUGB accredited Ministers paying their Minister the Home Mission standard stipend (or appropriate proportion thereof). They are also available for ministers-in-training and recognised ministers from other denominations in Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs). Grants will not normally exceed 50% of stipend.

Special Ministries: Some grants can be given towards the cost of a Special Ministry. This covers all ministries not included in other grant categories. Special Ministry grants are not limited to contributions to stipend or to a maximum of a 50% grant. Three Special Ministry grants have been supported in London in recent years – one for a family worker at New Addington Baptist Church, the second to support the Alperton Asian Ministry linked to Alperton Baptist Church, and the third for a student worker based at King's Cross Baptist Church.

Mission through Congregation grants: This is a new category of grant designed to enable a church or congregation to meet ongoing costs associated with their mission (but not towards stipend or salary costs).

Mission Project grants: These grants are given to enable churches to respond to the mission needs of their community as part of their ongoing work and ministry. They are one-off grants for new projects of new initiatives within existing projects. Priority is given to innovative and creative evangelistic initiatives and initiatives which are intended to help alleviate poverty or the effects of poverty. Any one Mission project grant will be no more than £3,000.

Applying for a BUGB Mission Grant

Churches considering applying for a grant for church-based ministry, a special ministries grant or a mission through congregation grant should speak in the first instance either to Paul Martin. Churches wishing to apply for a Mission Project grant should contact David Shosanya.

You can now download application forms and briefing materials from a special BUGB Mission Grants section of the Baptist Union website. The materials explain the process of applying for a grant including the appointment of visitors. Please note that Colin Hicks assists Paul Martin with the administration of BUGB Mission Grant applications for London and Colin may be able to help churches or visitors engaged in the application process. The LBA has some additional materials in our Downloads area.

Training Events

There were two BUGB Mission Grant Training Events in early 2009 to help churches considering applying for grants and for LBA appointed visitors to those churches. Click here to download PowerPoint slides used at these sessions.

Funding for BUGB Mission Grants

BUGB Mission Grants are funded using money given on a voluntary basis by member churches to the Baptist Union. This giving, known as Home Mission funding, is used to support mission across the UK. It is used in churches and through the work of the Baptist Union and the Associations as they advise and support the churches in their mission. Click for more details of Home Mission and the work it supports.