BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT GRANTS COMMITTEE

         

Report to Synod from the District Grants Committee

April 2008

            

MORE MONEY AVAILABLE FOR GRANTS!

The Grants Committee has increased amounts available to distribute as grants to help us follow God’s Calling in our District. Please think and pray about opportunities in your local situation.

            

Financial information

The following are attached:

            

       

 

People Projects

The Grants Committee has decided that, when reviewing applications for projects involving the appointment of staff, the Committee will check that procedures are in place at the outset to support fully an appointee in their work. In addition the Committee wishes to stress the need to respect a lay worker’s non working time.

                             

Alison Lusty

District Grants Officer

                 

BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT ADVANCE FUND    

Report to RMGC for the period 01/09/2006 to 31/08/2007 as required under S.O.963(3)  

                                                                                                       

1. Ministry Grants paid                                                                                                            

Birmingham (South West)   Holly Hill School - Governors' expenses                 1,000

Birmingham (South West)   Hawkesley School - Governors' expenses              1,000

Blackheath       Children's Outreach Worker                                                   7,000

Tamworth and Lichfield    Worker for Healing and Wholeness                           5,000

Birmingham Central Mission Interfaith Teaching                                              9,000

Worcester        Children and Youth Worker at Bromyard Rd                            2,500

Birmingham Central Mission Life in Face of Death Arts Festival                          500

Birmingham Central Mission Inner City Committee Youth Weekend                    159

Birmingham District              Rural Life Officer (05/06 and 06/07)                    11,685

Birmingham District              Evangelism Enabler                                           2,500

Coventry                          HE Chaplaincy - Coventry & Warwick Universities     8,386

Birmingham (South West)    HE Chaplaincy - Birmingham University                9,596

Birmingham - Moseley Rd & Sparkhill      Fresh Expression Enabler                 2,000

Birmingham Asbury              Community Worker                                            6,000

Bromsgrove     Community Work                                                                    5,000

Birmingham Sutton Park      Nechells and Witton Layworker                            3,000

Birmingham - Moseley Rd & SparkhillChildren and Youth Work Enabler            3,000

Birmingham Sutton Park      Nechells and Witton Layworker Expenses             4,960

Birmingham Asbury              Youth visit to Easter People                                   180

Elmdon/ Birmingham (South West)  Swedish Youth Visit                                     400

Nuneaton         Soul Clinics                                                                           1,000

Birmingham District              NEC Chaplain                                                     7,000

Birmingham Sutton Park      Wheelwright Community Project                            5,000

Birmingham Elmdon             Youth Visit to Sweden                                            500

                                                                                                         

 Total (A):                                                                                                    96,366

                                                                                                       

2. Property Grants paid                                                                                                           

                                                                                                       

Circuit                           Project                                                                  Amount

Birmingham (South West)  St Christopher's Extension to Church Centre           5,000

Blackheath                       Community/Games Hall (part)                                3,000

Birmingham South West     Holly Hill School Library                                      15,000

Birmingham West and Oldbury    Manse 35 Newlands Drive                              5,800

Tamworth and Lichfield        St Andrew's Methodist Church                               5,000

                                                                                                      Total(B):                                                                                                 33,800

                                                                                                        

3. Future Commitments (as at 31/8/07)                                                                                                                                                              

Year                                                     Amount committed                                                      

2007/08 and earlier years                          £189,494                                      

2008/09                                                        £108,650                                      

2009/10                                                        £  88,646                                         

2010/11                                                       £   59,922                                         

2011/12                                                        £  50,189                                         

Total future commitments                        £    496,901                                      

                                                                                                             

4. Summary of Accounts                                                                                                            

                                                                                                         

Income                          £                                                             Expenditure    £                           

                                                                                                         

Levies rec'd from circuits                130,171                             Ministry Grants paid        96,366   (Total A)

B’ham City Centre donation             100,000                             Property Grants paid       33,800   (Total B)

CAPF distribution                             59,052                                Other expenditure                                 

Interest                                           22,995                                                                   

Grants rec’d for distribution                19,152                                                                   

                                                                                                         

Total (A):                                        331,370                          Total (B):                          130,166                           

                                                                                                         

Bal b/fwd from 31/8/06                    340,285                                                                

Net Income / Expenditure                201,204                          A-B                                              

Bal c/fwd @ 31/8/07                        541,489                                                                

                                                                                                             

5. District Officer's comments and report on the use of the District Advance Fund during the past year:

                                                                                                       

The Birmingham District Advance Fund has been used to encourage and develop a wide range of work across the District.                                                                                                                                                                                        

In 2007/8, payments were made to support 24 ministry projects and 5 property schemes, compared to 14 ministry and 2 property schemes in 2005/6. The total value of grants paid in the year to 31 August 2007 was £130,166 compared to £93,433 in the previous year.

                                                                                                       

6. Monitoring and Evaluation of grant-funded work undertaken during the year:               

                                                                                                       

Three monitoring and evaluation reports, relating to grants being paid from the Connexion, were reviewed by the District Grants Committee and forwarded to the Connexion, with the District's recommendation that grant payments should continue.   A further three monitoring and evaluation reports, relating to District grants, were reviewed and again the Grants Committee decided to continue grant support. The District monitoring procedures which were formalised for the start of 2006/7 are now fully embedded in the grants cycle.

                                                                                                       

Presented by:                          Alison Lusty                              

                                                                                                       

Position:                          District Grants Officer                                                   

                                                                                                       

Date:                          30-Oct-07                                                           

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                       

This report should be sent to the Resourcing Mission Office in accordance with S.O.963(3) by 31st October. A copy should be presented to Synod.

Reserves Policy

District Advance Fund (Restricted Fund) – balance at 31 August 2007: £541,489

The District Advance Fund (DAF) fund mainly derives from:

The use of the fund is restricted by the Methodist Conference.  Any Church or Circuit within the Birmingham Methodist District can apply to the DAF for grant aid for mission, ministry and property projects. The District has written criteria which are used by the District Grants Committee to determine whether projects are eligible for DAF grants. Grants for projects which meet the criteria are approved for a term of up to five years, subject to the level of DAF income in future years.

£496,901 of funds held in the DAF have been earmarked by the District Grants Committee for

mission, ministry and property projects across the District.

£44,588 of the DAF has not yet been committed to projects. The District Grants Committee expects this balance to be committed to qualifying projects within six months of the year end.

Connexional Grants

Connexional Grants Confirmed for 2008/9

05/00 Birmingham District

              Higher Education Chaplaincy                                   (CAPF)                        £16,000

05/01 Birmingham (Moseley Road and Sparkhill)

              Children and Youth Work Enabler                            (CAPF)                        £ 6,800

05/03 Birmingham (Elmdon)

               Saltley Community Worker                                         (MAP)                           £13,500

05/05 Birmingham (Asbury)

              Lay worker Perry Beeches/ Perry Hall                    (CAPF)                                      £30,000

05/09 Tamworth and Lichfield

              Parish Nursing Project                                             (CAPF)                                      £15,000

05/03 Blackheath

               Worker with the elderly                                            (MAP)                         £5,000