EMES Spiritual Growth Fund
One of the Primary aims of FWCC EMES is to “encourage and strengthen the spiritual life within the Religious Society of Friends, and its outreach in the world, through such measures as worship, intervisitation, study, conferences and a wide sharing of religious experience”. The Spiritual Growth Fund (SGF), set up and administered by FWCC EMES, offers grants to Quaker groups within the section to fund projects that work towards this aim.
Grants can be a one-off amount or scheduled to fund a project for up to three years. Recent grants given have ranged from €120 to €15,000 (three year grant).
EMES also has a Digital Equality Fund to support Friends in getting online.
Objectives of the Spiritual Growth Fund
- Strengthening Quakers’ shared identity: promoting understanding of our shared history, theology and spirituality, to strengthen Quaker faith and practice
- Strengthening Quaker connections: meeting and networking in order to learn with and from one another
- Strengthening Quaker outreach: becoming more visible and welcoming newcomers
- Strengthening Quaker values in the wider community: taking forward innovative and practical work that demonstrates Quaker values and beliefs in the world
Selection criteria
Drawing from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust’s experience, we know that Quaker projects are successful when they are the result of a collective effort in which Friends carefully and prayerfully explore and formulae an idea and a plan of action and then carry it out. Applications are therefore restricted to groups and organisations, meaning that individuals cannot apply.
The Spiritual Growth Fund will consider applications from any Quaker Meetings and other Quaker organisations across Europe and the Middle East. We encourage a wide variety of applications. Each application will be considered against the following criteria:- How it meets one or more of the objectives of the fund, as detailed above
- How it has been developed and tested
- The available skills, experience and ability to undertake the project
- The relationship between the proposal and other Quaker work
- Availability of other funding.
- The core administration and management of established Quaker Meetings and Organisations
- Activities requiring more than €5,000 per year
- Activities within Britain Yearly Meeting. British Friends are encouraged to apply to one of the many British Quaker trusts, more information here or email resources@quaker.org.uk to obtain a copy of the Directory of Quaker and Quaker-related grant-making trusts.
Application process
Please download and fill in the Application Form or fill in this online form.
Applications can be submitted at any time throughout the year. Once an application has been received, EMES staff members will appraise it. and will contact you for further clarification, if needed. Applications for funding over €1,000 need the approval of the Executive Committee, which usually meets every 2-3 months. If your application is of an urgent nature, it may be possible to consider it between Executive Committee meetings.
Our staff will offer encouragement and support in preparing your application. Having less than perfect English should not be a barrier to applicants. We will support you in whatever ways needed.
Once a grant has been made, EMES staff will keep in contact with your organisation on an informal basis.
When your project has been completed, you will be asked to provide a Closing Report.
Date of revision: January 2022
