“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”
Isaiah 43:19

Note: The next fund review period will be Spring 2024.

Purpose

The purpose of the McBain/Barker Small Community Capital Fund is to assist congregations in small communities of The Presbyterian Church in Canada that seek assistance with small capital improvements to church buildings.

Administration

The fund is administered by Canadian Ministries, a department of the Life and Mission Agency of the PCC. The right to grant or refuse requests will be at the discretion of Canadian Ministries on the basis of the priorities of the Life and Mission Agency.

In order for applications to be considered, they must be received by April 15. If there are funds remaining after the first review, additional applications will be considered if received by October 15.

Please note that funds are not distributed until work on a building project gets underway. Canadian Ministries requires two weeks’ notice to process the funds.

Support from Governing Body – Extract of Minute

All applications require the endorsement of a ministry’s governing body; governing bodies provide oversight for ministries. Examples of governing bodies and ministries for which they provide oversight could include:

Presbytery – congregations, local missions, chaplains, etc.
Synod – camp and conference centres, etc.

Contact Canadian Ministries if you are unsure of the governing body to approach.

The following example provides all the necessary elements of an extract of minute that will be required for a complete application; the example can be used to make a motion at a presbytery or synod meeting. If the application is endorsed, the Clerk of Presbytery/Synod will provide the applicant with a copy of the extract to upload to the application.

Example: On motion of J. Calvin/J. Knox, upon review it was agreed that the Presbytery of Caledonia endorse the application and supporting documents from St. Andrew’s, O’Leary, PE to the Avondbloem Experimental Fund in the amount of $750 to support the [program name] in 2015 .

Conditions of Disbursement

* The maximum grant amount must not exceed $10,000. Canadian Ministries may award a maximum of $50,000 in grants in any one calendar year.

* Only congregations located in rural or small communities are eligible to apply. The local community’s population must not exceed 35,000 people.

* A congregation that receives a grant is not eligible for a second grant for a period of five years.

* A quote and budget must accompany the application.

* Preference will be given to applicants who have developed a building maintenance plan, as well as a missional engagement plan that demonstrates active engagement with their local community.

* Preference will also be given to first-time applicants.

Expectations After Receiving the Grant

Photographs and a brief report on the project must be submitted to Canadian Ministries by the end of the year that the grant was awarded. A template for the report will be provided by Canadian Ministries.

Applicants must add to program literature the following acknowledgment: “Supported in part by a bequest to The Presbyterian Church in Canada.”

Questions about the Fund

If you have a question about making an application to the fund, please email Jen Astop in Canadian Ministries or call +1-800-619-7301 ext. 298.

Continue Contributions to the Fund

Donors who wish to contribute to the McBain-Barker Small Community Capital Fund may email Karen Plater in Planned Giving or Jen de Combe in Canadian Ministries, or call +1-800-619-7301 ext. 298.

Getting Started With Your  Grant Application

When you are ready to apply, click on the link below. You will be asked to fill out  a form with you name and email. This will send you an email with a link to launch the main form. This process allows you to save and continue the form at a later date, as needed. Check your junk mail if you don’t see the email in your inbox.