Pastor's Personal Covid Grant
Covid Relief Grant
APPLICATIONS FOR THE PPCG ARE NO LONGER BEING ACCEPTED.
Thank you to all who have applied for the Pastor’s Personal COVID Grant. We have received approximately 400 applications. Decisions will be made regarding grant recipients by the end of March 2022.
ANNOUNCING:
Applications for a Pastor’s Personal COVID Grant (PPCG) will be accepted for a limited time, beginning January 10, 2022. This is a competitive grant for up to $5,000 USD to provide relief and assistance for pastor’s personal financial challenges that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are grateful to the Lilly Endowment for their generous support that makes these grants possible.
WHY?
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative impact on 45% of our Nazarene pastors in the U.S. and Canada, according to our 2021 survey. The most common negative impacts on our pastors’ personal finances were:
- Increased financial responsibility for others,
- Increased personal/family debt, and
- Decreased income for the pastor.
Additionally, 20% of our pastors expected their financial situation to be worse over the next 12-18 months.
WHO?
The Pastor’s Personal COVID Grant is open to district licensed and ordained ministers in the U.S. and Canada who have experienced these negative impacts on their personal/family finances.
As this is a competitive grant, the grants will be given to those with the greatest need.
HOW?
Ministers must apply online using the PPCG Application below. The application is available in English, Spanish, French, Haitian, and Korean.
WHEN?
Deadline for submissions: Monday, February 28, 2022 (by 11:59 pm CST)
At least 50 grants of up to $5,000 will be disbursed to grant recipients in April 2022.
Nazarene Research
In August 2021, the COMPASS Initiative, with the help of Nazarene Research Services, conducted a survey of U.S. and Canadian pastors regarding the financial impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on them personally.
The research revealed three primary negative impacts.
- Increased financial responsibility for others
- Increased personal/family debt
- Decreased income for the pastor.
This survey brought to light the fact that our non-white Nazarene ministers have experienced, and are experiencing, a more significant negative impact than our white ministers. It also revealed a decrease of income and an increase in expenses for Nazarene ministers serving in churches with an average worship attendance of less than 100.
Conclusion: Minority pastors and pastors of smaller churches could benefit from financial assistance.
Notable Findings:
- Overall, 45% of pastors reported a negative financial impact to their households due to the pandemic.
- However, when broken down by racial groups, 71% of minority pastors reported a negative impact while only 39% of white pastors reported a negative impact.
- Minority pastors were twice as likely as white pastors to say they were having “some” or “serious” difficulty.
- Pastors in churches with less than 50 in average worship attendance were more likely to report decreased income for themselves than pastors in churches of more than 50.
- Overall, 1 out of every 5 pastors report having financial difficulties, and 2 out of every 5 reporting that their financial situation is “tight but [they are] managing.”
- 20% of all pastors expect their financial situation to be “a little worse” to “a lot worse” over the next 12-18 months.
