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Community Developers Program

SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES IN NEED

Vanessa Smiley helps Jules, 4, bag cookies for delivery with meals to two neighboring social service agencies to feed to their clients.

Photo: John Coleman, UM News

We help local organizations and groups with funding, volunteers and resources to improve the lives of women, children, youth, families and older adults. Programs focus on community building, economic growth and advocating for justice to create strong, healthy communities.

Our 2024 Impact

$20,000

awarded to the Center for Changing Lives Financial Opportunity Center
Grant to help the Center for Changing Lives Financial Opportunity Center provides resource development, employment and financial coaching in Chicago, Illinois.

$10,000

awarded to Jackie’s Home
Grant to support Jackie’s Home in Dover, Delaware, provides a secure shelter for women as they rebuild their lives.

$10,000

awarded to Ebenezer Iglesia Metodista Unida
Grant to Ebenezer Iglesia Metodista Unida in Nashville, Tennessee, established after-school programming and services for Spanish-speaking students and families.

Community Developers Program

The Community Developers Program (CDP) is a network of racial-ethnic congregations and communities across the U.S. working together to address local social issues.

CDP sites focus on youth programs, job growth, community needs and more. There are 22 active CDP sites around the country, focusing on:

  • Small business development
  • STEM
  • Transitional housing
  • Substance abuse treatment
  • Addiction
  • Financial literacy
  • Homelessness
  • Racial equity
  • Life skills
  • Immigration
  • Education
  • Affordable housing
  • Literacy
  • Health and wellness

Each site employs a community developer, who works with the community and serves a liaison with the church. Up to 10 sites can be accepted each year.

Funding

Global Ministries gives $10,000 seed grants to help churches explore new programs in their communities. Churches can use the money for activities like planning events, meeting local needs and starting ministries. 

Possible programs include: 

  • Community mapping
  • Volunteer recruitment for working toward systemic changes
  • Congregation and community engagement
  • Asset-based community development
  • Community assessment
  • Advocacy and social justice
  • Creating and expanding community partnerships

Global Ministries provides salary or stipend support for up to five years to help racial and ethnic United Methodist congregations grow. This support helps move from planning to action and is given based on this set schedule: 

  • 1st year: $15,000
  • 2nd year: $15,000
  • 3rd year: $15,000
  • 4th year: $12,000
  • 5th year: $10,000

For more information, email mem@umcmission.org.

Apply for a Community Developers Program Seed Grant

Applications for a Community Developers Program grant are accepted on an ongoing basis. Click the button to learn more and apply now.

Apply Now

Explore Our Other Ministries

Help grow Methodism in new places, strengthen churches and support programs that share the good news of God’s love.

New Faith Communities

Share the gospel and Christ’s love in new places, including Central African Republic, Honduras and Southeast Asia.

Mission Connections

Build partnerships to grow the church and understand its unique expression in different cultures worldwide.

Multiethnic Ministries

Serve vulnerable groups and work to fight inequality through multiethnic and racial-ethnic congregations in the United States.

Leadership Development and Scholarships Program

Provide resources and opportunities to help individuals and mission partners build skills needed to fulfill mission goals in their regions.

Institute for Multicultural Ministries

Help church leaders understand cultural differences, build relationships and serve diverse communities, especially migrants and refugees.

In Mission Together

Connecting U.S. churches with global partners to help start churches, focusing on long-term development and self-sufficiency.

Racial and Ethnic Ministries

Supports diverse communities through national and ethnic ministry plans that promote cultural inclusion and church growth.