Scholarships, Grants and GA Support!

By Ted Resnikoff

GA 2012 Logo
Registration for General Assembly is open as are several funding opportunities to help offset the cost of attending. Deadlines are approaching, so get your applications filled out soon!

AHH... OPTIONS...

Local scholarships and support – Deadlines vary Several districts are providing scholarship assistance and other support, from covering registration, to providing an additional matching grant, to organizing caravans. These opportunities are specifically for those within the district. Check our updated list of resources by district. Some are general funds for all attendees, while others are specifically for young adults or for youth. One application, two scholarship chances! – Application Deadline March 31! To ensure that youth and young adults are considered for even more scholarship options, the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries and the General Assembly Planning Committee (GAPC) have combined their scholarship application processes. The funds and decision-making procedures remain separate, but youth and young adults no longer have to submit separate applications to be considered for either of these two scholarship awards— one application automatically qualifies the applicant to be considered for both programs! If you received a scholarship from one of these programs last year, you are still eligible to receive one from the other this year. Youth and Young Adult Scholarships This award pays the applicant's GA registration fee and up to $500 for expenses associated with attendance at GA. Additional funds beyond $500 for expenses are available this year through a generous gift from the Katie Tyson Fund for applicants who demonstrate exceptional leadership ability and potential and indicate in their applicant statement their plan for bringing what they learn at GA back to their communities. GAPC Matching Grants The General Assembly Planning Committee (GAPC) has established a matching grant scholarship. The GAPC grant covers registration and then will additionally match the amount of aid provided by the congregation up to $250 (for a total of $500 assistance, split between the congregation and the GAPC). Under special circumstances, youth and young adults who are awarded GAPC matching grants may request that an award from the Youth and Young Adults Scholarship Program serve as their congregational match. Apply Here Get There Grants – Application Deadline March 31 Get There Grants are for projects that defray costs to help youth and young adults attend the 2012 Justice GA in Phoenix, AZ. These grants are for shared expenses that can lower the cost of attendance for a large number of youth or young adults. This could be for a charter bus, providing box lunches for youth and young adults, purchasing ingredients for a shared meal of-site, and more. Learn more about the Get There Grants on our website. Other options You can volunteer at GA to have your registration waived, and we’ll be in blogging about some fundraising ideas in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you might want to check out the resources here on Blue Boat, including a fundraising guide from our Spirituality and Service program.