Announcing New Leadership Development Programs

            The Joseph Priestley District has developed two new programs to assist congregations in lay leadership development.  A year ago last fall, congregations in the JPD were asked to hold an Association Sunday for the Unitarian Universalist Association.  One fourth of all the funds were given back to the district to use for growth related initiatives.  Our district received almost $42,000 back from your generosity.  The JPD Board had tasked the staff to research and develop a proposal on how best to spend that money.  After numerous conversations with leaders all over the district, it was obvious to the staff that the best way we could help grow our congregations was through strengthening our lay leaders. 

            First is the Leadership Development Grant Program.  A congregation can apply for a leadership development grant of up to $2,000 to assist it in providing leadership development at JPD or Unitarian Universalist Association sponsored events over a two year period of the grant.  Only one grant will be given to any congregation that qualifies in a four year period.  The program will be administered by the Director for Growth in cooperation with the Director for Lay Leadership Development and a volunteer committee.

The congregation is required to create a Leadership Development Plan (LDP) that details how the grant will be used.  Congregations will specify the individual events within the plan.  The plan must include sending a team to one or more events within the two year time frame of the grant.  A team is three or more people attending the same event.  Some of the possible events that are presently offered within the JPD are:

a.       Unitarian Universalist Leadership Team Institute

b.      Stewardship Training

c.       Growth for Small or Midsize Congregations

d.      Leadership Day

e.       Healthy Congregations

f.        Youth Advisor Training

g.       Young Adult Advisor Training

h.       Racial Justice Conference

i.         Music and Worship Arts Conference

j.        Social Justice Conference

k.      Spring Conference

l.         Regional Training Opportunities such as Board Training, Volunteer Management, Marketing, Public Relations, Leadership Development

m.     Additional Offerings to be Developed in the Future

The Leadership Development Plan (LDP) must show how each selected training opportunity will benefit the organization.  The LDP will specify how much funding from the congregation will also be budgeted for the leadership development.  It is an expectation that at least half of the cost for the various trainings will be borne by the congregation as a part of its regular budget for leadership development.

A six month update report of the impact on the congregation after beginning the grant is expected. Additional six month reminders will be sent for the duration of the grant period of two years.  The congregation will be sent a reminder and a brief form to fill out electronically to gather the information. 

The second program is the Lay Leadership Development Scholarship.  This fund is intended to supplement the cost of continuing education opportunities for lay leaders primarily within the Joseph Priestley District, the Northern Regional Group of which the JPD is a partner, or the Unitarian Universalist Association.  Scholarship amounts are variable between $25 and $200 dollars per event.  The cost of the event can include the tuition as well as transportation to attend.  Multiple individuals from the same congregation can access these funds.  There is a maximum of two scholarships in any fiscal year for any one applicant.  Applicants must be either an elected, appointed, or designated leader in a JPD congregation such as a board member or committee chair.  They can also apply if they have been elected or appointed to a position before they take office.  Applicants must demonstrate a matching amount has already been allocated by their congregation for the specific continuing educational event they wish to attend.  Adequate documentation can be provided in the form of a letter from the President of the congregation or the chief financial officer.

            Full details of these two programs as well as application forms can be found in the Word documents below or they can be obtained from the JPD Office.  Our hope is that these two funds will stretch your leadership development dollars further allowing more people to go to trainings that will benefit the congregation.  These funds are limited and when they run out we will not be able to replenish them.  So think wisely, plan long term, and organize your leadership development plan.  We look forward to assisting you in building an even stronger group of congregations.

Description: Leadership Development Grant Program
 
Application: Leadership Development Grant Program

Description: Lay Leadership Development Scholarship Program
 
Application: Lay Leadership Development Scholarship Program