UMC Racial Monitoring Agency Awards Undisclosed Grants to Immigration Ministries

(PUERTO RICO) United Methodist Church agencies are funding immigration ministries across the United States and Puerto Rico. They’re offering targeted grants with set deadlines, clear rules, and hands‑on support to help churches serve immigrants and racial‑ethnic communities.

The GCORR Action Fund (CAF) has closed its 2025 round, while Discipleship Ministries, Global Ministries/UMCOR, and others remain open. Leaders say these grants aim to meet urgent needs and build long‑term leadership within local churches.

What’s funded and who’s eligible

• GCORR Action Fund (CAF) Grants
  • Amount: Up to $10,000 for 12‑month projects (Aug. 1, 2025–July 31, 2026).
  • Focus: Equity, intercultural learning, and direct support for immigrant communities.
  • Eligible: UMC bodies in the U.S. and the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico — local churches, districts, campus ministries, and affiliated colleges.
  • Deadline/Application status: Closed (May 15, 2025).
  • Contact: [email protected]; 202‑495‑2945.
• Discipleship Ministries — Racial Ethnic Local Church Concerns Grants
  • Amount: Up to $10,000.
  • Focus: Projects led by racial‑ethnic church members that support core ministries (discipleship, education, evangelism), including immigration ministries.
  • Restrictions: Funds do not cover staff or equipment.
  • Deadline: September 1, 2025.
  • Contacts: [email protected]; [email protected]; (877) 899‑2780.
• Global Ministries / UMCOR — Mustard Seed Migration Grants
  • Amount: $2,000 each; up to 100 grants in 2025.
  • Focus: New, one‑time service projects supporting refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced, trafficked, stateless, or economic/environmental migrants.
  • Timing: Rolling until Sept. 1, 2025 or until funds run out.
  • Project length: Must finish within six months.
  • Contact: [email protected].
• Ethnic‑in‑Service Training (EIST) Grants — GBHEM
  • Amount: Up to $10,000.
  • Focus: Recruit, train, and retain persons of color for church leadership, including immigration ministries.
  • Requirements: Must show measurable outcomes and strong accountability.
  • Contact: GBHEM (see gbhem.org).
• Regional / Conference Grants
  • East Ohio TAP: Up to $5,000 for racial‑ethnic ministries (including immigration). Deadline: Dec. 2, 2025.
  • Michigan Conference: Grants from $500–$5,000. Deadline: Oct. 1, 2025.

Why this matters now

These funds enable churches to start or expand programs like legal aid partnerships, language classes, trauma support groups, school enrollment assistance, and rapid‑response aid for asylum seekers. Leaders emphasize:
– New projects led by racial‑ethnic members,
– Clear, measurable goals, and
– Strong community partnerships.

As VisaVerge.com reported, targeted, small grants can spark durable programs when paired with local leadership and solid metrics.

What leaders are saying

• GCORR promotes partnerships and training and requires participation in the Immigration Vital Conversations curriculum to help teams discuss real immigrant experiences and plan effectively.
• Discipleship Ministries staff (Naomi Annandale and David Kim) are guiding applicants; they held a webinar on June 18 to answer questions.
• Global Ministries / UMCOR emphasizes quick, local action with light paperwork and four‑week notifications, so churches can respond while needs are fresh.
• GBHEM supports leadership pathways and requires clear benchmarks and racial‑ethnic leadership at every stage.

Grants combine immediate relief with leadership development: quick action paired with training and accountability yields stronger, sustainable ministries.

Deadlines and amounts at a glance

How to apply — step by step

1. Match your idea to the right grant. Confirm it:
   • Serves immigrants directly,
   • Is new (especially if you received funds in the last 3 years), and
   • Includes racial‑ethnic leadership.
2. Build a simple plan. Explain community need, partners, timeline, roles, and a clear budget.
3. Set measurable goals. Provide 2–4 metrics (e.g., “serve 60 asylum seekers with school enrollment help by March”).
4. Secure signatures if required (district superintendent or bishop approvals may be needed).
5. Submit by email to the listed address before the deadline. For rolling grants, apply early.
6. Join webinars and ask staff for feedback before submission.
7. Track outcomes during the project — attendance, services delivered, and participant stories for reports.

What wins funding

• Direct impact: Projects that meet real needs for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.
• Partnerships: Collaborations with legal clinics, shelters, schools, or worker centers; shared duties and data.
• Leadership: Racial‑ethnic members involved in planning, budgeting, and reporting.
• Feasibility: Modest, achievable goals for the project timeframe (six months for UMCOR; a year for GCORR/Discipleship/GBHEM).
• Accountability: Short, clear evaluation plans with named persons responsible for each task.

Sample project ideas

• Rapid intake and referral desk for asylum‑seeking families at a church site, with weekly office hours, Spanish and Haitian Creole support, and links to local legal aid.
• Worker rights workshops for immigrant day laborers, paired with wage‑theft clinic nights in partnership with a nonprofit.
• ESL plus school‑readiness for migrant parents, with childcare, transportation vouchers, and a monthly family legal information session.
• Trauma‑informed support group for refugees, led by trained lay leaders, with mental health referrals and interpretation.

Where immigration law intersects

Church projects often help families with basic legal steps: collecting documents, finding accredited legal help, or understanding court dates. When referencing federal forms, always link families to official sources.

• Example: If a partner legal clinic helps with asylum, direct people to the USCIS page for Form I‑589 (Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal) for current instructions and filing rules.
• For citizenship classes, point families to the USCIS naturalization page for study materials and eligibility basics.

Use official sites so families receive accurate guidance.

Practical tips for small churches

• Start small with Mustard Seed Migration ($2,000). Focus on one need (e.g., ID translation vouchers or school enrollment kits).
• Recruit a three‑person core team: project lead, finance/reporting lead, partner liaison.
• Track what works with simple logs and short surveys to show results and secure future funding.
• Align the budget with your timeline and avoid staff or equipment costs where prohibited.

What comes next

Agencies expect demand to remain high through 2025. Priorities may shift with feedback and migration patterns, but the emphasis on equity, strong partnerships, and racial‑ethnic leadership will continue. Rolling grants can close early if funds run out — apply soon.

Contacts and links

• GCORR: [email protected] | 202‑495‑2945 | gcorr.org
• Discipleship Ministries: [email protected]; [email protected]; (877) 899‑2780
• Global Ministries / UMCOR: [email protected] | umcmission.org
• GBHEM: gbhem.org
• East Ohio: eocumc.com/scholarships
• Michigan: michiganumc.org/grants
• USCIS asylum information: See the USCIS page for asylum for official instructions and updates.

Bottom line for churches

• GCORR Action Fund (CAF) and Discipleship programs can support fuller‑year immigration ministries.
• Mustard Seed Migration Grants are fast and suit quick, local responses.
• EIST builds leadership pipelines to sustain ministries.
• Regional funds can fill gaps and extend projects.

Act now: confirm eligibility, partner locally, set simple goals, and submit on time. These grants can help your UMC or the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico meet real needs today and build stronger ministries for tomorrow.