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Chalice Lighters Program Guide

Program Description

The Chalice Lighter Program assists the growth of new and existing congregations in the Pacific Northwest District by providing grants. The amount of a grant depends on congregational needs and current Chalice Lighter participation. It is funded exclusively through contributions from Unitarian Universalists who participate as Chalice Lighters. The Chalice Lighter coordinator, with the help of an advisory committee, administers the program.

Chalice Lighter grants are intended to help congregations by providing funds to implement a significant part of their growth plan and may be used to:

Congregations interested in Chalice Lighter grants should also consider other resources such as the Pacific Northwest Unitarian Universalist Growth Foundation. For a copy of their brochure, click on this link. For a copy of our Chalice Lighter brochure, click on this link.  

Become a Chalice Lighter
Click here to enroll online

There are many good reasons to join the more than 1,400 PNWD Unitarian Universalists who are Chalice Lighters. Being a Chalice Lighter brings you the joy of watching your $10 (or larger) contribution to a call multiply to a grant of more than $14,000 to support the growth of our liberal religion in the Pacific Northwest. Also, by being a Chalice Lighter, you help your congregation qualify for a Chalice Lighter grant. And, the more of us who take the Chalice Lighter pledge, the more the program will have to offer to growing congregations.

Becoming a Chalice Lighter is as easy as filling out a Chalice Lighter Enrollment Form (pdf). Once it is received by the district office, your name will be added to the rolls and you will receive your own Chalice Lighter pin. Wear it proudly!

Up to three letters a year will come your way telling you the purpose of the call and asking you to send in your pledge of at least $10. Each call will go for the purposes described in the letter, so you will know exactly where your money will be going to work. Your only obligation beyond fulfilling your pledge 2 or 3 times a year is to keep the district office informed of any change of address. Now, isn’t that beautiful in its simplicity?

Apply for a Grant

Basic Requirements. A congregation applying for a Chalice Lighter grant must meet certain minimum requirements at the time of application. A congregation must:

The proposed grant must fund a project that helps implement the growth plan. Congregations that do not have a formal growth plan should contact one of the district’s congregational consultants. The district office can help you make that contact. Groups that wish to apply for a grant to initiate a new congregation are expected to meet with the district executive and a congregational consultant at the earliest opportunity before applying for a grant.

Prepare an application. Download an Application for Chalice Lighter Funding (PDF) and read it over. It asks a lot of questions designed to tell the Advisory Committee about your congregation and the proposed project. Be sure to respond to all questions, even if the answer is “not applicable” (n/a). The application requires a number of attachments. Please be sure that each sheet identifies the congregation and is either numbered or otherwise identified in the event it gets separated from the application packet. If you have any questions, call the district office. They will put you in contact with either the Chalice Lighter coordinator or a congregational consultant.

Mail it in. Submit Your Application. Email or mail the completed application to the district office. They will forward it to the coordinator, who will do an initial review and contact you with praise or questions or both. Once everything is in order, the coordinator will send copies to the members of the Advisory Committee, which will consider the application at its next meeting. After the application is approved, it will be scheduled for a call and you will be notified.  We are moving toward email submissions as mindful environmental stewards.

After approval. If your proposal is approved for a grant, the coordinator will draft the call letter and forward it to you. You are responsible for copying and mailing the letter and a return envelope to all PNWD Chalice Lighters. The district office will provide mailing labels and the return envelopes. Your stationery and mailing expenses will be reimbursed by the PNWD general fund. When it appears that most of the responses to your call have been received, your grant will be disbursed. You will be asked for proof of grant expenditures (receipts, copies of payroll records, etc., as appropriate) and photos or other evidence of improvements made possible with the grant money.

Still want to go through with it? Of course you do! Download the form and start your work.

Volunteer Opportunity

The Chalice Lighter Program works because of many volunteer stewards. If you would like to help, consider being the Chalice Lighter representative in your congregation.

Our goal is to have a Chalice Lighter Representative in every district congregation. The local rep will actively promote the program with a goal of enrolling at least 30% of the congregation as Chalice Lighters. The local rep will also keep the congregation’s leaders aware of the funding potential of Chalice Lighter grants. The only requirement for a local rep is an enthusiastic belief in the value of Chalice Lighters, a basic understanding of how the program works, and a sensitivity to the stewardship needs of your own congregation.

Contact the coordinator or the district office to find out more or volunteer. The current coordinator is Dave Dierdorff. You can email Dave at toisondor@gci.net.

Grant History

During the 15 years that the PNWD had administered a Chalice Lighter program, congregations throughout the district have received grants. A few congregations experiencing sustained growth have received more than one grant. Congregations in British Columbia are no longer part of the PNWD and no longer participate in the program.

Here is a current listing of grant recipients: