The foundation offers several giving options that enable individuals to be partners in making ministry possible.
Fresh Start
Fresh Start is a loan program that helps clergy consolidate certain types of debt at a low-interest rate so they can achieve financial wholeness. Elders, deacons and local pastors who serve full time within the Florida Conference are eligible to apply for loans of up to $50,000, freeing up significant resources to help them become financially healthy. Participants also learn to manage risk and adopt sound financial habits, enabling them to provide for themselves and their family members now and in the future. Since the program’s inception in 2019, more than $325,000 in startup funds from the foundation and Wespath Benefits and Investments has been loaned to conference pastors. Now, donations are needed to ensure the program can continue.
Future Generations Fund
Gifts to the Future Generations Fund support ministries for children, youth and college-age young adults. These generous donations enable the fund to provide grants to programs and initiatives that foster the spiritual growth and church leadership development of children and young adults aged 30 and younger. That means more young people can learn and grow in a Christian environment, becoming the strong believers the world needs. Individuals giving generously to nurture future generations of faithful Christians make it all possible.
Rev. Geraldine Williams McClellan Endowment Fund
Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church have partnered to establish the Rev. Geraldine Williams McClellan Endowment Fund, which will provide scholarships for students from the Florida Conference to attend Gammon Theological Seminary. The fund is named in honor of the Rev. Geraldine McClellan, the first ordained Black woman and first Black female district superintendent in the Florida Conference. McClellan is also a graduate of Gammon. Learn more about the endowment fund.
Friends of the Foundation Endowment
The Friends of the Foundation endowment was established in 1985 to help the foundation become self-sufficient. Donations to the permanent fund provide financial resources that offset the foundation’s operating expenses and enable the foundation to allocate funds for ministry grants.
Doggett Moore Fund
The Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church has a long-standing commitment to social justice. The Bishop’s Task Force on Anti-Racism was created to more clearly and intentionally respond to racism across the state and nation. Part of this commitment involves better understanding our history. The books, Devil in the Grove and Beneath a Ruthless Sun, are of great importance as they illuminate the past and enhance our understanding of the present. In support of these values, the FLUMC aims to collaborate with Indie Atlantic Studios in telling these stories. Recognizing that films are powerful tools that can spark important discussions, the FLUMC established the Doggett Moore Fund. This fund will support a grant that will enable the production of the documentary. By contributing, individuals can play a vital role in bringing this compelling documentary to a broader audience, fostering understanding and dialogue around issues of injustice and the struggle for equality.
Many Hands Scholarship Fund
Many Hands is a needs-based scholarship fund designed to provide transformative experiences, such as summer camp, retreats and mission projects, to children and youth at South Shore United Methodist Church in Riverview, Florida, who are experiencing financial hardship. It was established by a family as a tribute to a loved one who instilled the value that “many hands make light work.” A board comprising staff and lay members of South Shore will distribute the funds.