The Oak Grove Endowment Fund was established by the Oak Grove Mennonite Church in 1987.
A seven-member Board of Trustees is responsible to disburse the income received from investment of the Endowment Fund as grants made annually or more often. The Board is responsible for awarding grants in accord with the following guidelines:
1. A grant should supplement or enhance rather than replace or duplicate funds available from church conferences or other institutional sources.
2. The Board should support new organizations and programs that propose creative solutions to problems not adequately addressed as well as existing organizations whose programs are established and have proved successful.
3. All disbursements shall be in furtherance of the religious and/or charitable purposes of the congregation and, in the case of organizations, shall only be made to organizations having a tax exempt status under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
4. The Board shall give preference to grant requests that are Mennonite-related in that they originate from, are sponsored by, or relate to Mennonite denominational groups or their institutions such as seminaries, colleges, hospitals and relief organizations and which fall within one or more of the following categories, all of which are to be considered on an equal basis (hereinafter referred to as Preference Categories):
a.Requests to assist in church-planting or in opening and establishing new areas of mission or service;
b. Requests for “seed money” to assist with start-up costs of new programs;
c. Requests which will cultivate or nurture the understanding or practice of Christian stewardship in its various aspects;
d. Requests which will enable persons (1) to receive training for Christian service or ministry or (2) to engage in full-time Christian service or ministry;
e. Requests which will strengthen educational programs and opportunities;
f. Requests which will provide for relief or rehabilitation of persons;
g. Requests which propose innovative approaches to address recognized needs or problems; and
h. Requests which are “inter-Mennonite” in nature in that they are supported by or will foster cooperation among two or more Mennonite denominational groups or institutions;
i. Requests for capital fund or endowment campaigns; and
j. Requests to assist in influencing, promoting or attempting to initiate legislation of historical or long-standing concern to the Mennonite Church.
5. If the Board is unable to disburse all of the income for Mennonite-related requests in any year or if the Board considers any grant requests that are not Mennonite-related to be superior to other requests, then the Board may disburse up to ten percent (10%) of the total income available that year toward meeting grant requests which fall within one or more of the Preference Categories but which are not Mennonite-related, provided that the objectives to be accomplished and the strategy(ies) to be used are consistent with Mennonite faith as more fully set forth in the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective as adopted by Mennonite Church USA in 1995*.
In general, the following should not be considered for funding:
1. Budget, maintenance or operating requests.
2. Loans to individuals.
3. Fellowships and travel grants which are primarily for personal benefit or enrichment.
4. Capital fund or endowment requests; except that a one-time grant to a capital fund or endowment campaign of a Mennonite denominational group or institution may be made.
5. Organizations that support political candidates or political philosophy.
6. Organizations that influence, promote or attempt to initiate legislation; except for Mennonite-related organizations involved in influencing, promoting or attempting to initiate legislation of historical or long-standing concern to the Mennonite Church.
7. Organizations whose objectives and/or strategy(ies) would violate the basic tenets of the Mennonite faith as more fully set forth in the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, adopted by Mennonite Church USA in 1995*.
A written application is required from each applicant for a grant. Applications may be printed by clicking on the “Apply for Funds” button below or an application may be obtained by writing to the Oak Grove Mennonite Church, 7843 Smucker Rd. Smithville, Ohio 44677, or by contacting the church office by email: office@oakgrovemc.org
* The denominational groups adopting the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective in 1995 were the predecessor groups of Mennonite Church USA – the General Conference Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Church. The confession was accepted when the two bodies merged as Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada in 2001.