- Priority is given to first-time applicants. If you’ve received an ECF grant before, review our reapplication guidelines to ensure eligibility.
- A conversation with our Executive Director is required. If you haven’t already discussed this request, please schedule a call/Zoom meeting.
- If you’ve already spoken with us, you’re ready to move forward. Proceed to the LOI form to begin your application.
What to Know Before Submitting Your LOI
Grant Eligibility Criteria
Organizational Status
- You are a parish or worshiping community in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, have filed a current Annual Parochial Report, and comply with Canon 20.
OR
- You are a nonprofit organization with a substantial partnership with a qualifying parish. You must also be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit or have a qualifying fiscal agent.
Mission-Oriented
We support ministries working with people experiencing poverty and oppression, particularly efforts around:
- Hunger
- Homelessness
- Generational Poverty
- Refugees & Immigrants
- Human Trafficking
- People Impacted by the Criminal Justice System
Sustainable Episcopal Partnerships
We prioritize collaborations that strengthen outreach efforts while also providing an opportunity for Episcopalians to experience spiritual growth through their service.
Geographic Area
Projects serving local communities in Middle and North Georgia.
Project-Oriented Impact
Because ECF serves ministries across the Diocese of Atlanta, we prioritize one-time investments that create lasting impact rather than annual funding. This includes:
- Capacity-building projects that enhance organizational effectiveness
- Capital needs that provide long-term benefits
- New or expanding programs that introduce innovative solutions
Grant Cycle Timeline
ECF offers grants in the spring and fall of each year. See key dates and deadlines for each cycle below and learn more about our grantmaking process.
| Milestone | Spring 2026 | Fall 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| LOIs Accepted: LOI Instructions / Submit LOI | Apr 1, 2025 – Sept 30, 2025 | Oct 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2026 |
| Statements of Support Due (nonprofits only) | Sept 30, 2025 | Mar 31, 2026 |
| Invitations Extended | Nov 15, 2025 | May 15, 2026 |
| Applications Due (by invitation only) | Dec 31, 2025 | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Site Visits Conducted | Jan 7-31, 2026 | Jul 1-31, 2026 |
| Grants Awarded | Mar 1, 2026 | Sept 1, 2026 |
| Public Announcement of Grants | Apr 1, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| Reports Due | Based on Individual Grants | Based on Individual Grants |
Forms & Resources
The documents below are designed to guide and strengthen your submission, helping your ministry prepare a effective request for funding.
Phase I: Letter of Intent (LOI)
- Download LOI Instructions
- View & Complete LOI Form
- Creating Mission and Vision Statements A resource provided by TopNonprofits.com
Phase II: Application
- Download Application Instructions The Application Form link will be emailed to those invited to apply.
- Logic Model Template This is an example, you can use your own model if you choose.
- W.K. Kellogg Logic Model Development Guide
- Tips for Mastering Data to Demonstrate Impact Great tips for measuring impact, includes the difference between “outcomes” and “outputs”!
Phase III: Grant Awarded
Frequently Asked Questions
How are ECF grants awarded? What is the criteria?
ECF provides charitable grants from The Rt. Rev. Bennett J. Sims Endowment to create significant, sustainable ministries and community partnerships that serve people experiencing poverty and oppression as well as encourage spiritual growth for Episcopalians through service.
- Offered twice a year, our grants are available to parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta and their nonprofit partners to fund collaborative efforts that utilize the skills and resources of our shared communities to make an impact for people experiencing poverty and oppression. Learn more about the criteria for grant applicants.
- Each spring we participate as a benefiting partner in the Atlanta Community Food Bank's annual Hunger Walk Run and offer specially designated grants to hunger-related efforts from the event’s proceeds.
Does ECF fund general operational support?
ECF prioritizes requests that support creating new programs, expanding existing efforts, or innovative ideas and solutions. Our grants typically fall into two large categories: capacity-building and capital needs. ECF seeks to fund opportunities equitably across the 117 worshipping communities across the Diocese of Atlanta which means that ECF grants are not renewable year-over-year. As such, we are significantly less likely to provide funding for operating support such as administrative and general programming costs.
We have received an ECF grant in the past. When can we reapply?
ECF gives strong preference to applications from parishes and organizations that have not previously received funding. However, previous grant recipients may apply for additional funding within the following guidelines:
- A ministry/organization cannot submit another request until 12 months AFTER they have submitted an approved final report from their previous funding.
- A parish cannot receive funding (either directly or through a supported ministry) more than once every 18 months.
For all previous grant recipients, ECF tracks when parishes and nonprofits are eligible to reapply - you DO NOT need to keep track of these dates yourself! If you have questions about when your ministry is eligible to apply for additional funding, please contact us.
Our nonprofit does not have a relationship with an Episcopal church. What do we do?
As a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, ECF's funding is specifically designated to help our parishes better serve people experiencing poverty and oppression. Sometimes the parishes themselves are engaged directly in this ministry work; directly funding our parishes is our first priority. However, we greatly value the impact and efficiencies that collaboration generates. If existing nonprofit organizations are already engaging the community in areas where our parishes seek to get involved, we highly recommend partnering with existing nonprofits over creating new ministries.
With this in mind, ECF's grant funding is also available to nonprofit organizations which have a substantial relationship with one (or more!) of the 117 worshipping communities across the Diocese of Atlanta. Many of our parishes have made a significant impact in their local communities through nonprofit partnerships which not only help people experiencing poverty and oppression, but also provide an opportunity for Episcopalians to experience spiritual growth through service.
While ECF does require a significant partnership with a parish, we do not have any requirements around how long the partnership has been in place. In fact, ECF is more than happy to provide funding for efforts to create new partnerships! However, we do not serve as a "matchmaker" for organizations looking to find a parish to partner with. We recommend nonprofits start by connecting with the church(es) in your local area to see if there is interest in building a relationship. Please keep in mind that some churches are eagerly looking for new ways to engage with their community, and some churches are already at capacity with their existing outreach efforts. A conversation is always the first step!
View a listing of all Episcopal churches in the Diocese of Atlanta.
Does our church need to hire a grant writer to apply for an ECF grant?
While nonprofit applicants likely have a grant writer on staff or a contract grant writer that they work with, most of our churches do not have prior experience with grant writing. However, we do not recommend that our parishes hire a grant writer for the ECF grant application process! Please save those funds for mission-oriented expenses.
Part of ECF's ministry is working one-on-one with our parishes to ensure a lack of grant writing experience is not a barrier to ECF funding. Please contact us when considering applying for ECF funding. Ongoing conversations with parish applicants are typically more than sufficient to help you navigate the grant process and any questions you may have.
Reapplication Guidelines
If you’ve received an ECF grant before, review our reapplication guidelines to ensure eligibility.
Episcopal Parish Guidelines
Parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta are eligible to apply for funding directly or through a nonprofit partner. Previous grant recipients may apply for additional funding within the guidelines listed below. You DO NOT need to keep track of these dates yourself! ECF tracks this information, and you can ALWAYS simply contact us to ask when you are eligible to apply again.
If you have any questions about whether or not your parish qualifies, please contact our Executive Director.
If you’d like to review the full detailed explanation of parish eligibility dates (including examples), see below.
The terms of your reporting and your final report deadline are listed in your grant agreement.
If your parish has received funding directly, you are eligible to reapply 12 months AFTER you have submitted an approved final report from your previous funding. Examples:
- Reporting On-Time: Your parish directly receives funding in October 2024. Your final grant report is due in July 2025, you turn it in on time, and ECF finds it acceptable. You will be eligible to apply again for the September 30, 2026 deadline (the Spring 2027 cycle).
- Reporting Received Late: Your parish directly receives funding in October 2024. Your final grant report is due in July 2025, but you miss your deadline and turn in your report in October 2025 (or perhaps you turn it in on time, but it is incomplete and it takes you until October 2025 to make acceptable edits). You will be eligible to apply again for the March 31, 2027 deadline (the Fall 2027 cycle).
- Reporting Received Early: Your parish directly receives funding in October 2024. Your final grant report is due in July 2025, but you are able to utilize the funds quickly and turn in your final report in February 2025. If ECF finds this report acceptable, you will be eligible to apply again for the March 31, 2026 deadline (the Fall 2026 cycle).
Each parish’s community is eligible to receive funding once every 18 months – this includes grants given to the parish directly or indirectly through one of your nonprofit partners. Examples:
- Parish Funded Directly: Your parish directly receives funding in October 2024 (our Fall 2024 cycle). The earliest you can apply again (assuming your deadlines are met) is for the March 31, 2026 deadline (the Fall 2026 cycle). During this waiting period, the parish cannot apply for funding AND the parish cannot support a nonprofit’s application for funding.
- Parish Supports Nonprofit: Your parish supports a nonprofit’s application for funding received in October 2024 (our Fall 2024 cycle). The earliest the parish can apply again AND the earliest the parish can support another nonprofit application is for the March 31, 2026 deadline (the Fall 2026 cycle).
- If the parish supports a nonprofit application and that nonprofit does not meet final reporting requirements, this will not change the parish’s eligibility to apply again or support a different nonprofit application.
Nonprofit Guidelines
Nonprofits may apply for funding with the support of an eligible Episcopal parish. This support is determined by the Parish Statement of Support, a separate form that the parish will submit independently. A new statement is required with each LOI; previously submitted statements cannot be used for a new request.
As early as possible, send your main parish contact’s email address to our Executive Director; we will connect with them one-on-one regarding the required Statement of Support. Out of respect for your parish and its busy staff, do not wait until the week of the deadline to start this process! Your Statement of Support is due when your LOI is due; without it, your LOI will not be considered.
Previous grant recipients may apply for additional funding within the guidelines listed below. You DO NOT need to keep track of these dates yourself! ECF tracks this information, and you can ALWAYS simply contact us to ask when you are eligible to apply again.
If you’d like to review the full detailed explanation of nonprofit eligibility dates (including examples), see below.
The terms of your reporting and your final report deadline are listed in your grant agreement.
If your organization has received funding previously, you are eligible to reapply 12 months after you have submitted an approved final report from your previous funding. Examples:
- Reporting On-Time: You received funding in October 2024. Your final grant report is due in July 2025, you turn it in on time, and ECF finds it acceptable. You will be eligible to apply again for the September 30, 2026 deadline (the Spring 2027 cycle).
- Reporting Received Late: You received funding in October 2024. Your final grant report is due in July 2025, but you miss your deadline and turn in your report in October 2025 (or perhaps you turn it in on time, but it is incomplete and it takes you until October 2025 to make acceptable edits). You will be eligible to apply again for the March 31, 2027 deadline (the Fall 2027 cycle).
- Reporting Received Early: You received funding in October 2024. Your final grant report is due in July 2025, but you are able to utilize the funds quickly and turn in your final report in February 2025. If ECF finds this report acceptable, you will be eligible to apply again for the March 31, 2026 deadline (the Fall 2026 cycle).
In addition to the 12 month waiting period detailed above, nonprofits also need to consider that each Episcopal parish’s community is eligible to receive funding once every 18 months – this includes grants given to the parish directly or indirectly through nonprofit partners. This means that your organization may specifically be eligible (you have never received a grant or, if you have, your waiting period has ended), but if your parish has received a grant either directly or through another partner, you cannot list them on your application until 18 months have passed.
- This additional criterion ensures that ECF is sharing our funding with all 117 worshiping communities across Middle and North Georgia and not concentrating our funds in any one parish community.
- This also encourages nonprofits to partner with more than one parish when possible.