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News & Announcements

Envision Fund Board Announces 2016 Grants

May 1, 2016

This year, the Envision Board had a total of $93,500 available to distribute from the Envision Fund. After accounting for $16,315 in funds committed in the 2015 application cycle, $77,185 was available for funding new projects in 2016. We received 14 applications requesting $375,000, and after careful consideration of all applications, we are pleased to announce the following awards:

Sacred Space Memorial Garden

$10,500, full funding

This project will build on the landscape master plan, funded by the Envision Fund last year, to construct a sacred space to be used as a memorial garden and meditation space. The garden will initially consist of a foundation of brick pavers along with some landscape plantings, and can be added to over time through memorial gifts from members and friends of the congregation. This garden is the proposed future location of a columbarium, given sufficient interest from the congregation. This project was submitted and sponsored by Jeanne Mueller, and has been approved by the Trustees.

Church House Window Replacement

$10,000, partial funding

This project will replace the 27 original, single-pane windows in the church house with modern, energy-efficient ones. This move will provide a more comfortable working environment for our church staff, who are currently subjected to near-constant drafts of cold air on windy days during the winter months. This project was submitted and sponsored by John Dittman on behalf of the Trustees.

Updating Controlled Access Entry to the CPC Childcare Center

$10,000, partial funding

This project will enhance the safety of the children under the care of the CPC Childcare Center by installing a modern, centrally-controlled electronic access system in the main church building. This will improve the security of the children by allowing the Childcare Center administration better control over people entering and exiting the facility during the center’s operating hours, while striving for minimal disruption to church members who need to access the building. This project was submitted and sponsored by Brad Peercy on behalf of the Childcare Council, and has been approved by the Trustees.

Maternity Ward Renovation at the PAX Clinic in the DRC

$28,000, full funding

This project builds on our existing relationship with the Kasai Christian Medical Institute (IMCK) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in partnership with Presbyterian World Mission. We are contributing toward the final phase of renovations to the maternity ward at the PAX Clinic in Kananga, DRC. The clinic currently sees about 600 births annually, and it is anticipated that these renovations will triple their capacity, allowing them to provide service to an additional 1200 mothers per year who would otherwise give birth at home or in small clinics without adequate equipment or medication. Income from these additional patients will allow the facility to become self-sustaining. This project was submitted by Elizabeth Little of PC(USA), and sponsored by Vickie Lord of CPC.

Bridges Alliance

$3,600, partial funding

Bridges Alliance is a new program run by Bridges to Housing Stability in Howard County whose goal is to provide below-market rental housing to low-wage workers in the county who make too much money to qualify for public housing programs. In order to become self-sustaining Bridges Alliance needs to expand their program and provide more housing units. Our funds will cover the cost of providing one housing unit for one year, bringing Bridges Alliance closer to their goal and helping a local family to take a step towards financial security. This project was submitted by Jen Broderick of Bridges to Housing Stability, and sponsored by Vickie Lord of CPC.

Baltimore County Organizing Network

$15,000, partial funding

BCON is an emerging community organizing network consisting of around a dozen interfaith congregations in Baltimore County, working together to participate in God’s mission for justice and reconciliation within a county increasingly divided by income and racial inequity. The goal of BCON is to build connections both within congregations and in the wider community that will allow all of us to better understand our neighbors, identify the issues that mean the most to us, and work together to create meaningful change. Our support will help fund a new part-time staff position for a community organizer, with a goal of growing membership by 50% over the next two years. This project was submitted by the Rev. Kristofer Lindh-Payne of BCON and Epiphany Episcopal Church in Timonium, and sponsored by Ken Kovacs of CPC.

Please note that all available funds for 2016 have been allocated, so there will be no applications accepted in September 2016.