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News & Announcements

Envision Fund Board Announces 2018 Grants

May 1, 2018

Each year, the Envision Board awards grants from the Envision Fund to serve as seed money for projects that will enrich the ministry and life of the church. These projects serve a wide variety of people, from the congregation here at CPC to the local, national, and international communities. We evaluate proposals for funding in the categories of Development, Mission, Peace and Justice Advocacy, and Capital Improvements.

This year we had $140,000 available to distribute, and received 12 applications requesting a total of over $265,000. Of those, we were able to award funding to the following 7 projects for a total of $140,000:

CPC Enhancing Our Ministry to Children and Young People

Development; $15,000, full funding

This project will fund the hiring of an outside consultant to conduct an independent assessment of the church’s Christian Education program, the first such evaluation in over 20 years. The consultant will conduct focus groups with members of the congregation, provide feedback on the effectiveness of our CE programs, and suggest ways to strengthen and improve our ministry. This project was submitted by Rev. Ken Kovacs and Rev. Dorothy Boulton.

CPC Website Redesign

Development; $25,000, full funding

A professional website design firm will implement the plan developed over the last few months by the Website Redesign Committee. A brand new church website that will serve as a key part of our online presence, allowing us to connect with potential members as well as publishing dynamic content such as sermons, news, photos, and videos, reflecting our status as a living, dynamic congregation. This project was submitted by Ann Nickels of the Website Redesign Committee.

McKim’s Next Century of Service

Mission; $10,000, partial funding

The McKim Center is a community center in downtown Baltimore that provides after-school, summer camp, and athletic programs for neighborhood youth. Our funds will go towards the hiring of a development professional who will help the center find and hire a new executive director and launch a capital campaign in order to enhance and expand their program offerings. This project was submitted by Amy Schmaljohn of the McKim Center, and sponsored by Rev. Boulton.

Hands and Feet Initiative

Mission; $20,000, partial funding

The Center is an initiative of the Baltimore Presbytery that houses visiting church groups and pairs them with local congregations doing mission work in their communities. Our funds will support the hiring of new interns to handle an influx of volunteers coming to Baltimore from across the country in the next two years leading up to the 2020 General Assembly. This project was submitted by Rev. Kate Foster Connors of The Center, and sponsored by Rev. Kovacs.

Expanding the Mission of Suburban Crossroads Counseling

Mission; $22,500, partial funding

In order to continue providing mental health services to the community in and around Catonsville, Suburban Crossroads Counseling needs to consolidate and modernize their operations. Our funds will help them implement electronic records and combine their Catonsville offices in a single location, allowing them to expand their services and reach more people in need. This project was submitted by Dr. Elaine Bain of Suburban Crossroads, and sponsored by Rev. Boulton.

IMA Pediatric Cancer Treatment in Tanzania

Mission; $30,000, full funding

IMA World Health partners with the Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania to provide life-saving treatment for Burkitt’s Lymphoma, an endemic childhood cancer in that part of the world. We are funding the purchase and delivery of a new bio-safety cabinet, a critical piece of equipment used in the preparation of chemotherapy drugs. This project was submitted by Jennifer Bentzel of IMA World Health and sponsored by Vickie Lord of CPC.

Howard County Autism Housing Initiative

Peace and Justice; $17,500, full funding

Our funds will allow the Howard County Autism Society to conduct financial and market studies as they pursue their vision for a new intergenerational, mixed-income housing development based on the Generations of Hope model to provide long-term affordable housing to adults with autism and other disabilities. This project was submitted and sponsored by Cynthia Schwanz of CPC.

The Envision Board is truly excited to see God’s will at work through so many wonderful projects, and thanks all those who submitted proposals for their time and effort.