Background
The Advance and Development Committee, under the auspices of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware, provides financial assistance for parishes throughout the state that have a need for renovations, repairs or new construction. It also provides funding to promote growth for individual parishes.
While each parish has a responsibility to provide primary support for its own needs through long-range planning, there may come a time when a parish finds that it does not have sufficient funding. Assistance can be provided from the Advance and Development Funds as a loan, a grant, a challenge grant, or any combination of the three. Each request is reviewed at length and the resulting assistance package is customized to fit the needs of the parish.
In addition, the Advance and Development Committee makes loans to parishes for the purpose of lending those funds to their clergy to facilitate the purchase of primary housing.
Types of Assistance
LOANS: The loan terms are designed to be favorable to the parish. The maximum repayment term is 20 years, with payments scheduled on a regular basis. The interest rate varies, depending on the situation of each parish, but the rate is well below the market rate.
GRANTS: An outright grant is appropriate when a parish needs more money than it can afford to repay and it has a serious need that appropriately fits the guidelines of the Advance and Development Committee.
CHALLENGE GRANTS: A Challenge Grant is used to stimulate congregational giving by offering to convert some loan funds to a grant when a set amount of cash is donated by the congregation for the project.
PARISH SUPPORT HOUSING LOAN: The terms for this loan are very favorable, with a 20-year maximum term and payments to be made on a regular basis. The interest rate is below the market rate.
PHOTOS: St. David's, Wilmington, received a loan to help them expand in 2002-2003. Part of that loan was converted into a challenge grant.
Helping Episcopal Parishes in the Diocese of Delaware
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” —Acts 20:27-29
Role of the Bishop
The role of the Bishop is to serve as a leader. His or her approval is required in order to execute a loan or grant. When an application is received and reviewed by the Advance and Development Committee, the Bishop offers input that is extremely helpful in determining how the assistance package should be customized. He or she offers valuable information when determining how the Advance and Development Funds can be used in conjunction with a parish’s congregational resources.
Purpose
The purpose of the Advance and Development Funds is to provide for the capital needs of the diocese and its institutions. These needs include construction of and repairs to church- related facilities, as well as providing for growth within individual parishes.
Procedures
In order to begin the application process, a representative from the parish will need to contact the business manager at the Diocese of Delaware, by calling 656-5441, or click here to send an email.
You can also write to:
The Diocese of Delaware
2020 N Tatnall Street
Wilmington, DE 19802
The business manager will assign a liaison from the Advance and Development Committee to work with the parish throughout the application process.