Too often in our congregations, religious education becomes the "fourth priority" at budget time when only the top three budget priorities receive full funding. By providing this grant, the Shelter Rock congregation is encouraging other congregations to realize our prophetic visions for lifespan religious education and for greater support for excellence in religious education leaders and programs.

GOALS OF THE GRANT

Helping congregations to raise the salaries, benefits, and professional expenses of religious educators working half-time or more to the levels proposed in "To Sustain the Living Tradition" will, we believe, lead to:

• greater job satisfaction and longer tenure in the position
• increased stability and depth in lifespan religious education programming
• better educated, more experienced religious educators through continuing education and participation in professional meetings and conferences
• greater congregational satisfaction with and respect for the religious education professional
• creation of models for good compensation and benefits practices
• changes in norms and standards of congregations and the association

GRANT CRITERIA

Each congregation will need to meet certain criteria as set by the LREDA Grants Committee in order to be eligible for this grant. The criteria are:

1. Minimum employment at half-time or six units per week without expectation of additional volunteer hours
2. Completion of a written covenant between congregation and religious educator
3. Presentation of congregational budget with plans to reach within three years fair compensation in salary, benefits, and professional expense provisions within the guidelines published in "To Sustain the Living Tradition" and to sustain it thereafter
4. Paid membership in LREDA for the religious educator
5. Evidence of support by the congregation for Anti-Racism and Welcoming Congregation initiatives.
6. Receipt of positive written recommendation from district field staff.
7. Evidence of fair share congregation status in the UUA Annual Program Fund
8. Evidence of full payment of district dues

APPLICATIONS AND DEADLINES

Applications for the grant will be available at the LREDA Workshop and after GA from:

LREDA Grants Committee
c/o Jeannellen Ryan
Unitarian Universalsit Association
25 Beacon St.
Boston, MA 02108

Applications for funding in fiscal '98-'99 must be received by the LREDA Grants Committee no later than November 1, 1998. The first round of funding distribution will begin by February 16, 1999. Additional deadlines for later funding will be announced.

Information: info@uua.org