The CORR Action Fund Receives Large Response to its 2010 Action and Advocacy Philanthropic Commitment

The CORR Action Fund (funded by the Minority Self Determination Group Fund) of the General Commission on Religion and Race announced its funding focus in March of this year, on action and advocacy efforts related to the sanctuary movement to assure the rights of racial/ethnic minority immigrants, groups and refugees. Since, the CORR Action Fund (CAF) has received close to 150 proposals in response to its quarter of a million dollar philanthropic commitment. The CAF expects to award eight to 10 projects each up to $40,000 beginning in January 2011.  A list of the 2011 grant recipients will be made public this fall.

“The Fund has made a valuable giving commitment towards assisting programs that are in need. Especially as the current policy crisis on immigration and lack of concentrated funding to support these types of services fails to meet the needs of people. Not just people, but generations of families and communities who are inherently unable to get adequate supportive services due to the systemically complicated policies on immigration of the federal government,” stated Mary Phillips, CAF Grant Administrator.

The CAF is able to provide grants to nonprofit organizations and church/action advocacy groups that have access to those in need and have a direct connection to provide immigrant communities with local resources. More importantly, the CAF funding expects to have a deeper impact on the communities these programs will reach through evaluating the programs’ local assets, and providing further technical assistance for program development. These pieces will be guided by the four focus areas which include Leadership Development, New Places for New People, Eradicating Poverty and Global Health.

The funds of CAF will support projects working with UMC churches in communities where there are gaps in services and where people may slip through the cracks in attempting to become a legal citizen. These niche communities might include displaced farm workers and day laborers, those living in remote, rural areas where immigrant population are not able to encounter opportunities to work with programs who will assist them to ensure their rights are addressed throughout the immigration process.

The CAF is also excited to announce information on its 2011 grant cycle request for proposals set for the spring of 2011. Next year’s focus on dismantling racism will provide one-year grants for programs training pastoral leaders and seminarians about racism, multiculturalism and white privilege. Invited to apply for this funding are UMC related seminaries, Bishops and cabinets, conferences, Conference Committees on Religion and Race, Boards of Ordained Ministry and Associations of Theological schools. Visit www.gcorr.org for future announcements on the current grant cycle and next year’s request for proposals.

The CORR Action Fund (funded by the Minority Self-Determination Group) is a giving program of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church. The CAF is a national foundation established in 1970 for the empowerment of racial and ethnic persons within and outside the Church. For more information on the Fund, visit their Web site at www.gcorr.org at the Get Involved page. 

*Mary Phillips (Omaha/Laguna Pueblo) is the Grants Administrator for the CORR Action Fund and serves as a coordinator for GCORR's Monitoring and Advocacy Team. For more information about the CORR Action Fund contact Mary Phillips at mphillips@gcorr.org or by phone at (202) 495-2944.