The Legacy Gift Committee of New England Yearly Meeting announces the following fall 2023 grants.
From the NEYM Witness and Ministry Fund:
Devon Kurtz, Hanover Friends Meeting: to empower Devon to publish a book of artwork and writing from incarcerated men who attend Quaker worship services in a Vermont prison, and to organize and record a live memorial concert for the men in the prison. Grant: $7,650.
Heather Denkmire, Portland Friends Meeting: to allow Heather to follow her deep leading to practice somatic abolition as an individual and with others in her life, especially in the Portland Friends (monthly) Meeting, building collective practical and spiritual skills for holding conflicting truths, exploring ways to undo our own racism and the ways white supremacy culture restricts our spiritual growth as individuals and as a Quaker body. An initial grant of $3,450, with continued discernment over the possible award of an additional amount.
Sally Farneth, Portland Friends Meeting: to develop a literacy curriculum grounded in the values and skills that promote peace. Children will develop an understanding of peace and justice through stories read aloud first in the home language, and later in English. The message in these stories gives children tools to use to deal with others in positive ways. These materials will be provided to Quaker Schools at two demonstration sites in Rwanda. Grant: $7562.
Peter Blood-Patterson, Mt. Toby Friends Meeting: to further the development of an online Quakerism library to make important Quaker writings freely and easiily available to Friends and seekers around the world. Grant: $5,000.
From the NEYM Witness & Ministry Fund as a Time-Sensitive Award
Gordon Bugbee, Beacon Hill Monthly Meeting: for travel expenses on a research visit to National Archives repository in Ft Worth, TX, and site visits in Oklahoma to gather data on NEYM involvement in the forced assimilation of Indigenous children through its mission and schools. Grant: $1,000.
From the NEYM Future Fund*
Concord Monthly Meeting: For building improvements to help toward installing a new non-combustion, non-carbon-emissions heating system. $3,000.
Virginia Swain, Friends Meeting Cambridge: To allow Virginia Swain to transform the program she developed to train Reconciliation Leaders during a 30-year leading at the United Nations and offer it to NEYM Quakers as The Reconciliation Leadership Program for NEYM. The program is designed to stabilize and empower Meetings to develop leaders who are led and cleared to develop reconciliation tools, techniques, assumptions, and perspectives to heal historic and current challenges. Reconciliation Leaders are potential Elders in Monthly and Yearly Meetings, willing to offer wisdom, emotional balance, and inner peace in troubled times. $7,650.
*Salem Quarter grant funds are being used to refresh and restart the Legacy Futures Fund while Salem Quarter is taking a sabbatical. Therefore, a preference is given to applicants from the monthly meetings of Salem Quarter (as approved at 2022 Sessions).
If you have questions about any part of the Legacy grant program, please contact the co-clerks at [email protected].
Application Deadlines:
Our next deadline is March 10, 2024, for both the Future Fund and the Witness & Ministry Fund. The Legacy Gift Committee is pleased to announce a spring 2024 funding round for both the Witness & Ministry Fund and the recently refreshed and restarted Futures Fund. The deadline for applications for either fund is March 10, 2024.
Grants ranging from $500 to $10,000 will be awarded from these funds. Friends and meetings that have not yet received a Legacy Gift Fund grant are especially encouraged to apply. Application Forms and other information can be found on the NEYM website here: https://neym.org/legacy-gift/legacy-grants-apply-now
If you have questions about any part of the Legacy grant program, please contact the co-clerks at [email protected].
Yours in the Light,
Mary Link and Sue Rockwood, co-clerks
NEYM Legacy Gift Committee: Megan Christopher (Wellesley), Sarah Gant (Beacon Hill), Mary Link (Mt Toby), Lori Martin (New Haven), Karen Reixach (Keene), Sue Rockwood (Midcoast), Jennie Isbell-Shinn (Mt Toby), Rebecca Leuchak (Providence Monthly Meeting) (ex officio)