On behalf of the First Parish in Bedford community, the Social Responsibility Council (SRC) supports social outreach projects centered on education and awareness, service, and social action in two main ways:
- Awarding grants from the funding set aside by First Parish in the annual budget for social responsibility
- Choosing monthly Share the Plate recipients, who receive half of the offering collected on the first Sunday of the month, including selecting the recipients for Christmas Eve services (First Parish youth traditionally select the recipient for the family service)
Recipients of SRC funding are proposed by the First Parish community.
Proposals for Recipients Come from You!
We invite anyone interested to propose potential grant or Share the Plate recipients. A potential recipient could be an organization or project you are involved in or one that you are aware of and find inspiring, has a particular need for support, or could benefit from expanded awareness of its work, whether it is local, national, international, or a previous recipient.
- Grants are best suited to organizations that have funding needs for a specific project. Project leaders are expected to keep the SRC informed about the project and provide a written summary for our June Annual Report to update the First Parish community. (For examples, see the list of previous grant recipients here.)
- Share the Plate is a program is best suited for raising awareness about an organization and providing general support. A representative of the organization is expected to speak briefly during the appointed service (either in person or on Zoom) and, if possible, be available after the service to answer questions. (For examples, see the list of previous Share the Plate recipients here.)
To submit a proposal for consideration by SRC, simply complete and submit the relevant form (available in both Word and PDF format) to socialresponsibility@uubedford.org:
Form for Share the Plate proposals: Word | PDF
Form for grant applications: Word | PDF
Be sure to consider the points listed here as you complete the form.
How Does It Work?
- Submitted grant applications and Share the Plate proposals are reviewed monthly at regular SRC meetings. These meetings are generally held at 7:00 pm on the fourth Wednesday of the month during the church year (please check the church calendar to confirm).
- Applicants are encouraged to attend the review meeting (either in person or via Zoom) to provide information and answer questions. For a Share the Plate proposal, this can be the parishioner proposing the recipient. For a grant application, this should be a representative of the recipient organization.
- If approved, applicants are notified by the SRC chair. Project leaders will be responsible for keeping the SRC informed about progress, budget, learnings, issues, and accomplishment of goals as well as a written summary for our June Annual Report to update the entire church community.
Questions?
The SRC is always open to suggestions and looks forward to your active involvement in supporting social action in our community and beyond. Please contact socialresponsibility@uubedford.org or reach out to an SRC member with any questions or for further information.