Internship Stipend Grants Program
The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations plays a significant role in helping to provide congregations with the opportunity to call well-trained and highly-qualified ministers. A strong internship experience is an extremely important step in the preparation process for the Unitarian Universalist ministry, and it’s one that would not be possible without the participation of our member congregations. So thank you for your commitment to supporting our future ministry through your intention to serve as an internship site.
Grant applicants will note an emphasis on a congregation's involvement with issues of anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multiculturalism. The 1997 General Assembly Resolution, Toward An Anti-Racist Unitarian Universalist Association, "urges the Unitarian Universalist Association, its congregations and community organizations to develop an on-going process for the comprehensive institutionalization of anti-racism and multi-culturalism." It further states, "the General Assembly urges all Unitarian Universalist leaders, including ministers [emphasis added] ...to engage in on-going anti-racism training, to examine basic assumptions, structures, and functions, and in response to what is learned, to develop action plans." A good internship site will provide opportunities to engage in anti-racism, anti-oppression, multiculturalism work in addition to those which develop other core ministerial competencies.
For many congregations, adding a fair internship stipend to the budget can be especially difficult in the first several years of becoming established as a teaching site. The UUA Ministerial Credentialing Office therefore offers a grant program to congregations in order to assist new teaching sites in providing internship stipends during their first year or two. Since good teaching sites are always in great demand, it is hoped that, following this initial assistance, your members will want to continue to support your internship program independently, thereby making it possible for your congregation to host interns in the years to come.
The grant program is open to congregations offering either full-time or part-time internships. Full-time internships average 40 hours/week for at least 6 months, while part-time internships are a minimum of 15 hours/week for 18 months and usually span two congregational years. These internships may take place 1) primarily within the context of a congregation, or 2) they may be congregationally-based but include a significant amount of ministry with an outside agency or institution (a maximum of 50% of the internship experience.) All grants will be made to congregations.
Each year, we receive applications from a number of congregations deserving of internship funding. Because there are limited funds available for the Internship Stipend Grants Program, grants unfortunately cannot be awarded to all qualified applicants.
Grants will provide up to one half of the recommended minimum stipend for a full or part-time internship of up to 10 months. (See Grant Guidelines for recommended minimum stipend amounts.) Congregations may re-apply next year for one renewal of up to half the amount of the first stipend grant. (Note that these renewal grants are not automatic; an application must be submitted!)
For more information contact mplinterncoordinator @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
