Eligible Projects
Grants will be made to non-profit organizations (not individuals) that serve the needs of the homeless and very low-income people within the boundaries of the North Georgia Conference. (See map for eligible counties.) Such organizations, if not United Methodist churches, must be recognized by the IRS as non-profit. This support will include, but not be limited to, land acquisition, renovation and construction of shelters, transitional housing, single room occupancy rental units, owner-occupied homes, emergency and seed grants, and for programs and other operating services that meet the needs of low-income and homeless persons.
Priority will be given to United Methodist programs/projects and to projects/programs for transitional and permanent housing. Other requests will be considered as funds are available.

Ineligible Projects
The Housing and Homeless Council does not fund treatment programs that are not housing homeless persons.
The Housing and Homeless Council does not fund preschool, after school or summer camp programs unless they are for children who are homeless.

Frequency of Grants
An organization can generally receive funding only once during a 12-month period. The only exceptions to this are when an organization receives an emergency grant, it may apply during the next grant cycle, but the amount of the emergency grant will be deducted from the grant. Very large organizations that work in different areas of North Georgia may submit more than one application for different projects during the same 12-month period.

Types of Grants
The Housing and Homeless Council provides funding for capital grants and operating grants.

Operating Grant:  A grant for operating expenses to an on-going program that is providing needed services to homeless or very poor persons or to those in transition from homelessness. These are always limited to $2,500. You will not increase your chances of getting a larger grant if you ask for more than $2,500.
Capital Grant: A grant for land or housing acquisition; construction, renovation, or providing fixtures for housing or permanent facilities for services to low-income and/or homeless persons. These are limited to $10,000.
Types of Capital Grants:
Habitat Grant: A grant for a Habitat for Humanity house. These are limited to $5,000.
Challenge or Matching Grant for Capital Projects (land acquisition, construction, renovation, or debt reduction):  A grant to assist organizations to meet government, foundation, corporate, individual, or other challenge grant awards.
Renovation Grant for Owner-Occupied Home:  An application for a renovation grant must be from a local United Methodist church or a United Methodist-supported project, with the following conditions:  a limit of $1,000; participating funds, materials, and/or volunteer help must be provided by the organization making application; grant is to be used for maintaining habitability of residence and not for enhancement of the same.
Seed Grant:  A grant to a new organization that has no track record in housing or to a new project of an existing organization; to assist with start-up funds so as to encourage success. Generally a seed grant requires that the organization is growing in such a way that a capital expansion is taking place, even if this particular grant is not used for capital expenses. Seed grants are generally limited to $5,000.
Emergency Grants
*Emergency Capital Grant:  A grant for unexpected overrun in construction costs or for project completion in the event of unpredictable capital shortage.  Council by-laws limit this to $1,000.
*Emergency Operating Grant:  A grant given to ease temporary cash flow problems.  Council by-laws limit this to $1,000.

Amount of Grants
Capital Grant requests should not exceed $10,000. Seed Grant requests, generally, should not exceed $5,000. Operating Grant requests should not exceed $2,500, and Habitat for Humanity grant requests should not exceed $5,000.

Other Restrictions
An application for a Habitat house must come from a United Methodist church or a group in which United Methodist churches are involved. A church or agency should apply no more than once a year and submit only one request at any time. Specific amounts are needed for requested renovations. Please include documented estimates. If a specific capital project is awarded a grant one year, generally, another grant will not be awarded in future years for that same renovation or project.

Application Deadlines
Application deadlines for receipt of applications are March 1 and September 1 (September 2nd this year because of the Labor Day Holiday). Announcement and distribution of grants are made by June 1 and December 1.

Directions for Hand-delivered applications