A new pilot program is designed to help United Methodist churches serving vulnerable communities procure and install solar and/or batteries.
The goal is to empower churches to build resilience, reduce emissions and energy costs and, ultimately, keep the doors of their critical community service ministries open when natural disasters strike or power grids fail.
The initiative is led by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries Environmental Sustainability and the United Methodist Committee on Relief U.S. Disaster Response.
Up to 20 churches will be selected for the UMC Solar and Battery Pilot Program, with one to three leaders from each church joining a two-month solar and storage training cohort to receive start-to-finish guidance. Near the end of the program, select participating churches will be invited to apply for an UMCOR grant up to $100,000 to support their projects. A total of $1 million is available. Participation in the cohort does not guarantee grant funding.
Applications will be accepted through Nov. 2, with training sessions beginning Jan. 11 and ending March 12.
Read Global Ministries press release.
Learn more about the program.
