Mission Match Procedures

Mission Match^®

Mission Match Procedures

Congregations that want to increase the portion of their budgets being spent on missions are welcome to apply for Mission Match funds.

Congregations can qualify for Mission Match funds if:

•	The congregation is historically Christian¹ and is located in the U.S.

•	The congregation applies to reserve Mission Match funds before the funds to be matched are raised.

•	The congregation's mission project is international or, if in the U.S., focused on low-income people, and is to be carried out in Jesus' name. See the Guidelines for full details.

•	The congregation plans to raise the funds to be matched through intentional giving by people in the congregation. Note: Fundraising proceeds from special events, such as auctions, walkathons, or car washes, do not qualify to be matched. See the Guidelines for full details.

How your congregation can apply for Mission Match funding.

Complete the Application and Steps 2. and 3. before raising the money that is to be matched.
Send in the Application to reserve Mission Match funds.
Receive confirmation of Mission Match funds availability.
Raise New Mission Money in your congregation and request the reserved Mission Match funds.

Summary

Step 1: Complete the Application and Steps 2. and 3. (below) before raising the money that is to be matched. Review the Matching $ Table, the Applicant Section of the Guidelines, and the Terms and Conditions . Then, if you think that your mission project qualifies, decide on the amount of Mission Match funds your congregation wishes to request. Complete the Application, including obtaining the requested signatures from leaders in your congregation.

Step 2: Send in the Application to reserve Mission Match funds. Apply to reserve the Mission Match funds before you begin asking congregation members to contribute New Money to be matched by Mission Match. To apply, send the completed and signed Application, a letter on church letterhead signed by the contact person, and a recent Sunday bulletin from your church.

Step 3: Receive written confirmation of Mission Match funds availability. Once you send in your application, the Mission Match office will temporarily set aside the requested money while confirming the information you send in. If the application is accepted, the Mission Match office sends you a letter to say the requested funds have been reserved for your congregation for the Reservation Period as defined as part of the Application process.

Step 4: Raise New Mission Money in your congregation and request the reserved Mission Match funds. Once you have received the written confirmation that the requested Mission Match funds have been reserved for your congregation, you begin raising the New Mission money to be matched within your congregation through intentional giving by people within your congregation. Once the New Mission Money is raised, you notify the Mission Match office of your success by returning the Request Form provided by the Mission Match office. Along with the Request Form, you are asked to include a sample copy of newsletters or other materials you used to invite people in your congregation to contribute. The Mission Match office reviews the information you send, and if all is in order, sends your congregation a check to match money raised for your mission project.

* * * * * *

Details

Step 1: Complete the Application and Steps 2. and 3. before you begin to raise the money to be matched with Mission Match funds.

Review the Applicant Section of the Guidelines to decide if your proposed mission project meets the Mission Match guidelines. The Application will ask you to affirm you have read and agree to abide by these Guidelines.

The Application will also ask you to affirm that you have read and agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions.

If you think that your mission project meets the Guidelines, decide the amount of Matching Funds that your congregation will request. See the Matching $ Table for the amounts currently available through Mission Match.

You can apply for one of the amounts listed on the Matching $ Table. Determine the matching level that best meets the ability of your congregation to contribute New Mission Money to your mission project.

A Sample Application is available for your review.

Complete the Application, including obtaining the requested signatures.

NOTE 1.1: Funds raised other than through increased giving by the people in the congregation do not qualify for a Mission Match matching contribution. Examples of money sources that do not qualify include a community-wide car wash or dinner, an auction of donated goods, a walkathon, or a multi-congregational worship service where people other than members of your congregation are supporting the event. If you apply for Mission Match funds, you are agreeing to raise the money through increased giving among those people in your local church.

NOTE 1.2: When you select an amount of Mission Match funds to request, you are indicating that you intend to raise at least that much New Mission Money within your congregation, to be matched by Mission Match.

Step 2: Send in the Application to reserve Mission Match funds.

2a.	Send the requested documents to: Mission Match empty tomb, inc. P.O. Box 2404 Champaign, Illinois 61825-2404. Be sure to include the following:

•	The completed and signed Application Form.
•	A letter on your church letterhead. The person who will serve as the contact person with the congregation should sign the letter. The letter should briefly summarize the project, and how it meets the Mission Match Guidelines. This information supports the information provided in the application.
•	A recent bulletin from your congregation's main worship service.

2b.	Allow up to four weeks for a response.

Step 3: Receive written confirmation of Mission Match funds availability. If Mission Match funds are available when your letter is received in the Mission Match office, the amount you requested will be temporarily set aside while the Mission Match office confirms the information you send. The Mission Match office may request clarification about the information you send in your Application. When all information that your congregation sends in has been reviewed and the application accepted, the Mission Match office will notify you in writing that the reserved money will be available for your congregation's mission project if you have raised the New Mission Money within the Reservation Period.

Step 4: Raise New Mission Money in your congregation and request the reserved Mission Match funds. Ask the people in your congregation to donate New Mission Money for the identified mission project. Some people call this approach a "second mile" giving project. You can tell people in your congregation the amount of Mission Match funds that will be available as a matching contribution if you succeed in raising the reserved dollar amount. At least one opportunity in writing should be given to all people in the congregation to contribute the funds that will be matched. A bulletin announcment or newsletter article will satisfy this point.

NOTE: Any Mission Match funds reserved for your congregation will be kept for the Reservation Period, which begins approximately from the date of the letter sent to you by the Mission Match office to tell you the funds have been reserved for your congregation.

4a.

When you have raised the New Mission Money within your congregation, notify the Mission Match office of your success by returning the Request Form provided by the Mission Match office. Mail the Request Form within the Reservation Period to:
Mission Match
empty tomb, inc.
P.O. Box 2404
Champaign, Illinois 61825-2404

•

Along with the Request Form, include a copy of a sample bulletin announcement, bulletin insert, newsletter article or other notice that offered the opportunity to financially support this mission project to people in your congregation. Any number of people in your congregation can contribute the actual money to be matched. However, a goal of Mission Match is to encourage a broader base of mission support as part of the effort to expand the congregation's spending on missions as a portion of total congregational spending, compared to last year.

•

On the Request Form, you will be asked to indicate the date your congregation will need the matching contribution money to apply to your congregation's mission. If the Mission Match office determines that the Request Form, with its attached materials, is valid, the Mission Match office plans to notify you that the money will be sent 30 days before the date you indicate on your Request Form (or in fewer days if less than 30 days remain when the Request Form is received in the Mission Match office).

4b.	Allow two weeks for the Mission Match office to process your Request Form.

And may God bless your expanded mission outreach!

¹The definition of "historically Christian" includes that combination of believers with a historically acknowledged confession of the faith, including, for example, Anabaptist, Baptist, Catholic, Evangelical, Fundamental, Lutheran, Mainline, Methodist, Orthodox, Protestant, Pentecostal/Charistmatic, and Reformed communions. See the Guidelines for a more comprehensive discussion.

^{v.3.2007.11.26}



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