Mustard Seed Foundation (MSF)

Amount

$3,000 – $30,000

Deadline

Rolling (year-round)

Match / Cost Share

Yes – 50% match (local church must fund half)

Effort & Success

Effort Score: 4 (brief inquiry, simple form)
Fit Score: 9 (church-based startups)
Success Outlook: High (if local church commits)
Must Pursue

Fund Basics

Award Size: $500–$30K, covering up to 50% of a project budget (most grants fall in the $5K–$10K range).
Cycle: Rolling inquiries accepted year-round with regional review meetings every few months.
Match: 50% cash match from the local church or ministry is mandatory.
Contact: Begin with an email concept note to grants@msfdn.org; staff then invite full applications.

Eligibility & Project Focus

Local congregations or Christian organizations launching a new outreach initiative (urban focus preferred).
Projects should be innovative, evangelistic, and locally led—examples include youth discipleship, microenterprise training, or church plants.
Priority goes to ministries serving major population centers (Accra, Santo Domingo, etc.), with rural projects rarely funded.
No funding for building purchases, debt relief, salaries-only requests, or rural projects outside major population centers.

Application Requirements

Initial inquiry email describing the ministry concept, budget, and local match commitments.
Full application (if invited) includes narrative, project budget, church financial statements, board list, and personal faith statement from the project leader.
Plan for 8–12 total hours: 1–2h for inquiry, 6–8h gathering budgets, match documentation, and refining the final submission.

Strategic Fit & Risks

MSF was built to catalyze exactly what Ason champions—fresh, locally owned ministry starts in major cities. Recent grants mirror our partners’ context (e.g., Dominican vocational programs, Ghana literacy initiatives). We should help one or two congregations package standout projects, ensuring the church can truly finance its 50% share.

Mitigate risk by vetting each partner’s budget capacity and setting up simple reporting templates so testimony, attendance, and evangelism outcomes are tracked for MSF’s follow-up.

Strategy Note

Mustard Seed Foundation (Church Project Seed Grants) – Immediate impact, minimal effort: MSF’s matching grants directly fuel new ministry projects. We can readily identify at least one or two qualifying projects (e.g. a youth outreach in the DR, a microenterprise in Ghana). The application is straightforward and relationship is established via email. Success likelihood: High for a well-prepared request, since we can ensure all criteria (local match, clear outreach) are met. Plus, even a $5k grant could launch a project with long-term spiritual returns. This is low-hanging fruit that aligns perfectly with our vision of indigenous initiatives.