Pleasants Fund
The Pleasants Fund supports the mission of the Greensboro United Church of Christ by providing financial support for two distinct types of grants:
Community Grants — awarded to nonprofit organizations for projects that serve the wider community
Scholarship Grants — awarded to individuals pursuing post-secondary or seminary education
Each grant type has a different purpose and application process, outlined below.
Pleasants Fund - Community Grants
We are currently requesting that all applications be sent in electronic format to the secretary for the Pleasants Fund, Mike Coffey at: mike1776vt@gmail.com
If possible, please send documents in the .pdf format, if not then use MS Word and Excel formats. You can also contact Mike at 802 533-2660 for any other questions.
1 ) By vote of the corporation, amended by-laws of the Greensboro United Church of Christ (Article VI section 8 ) that the Pleasants Fund Committee shall “apply the proceeds of the Pleasants Fund to selected projects, causes, agencies, or organizations whose purposes lie within the legitimate concerns of this Church but outside its ordinary operating expense budget.”
2 ) It is the purpose of the Pleasants Fund, in projects outside the United Church of Christ, to assist in enabling new and innovative ideas to be tried, and preference will be given to such applications. Projects which are in effect regular operating expenses will not be funded except in instances where applications clearly demonstrate unusual worthiness of project and that efforts to obtain other funding have been unsuccessful, and only where Committee funds are adequate after satisfying preference projects noted above. Applicants are cautioned against dependence on recurring grants.
3 ) Grants shall be made only to non-profit, tax exempt organizations holding 501 C3 status with the Internal Revenue Service.
4 ) Requests by individuals for scholarship aid should be addressed to the Greensboro United Church of Christ Scholarship Committee.
5 ) No grants shall be considered for regular annual operating expenses of any organization, except as specified in Item 2.
6 ) All applications for grants shall be made in writing, with eight copies, and delivered to the Church office at least ten days prior to the date of the meeting in person by an authorized representative, not a member of the Pleasants Fund Committee, of the organization seeking the grant. Emergency relief requests from the Diaconate Board of the United Church of Christ are exempt from this requirement.
7 ) Grant applications shall include the following information:
A) The name, address, date of founding and statement of purpose of the organization (unless previously supplied).
B) Names and addresses of all current officers and board members or trustees.
C) Copy of the organization’s most recent financial statement.
D) A full description of the purpose for which the funds are requested, including as accurate costs as can be obtained.
E) Statement of other funding obtained or being sought for the same project.
8 ) Only under the most unusual circumstances will grants in excess of $2,500 or below $100 be considered.
9 ) A follow-up report in writing will be appreciated by the Pleasants Fund Committee within one year of the issuance of the grant, stating how the funds were used.
We are currently requesting that all applications be sent in electronic format to the secretary for the Pleasants Fund, Mike Coffey at: mike1776vt@gmail.com
If possible, please send documents in the .pdf format, if not then use MS Word and Excel formats. You can also contact Mike at 802 533-2660 for any other questions.
Pleasants Fund Committee
United Church of Christ
P.O. Box 176
Greensboro, Vermont 05841
Pleasants Fund - Scholarship Assistance
The Scholarship committee is a subcommittee of the Pleasants’ Fund Committee. It is composed of three people and meets each spring to award scholarships to those who have applied. The committee also reviews and renews the scholarships of past recipients who will be continuing their college career.
Purposes of the Scholarship Grants are:
to provide financial support to high school graduates who desire to continue their educational experiences by enrolling in a post-secondary experience and
to provide financial support to others who desire to seek a post-secondary or graduate education
Application Process
Application forms are provided to the Guidance Departments at Hazen Union School and Craftsbury Academy in the spring of each year. Applications are due to the Scholarship Committee by May 25.
Other high school seniors, who are part of the United Church of Christ Greensboro community, are encouraged to apply by contacting the Committee or the Church Office. Applications are due by May 25.
People who desire to make application for financial support for post-secondary educational experiences are encouraged to apply by contacting the Committee or the Church Office. Applications are due on May 25 or one month prior to beginning a program.
Review Process
The applicant must be a senior who will be graduating, or a person who has already graduated from high school and desires to seek a post-secondary education.
The Scholarship Committee will review each application. Priority for awarding grants are as follows:
Applicants that attend or are a member of a family who attends the Greensboro United Church of Christ
Residents of the communities served by Hazen Union or Craftsbury Academy
Scholarship amounts will be based upon the funding available and the financial needs identified in the application. Awards typically range between $800 and $1,000, but vary from year to year.
Payment of scholarship amounts will be made only after the Scholarship Committee receives verification of second semester enrollment (a copy of the second semester bill, or a letter of enrollment from registrar’s office). Payments will be made after the first of the year. All payment requests must be received by Feb. 15. The scholarship becomes void after that date.
The scholarship may be renewed for additional years following the receipt of a renewal application. Application forms will be sent out in April to all people who received a previous scholarship. They must be returned by May 25. The Committee will review the applications and notify the recipients by the middle of July.