[Episcopal Church in Minnesota press release] The Episcopal Church in Minnesota (http://episcopalmn.org/) (ECMN) announced Jan. 14 that they have awarded 12 grants totaling $70,500 for Missional Innovative Partnerships (MIPs) between Episcopal faith communities and local organizations. A Grant Discernment team was assembled and received 32 applications. Applicants were asked to demonstrate through their proposal that the MIP would meet the following criteria:

•    Missional: Work that is firmly rooted in God’s desire to reconcile the world.
•    Innovative: New imaginings that help address community needs.
•    Partnership: Inviting others into community to build capacity.

The 12 recipients of this year’s grants are:

• Neighbor Helping Neighbor (Holy Apostles, St. Paul) – $7,500

• Partnership with Dodge County Drug Court (St. Peter’s, Kasson) – $2,000

• Churches United in Ministry: Planning, creating, and sustaining edible gardens at Steve O’Neil Apartments (Trinity, Hermantown and St. Andrew’s, Cloquet) – $7,500

• The St. Cloud Coalition for Homeless Men (St. John’s, St. Cloud) – $6,000

• Cass Lake Area Food Shelf (St. Peter’s, Cass Lake) – $15,000

• Drake Hotel and The Family Partnership: Helping families in need (Gethsemane, Minneapolis) – $5,000

• Echo Food Shelf (St. John The Evangelist, Mankato) – $10,000

• Rhythms of Grace Worship Service for autistic children and their families (St. Clement’s, St. Paul) – $2,500

• Austin Human Rights Commission (Christ Church, Austin) – $4,000

• St. Christopher’s Community Dinner (St. Christopher’s, Roseville) – $1,000

• Pilot Program: Rapid Response Team for families in transition (Trinity, Excelsior) – $2,000

• RezCycle Inc.: Earn a Bike Program for youth on the White Earth Reservation (Church of the Epiphany, Plymouth) – $8,000

The field of proposals for this year’s grant applications was highly competitive. The above recipients successfully demonstrated all of the key elements of a Missional Innovative Partnership.