JUSTICE IN OUR TIME FUND

The United Methodist Foundation of New England is committed to promoting racial and social equity. We recognize that this work must address individual and systemic efforts, and to be effective, the work has to be sustained over time. We are devoted to impact sustainable change.

Proceeds from this fund are distributed by the "Justice In Our Time Fund" Committee of the Foundation to support strategic racial equity initiatives:

• Growing education and awareness of anti-racism work among NEAC pastors and laity
• Structural change for individuals and communities, including early childhood education
• Generational wealth building through home ownership
• Educational events of impact across New England
• Advocacy initiatives to address systemic racism in education, healthcare, income inequality, criminal justice, and others
• Providing grants to the Conference Committee on Religion and Race to support action

VISION & MISSION

WHEREAS:

• racism is pervasive in systems and structures of US society and our communities, and;
• the legacy of inequality and racism continues to impact vast sectors of society, including education, healthcare, criminal justice, housing, economic opportunities, and others, and there is a need to acknowledge this legacy and structure reparation to ensure equity, and;
• the roots of racism remain imbedded in our culture and within the human heart, and;
• the Church is positioned and equipped to engage individuals and communities in the conversion of hearts and minds with respect to racism, and to provide individuals with an opportunity to demonstrate their support for anti-racism work;
• efforts and resources to address racism have continued to ebb and flow from crisis to crisis and have been allowed to diminish, and the nature of progress to justice and racial equity requires sustained support and funding, and;
• the NEAC has traditionally budgeted a very modest amount of funds ($5,000 annually) to support anti-racism initiatives through the Commission on Religion and Race, an amount and approach that is inadequate to the task at hand, and that is not easily available to local congregations and their communities for anti-racism education and advocacy, and;
• it is essential that the momentum of anti-racism action in the current moment be supported and sustained to establish a broad-based movement to bring structural change and racial equality.

Be it resolved that the United Methodist Foundation of New England (Foundation) create and establish the “Justice In Our Time Fund” as an area of focus fund to support anti-racism work.

1. The “Justice In Our Time Fund” is a board-designated fund created and overseen by the Board of Directors of the Foundation.
2. The “Justice In Our Time Fund” Review Committee/Task Force shall be responsible for developing the vision and scope of the “Justice In Our Time Fund” as well as the policies and procedures for its implementation and ongoing operation.
3. The Review Committee shall develop methods and tools to measure the impact of grant activities.
4. Once established by the Board of Directors, the Foundation will begin funding the “Justice In Our Time Fund” with income from $900,000 from its unrestricted endowment.
5. The Fund shall be invested in the Balanced Growth Model using the Fixed Percentage Payout rate as the minimum spending method. Quarterly income shall be temporarily held until distributed during a grant cycle to be determined by the Review Committee.
6. The Foundation shall promote the “Justice In Our Time Fund” within the New England Conference and elsewhere to work with donors who express interest in addressing the issues of structural racism.

USES OF THE FUND

The proceeds from the Fund will be distributed by the “Justice In Our Time Fund" Review Committee, according to the committee’s discernment.

Potential uses include (in no particular order):

• Growing the awareness of anti-racism work among NEAC pastors and laity
• Building the leadership capacity of NEAC pastors and laity to lead local congregations in anti-racism education - including around white privilege, learning events, and action
• Assisting with expenses for NEAC training events
• Engaging advocacy initiatives to address systemic racism in education, healthcare, income inequality, criminal justice, and others
• Providing grants to impact structural change for individuals, communities, including early childhood education

Any other uses determined by the Review Committee.

For questions or more information email Rev. Ted Crass or call 800-595-4347 X104