Adelphi Friends Meeting

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Go Forth Information and Application for
Service and Outreach Projects

Proposal to Monthly Meeting
Revisions Approved Feb. 14, 2010

From: Go Forth Committee

Contents

• Intent
• Process
• Proposals
• Penetrating Questions

Intent

Adelphi Friends Meeting (AFM) shall sponsor and support service projects initiated and conducted by members and attenders of the meeting. These projects shall contribute to the growth of AFM as a faith community engaged in society.

Process

AFM will add a line item to its annual budget of up to $12,000 per year for service and outreach projects. Like other line items, the service and outreach budget "expires" at the end of the budget year. Funds allocated to specific projects, however, will be carried forward for the full year of the project.

The current ad-hoc Go Forth Committee will be established as an on-going committee through the end of budget year 2010. At the end of this period Monthly Meeting will determine whether the committee should continue as chartered, become a subcommittee of Peace and Social Concerns, assume some other form, or be laid down.

The committee will publicize AFM’s commitment to service and outreach projects through announcements, gatherings, and other means.

On a flow basis, members and attenders will submit proposals for service and outreach projects to the Go Forth Committee.

The Go Forth Committee will act as a clearness committee to season the proposal. The committee will give guidance by asking penetrating questions, making alternative suggestions, and actively and critically listening to the responses in order to discern whether the project responds to a true calling and is within the Meeting’s understanding of the principles and testimonies of the Society of Friends.

If the Go Forth Committee unites with the applicants, the committee will bring the project proposal and it’s accompanying recommendation to Monthly Meeting for two readings.

• Monthly Meeting may wish to query the thoroughness and thoughtfulness of the process the committee followed. The Meeting does not query the applicants directly though applicants may choose to be present and clarify their proposals.
• Monthly Meeting considers whether it agrees with the Go Forth Committee that the proposal is in keeping with Quaker principles and testimonies, but the Meeting is not responsible for approving the details of the project (for example, finances, viability, etc.)
• The Meeting may then affirm the Go Forth Committee’s recommendations, including any request for financial support. Recognition of this affirmation will be minuted.

If Monthly Meeting approves, the project will live under the care of the Meeting for one year, beginning on the date of approval. Once the year has passed, the Go Forth Committee will work with the project team to discern whether the project should continue. If so, the project team will submit an updated proposal and restart afresh.

Each service and outreach project will report twice per year to Monthly Meeting, including in its reports progress towards goals and objectives and stewardship of AFM resources. At an appropriate point each year, each project will describe its work in a Second Hour.

Projects may request and be granted up to $3,000. Projects will track their income and expenditures and turn in invoices for payment or receipts for reimbursement to the AFM treasurer.

Proposals

Project proposals should be approximately one to four pages in length, and provide:

• The goals and objectives of the project, and whether the project is new or already established;
• A list of participants from Meeting;
• A list of partner organizations, if any;
• A description of the country, community, or group to be served;
• Whether the project is international or local in scope, whether it is led by youth or is multi-generational, and whether it is green.
• A projected timeline for achieving the goals and objectives;
• A budget, including the amount that Adelphi is being asked to contribute and a description of any other sources of financial support;
• Measures for determining whether the project is successful. Note that Meeting values fidelity to God’s calling more than it values assured success.

Application for Project (PDF file)

Ongoing queries for Project Teams

• Will (Is) the project be conducted in a spirit of humility, with the knowledge that those in need understand their own conditions better than we ever will?
• Will (Does) the project offer support, not charity?
• Will (Does) the projects offer solidarity, not rescue?
• Will (Does) the projects aim high, but reach for what can be grasped?

Penetrating Questions

The Go Forth Committee will work with applicants to clarify and strengthen their proposals, using the following questions for guidance in preparing its recommendation to Monthly Meeting:

• Is the project consistent with Meeting’s understanding of the principles and testimonies of the Society of Friends.?
• Do these Friends feel Spirit-led to do this project?
• Have these Friends explored how they will find the means, time, and skills to respond to this calling?
• Is this the right time in these Friends’ lives and in the life of the Meeting to respond to this calling?
• Does this project provide an opportunity for spiritual growth for those participating and for the Meeting as a whole?
• Can the project work cooperatively or in coalition with other like-minded organizations?
• Does the project have at least four members or attenders who are committed to seeing it through?
• Will the project offer opportunities to the broader AFM community to participate hands-on in concrete, well-defined, short-term activities?
• Does the project offer a community education component?
• Does the project consist of more than raising and distributing funds?
• Does the project support an underserved community or country?
• Is the project likely to achieve some or all of its short-term objectives in one year?
• Is the project capable of financial accountability, including documenting and reporting on expenditures?

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Updated:  03/08/11