Application forms are now available for the 2024 Barbara Csomay Be Bold Grants, which are awarded annually by the Iowa Conference United Women in Faith (UWFaith).

Grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded to active local UWFaith units in Iowa that want to begin a new project involving multiple members to serve the community. Grants of up to $500 will be awarded to units that are planning to repeat a project or have an ongoing project involving multiple members.

In addition, grants of up to $1,000 will be available for women in ministry—clergy and laywomen—to participate in an educational event or class. The money could be used for seminary, the School for Lay Ministry, Mission u, the Preaching Academy, etc.

The grants are made possible by major funds from the estate of Barbara Csomay (SO-may), a longtime United Methodist Woman member from Kanawha, that were designated to Iowa Conference United Methodist Women (Now United Women in Faith). Csomay, a retired music teacher and band director, died in 2015. The grants' purpose is to energize units and engage them in their communities with new initiatives.

Be Bold Grants will not be awarded to organizations that already receive money from Iowa Conference UWFaith Grants from Barbara Csomay funds for the United Women in Faith national mission institution in Iowa — Families Forward— will be considered annually, with the amount to be determined.

Only applications from local United Women in Faith units will be considered.

Contact Iowa Conference UWF president Gladys Alvarez (gkna2001@aol.com) or treasurer Helen Pollock (helen.pollock.138@gmail.com) with questions.

Grant renewed every year. Grant annual deadline: May 1st