Virginia B. Ervin
Challenge Grant Fund

purpose and mission
The Virginia B. Ervin Challenge Grant Fund was established in 1995 by a generous bequest to St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Denver. The mission of this fund is to provide matching grants to parishes, missions, special projects and ministries in the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado to further God's kingdom.

background
The Virginia B. Ervin Challenge Grant was established in 1995 by a generous bequest to St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Denver. This is an ongoing challenge grant opportunity for the Diocese of Colorado. A committee of six active, baptized laypersons governs the Virginia B. Ervin Challenge Grant Fund. The committee meets quarterly to review grant proposals. Grants are limited to churches, missions, and special projects and ministries within the Colorado Episcopal Diocese. No grants will be made without matching funds in place. One year after the award of the grant, the committee will request a written report evaluating the use of its grant funds. A form to be used for this report will be sent at the appropriate time.

funded projects
More than $156,575 in matching grants has been distributed to 48 participants since 1996, thus enabling in excess of $313,150 in matched grants to further God's Reign in the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. Recipients are shown below by the year of the award.

2006
St. Elizabeth's School, Denver, for furniture and equipment for the kindergarden classroom

St. Francis Center, Denver, for mental health services

St. Luke's, Denver, for construction of handicap accessible restrooms

2005
Church of the Good Shepherd, Colorado Springs, for marketing purposes to attract more parishioners.

St. Mary Magdalene, Boulder, for Gunbarrel preschool

St. Francis Center, Denver, for an all night facility for the homeless

St. Aiden, Boulder, for for an offsite daycare Colorado Haiti Project, for a women's resource and retreat center

2004
St. John the Baptist, Granby, to help fund a playground.
St. Andrew's Church, Denver, to help fund the 2004 summer arts program for St. Elizabeth's Elementary School.

2003
Trinity Episcopal Church, Kremmling; $2,500 for Grandma drop-in center for youth.
Mary's Hope, Epiphany Episcopal Church, Denver; $3,000 for presentations
32 Avenue Jubilee Center, Denver; $4,000 to fund salary of the director healthcare services initiative
Ascension Episcopal Church, Denver; $2,500 for Audio Renovation Project
Trinity Ranch, Pueblo; $5,000 for scholarship support

2002
St. George Episcopal Church, Leadville to assist replacing carpet and linoleum for their Community Meal program
St. Barnabas, Denver to help fund a summer music camp program
St. Timothy's, Rangely to help repair the church building
St. George, Cherry Hills Village to help support their Living Well healing ministry program

2001
St. Matthew's Junction Shuttle (Grand Junction)
Grace's Kitchen of St. Barnabas of the Valley (Cortez)
St. Cecilia Singers of St. Andrews (Denver)
Holy Innocents Episcopal Mission in Elbert County (Elizabeth)
St. Francis Center (Denver)

2000
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (Englewood)
All Souls Mission of the Deaf
St. Luke (Denver)
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (Denver)

1999
Christ Church, for Preschools (Denver)
All Souls Mission of the Deaf (Denver)
St. George Mission and Soup Kitchen (Leadville)
Grace Episcopal Church Foundation (Georgetown)

1998
Trinity Episcopal Church (Trinidad)
St. Stephen Episcopal Church (Aurora)
Episcopal Ministries (CU Boulder)
St. John Chrysostom (Golden)
St. Andrew Episcopal (Cripple Creek)
St. Joseph's (Lakewood)
St. Andrews Children's Center (Denver)
St. Ambrose Episcopal (Boulder)
Intercession Episcopal (Thornton)

1997
La Mission Latina, St. John Chrysostom (Golden)
St. Francis Center (Denver)
St. Andrews (Denver)
Bethany House (Denver)
St. Elizabeth's (Brighton)

1996
St. Laurence Episcopal Mission (Conifer)
Bethany House (Denver)
Reverend Cynthia Bourgeault, and St. Martin's Chamber Choir

committee members
Six voluntary committee members serve staggered three-year terms.

Three positions are reserved for St. Barnabas members, two from other Front Range Episcopal churches, and one from the Western Slope. The Chair must be a St. Barnabas member, and one of the St. Barnabas members must be a Vestry member as well. If you are interested in serving, please contact any of the following committee members.

GRANT AVAILABILITY/PROCESS

The Ervin Fund welcomes requests throughout the year. Grants are limited to $5,000, and no grants will be made without matching funds. There are four deadlines that proceed the quarterly meetings of the Ervin Fund Committee. To be considered at the next quarterly committee meeting, proposals must be received by the following deadlines:

January 1 for the Winter meeting
April 1 for the Spring meeting
July 1 for the Summer meeting
October 1 for the Fall meeting

Proposals must be submitted on the Virginia B. Ervin Challenge Grant Fund Application form. To receive the four-page application form and instruction package, please download and print the Ervin Application Form (pdf). Completed applications must be received by the above deadlines and mailed to:

The Virginia B. Ervin Challenge Grant Fund
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church
1280 Vine Street
Denver, CO 80206-2912

303.388.6469 / 303.333.0512 Fax