How could you use $25,000 for the Kingdom?

Applications are now open for ADM’s 2018 Annual Funding Event.

Are you a Christian woman with an idea, initiative or project that needs funding? How could you use up to $25,000 and your God-given gifts for the good of the world?

Now in its third year, ADM’s Annual Funding Event provides an opportunity for entrepreneurial Christian women to bring their ideas and initiatives before a panel and pitch for funding.

In 2018, the Annual Funding Event will be held on Wednesday, 19 September. Funds will be awarded in three categories, based on ADM’s core program areas: ‘Form’ (theological formation), ‘Engage’ (public engagement) and ‘Do’ (mercy and justice ministries, or mental health and pastoral care). A fourth category, ‘Ideas’, will allow women to receive feedback on their ideas for an organisation or initiative that has not yet been created.

The first-place winner across the ‘Form’, ‘Engage’ and ‘Do’ categories will receive $25,000, while prizes of $12,500 will be awarded to winners in the other two categories. Every woman who is selected to pitch on the day will receive $1,000 towards her initiative.

Applications for the 2018 Annual Funding Event close on 5 August 2018. Find out more or apply here.

Have a look at how past winners have used the funding to develop their ideas to build God’s Kingdom and serve the community:

2016 Overall Winner – Hailey McQueen, Clock & Spiel Productions

Hailey runs the theatre company Clock & Spiel Productions, and won funding from ADM in 2016 for her production and multi-city tour of The Screwtape Letters. This widely acclaimed play brought C.S. Lewis’s popular book to almost 5,000 audience members across Australia. As a result, it opened up many in-depth conversations about sin, temptation, God and salvation.

Hailey says, “The funding from ADM allowed us to take a prominent place in the independent professional theatre scene, particularly in Sydney, growing our reputation in the industry. The funding allowed us a bigger, more public platform and saw us pose eternal, faith questions in a public setting. The gospel conversations that The Screwtape Letters production sparked with audiences, cast and crew alike gave us a glimpse of what we feel God is calling us to do. It was a thrill to witness.”

Penny Attwells (left) accepts her award from Margo Leach, ADM's Director of Mercy & Justice Ministries.

2017 Mercy and Justice Winner – Penny Attwells, Iysha Inc.

Penny is the founder of Iysha, a non-profit dedicated to helping women trapped in human trafficking in Australia. Iysha aims to empower and restore women who survive human trafficking by placing them with ‘safe families’ for periods of time. Many survivors are currently waiting for NSW priority housing or attempting to secure private rentals, and Penny hopes that that Iysha will provide them with the final step that they need before transitioning to independent living.

Penny says, “ADM’s funding has allowed us to maintain our website, develop and print resources for recruiting and training host families, purchase insurance and resource the proof-of-concept stage. The funding has been critical!”

Erica Hamence (centre) with ADM Board Director Rev. Phil Wheeler (left) and Gillian Davidson (right), previous Chair of ADM's Board.

2016 People’s Choice Award Winner – Erica Hamence, Common Grace

Common Grace’s SAFER resource, designed to equip Australian churches to understand, identify and respond to domestic and family violence, received funding in 2016. The resources have now been released, and Erica and others from Common Grace are hard at work, ensuring all churches know about the resources.

Erica says, “ADM's funding for Common Grace’s domestic and family violence resource provided the initial drafting of our resources. Our site, which launched online in late 2017, has been visited 9,000 times. The resource has been extremely well received, with a number of key church leaders and domestic and family violence experts endorsing the resource.”

Olivia Chapman, presenting at the 2017 Annual Funding Event

2017 Arts and Culture Winner – Olivia Chapman, Emu Music

Emu Music exists to bring theologically-sound worship music to churches. Their youth division (Emu Youth) is led by singer/songwriter Olivia Chapman, who pitched for funding for a new album at the 2017 Annual Funding Event. Olivia was successful, and, in May 2018, the album was recorded.

Olivia says, “The funding has allowed us to pour more resources and time into this project. Making music is an incredibly expensive task – even more so now with digital streaming and so few CD purchases. Our primary goal has always been to get good, gospel-centred music into the hands (and ears!) of young people, and now we are able to increase the quality and reach of the project in a way that is financially viable and sustainable for us.”

Do you have an idea that could make a difference in the Kingdom? Apply now!