Through the ministry of the church, we seek to support important work beyond our church walls that fulfills our mission: sustained by grace, to serve Christ, share God’s love and work for justice in a complex world. Westminster strives to budget at least 20% of all pledge income to mission and benevolence. Designated benevolence includes giving to the PC(USA) via Presbytery of the James, University Mission, and setting aside funds for mission trips. The Benevolence Committee allocates the undesignated funds to local, national, and international efforts. Favored are those applicants who have made significant impact and in which WPC members are active in leadership and/or operations. Funding has directly addressed issues of education, children’s services, refugee work, medical care, providing shelter, eliminating hunger and more. Recent examples of our recipients are: The Alliance for Interfaith Ministry (AIM), Charlottesville Free Clinic, Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity, International Rescue Committee (IRC), ChildHealth (previously CHIP), Mediation Center of Charlottesville, PACEM, PROSAMI, Shelter for Help in Emergency (SHE), Sin Barreras (Without Borders), The Haven, Westminster Child Care scholarships, and others.
For 2022 the Benevolence Committee is pleased to announce on behalf of Westminster Presbyterian Church that the community groups are invited to apply. This year as we enter the third year and the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact us and we continue supporting and appreciate the many good efforts of our community partners addressing needs near and far.
To Apply for Benevolence support submit a letter, no more than one page in length, responding to questions below by Friday, February 25, 2022 at noon.
- What do you propose to use Benevolence funding for?
- Tell us how your work intersects our church’s mission (italics above).
- Include current Westminster members involved in your organization and their role.
- Please share some of your accomplishments and challenges in the past year.
- How much support are you requesting and what percentage does that request represent in your total operating budget for your organization?
- Commit to provide 100-word report suitable to publish in Westminster’s eNewsletter by March 1, 2023 on how the funds were used and the impact of these funds.
- Anything else you wish to share is welcomed.
Send letter application by email to both Rev. Dorothy Piatt-Esguerra and to Kobby Hoffman ( and ).
Members Apply for Seeds for Justice
These are small short-term grants by the Benevolence Committee to support its individual Westminster Church members‘ innovative and advocacy actions for social justice. Sometimes a little support or seed money can play a vital role in enabling and making a difference for an idea to become an action or a project to improve lives of people in our community. Applications maybe $100 for each member supporting the activity up to a maximum of $500. To assist Westminster members with the process, and in particular members who may not have experience in requesting funds, we have made and email application it is set up to fill in and submit as an email to
Click here for the application form link.
Within thirty days after the project is completed a report of a paragraph on the action, noting what the funds were used for and resulting outcome for the Westminster newsletter is expected. Pictures of the activity are appreciated as available.
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Westminster also invites proposals to be supported from its Mission Endowment Fund each fall. Proposals are reviewed annually. Funding supports one or more startup activities and innovative projects that fulfill our mission to build a more just and peaceful world. Selected proposals are eligible for several years of funding as long as suitable progress toward the goals is evident. The particulars of and deadline for proposals will be announced in September 2022.
The committee seeks proposals that are transformative for the people served, and have involved engagement from UKIRK and members of our worshiping community as well. We hope our support will be more than monetary, and that projects engage mission-driven congregation.
Westminster Presbyterian is a congregation formed in 1938 to minster to the University of Virginia community. We think of ourselves as a socially-progressive Christian community, currently comprised of over 600 members. We are active locally and internationally, in many causes through congregational financial support and volunteerism but feel a call to serve even more through expanded engagement of our members.
Proposals should describe the project objectives, should include a budget, identify assessment methods and a commitment to report by the next fall. Proposals should not exceed three pages in length, and should be sent by email to both Rev. Dorothy Piatt-Esguerra and to Kobby Hoffman ( and )
Benevolence and Mission Endowment Committee
Westminster Presbyterian Church
400 Rugby Road
Charlottesville, VA 22903