Mission Advance Program (MAP)
Call For Project Proposals

Proposals for the Mission Advance Funding Awards should be sent to the AAPC Office (ann@aapc.org) Attention: Mission Advance Program Committee, by JANUARY 1. Following are the criteria for evaluation of projects and the outline for the project proposals. The proposals will be reviewed by the MAP Committee and forwarded, with Committee recommendations, to the Board of Directors. Award announcements will be made at the Annual Conference and appropriations made will be made July of same year.

Programs that receive grants from other sources could be eligible for matching grants from AAPC as well. However, it is important to note three types of projects that MAP is NOT able to fund. These are: 1) start-up costs for pastoral counseling centers or satellite offices; 2) proposals which primarily serve the local counseling center and its promotion and expansion; and 3) support of pastoral counseling to those who are financially disadvantaged. The committee has received numerous proposals for these types of funding. The amount of funds needed to be helpful for start-up, expansion, or support of counseling is well beyond the means of Mission Advance.

Evaluation Criteria

1. Does the proposal further AAPC's charitable, health, educational, scientific, research, and religious tax exempt purposes by leading to an advance in awareness of Pastoral Counseling as a mission of the religious community to bring religious resources and values to bear on the psychotherapeutic task? Specific criteria are:
   1. Impact on awareness of religious bodies of the mission, social concern, scope, and insights of Pastoral Counseling;
   2. Impact on awareness of allied professions as to the nature and capability of Pastoral Counseling;
   3. Impact on awareness as to the availability and benefits of Pastoral Counseling within the spectrum of service/helping professions;
   4. Impact on awareness of the general public.
2. Does it contribute to the awareness of AAPC Certification as a hallmark of the highest professional standards among pastoral counseling practitioners and institutions?
3. Does it provide for the assessment of project results in either quantitative or well-reasoned terms? What is the long-term cumulative effect of the project in terms of impact, awareness, etc., of target groups?
4. Is it amenable to valid pilot scale results if necessary for future replication on a national or international scale?
5. Does it have the potential to become "societally dynamic" without constant AAPC funding?
6. Does it have intrinsic commercial market value so as to offset MAP funding or even return capital to the endowment?
7. Does it open new avenues of development for Pastoral Counseling?
8. Is it relevant to the central direction of AAPC/MAP?
9. Is it cost effective with respect to required MAP funding and are there possibilities for challenge or matching grants from other organizations or foundations?

Outline For Project Proposals

Each proposal submitted should include a one-page Summary using the following format:

Name of Project:
Proposer (s):
Contact Person, Address, Phone:
Amount of money requested, and over what period of time:
Purpose of Project:
Brief Description:
Assurance of Project Continuity (if appropriate):
Impact on AAPC Mission purposes:

Additional Comments: A three to-ten page project proposal should accompany the Summary, addressing the following issues in detail appropriate to the project.

1. Give a complete description of the project -- steps in process, involvements.
2. Give a total breakdown of anticipated budget income and expenses with line item detail of all expenses, including any salaries and/or other compensation for the project, indicating any other sources of income.
3. Show how the project meets the criteria in the Mission Advance Project Evaluation Criteria.
4. List project personnel anticipated including any specialist consultants.
5. Delineate structure that will assure accountability to all interested parties.
6. Demonstrate how quality assurance will be maintained and evaluation carried out.

Map Grantee Responsibility

MAP grantee agrees to furnish AAPC reports on the project annually and at completion, indicate programmatic accomplishments and provide financial information that reflects actual disbursements against the proposed grant budget and reflects other sources of revenue.

Annual Cycle For Project Proposals

January 1  Project proposals submitted to MAP Committee for review
March 1    Recommendation for funding forwarded to AAPC Board of Directors by MAP Committee
April        Board approved Funding awarded at AAPC Conference
July 1       Appropriations made

Submittal: Project proposals should be sent by mail, in quadruplicate OR emailed by January 1 to Ann Martin in the AAPC Office (ann@aapc.org).