The announcement was made by letter to the congregations by the Rev. Devon Anderson, chair of the task force.

The grants are part of an overall plan to invest 0.7% of the diocesan budget in support of the MDGs. The 149th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Minnesota approved allocating 0.7% of the diocesan budget to support the MDGs. In so doing the diocese is carrying out a mandate from the Episcopal Church's 75th General Convention (Resolution D022), that met in June 2006 and called on dioceses, congregations and individuals to contribute 0.7% of their income in support of the MDGs.

The plan calls for $16,000 to be disbursed quarterly directly to organizations that work to support the MDGs around the world. The first quarterly contributions of 2007 were sent in April to NetAid and Bread for the World. Quarterly contributions will be strategically donated so there will be support of each of the eight MDGs.

In addition, approximately $4,100 generated from the silent auction at the 2006 diocesan convention was allocated for support of the MDGs. That money is set aside for a grant fund for mission projects either as seed money or to support existing projects. The grants will range from $500 to $1,500. In applying for the funds, congregations had to confirm that they had officially acted to contribute 0.7% of their budgets in support of the MDGs.

The task force received more than $14,000 in grant requests by the announced May 4 deadline.

"We were both overwhelmed and delighted to have received so many requests for the limited grant funds," said Anderson. "This is just more evidence that congregations in the Diocese of Minnesota are rallying in support of the Millennium Development Goals and engaging in ministry that is saving and changing lives in many parts of the world."

The grant recipients and supported projects are:

Messiah Church, St. Paul, $700 for its ongoing work with the Leogane Communal District's Saint Croix Hospital in Haiti;

St. Alban's Church, Edina, $700, also for ongoing work at the Leogane Communal District's Saint Croix Hospital in Haiti (in partnership with Messiah Church);

St. John's Church, Minneapolis, $700 for work with the Parish of St. Philippe-St. Jacques in Haiti through the Haiti Parish Partner Program;

(Anderson also reports that the three Minnesota Episcopal congregations now involved in work in Haiti—Messiah, St. Alban's and St. John's—are planning ways to both deepen their partnership and find ways to invite other congregations in the Diocese of Minnesota to join in work in Haiti.)

St. James' Church, Marshall, $750 for the Rwanda Reads Program;

St. Luke's Church, Rochester, $500 for its ongoing work with the Zumbro River Watershed Partnership; and

St. Matthew's Church, St. Paul, $750 for its ongoing work with Hope Multipurpose, Incorporated and the Blue House in Uganda, an home for AIDS orphans.

The MDGs Task Force will be preparing feature stories on the congregations and projects supported by the grants for both diocesan news purposes and for dissemination to the larger church.

The only requirements placed upon grant recipients were to submit status and results reports and participate in a presentation about their projects at a major Millennium Development Goals training conference in September.

In the letters announcing the grant awards, Anderson said to each congregation: "I give thanks to God for your vitality, energy and determination. You are inspiring and creative and you ROCK!"