WPA Conference VIMship Guidelines

A primary purpose of VIMships is to enable and empower broader awareness of United Methodist missions.
Therefore, VIMships will be given to volunteers in programs connected with the United Methodist Church and those
projects set up and approved by UMCOR, GBGM, and the WPA Conference Global Ministries Committee.

Applicants must be members of a local United Methodist Church.

Priority will be given to teams open to members from across the entire Annual Conference.

In order for applicants to be eligible, teams must be registered with UMVIM leadership, presently by emailing the
WPAUMC VIM Coordinator. In 2015, the process will change and instead be done through the Northeastern
Jurisdiction VIM Coordinator. Team leaders will be able to register with the NEJ online at www.umvimnej.org
beginning summer 2015.

Moneys shall be awarded to assist teams to have a diverse group of volunteers, and first-time VIM team members.
It is hoped that teams will include age diversity, economic diversity, racial/ethnic diversity, a mix of repeat and new
volunteers, conference-geographic diversity, and persons with unique skills needed for the project. Persons whose
skills might be essential are translators, certain medical people, specialized construction people and/or others
depending on the anticipated project.

The VIMship steering committee is currently made up of experienced VIM team leaders/participants and chaired by
the Conference VIM Coordinator. They have agreed to meet in person, through email, or by phone to award VIM
ships five times a year. Deadlines for VIMship consideration are





Jan 15th for teams traveling in February, March or April
April 15th for teams traveling May and June.
June 1st for teams traveling July and August.
August 1st for teams traveling September, October, November.
November 15th for teams traveling in December or January.

The VIMship Steering Committee will decide annually how much money is available for disbursement. 20% of that
amount will be available to be disbursed at each VIMship deadline. If the full amount is not disbursed in a particular
season, it will be available to be used in the following disbursals.

The VIM Coordinator may also promote giving to the fund during a designated month for an international
Conference VIM trip, with the donations during that month to be divided equally among the VIM team members.
Funds from Mission VIMpossible events may not be designated to a particular team but to VIMships in general.

VIMships will not be granted in amounts greater than 1/3 of the total cost or $500 for individuals and may be less.

Recipients of VIMships and their churches may be asked to give testimonies or interviews to be used in promoting
or sharing about the VIMship ministry. They are also encouraged to be involved in the VIM Awareness Sunday
and/or the Mission VIMpossible campaign to support the growth of the ministry.
Developed by John Flower, Larry Buterbaugh, and Dara Sterling, October 2008.
Amended May 2011; updated April 2015.
1
Western Pennsylvania Volunteer in Mission Scholarship (VIMship) Application
Return to: VIMship Committee, c/o Stephanie Gottschalk, 1204 Freedom Rd, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066 Questions? Contact Dara Sterling
(dara.sterling@gmail.com ) or Stephanie Gottschalk (Stephanie.Gottschalk@wpaumc.org)
Name: _______________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________
Phone: ________________________________________ E-mail: ______________________________________________________
Local Church: _____________________________________________________ District: ___________________________________
Name/Type of Project: ________________________________________ Destination: ______________________________________
Team Leader: ______________________________________________ Phone: __________________________________________
Email: _______________________________________ Project Purpose: _______________________________________________
Project Cost per Person: ___________________________ Amount You Can Contribute: ____________________________________
Amount You Can Raise: __________________________ VIM Scholarship Amount Requested: _______________________________
How has your local church committed to assist you financially? (use additional sheet if necessary)
What Other Sources of Funding Are You Pursuing? __________________________________________________________________
Scholarships can be sent only to a church or VIM Project Treasurer
Treasurer to Whom Check Should be Sent: ______________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________________
Required Signatures
Applicant: _______________________________ Applicant’s Pastor: ____________________________
Church Mission Officer (Mission Chair or Council Chair): _______________________________________
VIM Team Leader (sign here and complete pg 3): ____________________________________________
2
Western Pennsylvania Volunteer in Mission Scholarship (VIMship) Application
Return to: VIMship Committee, c/o Stephanie Gottschalk, 1204 Freedom Rd, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066 Questions? Contact Dara Sterling
(dara.sterling@gmail.com ) or Stephanie Gottschalk (Stephanie.Gottschalk@wpaumc.org)
This Page To be completed by the Team Leader
(please include cover sheet with VIMship Guidelines when giving this to the team leader)
VIMship Application on behalf of __________________________________________________________________________
Team Leader Name: _______________________________________________ Church ______________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone: ________________________________________ E-mail: _______________________________________________
Is your team open to volunteers beyond your local church? Y
N
Have you registered your team with either the WPAUMC or NEJ UMVIM Coordinator?
What year was your last VIM Leader Training? ______________
Y
N
Will you be purchasing insurance for your team? Y
N
Having read the Guidelines and Purposes of VIMships, why would you recommend this person for a VIMship? (attach additional sheet
if necessary)
Amount Granted:
Date:
Developed by John Flower, Larry Buterbaugh, and Dara Sterling, October 2008.
Amended May 2011; updated April 2015.
3