Partners in Ministry Work Grant
The Partners in Ministry Work Grant (PIMWG) is a structured 21-month program designed to transform how areas develop adult ownership through consistent, intentional meetings and follow-up by staff and their partner team.
A Message from the Program Director
Learn about the vision and impact of the Partners in Ministry Work Grant
Key Details
$40,000 Grant
Areas unlock $40,000 in grant funding by meeting and reporting on adult meetings over 21 months. PIMWG pays out the full amount, with half funded by PIMWG and half by a matching source (region, division, or other) that pays their $20,000 share into PIMWG.
8 Meetings Per Month (168 Total)
Consistent monthly meetings with adults in your community over 21 months. Teams cannot submit less than 8 meetings per month or face strikes & payment penalties and may be asked to leave the grant. Meetings must be submitted within 24 hours to count.
21 Month Commitment
The grant runs for 21 months and can start at any time. You'll conduct 8 meetings per month for all 21 months. Months 1-9 are paid, months 10-15 are unpaid (but still required), and months 16-21 are paid again, totaling the full $40,000 grant.
Case Statement
Teams must develop and use a case statement document that clearly articulates the vision, impact, and funding needs of Young Life in their local area. This becomes a key tool for engaging adults and sharing the ministry's story during meetings.
Partner Team
The 8 monthly meetings are conducted by a team of 5-10 people (supervisor participates but doesn't count toward this number). Any team member can lead meetings, not just staff. The team can be a committee, subcommittee, or other structure, but should be designed to outlast the 21-month grant period and continue building adult ownership long-term.
Incentive Structure
PIMWG pays $2,600 per month for completing 8 meetings during paid months. This money is committed to your area - if you don't submit the required meetings, it's like lighting that committed money on fire. The incentive structure rewards consistent adult relationship building.
Grant Timeline
There are pre-grant requirements to complete before starting (see Grant Timeline below for details). Once launched, the focus is entirely on meeting with adults in your local area - PIMWG doesn't require additional meetings or follow-ups beyond your monthly reporting.
Any YL Role
This program has proven successful for any Young Life role that involves fundraising and interacting with adults. The key is building a committed team and maintaining consistency in adult relationship building, regardless of your specific position within the organization.
Grant Goal & History
Originally developed by John and Lori Stuckey, this program was created to solve a fundamental challenge: How can we provide financial support to areas in a way that reduces their dependence on external funding while strengthening their connections with adults in their local community? The PIMWG grant incentivizes consistent adult relationship building that creates lasting ministry partnerships.
Real success in this grant is the hope that at the end of 21 months, the area has built the muscles necessary to consistently meet with adults. They have built the habit. The team gets it. They as staff get it. They are doing consistent adult contact work, versus seeing adults as a means to an end or only driving event-based things where adults can give them money.
"I want staff to wake up at the end of the grant and say, 'I forgot I was doing it — this is just who we are now! We meet with adults consistently, not so we can see what we can get from them, but to invite them into what God is doing in our community. To teach them and be relational.'"
Grant Timeline
Application
Supervisor submits the area's application for the Partners in Ministry Work Grant program for Program Director review.
- •Supervisor completes application form with area details
- •After this submission, area dashboard is created for Supervisor & Staff Lead to review key information & schedule initial interview
Initial Interview
45-minute meeting with supervisor, staff lead, and program director to assess readiness and commitment.
- •You can schedule this from your dashboard
- •Both supervisor and staff lead must review pre-grant materials
- •30 minutes with all participants
- •15 minutes private discussion between supervisor and program director
- •Assessment of area readiness and staff commitment
Grant Chair Meeting
30-minute meeting to onboard an adult volunteer as grant chair who will guide the team with Staff Lead.
- •Identify and assign grant chair to team
- •Grant chair reviews pre-grant materials
- •Meeting with supervisor, staff lead, and grant chair
- •Establish grant chair's leadership role
Onboarding Meeting
60-minute team meeting where all members review the grant process, requirements, and their roles.
- •Build team of 5-10 committed members (excluding supervisor)
- •All team members review pre-grant materials
- •Complete strategy and leadership plan
- •Submit case statement document
- •Each team member must be at this meeting
Launch Grant
Final approval and grant launch with commitment document signing and program kickoff.
- •Complete commitment document with signatures
- •Final program director approval
- •Grant funding activation
- •Begin 21-month grant program
- •Start monthly meeting requirements
Key Timeline Information
- •Grants begin on the first day of any month with no seasonal restrictions - applications are accepted year-round.
- •Timeline is flexible - teams can progress through the application process at their own pace based on their readiness and availability.
- •Regional funding contribution must be secured and submitted by the supervisor to the PIMWG account prior to grant activation.
Core Values
A Privilege to Participate
This program incentivizes staff to do what is already their job: meet with adults in your local area and share the story of Young Life. The ability to get paid an incentive to do this is extraordinary, and areas selected for this program must recognize and honor this privilege.
Developing Discipline
This is not a temporary fix—it's a lifestyle change. Meeting with adults consistently, not just when funding is low, requires discipline. While 8 meetings per month may sound manageable, it becomes challenging when balancing club and other area responsibilities. The 21-month journey is demanding but transformative.
Growing Adult Ownership
Success means adding adult owners—people who love Jesus and have caught the vision for Young Life in their local area. These relationships should produce new donors, leaders, board members, and advocates who feel personally responsible for the ministry's success. Without developing these relationships, we're missing the program's core purpose.