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2% for Development Fund - What and why?

The kind of fasting I want is this: remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse help to your own relatives. Then my favour will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. (Isaiah 58:6-8)

The 2% for Development Fund is a Uniting Church response to the request of churches in "third world" countries that churches in richer countries establish such a fund, as a sign of solidarity with people in poverty, who are marginalised or oppressed (that is, people whose human rights are violated in some way).

It makes the church's commitment to the elimination of poverty part of the financial structures of the church. The funds go to development projects which do something about the causes of poverty. In NSW, the Trust Association and the Insurance Fund give 2% of their "profits" to the fund.

What is development?

Development can be summarised in the phrase "Let the people grow". Development is also the establishment of new community and economic structures which enable poor people:

• to become self-reliant
• to make decisions about how their needs can best be met
• to transform their situation by by-passing the social and political structures which keep them poor
• to set their own priorities, which may differ from those of the donors of aid, who see things from a different experience and culture.

Why do we need this fund?

It is a way the Uniting Church works ecumenically for the elimination of poverty and the enhancement of human rights, both in Australia and overseas. The Uniting Church is a member of the National Council of Churches in Australia, and the World Council of Churches. The fund enables us to share directly in the community development work of both organisations, as well as to support development work in congregations and the local community.

Many of our members give individually to development work, through Force Ten and Christmas Bowl. The 2% fund provides for the corporate commitment of the church. It amounts to a church self-tax.

Distribution

The overall distribution of funds is a decision of the Council of Synod. The funds kept within the NSW and synod are administered by a committee of the UnitingCare NSW.ACT Board. The distribution is:

• 25% to Uniting Church in Australia Assembly for use in development in Asia and the Pacific
• 25% to the development programs of the Christian Conference of Asia
• 25% to the development programs of NATSIEC (the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission of the National Council of Churches in Australia)
• 25% for development education and church and community development projects within NSW. This section of the funds is available for grants through two programs - the Small Grants Program and the newly established Partner Program. Details are available in the Information for Grant Seekers Section of this website.

The Aboriginal Development Fund is administered by the National Aboriginal and Torrest Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission of the National Council of Churches. It reports to the NCCA how its funds have been distributed. It enables Aboriginal and Torrest Strait Islander people to make decisions about their own development.

More Information

See a list of projects that have received funding in the past

Information for Grant Seekers Section

Download the Application Form for Small Grant Program