Opportunity Overview
Open now. Good Samaritan Ministries of the Kentucky Conference of The United Methodist Church is accepting applications for its 2027 grant cycle through October 31, 2026. The program supports eligible United Methodist ministries across the Kentucky Conference, with explicit grant criteria that include health ministries and mental health. Priority is given to new ministry initiatives.
Funding
A single application may request funding for multiple initiatives, but the total request may not exceed $40,000 per organization or ministry area/team or $10,000 per local church. The program funds proposals on a one year basis.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include local churches, annual conference ministries, camps, college and campus ministries, affiliated United Methodist missions in the Kentucky Conference, and the Kentucky Conference Council on Finance and Administration.
Eligible and Ineligible Uses
Applications may focus on discipleship, missions, community outreach, health ministries, and conference priorities including mental health. The program does not fund bricks and mortar projects, annual operating expenses, administrative or overhead costs such as salaries, benefits, or rent, office equipment, fundraising activities, or youth athletic activities.
Application and Timing
The 2027 application window opened September 1, 2026 and closes October 31, 2026. The official 2027 Application link currently resolves to the 2027 Good Samaritan Ministries Grant Application. The controlling public page does not publish an exact closing time or time zone and does not state a matching or cost share requirement. A program webinar is scheduled for September 30, 2026 at noon EDT.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 84/100. The opportunity is active, has clear eligibility and funding caps, and expressly supports health ministries and mental health. Its narrow denominational eligibility materially limits the applicant pool.
N9+ Fit: 18/100, conditional. The program is not designed around remote physical examination technology, and office equipment is expressly excluded. The Nonagon N9+ device and platform should not be forced into this opportunity unless a qualifying applicant first establishes that a specific health ministry project and the proposed cost are allowable under the funder’s current rules.
Dr. Miltie/QC direct-applicant fit: not eligible as a prime under the published applicant classes. Any role would need to support a qualifying Kentucky Conference applicant and remain within the funder’s allowable-use rules.
Next Action
Eligible Kentucky Conference ministries should define a new health or mental health initiative, confirm that the proposed budget excludes prohibited operating, overhead, office-equipment, fundraising, and construction costs, complete the official 2027 application, and submit before October 31, 2026. Applicants with prior Good Samaritan Ministries funding should also confirm that required prior-year reports are current.
Official source: Kentucky Conference Good Samaritan Ministries.