“Faiths and nonprofit leaders become frustrated when they submit good proposals, but still don’t get funded. But there’s a missing ingredient — knowing how to find funding partners that actually want to deliver that check so you can get the work done,” says Michelle Edmond, instructor of the upcoming OCCUR and The San Francisco Foundation FAITHS capacity building training, Getting Funded Part 2: The Path to Finding Your Best Funding Partners.

“That’s what they’ll learn in this session,” says Edmond. “In Getting Funded Part 1, leaders learned how to craft a strong master proposal, but that’s just half of the puzzle. Now let’s pursue the funding,” she says.

There are myriad funding sources available to faith-based and nonprofit organizations, but finding the right match is often confusing. Edmond, CEO and founder of the Jamko, brings a long, successful track record of mentoring and training nonprofit and faith-based organizations in research and other fund development techniques.

Participants will learn:

• How to identify and apply to a variety of funders that are eager to fund impactful programs
• Which foundations and corporations are good sources for funding for your work
• How to self-screen to minimize rejections
• How to get free access to online resources through public library system portals
• Understanding how to advocate for your work
• Confidence to navigate in an arena that is hidden from small nonprofits
• Information that is available on a wide variety of websites and platforms

“We are excited to bring a master teacher of Michelle Edmond’s caliber to the program,” said Carmen Bogan, lead consultant for the San Francisco Foundation program called A Model Built on Faith. “We are also pleased to announce that organizations who attend both sessions are eligible to apply for a grant to receive proposal grant writing and grant research consulting support. After many years in this work, OCCUR is still in the trenches with our nonprofit and faiths organizations. We are committed to their success because their success changes lives. And it’s long past time for our community programs to be funded.”

This training is recommended for individuals new to funding research as well as those who want to polish their research skills and build confidence to navigate in this arena, which is swiftly changing.

Date: March 23, 2023

Time: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. PDT

Location: Virtual training, Zoom Meeting ID: 861 4945 3331

To Register for the Event: Visit AModelBuiltOnFaith.org

By Carla Thomas

The plea to save a 118-year-old historic church was answered when local pastors and the offices of elected officials joined together on Monday morning February 6, outside of the North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church.

With donations from the pastors and interventions from elected officials the future of NOMBC is no longer in question.

By Thursday, March 10 the crisis was abated with the back and current taxes being paid in full. The local West Oakland faith community, The Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC), Central Hills East Oakland Congregations, Statewide Baptist Association, and community members had all answered the call for help.

Post News Group Publisher Paul Cobb had rallied the group saying, “We cannot lose another church and we’re here today to support Pastor Rutledge and save a church that has been crucial to the community as a spiritual home, a feeder of the homeless, and supplier of 56 units of senior housing,” said Cobb. “I’ve also received calls from other churches in need of assistance.”

NOMBC Pastor Sylvester Rutledge who has pastored the church for 30 years, was grateful and more than happy to spend time with the group of supporters.

“Sometimes we’re humbled so we can learn and help each other,” said Rutledge whose church was scheduled to be auctioned on March 17 due to a $43,000 tax bill owed to Alameda County. “And, more importantly our calling is to serve each other, save the souls of men, practice the word of God, and protect the word of God.”

Rutledge also said the church hosted the first Colored Baptist Convention in the area.

“I thank God and am proud to announce that the faith community has established a Rainy Day Fund for the North Oakland Baptist Church,” said Pastor Ken Chambers of Westside Missionary Baptist Church and founding president of ICAC. “Dr. Sylvester Rutledge has helped the community all his life. Now, during his time of need, the community stepped up without hesitation to help an honorable man of God and save the house of the Lord.”

Pastors and leaders supporting Rutledge and NOMBC included Rev. Ray Williams, Morning Star Baptist Church; Pastor Vince Collins, King Solomon Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church; Thomson Mathews, Corinthian Baptist Church; Pastor Mary McConn Gilmore, Oakland Community Chaplaincy Program – Westside Baptist Church; Pastor Rutledge, Dr. Maritony Yamot, Maritony and Associates – Life Impact for Humanity; Pastor Ken Chambers, president of Interfaith Council of Alameda County — Westside Baptist Church; Bip Roberts, The Well Christian Community Church; and Brett Badelle, deputy district director, Office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee.

Additional supporters included, Tim Hopkins, Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church; Thomas Harris, Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church; Vince Steele, Office of Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson; Pastor Raymond Lankford, Oakland Community Church – Oakland Private Industry Council; Darryl Stewart, Office of Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley; Elder Jay D. Pimentel, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Pastor Gerald Agee, Friendship Christian Center, and Pastor Donald Scurry, Joshua Christian Church.

“We have been working diligently to have the situation resolved and hope to have the church removed from the auction list this week,” said Steele.

“Pastor Rutledge is a God-sent man,” said Pastor Vince Collins. “He is a pastor that has helped many pastors.”

“Churches are such an important fabric of the community, so we stand in solidarity for this church and all churches,” said Elder Jay D. Pimentel.

For Pastor Raymond Lankford, NOMBC and Pastor Rutledge have been community staples for decades.

Rev. Ray Williams of Morning Star Baptist Church, just around the corner from NOMBC, said he got the first call from Pastor Rutledge. “Our churches are neighbors with history and me, Pastor Rutledge and Paul Cobb were a part of the Citizen Emergency Relief Team (CERT) after the Loma Prieta Earthquake.”

“We want to make sure places of worship are sustained,” said Bip Roberts of The Uncuffed Project and The Well Community Church.

Rep. Barbara Lee’s staff member Brett Badelle said “The Congresswoman is a big supporter of the church.”

Dr. Maritony Yamot plans to help coordinate the group’s efforts to help churches avoid crise crises in the future. ‘I will work with the interfaith leaders to develop a crisis prevention plan for churches,” she said.

“We’re all in this together as the body of Christ and we’re here to make a difference,” said Pastor Donald Scurry.

Pastor Mary McConn Gilmore said Pastor Rutledge conducted her father’s memorial service last year. Pastor Rutledge has been there for so many of us and the community, so we’re happy to support him,” said Gilmore.

By Michael Wallace

The Community of Faith throughout the state of California came to the rescue of the 118-year-old North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church (NOMBC) under the pastoral leadership of Dr. Sylvester Rutledge!

The historic Church’s property was scheduled to be sold due to delinquent property taxes, in the amount of $43,000.00, by the County of Alameda on March 17, 2023.

Faith and community leaders joined forces in providing leadership in organizing this great effort!

Pastor Michael Wallace said, “God be praised! This past week we have witnessed the profound power of prayer and unity [when] pastors, faith leaders, and the community of faith from various traditions, denominations and cultures came together in a collaborative effort to save the property of the historic North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church from a Tax Sale.”

Contributions in various amounts poured in the save NOMBC from so many, but these leaders were instrumental in this effort: Dr. Fleetwood Irving, moderator of the St. John Missionary Baptist District Association; President E. Wayne Gaddis of the California Missionary Baptist State Convention, Chaplains of Oakland Police Department, Bay Cities; Dr. Joe Smith, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and Baptist Minister’s Union; Dr. Todd Wheelock, Mount Zion District Association; Dr. Anthony Braxton moderator,  ICAC, Impact Oakland Now; Dr. Willie Estes, New Strangers Home SF; Bishop Gregory Payton – Greater Saint John MBC; Dr. Lawrence Van Hook, Community Christian Church; Pastor Ken Chambers, West Side MBC;  Dr. Henry Perkins, First Baptist MBC; Dr. Leon McDaniels, Paradise Baptist Church; Dr. Maurice Bates, Mt. Zion Baptist Church; Bishop Kevin D. Barnes, Abyssinian MBC; Dr. Jim Hopkins, Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church; Pastor Darnell C. Hammock, New Life Community Church; Bishop Keith L. Clark, Word Assembly Church and Pastor Michael W. Wallace, Mount Zion MBC of Oakland.

As a result, North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church paid its delinquent and current tax bill on Wednesday, March 7 and saved its property!

Caption 1: (l-r) Dr. Sylvester Rutledge and Pastor Michael Wallace with receipts at the Alameda County Tax Assessor’s Office on March 7, 2023.

Caption 2: (l-r) Bishop G. Payton, Dr. V.K. Jones, Pastor M. Wallace, President Dr. E. Wayne Gaddis and Dr. Rutledge at the Alameda County Tax Assessor’s Office on March 7, 2023.

Caption 3: (l-r) Bishop G. Payton, Dr. Sylvester Rutledge and Dr. E. Wayne Gaddis at the Alameda County Tax Assessor’s Office on March 7, 2023.

Caption 4: (l-r) Pastors Chauncey Mathews, Michael Wallace, Anthony Braxton, Gregory Payton, V. K, Jones, E. Wayne Gaddis, Lawrence VanHook and Dr. Willie Estes at I-Hop restaurant in Emeryville on March 7, 2023.