Purpose:
The Travel Assistance Fund for Events (TAFFE) is a fund designated by the CBF Ministries Council to provide financial assistance to LAYPERSONS with limited means to attend special CBF gatherings and events. Recipients will be awarded* a grant of up to $500 to assist with travel and lodging. While all laypeople who are active and/or interested in the CBF are eligible to receive a grant, the ideal is for church and denominational leaders to invite strategic, particularly emerging, lay leaders who will advocate for and help tell the story of CBF in the church and the community. Particular consideration will be given to first-time attendees.
Please note that TAFFE funds are NOT available for clergy expenses.
Process:
The application must be filled out ON BEHALF OF THE LAYPERSON by their pastor, church staff minister, coordinator of a state/regional organization or CBF network, or the point of contact for a CBF-affiliated campus. The recommender may advise that some financial assistance might be available. CBF will not be able to cover the totality of an attendee's expense. Churches are also encouraged to provide financial assistance to the attendee, if needed. The applicant must first be registered to attend General Assembly.
We recommend that the application be filled out online using the form below. Alternatively, you may fill out a printed application and mail it to:
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
c/o TAFFE Application
160 Clairemont Avenue, Suite 500
Decatur, GA 30030
Applications will be reviewed beginning on April 12. A sub-committee of the Ministries Council will review all applications, and email notification of awards will be made to the applicants and recommenders by April 24. Applications received after April 24 will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis only if any funds remain available.
*A check will be mailed to the applicant’s church or the SRO/network office, which will then be responsible for distributing or applying the amount to the applicant’s travel expense. For student recipients, hotel and airfare arrangements will be coordinated through the Young Baptist Ecosystem office.
Other information:
The Ministries Council will be available at General Assembly to host recipients and will make introductions and offer guidance for how best to experience the General Assembly.
All TAFFE recipients are asked to submit an evaluation of General Assembly and the impact the experience had on the individual and how it will influence the ministry of the local church, as well as an evaluation of the TAFFE application process. We may ask permission to use your words in a blog post about General Assembly. Recipients are strongly encouraged to report back to their congregation and state or regional coordinators their General Assembly experience.
Thank you for your interest in the TAFFE grant application process. The application window is now closed. Please check back in January when the application window will reopen for the 2024 General Assembly cycle.