In 1999, NCF created a powerful grant-making opportunity for donors:  the Area of Interest Program (AOI).

The AOI Program is designed to encourage and support ministries outside of our normal, donor advised fund environment.  Since then, we have granted hundreds of thousands of dollars to ministries in eight categories:  Discipleship, Youth, Education, Evangelism, Family, International, Poor & Needy, and Urban. 
 
Each of these eight funds is supported by grants from donors and led by an AOI Committee comprised of some of the best and brightest ministry leaders in their areas of interest.  AOI is a valuable, strategic way for donors to join with hundreds of others to pool grant dollars to financially support highly qualified Christian charities.  In essence, this is leveraged giving with tremendous impact for Kingdom-building ministry work. 

At this time, we are no longer offering applications to the AOI program as we have done in years past.  The AOI Committees are directly responsible for finding, evaluating, and funding AOI ministry grantees.  Policy prohibits us from passing on applications or proposals directly to the Committees themselves.  It is our hope that applications will again be offered sometime in the near future.  At that time, we will post information and instructions on the NCF website.

 
NOTE TO DONORS THAT GIVE THROUGH NCF: 

• In June of each year, NCF makes dollars available for granting to selected committees.  Thus, on your second quarter statement (sent in July), you will see a ministry grant from your Fund to AOI.
• This grant is calculated as a percentage of your overall Fund balance, which you pre-selected on a previous date.  Funds that received no AOI amount selection from donor (when the Fund was opened) automatically distribute .25% of the balance to AOI annually.
• If you would like to change the amount granted from your Fund to AOI each year, please contact NCF.