The Church Periodical Club is funded by voluntary contributions from bishops, priests, deacons, lay people, Episcopal Church Women boards, and other dedicated friends throughout the Church. CPC is supported by the prayerful concern, time, talents, labor, and money of those who believe in the Ministry of the Written Word. These donations allow The Church Periodical Club to continue to function as a non-profit source for written materials of any type to those who cannot otherwise obtain them.

New gifts can be made at any time and in any amount to any of the CPC funds. Unrestricted gifts are especially welcome. Donors may also make memorial, thanksgiving, honor gifts to recognize whomever the donor wishes.

Funds for Grants

The National Book Fund is the oldest fund within the Church Periodical Club. NBF has limited itself primarily to books and related materials for adults since the advent of the Miles of Pennies Fund which provides grants for children’s book needs. In 2024 the Seminarian Book Fund was separated from the National Book Fund and the Diaconate Book Fund was created to take effect in 2025.  Funds to cover grant requests are donated by individuals, local churches, dioceses, and provinces. Friends of CPC are encouraged to contribute regularly to the funds and to sponsor specific requests for books.

National Book Fund  grant requests come from schools, libraries, agencies, and churches throughout the Anglican Communion. Receipts from ingatherings conducted in local churches on CPC Sundays should be designated for NBF; returns from an NBF endowment fund are also used. Grant requests are due in March and grants to qualified requests are made annually in June.

The National Book Fund Committee reviews and studies grant requests received from any church or institution in the Anglican Communion. The committee is composed of the elected chairperson, two other Board members and at least two other members of the CPC community.  Committee members are appointed by the chairperson and approved by the Board. The committee meets at least once each year.

Information on the requests is mailed to all the board members, committee members, diocesan directors, bishops, life members and institutional life members. Most grants are open for sponsorship by provinces, dioceses, local churches, and individuals. Additional information is available from the CPC office, the NBF Chairperson or at the National/Seminarian/Diaconate granting session.

After each committee granting session a list and information about the grants are published on the website and in social media.

The Miles of Pennies Fund was established at the Triennial Meeting in Detroit in 1988. Returns from a MOP endowment fund are also used to fund grants.  The maximum grant amount is $844.80, one mile of pennies laid out in a line by a third-grade volunteer.  Grant requests are reviewed, and grants made to qualified requestors as they are received.

The Seminarian Book Fund was a part of the National Book Fund until 2025.  Equal amounts are granted to each seminary and the seminary financial administration determines how the funds are allocated.

The Diaconate Book Fund was approved in 2023 and is currently in development.

Endowments

The Church Periodical Club is the recipient of several endowments. These endowments allow The Church Periodical Club to continue to function as a non-profit source for written materials to those who cannot otherwise obtain them.

The Endowment Fund was created as a memorial to the founder of The Church Periodical Club, Mary Ann Fargo, by her husband, Mortimer Fargo. Over the years additional bequests and gifts have been added to the principal. The interest is used for CPC administrative expenses.

The Book of Remembrance was founded by Julia Godsey, Janice Cook and Eleanor Smith to honor persons living or dead. On receiving a contribution so designated, the name is inscribed for posterity and the contribution is placed into the Endowment Fund.

Other Funds

The Church Periodical Club is funded entirely by voluntary contributions.  Undesignated funds are used for administration, training programs, and the National Book Fund.

• The General Fund holds all money not designated for another fund as well as gifts designated to administration.

• The Triennial Fund holds money designated for the CPC Triennial Meeting and for delegates to the Episcopal Church Women Triennial Meeting. In the past, funds were also used to host a booth at General Conventions and an “Energy Lift” contribution of candy and nuts to delegates to Episcopal Church Women Triennial and General Convention.

More information is available from the CPC office.  Contact information is found at the bottom of each webpage.