Just begin: Why getting started is half the battle
Big ideas, empty budgets, and too many choices can stop great community projects before they begin. Cinnamon Network’s £2,000 MicroGrants offer a simple, supported way to being – without starting from scratch.
I don’t know if you’re a runner, but the hardest part of any race is usually just getting out the door. And honestly? That could probably be said about pretty much any challenging task. The hardest part is always getting started. As Horace said all the way back in ancient Rome: he who has begun has half done. Don’t overthink it – just begin.
We can reduce motivation to pithy sound bites, but let’s be real. Getting out the door on a freezing February morning when your bed is warm and your body tires? Hard. Starting a social action project from your kitchen table with no budget or inspiration? Equally hard.
So where do we start?
Now, freedom and choice are wonderful – and God-given! But too much choice can be paralysing.
I see it with my kids all the time. “What do you want for dinner?” I ask. “We don’t know,” they reply, or worse, “That restaurant we visited in France three years ago.” Sure, I’d love to go back too, but it’s Tuesday, and someone’s heading to football. Give a choice between spaghetti Bolognese or chicken pie, though, and suddenly we have a decision – something we can actually achieve!
Starting a community project can feel a lot like asking that open-ended dinner question. What are you going to do about the mental health crisis in your community? How are you going to help those experiencing debt? The possibilities feel endless, and paralysis sets in.
That’s exactly why Cinnamon Network exists.
Cinnamon’s MicroGrant Approved Projects are tried-and-tested initiatives that churches can use to tackle real community issues such as poverty, hunger, addiction, mental health or debt. And here’s the kicker: there are number of £2,000 MicroGrants available to help you get started.
“Why can’t I just get the £2,000 to run whatever project I like?” you might ask. Well, that’s good question and funders sometimes get a bad rap for being too restrictive – but boundaries can be a good thing.
You might already be familiar with some of the MicroGrant Approved Projects, such as Baby Basics, Renew Wellbeing, CAP and Hope into Action. And when you work with one of these organisations, you’re not starting from scratch, you’re starting with a proven model, guidance when things get tricky, and someone cheering you on when you celebrate successes.
Together we’re stronger
Whether you’re a church leader trying to bring a reluctant congregation along with your vision of social action, or a community activist feeling like the only person driving change, Cinnamon gives you a community who don’t just care, but actually want to help you on your journey
The problems we face aren’t simple, but the right support makes it possible to make real progress.
If you’re ready to turn your ideas into action, or if you’ve been waiting for a sign to start, this is it. Visit cinnamonnetwork.co.uk to learn more about MicroGrants and the Approved Projects you can get involved with.
The number of MicroGrants is limited, but support available to you is not! As Ian Savory, Senior Pastor at Lighthouse Church Sheringham, told us “We appreciate the connections, ideas, and support that Cinnamon brings to our work with the local community.”
Curious to find out more?
Visit cinnamonnetwork.co.uk and reach out.
We’re here to chat, support, and walk with you. Because social action is better when it’s done together.
