The Conference Council authorized that Capital Campaign funds could be put to work in the four focus areas in the summer of 2007 and reported the same to Conference Annual Meeting.
 
Total campaign contributions as of February 29, 2008, were $998,479. After paying campaign expenses a total $575,500, is available and being put to work in the four focus areas.
 
In the focus area of New and Renewed Church Development Local Evangelism, Envisioning and Planting has announced that capital that is readily available will be used: 

• To cover the cost for the New Church Training and Strategy Development event held on October 12-13, 2007, at Pilgrim Park with Consultant Paul Nickerson
• To invite pro-active Associations and/or groups of churches to demonstration projects in new church development
• To invite pro-active Associations demonstration projects on revitalization strategies and "Options for Small Churches" (merger, yoking, consolidation, dying with dignity and others)
• To cover the cost of sending potential church planters to the "Now is the Time for New Church Development" annual church planters training (part of the Nehemiah Project).

A major portion of the funds from the campaign for this focus area is for endowment. LEEAP has drafted a proposed Conference Policy for the Illinois Conference Endowment for New and Renewed Church Development and the Finance, Administration and Business Committee of Conference is recommending the same to Conference Council.

LEEAP has also applied to the UCC National office for a grant of $210,000 to be matched by the Conference LEEAP and Capital Campaign funds to do new and renewed church development. The Funds are being sought from nation for the first two years of a ten year plan to develop ten (10) new churches.

LEEAP is presenting and supporting the following new church starts:
            God Can Ministries in Ford Heights;
            Pillar of Love Fellowship in the North Chicago area;
            Open Prairie UCC in Princeton;
            Shalom UCC in Rockford;
            St John's UCC in Waukegan (Transitioning into M&M);
            La Academia, Latino leadership, recruitment, training, development.

LEEAP is supporting revitalization projects at:

Lacon Congregational Church, Lacon;

Galewood Community Church, Chicago.

In the focus area of growing Outdoor Ministry:
The Outdoor Ministry Board is developing a strategy for the use of the funds available to them. On the request of Conference Council the ODM Board is revising their original plans to fund current needs while being faithful to the goals of the campaign with fewer resources than earlier anticipated.
 
In the focus areas of Equipping Leadership:
A committee to help manage and implement the campaign goals that is representative of the various constituencies of the Conference is being formed.
 
In the focus area of the Conference Vision Fund:
A committee to help manage and implement the campaign goals that is representative of the various constituencies of the Conference is being formed.