By Lindsey Nell Rabinowitch, Director of the Faith & Action Project
When the Faith & Action Project launched in 2016, we described it as a “convener that points toward solutions.” This vision was built on a belief that there were a lot of effective programs in Indianapolis, but they needed to be accelerated and brought to scale. We held hope that if we could highlight some of the best practices and bring people committed to fighting poverty together, it would spark a movement even greater than the sum of its parts.
As we enter the project’s seventh year, that founding hope has not been disappointed. We have seen the humility of leaders who come together to learn from each other and break the cycle of poverty at our annual Spring Conference and Fall Event. We have seen the multiplying effect of collaboration in the grant proposals we have funded, and we have witnessed the work of incredible programs that are equipping youth and adults to rise out of poverty and move towards stability.
For this reason, we are proud to announce that 2023 grant applications are now available. Please be aware our grant program is a multi-step process: Organizations that intend to apply for a grant must send at least one representative to the spring conference on March 8th, where we hope you will not only learn information to strengthen your application but also to connect with others working on addressing poverty. After that, you will be expected to submit an online application by April 19th.
As you consider applying for a grant, we encourage faith communities, nonprofits, and agencies to forge collaborations that will address root causes of poverty in areas such as housing, employment, education, and health. To create the best applications, focus on approaches that are replicable and scale-able, aimed at measurable outcomes, and those that have a plan for ongoing sustainability. We suggest you check out information on past Faith & Action Grant recipients and the FAQs by clicking here. To learn more about the Spring Conference and how to register, click here.
The Faith & Action Grants Committee reviews applications by looking for programs that have the greatest potential to create real, lasting change. Our hope is that with additional resources, these programs can be scaled up and replicated and, therefore, help more people break the cycle of poverty.
