Faith & Action Project Awards $100,000 to Local Anti-Poverty Initiatives

 

Christian Theological Seminary’s Faith & Action Project has awarded $100,000 in grants to five nonprofit organizations working to reduce poverty among children and families in Marion County. The funding supports a range of innovative efforts—from housing stability to youth mentorship and LGBTQ+ support services.

Three of the five grants—awarded to Coburn Place, Family Promise, and Holy Family Shelter—will bolster programs rooted in the “housing first” model, which prioritizes securing safe, stable housing as a foundation for long-term success. The remaining grants will expand a youth mentoring and career readiness program, as well as a grassroots initiative focused on serving LGBTQ+ individuals.

“This year’s grants reflect our commitment to supporting both proven models and promising new approaches,” said Faith & Action Project Director Lindsey Nell Rabinowitch. “We focused on initiatives that are already making a measurable impact and have the potential to scale and reach even more people.”

More than $1M in grant funding has been awarded to faith communities and nonprofits as part of the Faith & Action Project since 2017. The 2025 grant recipients follow.

• $25,000 to Coburn Place, a domestic abuse treatment center on the near north side. The grant will support its Transitional Housing Program, which provides rent- and utility-free housing, as well as Coburn programs offering access to education, employment and healthcare options. The grant will be used to help survivors secure and sustain stable housing, improve their safety and well-being, interrupt cycles of abuse and establish goals relating to housing, finances, health, employment, education and relationships. Faith-based partners contribute in various ways, including hosting survivor-focused gatherings, facilitating workshops grounded in spiritual and emotional wellness, and distributing care kits.

• $20,000 to DREAM Alive, a nonprofit that works with Center Township youth who attend Indianapolis Public Schools, helping them discover career paths and mentoring them from 6th grade through high school graduation. The grant allows DREAM Alive to expand into more IPS middle schools, provides transportation for career-exploration trips and covers after-school meals and snacks for students, many of whom face food insecurity.
   
  DA collaborates with various faith-based organizations, including Shepherd Community Center, Elevate Indianapolis, Midtown Church, Indiana Wesleyan University, Str8Up Youth Camp, Marian University, Edna Martin Christian Center, Outreach Inc. and more.

• $20,000 to Family Promise of Greater Indianapolis, a nonprofit working to end homelessness in Indianapolis. Prior to the COVID pandemic, Family Promise used a model in which congregations hosted families experiencing homelessness at their faith communities, with volunteers providing meals, transportation, childcare and more. When COVID prevented congregations from hosting families, Family Promise researched, raised funds for and launched a new model, the Apartment Shelter Program, through which Family Promise signed leases on apartment units throughout the city, which it offers as temporary shelter for families ineligible for eviction diversion or stabilization programs.
   
  Community partner Mustard Seed of Central Indiana furnishes the apartments, while congregations provide housewares, which families take with them when they leave. Family Promise case management helps families maintain stable housing. The model costs roughly 30% less than traditional shelters and reduces the trauma associated with shelter living.

• $25,000 to Holy Family Shelter, a program of Catholic Charities of Indianapolis, located on the near westside. The grant will ensure that 250 families (750 individuals) who are experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis have access to emergency shelter, comprehensive services and permanent affordable housing through Holy Family Shelter’s Sustain, Support and Divert program.
   
  Holy Family prioritizes immediate access to housing – ideally helping families stay in their current housing – and staff advocates on behalf of families with landlords and property managers. Holy Family staff provides an array of services to help families move toward stability and also assists with such expenses as rental deposits and payments, utilities, transportation and childcare, removing short-term financial hardships that can affect a family’s ability to remain housed.

• $10,000 to We Bloom, a nonprofit focused on healing, empowerment and skill-building primarily for the LGBTQ+ community. The grant funds two programs, the first of which is a queer-affirming and trauma-informed recovery program at Recovery Café Indy. As a first-of-its-kind in Indiana, this program addresses the need for inclusive, healing-centered spaces that reduce trans individuals’ isolation and foster belonging.
   
  The second funded program is a partnership with Purposeful Design, a Christian nonprofit providing job training to individuals overcoming addiction, homelessness and incarceration, to expand job training for Recovery Café Indy members.