Episcopal Charities envisions an Episcopal Diocese of Chicago full of spiritually enriched communities transforming and being transformed, resulting in a more just and merciful world.
Since its founding in 1960, thousands of lives have been transformed through the work of Episcopal Charities across northern Illinois. As the social outreach arm of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, Episcopal Charities accomplishes its mission through the support of an outstanding network of partner agencies. In addition to annual operating grants, Episcopal Charities walks alongside non-profit Partners by providing regular training opportunities for organizational leaders through the capacity building program. Following the completion of a new strategic plan in June of 2020, Episcopal Charities will launch two new grant-making initiatives to accompany our ongoing support of current ministry partners (now called Legacy Partners). The new grant-making initiatives represent forward movement into areas of unknown territory and uncertain terrain where we join all those who risk hope in the midst of the deep challenges before us.
GRANT-MAKING
Non-profit Partner Grants
Episcopal Charities provides unrestricted grants to support the operating budgets of our 17 Legacy Partners. The impact of the covid-19 pandemic affected the financial future for many of our partners and continues to create deep uncertainty around fundraising and other matters. For the first time, Episcopal Charities hopes to provide 3 year grants to Legacy Partners in 2021in an effort to mitigate against the uncertainties caused by the coronavirus.
Parish Partner Grants
In early 2021, qualifying Episcopal churches may apply for a one-year grant to support outward-facing, community-based work that advances human well-being in their neighborhoods and communities. This new 2021 grants program acknowledges the importance churches play in creating a more just and merciful world. We encourage interested parishes to explore partnerships with other community-based organizations, to anticipate emerging opportunities to serve the vulnerable, and imagine a future where church buildings are hubs for individual and community well-being. Further, if community-need is hitherto unknown, and because the social and institutional landscape is now fundamentally altered, parishes are encouraged to convene or join conversations with community members and/or leaders to uncover and explore new realities and new opportunities. More information will be contained in a Request for Proposals that will be published in November on Episcopal Charities’ website.
CAPACITY BUILDING
Episcopal Charities’ financial support is deepened by providing our partners with opportunities to enrich leadership and improve the work of their organizations. Historically, our capacity-building program offered ways to grow each partner’s abilities in managing effective governing boards, securing sufficient levels of charitable giving, and telling a compelling story about their work. For many of our partners’, these experiences provided exactly what they needed to better serve their organizations.
Completion of our strategic plan in 2020 and the presence of the Covid-19 pandemic created space for Episcopal Charities to pause and better understand the kinds of leaders and organizations may be required to meet the needs of a rapidly changing environment. As a faith-based organization, we are committed to the relationship of spiritual practices to the care of the soul and the well-being of leaders, organizations, and even communities. To that end, we see new initiatives that are at-once spiritually-grounded and pragmatic, contemplative and skills-based, emotionally inquisitive and results-driven.