Lilly Endowment is pleased to announce its National Initiative to Strengthen Christian Campus Ministries at Colleges and Universities (Campus Ministry Initiative). The aim of the initiative is to strengthen throughout the United States the capacities of Christian campus ministries at or near colleges and universities to nurture the religious lives of college students both today and into the future.

In this competitive initiative, the Endowment intends to award grants of up to $7.5 million each to approximately 20 national and regional charitable organizations that support multiple local Christian campus ministries at or near college and university campuses to support programs that advance the aim stated above and the five objectives outlined in the Request for Concept Papers.

Funding Opportunities 

Lilly Endowment will conduct the Campus Ministry Initiative through a two-stage process.

  • Stage 1 Concept Papers: Interested charitable organizations may submit concept papers that explain their interest in the initiative and provide initial descriptions of their potential programs. Concept Papers are due by January 25, 2027. The Endowment intends to award planning grants of up to $50,000 each to approximately 20 organizations in March 2027 to assist selected organizations in developing their concepts.
  • Stage 2 Implementation Grant Proposals: Invited organizations may submit proposals for implementation grants of up to $7.5 million each that may be used for up to a five-year period to execute programs designed during the planning stage of the initiative.

Information Sessions 

The Endowment will host virtual information sessions to discuss the aim and objectives of the initiative and to review the submission guidelines. Organizations wishing to participate in one of these sessions should register via one of the links below.

Submission Guidance 

Interested charitable organizations must submit concept papers along with the materials outlined in the Request for Concept Papers as a single PDF through the Campus Ministry Initiative Concept Paper Submission Form below by January 25, 2027.