New initiative is encouraging collaborations between Christian congregations and charitable organizations to improve quality of life in local communities nationwide

September 28, 2026
Contact: Judith Cebula
317.916.7327 | communications@lei.org

New initiative is encouraging collaborations between Christian congregations and charitable organizations to improve quality of life in local communities nationwide

INDIANAPOLIS – Lilly Endowment is launching the Serving Neighbors Through Congregational Collaborations Initiative, through which the Endowment is making available grants of up to $5 million each to support efforts that help Christian congregations throughout the country collaborate with charitable organizations to identify and address needs and priorities that help improve quality of life in their neighborhoods, towns and cities.

The Serving Neighbors Congregational Collaborations Initiative (Serving Neighbors) has two complementary aims:

To enhance the quality of life of individuals and families by encouraging stronger collaborations in local communities between Christian congregations and charitable organizations.
To help deepen the faith of individuals and enhance the vitality of congregations by providing opportunities for Christians to practice their faith through acts of love and care for their neighbors.

“There is a growing interest among Christian congregations throughout the country to reach beyond the walls of their sanctuaries and to expand their ministries to serve individuals and families in their neighborhoods,” said Christopher L. Coble, the Endowment’s vice president for religion. “Serving Neighbors is intended to help congregations build and strengthen relationships with charitable organizations so they can work more collaboratively and effectively to address local needs.”

Collaborative efforts under the Serving Neighbors initiative will help address wide- ranging community needs, such as providing needed resources to vulnerable families, expanding after-school programs, enhancing access to the arts, supporting local beautification efforts, and improving amenities at parks.

“Our hope is that congregations and community organizations will forge creative and mutually beneficial collaborations that strengthen both the reach and impact of their efforts to serve individuals and families in their local communities,” Coble added.

Charitable organizations that are eligible to apply for grants may include, among others, national and regional denominational agencies, faith-based service organizations, church associations and networks, theological schools, church-related colleges and universities, and national or regional community development organizations that are knowledgeable about and comfortable working with churches and other faith-based organizations.

The Endowment anticipates making a total of 60 implementation grants of up to $5 million each through the Serving Neighbors initiative.

Interested eligible organizations may seek funding through a two-stage process. In the first stage, an eligible organization may submit a concept paper outlining its approach. From these concept papers, the Endowment will select a group of organizations to receive planning grants and invite them to develop their concepts. In the second stage, those selected organizations may submit proposals for implementation grants to execute their plans during a four-year period, or less.

Learn more about the new grant opportunity here.

The Serving Neighbors initiative builds on the Endowment’s efforts to strengthen the vitality of Christian congregations and to support projects that improve the quality of life of individuals and families in local communities throughout the country.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc.is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. Although the Endowment maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana, it also funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion.