Through the Thriving Congregations Initiative, Lilly Endowment has supported charitable organizations in the United States in developing new or strengthening existing programs that work directly with congregations to help them assess and adapt their ministries to their changing contexts as they move toward a post-COVID-19 pandemic future.
The Endowment has been especially interested in supporting programs that helped congregations to:
- Explore and understand their rapidly changing social and cultural contexts.
- Gain greater clarity about their values and mission.
- Draw on practices from their theological and ecclesial traditions to adapt their ministries to the demands of their changing contexts.
The aim of the initiative is to help congregations thrive by strengthening ministries that help people deepen their relationships with God, enhance their connections with each other, and contribute to the flourishing of their communities and the world.
This initiative is currently closed to new proposals.
Thriving Congregations Initiative 2019 and 2020
In 2019 and 2020 the Endowment made grants to 115 organizations from a wide variety of Christian traditions and diverse communities that support congregational vitality.