Our nonprofit does not have a relationship with an Episcopal church. What do we do?

As a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, ECF’s funding is specifically designated to help our parishes better serve people experiencing poverty and oppression. Sometimes the parishes themselves are engaged directly in this ministry work; directly funding our parishes is our first priority. However, we greatly value the impact and efficiencies that collaboration generates. If existing nonprofit organizations are already engaging the community in areas where our parishes seek to get involved, we highly recommend partnering with existing nonprofits over creating new ministries.

With this in mind, ECF’s grant funding is also available to nonprofit organizations which have a substantial relationship with one (or more!) of the 117 worshipping communities across the Diocese of Atlanta. Many of our parishes have made a significant impact in their local communities through nonprofit partnerships which not only help people experiencing poverty and oppression, but also provide an opportunity for Episcopalians to experience spiritual growth through service.

While ECF does require a significant partnership with a parish, we do not have any requirements around how long the partnership has been in place. In fact, ECF is more than happy to provide funding for efforts to create new partnerships! However, we do not serve as a “matchmaker” for organizations looking to find a parish to partner with. We recommend nonprofits start by connecting with the church(es) in your local area to see if there is interest in building a relationship. Please keep in mind that some churches are eagerly looking for new ways to engage with their community, and some churches are already at capacity with their existing outreach efforts. A conversation is always the first step!

View a listing of all Episcopal churches in the Diocese of Atlanta.

Posted in: Grantmaking