ELCA World Hunger Domestic Hunger Grants accompany congregations and their partners throughout the United States and Caribbean as they draw on the strengths of communities to address local issues such as food security, clean water, housing, job access, human rights, policy change, leadership development and more. Together, these ministries are part of a comprehensive approach to breaking the cycle of poverty and hunger — for good.
To learn more about ELCA World Hunger and to apply, check out the resources on this page.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for updates about ELCA World Hunger. Para obtener información sobre la solicitud en español, contáctenos en hunger@elca.org.
Accompaniment of communities toward a just world where all are fed means breaking down barriers between neighbors, ensuring just laws and policies for all and addressing the root causes of hunger. That’s why ELCA World Hunger is excited to partner with ministries and projects that are transformative, holistic and integrated, providing bread for today and hope for tomorrow.
Transformative
Transformative ministries work to break down barriers, reduce inequality and build strong relationships that can move us toward a just world where all are fed. Transformative ministries build relationships across the lines that divide our communities with an eye toward justice for all. This might look like projects focused on reducing disparities based on race, gender, economic status, sexuality or citizenship.
Holistic
The ELCA is called to be both a serving and a liberating presence in the world, meeting the immediate needs of neighbors through mercy and working for long-term, systemic change through advocacy. For example, many holistic ministries start with food — and then address the broader challenges that lie at the root of hunger and poverty. Holistic ministries may address these root causes by creating opportunities for people facing hunger to advocate for meaningful policy change, or they may organize the people most affected for collective community action.
Integrated
Integrated ministries draw on the many strengths of communities to respond to need in multiple, related ways. Maybe this means providing food for families while advocating for affordable housing, building case management into a financial literacy program or providing safe space for people who are vulnerable while offering job readiness assistance. Addressing multiple causes of hunger and poverty through integrated services can make ministries and projects more sustainable and effective.
Click the image below to read the story of Table Grace Café, an integrated ministry in Omaha, Neb.
This year, ELCA World Hunger is partnering through Domestic Hunger Grants with 149 ministries spread out across 57 synods and 41 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
ELCA World Hunger is also investing in twelve ministries that demonstrate excellence, innovation and best practices that align with ELCA World Hunger’s priority areas in substantial, sustainable ways through one-time Big Dream grants. Big Dream grants are by invitation.
Sign up here to receive news from ELCA World Hunger about what our incredible ministry partners are up to!
ELCA World Hunger Daily Bread Matching Grants support congregations and their partners as they work toward a just world where all are fed. ELCA congregations with feeding ministries are eligible to participate, regardless of whether or not they have received a Daily Bread Matching Grant in the past.
These grants provide daily bread for neighbors experiencing hunger while also serving as a tool for ministry fundraising and capacity building. ELCA World Hunger Daily Bread Matching Grants will be made available to congregations on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration and applications for the 2023 Daily Bread Matching Grant will open April 25, 2022. Registration and applications for Daily Bread Matching Grants is currently closed while we reimagine how to better support our feeding ministry partners.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic crisis have brought into focus the ways in which systems and structures created to ensure basic human needs are met are also seriously flawed and designed to fail historically oppressed communities. In the United States, the data has clearly shown the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on ethnic-specific communities of color.
In response, ELCA World Hunger and the ELCA’s Indigenous and Ethnic Specific Associations and Ministries are partnering through grants to respond to needs identified in and through the ELCA’s indigenous and ethnic-specific communities. With the knowledge that the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic will have a disproportionate impact on communities facing hunger and poverty, these grants will support ministries as they work at the intersections of race, ethnicity and poverty toward building thriving, healthy and resilient communities where all are fed.
Grant Awards
Criteria
What you need to apply
If invited to complete a full grant application in ELCA GrantMaker, you will need:
Application Timeline
To learn more about Domestic Hunger Grants and ELCA Grantmaker, click on the links below for FAQ and a webinar that reviews our granting priorities and covers the basics of applying, sample word documents and PDF of the LOI to help you prepare before you submit.
Webinar and FAQs VIEW SAMPLE LETTER OF INQUIRY FORM
Download LOI Word Document (English) Download LOI Word Document (Español)
Have questions about submitting your Letter of Inquiry? Join ELCA World Hunger Staff for open office hours. No need to register just click the following zoom link at the time of the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84584923183
ELCA World Hunger
8765 West Higgins Rd, Chicago, IL, 60631
800-638-3522 ext. 2616
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