Texas Methodist Foundation's Grants Ministry Awards $900,000 to 40 Churches and Nonprofits Across Texas and New Mexico

Texas Methodist Foundation (TMF) grants $900,000 to 40 churches and nonprofits across Texas and New Mexico during its Spring 2024 grant cycle. Each grantee nourishes its community through innovative and impactful initiatives that uplift individuals and families.

TMF applies an asset-based approach to its grant ministry, recognizing the rich history and inherent potential deeply seeded in communities. Rooted in the Wesleyan value of loving one's neighbor, TMF asks applicants to illustrate their understanding of the people and communities they serve by speaking to their strengths, not weaknesses.

Understanding that when we know, respect, and love the people we serve, we can all do so in more empowering and sustainable ways, TMF guides its granting approach through an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) frame focused on amplifying strengths already present within a community.

"We are inspired by the missions and motivations of our grantees," said Wendy Abel, TMF's vice president of Grants Ministry. "We deeply appreciate all that we learn from partnering with grantees about how faith-based social impact improves the lives of those living in poverty and how our grantees help make the charitable dreams of TMF donors possible."

The recipients below showcase the loving work this cycle of grantees is doing. To learn more about all the recipients, visit TMF's Partners in Ministry webpage.

• McCurdy Ministries Community Center in Española, New Mexico, offers free mental health counseling and after-school care for children, providing free pre-kindergarten, low-cost summer camps, and adult education programs.
• McKinney Memorial UMC, in McKinney, Texas, created its "GET LIT" program to engage millennials and Gen-Yers who are not involved in church, offering monthly non-traditional settings called "Conversations on the Couch" for young adults to freely express their opinions, appropriately challenge other's, and hear wisdom from scripture.
• Meals on Wheels New Mexico, the only meal delivery organization in the state, provides nearly 5,000 dietician-approved meals each week to seniors, people with disabilities, and those homebound living on low incomes.
• PROJECT 10:27, in San Antonio, Texas, offers support to seniors in San Antonio through in-home visits, phone calls, and outings with an approach that combines practical support with emotional and spiritual care, inspired by Luke 10:27.
• Taste Project, in Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas, started a pay-what-you-can community restaurant, workforce development program, and an urban garden wrapped together. They lead the iHEAL community collaboration focused on improving health equity among low-income adults by addressing social determinants of health, such as nutrition, employment, financial literacy, and health education.

"TMF's Grants Ministry is a crucial part of a larger cycle of generosity, a flow of purposefully dedicated financial resources serving the mission of the church," said Justin Gould, TMF's chief philanthropy officer. “The cycle of generosity continues when an individual or congregation creates a donor-advised fund or an endowment with TMF to grow impactful ministry.”

About Texas Methodist Foundation

Texas Methodist Foundation is a ministry partner to the church, the body of Christ, helping bring about the loving world God imagines through cultures of purpose, generosity, and courage. Founded in 1938, Texas Methodist Foundation helps strengthen churches and nonprofit ministries through Impact Certificate and market-based investments, loans, gift planning, endowment services, and grants. Texas Methodist Foundation's leadership ministry, which began in 2002, is known nationally as a convener and conversation partner on the future of the church, courageous leadership, and innovation across the spiritual landscape. Texas Methodist Foundation serves organizations throughout Texas and New Mexico and is based in Austin, Texas. Learn more, visit tmf-fdn.org.