of years under the aegis of the National Council of Churches.
1997: IF becomes a working group of the National Network of Grantmakers. IF is incorporated and
received 501(c)3 status. Jeannie Appleman became the first (part time) Executive Director.
Ongoing: Education of grantmakers:
IF’s extensive efforts to educate funders through briefings, conference workshops, and one-to-one
meetings have contributed to a growth in number of funders who support FBCO, and helped to increase
the amount, strategies and evaluation methods of current FBCO funders.
1998-2004: Collaborative grantmaking to support FBCO
IF’s six-year Initiative to Support FBCO awarded $1.8 million to 19 FBCO groups in and to five FBCO
networks through strategic grants to:
• engage emerging constituents; e.g., immigrant workers, former welfare recipients.
• address key issues: wage inequities, reform of welfare, education and health care.
• recruit and train new organizers at the systemic, network level.
• “jumpstart” statewide FBCO’s.
With IF grants, these FBCOs have: won or redirected millions of dollars for living wages and job
strategies, public schools and health care reform; improved the working and living conditions for
immigrants; developed state and regional structures to impact public policy at that level; and recruited
and trained a new generation of organizers.
1999-2000: Collaborative research to map the field:
IF’s inaugural research project, “Faith-Based Community Organizing: the State of the Field,” was the
first national study to map and profile FBCO. Conceived as an overview to maximize IF’s grantmaking
initiative, the project’s purposes were threefold: 1) to survey and assess the current state of the field in
the United States; 2) to map both the growth and absence of FBCO; and 3) to identify the opportunities
and challenges that will face faith-based groups in the years ahead. Professors Richard Wood and Mark
Warren co-authored the resulting research report, and IF produced two brochures based on the findings.
2001: IF convened a roundtable of scholars, and brought together religious leaders and organizers in a
major cross-network meeting to discuss the implications of the findings.
2004: Collaborative research on CBCO and congregational development
IF completed the study, “Faith and Public Life: Faith-Based Community Organizing and the
Development of Congregations,” which explored how FBCO develops internally its congregational
members and their leaders. The three resulting publications have proven to be a valuable recruitment,
training and educational tool for organizers, clergy and lay leaders involved in FBCO, and for staff of
religious denominations and agencies who are not intimately familiar with the potential impact of FBCO in
developing congregational leaders.
2004: Strategic Convenings
IF convened organizers across networks to discuss the congregational development findings, and
partnered with the Ford Foundation to convene African-American Bishops and other influential clergy
from the Baptist, AME, AME Zion, Church of God in Christ, and United Methodist traditions. A funder
briefing at the Ford Foundation was attended by 60 funders.
2004-2005: Internal Education on Congregational Development
The Catholic, UUU, Jewish, Evangelical Lutheran, and Presbyterian members of IF presented to one or
more of the following: seminary heads, Bishops and other key clergy leaders in their traditions, religious
educators, and lay urban ministers. Results included increased denominational funding, staffing in
support of FBCO, and publications and trainings.
2004-2005: Seminary Education Project
IF developed a comprehensive plan and built relationships to introduce the principles and practices of
FBCO to targeted Jewish and Christian seminaries in New York and Philadelphia, resulting in the Jewish
Funds for Justice seminary education project.
2005: Strategic Planning Process and Leadership Transition
A retreat facilitated by Marlene Provizer enabled the IF board to evaluate progress and goals, resulting in
an updated mission statement and set of priorities. Jeannie Appleman departed the directorship in July in
order to continue the seminary education project under the auspices of the Jewish Funds for Justice.
Kathy Partridge, a longtime IF grantmaking and research committee participant, was hired as new
Executive Director (4/5 time). The office was moved to Colorado, and administrative processes rebuilt
with an eye on cost savings. In order to build relationships with colleagues as well as get a sense of the
position of IF in the field, over the first few months on the job Kathy conducted a listening campaign of
more than 50 conversations with board members, grantmakers, organizers, and issue advocates.
2005: One LA Funder Briefing
A committee lead by Lee Winkelman, Cris Doby and Frank Sanchez and consultant Cynthia Freeman
(who formerly represented the NY Foundation at IF) successfully organized a funder site visit on Nov. 9-
10, which focused on One LA – IAF and three other youth organizing efforts in Los Angeles. Several
California grantmakers were cosponsors. Over 30 grantmakers from California and elsewhere attended.
The format included a frank, insiders discussion with Ernie Cortes, Sr. Jean Donovan and other IAF
staff, served as model for subsequent IF events.
2006: Website Launch
2006-2007: Deepening understanding of the state of the field through internal (and external) educational
programs.
• March 2006 board meeting focused on PICO’s new national work, the New Voices Project, and
the impacts on local organizing. Scott Reed of PICO and local organizers Joe Fleming and Rev.
Heyward Wiggins (Camden, NJ) and Brian Kane (Rochester, NY) presented at a dinner designed to
include guests, and an in-depth insider conversation in the morning.
• October 2006 board meeting in Washington, DC including a well-attended dinner program with
Arnie Graf of the Industrial Areas Foundation on their ground-breaking electoral organizing in Ohio and
an update on the Post-Katrina difficulties in New Orleans with Joe Givens, formerly of the PICO
network.
Conference Workshops and Collaborations with Funder Affinity Groups:
• Neighborhood Funders Group, Sept 12: “Faith, Race, and Place: Stories of Churches and
Community Change form the South.” Presenters: Rev. Jennifer Jones-Bridgett of Louisiana PICO,
Gerald Taylor of Southeast IAF, and Scott Douglas of Greater Birmingham Ministries. Moderator was
Kathy Partridge. Attended by about 20.
• NC: Building State Power on Sept 13-14, a post-conference session co-sponsored by the Funders
Committee on Civic Participation and the Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. IF
organized a session featuring the IAF’s NC organizing across African-American and Hispanic community
divides. Attended by about 30.
• Grantmakers for Children Youth and Families, Sept 27: “From Grassroots to Treetops: Faith-based
Community Organizing and Public Policy Wins for Children, Youth and Families.” Presenters: Jim
Keddy of Cal. PICO and Petra Falcon of Pima County Interfaith (IAF). Moderator was Lee Winkelman.
Attended by 13.
• National Network of Grantmakers, Oct. 17: “Faith Communities and Ex-Offenders in
Partnership.” Presenters: Ernest Austin and Rev. L.B. Tatum of RCNO, Rev. Tanyia Rawls of
Grassroots Leadership, and Interfaith Worker Justice. Attended by 15.
• Faith, Food and Farms, The Religious Community and the 2007 Farm Bill conference call on April
11, co-sponsored by the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders. Speakers included
Presbyterian, Catholic, and NCCC. Attended by 12.
• They Came for Me in the Morning: Workers, Families, and Communities and the ICE Raids
conference call on April 23, co-sponsored by the Neighborhood Funders Group’s Working Group on
Labor and Community and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. PICO organizing in
Greeley (and nationally) was featured. Attended by over 50.
2006-2007: Connecting regional and national funders and organizers through the New York
ThruWay Alliance partnership project
This partnership with collaborating PICO and Gamaliel groups in upstate New York is really taking off.
With leadership from Randy Keesler, the team of Eileen Jamison Tyrer (Veatch), Margie Fine (CCC),
Cris Doby (Mott), and Dave Beckwith (Needmor) has met with several potential supportive funders
(local, regional and national). Randy, Margie and Kathy attended the TA’s July 20-25, 2006 ThruWay
leadership meeting in Albany, which featured cross-network training and research actions at the
statehouse. The IF team worked hand-in-hand with the ARISE, VOICE, IA, and ACTS organizers (and
to a lesser extent, leaders) to build the April briefing, with 35 funders registered including most of the IF
board (with a post-briefing board meeting). This effort is valuable in two regards. First, it shows
commitment to cross-network efforts, and second, it is a model for working with diverse funders at
local, regional and national levels to understand and support organizing.
2006-2007: Strengthening CBCO support within judicatories through the IOI Table.
Interfaith Funders’ work on congregational development focused on the Inter Religious Organizing
Initiative (IOI). New leadership on the IOI is emerging from the Unitarian Universalist Association,
United Church of Christ, Union for Reform Judaism, and National Council of Churches in Christ, joining
strong ELCA and National Baptist Conference leadership. The PICO National Network, Gamaliel’s
Clergy Caucus, and DART have participated consistently, and the IOI is in relationship with IAF
leadership through Ernie Cortes. In addition to the judicatories already involved, IOI leaders are
recruiting historic Black churches, the Islamic community in Chicago, and the United Methodists. IF
and Mott contracted with Mary Heidkamp to begin a study of denominational commitment to CBCO.
Several judicatories are undertaking various strategies within their own institutions. The K’hilot K’doshot
Jewish gathering on CBCO in February 2007, organized by Jewish Funds for Justice, was an amazing
learning experience and a real highlight of the year. Ben Ross, Shuli Passow and the rest of the JFSJ
team did a crackerjack job of organizing 300 participants, including about 40 seminarians. IF had a good
turnout of board members and staff. Working with Nathan Cummings, SF Community Foundation, and
Haas Sr. Foundation staff, JFSJ and IF organized a funder briefing with a decent turnout and a chance to
build relationships in the Bay Area for future joint work.
Milestones of Interfaith
Funders
Funders