Author
Candace Simpson
Minister and religious educator
Minister Candace Simpson is a religious educator serving at the Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, NY. She is a graduate of Trinity College and Union Theological Seminary. She also is the voice of the Fish Sandwich Heaven Podcast and lead designer for the Fish Sandwich Heaven website. In the fall of 2022, she will begin PhD studies at Garrett Seminary. It is Candace’s philosophy that heaven is a revolution that must begin here on Earth.
Lilly Endowment Inc. announces Exploring Christian Practices Initiative
The Exploring Christian Practices Initiative aims to multiply opportunities and increase access to settings that help individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds explore and engage in Christian practices to address their spiritual interests and questions, find and build community with others, nourish their religious lives and grow in faith.
In this open and competitive initiative, the Endowment invites charitable organizations to submit proposals for grants of up to $2.5 million each that may be used for up to a five-year period to develop new and/or enhance existing programs that present promising strategies for advancing the aim of the initiative and provide compelling and thoughtful responses to its guiding questions. The Endowment anticipates awarding approximately 60 grants and announcing grant awards in December 2026.
The Endowment will host four virtual information sessions (February 17, 19, 24, and 25) to discuss the Exploring Christian Practices guidelines for submitting a proposal. An Interest Form and Letter of Interest are due March 25, 2026. Complete proposals are due May 18, 2026.
Learn More and register for information sessions