Author
Ira Murray
Associate Director, Vanderbilt University Initiative for Race Research and Justice
Ira Murray is associate director of research and development at the Vanderbilt University Initiative for Race Research and Justice. His work focuses on the intersection of race, racism and society in partnership with communities to co-create tools and resources to address issues of racial justice.
Murray has served as a nonprofit executive in Jackson, Mississippi, and has worked with several historically Black colleges and universities throughout his professional career. He is a native of South Carolina and a third-generation HBCU graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University. He holds a master’s degree from Vanderbilt and a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.
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