2024 Kingdom Advancing Grant Recipients Announced

August 2024: After evaluating nearly 300 innovative, Kingdom-focused programs launched by churches all over the United States, the Brotherhood Mutual Foundation recently announced the recipients of the third annual Kingdom Advancing Grant. A total of $150,000 was awarded to nine church programs that are impacting their communities and spreading the Gospel in unconventional and creative ways.

The Kingdom Advancing Grant, which is funded through the Brotherhood Mutual Foundation, was developed to support church programs that are transforming local communities through service and ministry. Recipients of the grant must demonstrate the following requirements:

In addition to the funding allotted to them, some recipients also receive a year of mentorship from members of the Granting Council, which consists of leaders from ministries across the country.

The Kingdom Advancing Grant is awarded annually. The next grant cycle begins January 6, 2025.

2024 Grant Recipients

NorthBridge Church - Green Growers - Antioch, IL ($35,000 & Mentoring)

When the team at NorthBridge Church in Antioch, Illinois, surveyed their community to identify pressing needs, the results were clear: People needed food. When they set out to find other ministries addressing hunger, they discovered a nonprofit called Growing Healthy People (GHP). That started the vision for the Green Growers initiative, and a partnership that will continue throughout this new church ministry. NorthBridge Church was awarded $35,000 in Kingdom Advancing Grant funds to develop a hydroponic greenhouse and community garden on their property, which will produce 1-2 tons of food the first year, meeting the needs of 200 families per week. Green Growers is committed to carrying out the teachings of Jesus by providing nutritious food year-round to those in need. Half the food from Green Growers will be distributed by two local food pantries. The other half will be supplied to two grocery stores or sold at a produce stand, and proceeds will pay a portion of the overhead costs. They plan to grow foods that have been highly requested by the community, like collard greens. The NorthBridge Church leaders hopes to build the program into a multi-generational, diverse team, including people with disabilities, cultivating crops together. This way, their hydroponic greenhouse will become a living parable: “Seeds sown, growth nurtured, and harvest shared.” https://northbridgechurch.org/

Trinitas Church: Holy Moly Ice Cream – Phoenix, AZ ($25,000 & Mentoring)

In an effort to use food as a gateway to relational engagement, Trinitas Church developed the concept of Holy Moly Ice Cream, an ice cream truck that will frequent low-income areas and offer free ice cream to underserved populations—whether that’s urban youth, refugees and immigrants, or people in transitional housing. Holy Moly Ice Cream received $25,000 through the Kingdom Advancing Grant, and funds will help build out the Holy Moly Ice Cream trailer and support the launch of the initiative. In the long term, the Trinitas Church team also hopes to make the trailer self-sustainable by selling ice cream at market value at farmers’ markets, events, and more—while also maintaining their commitment to offering free treats to the underserved communities that will remain at the heart of their mission. https://tcom.life/

First Capital Christian Church - A.C.T. for Harrison/Movie - Lanesville, IN ($20,000 & Mentoring)

After releasing two films within the last few years, First Capital Christian Church has witnessed the power of these stories to change lives and bring people to Christ. Their film “A Father’s Fight” was released in prisons around Indiana and led to 35 inmate baptisms. Their most recent film, “I Can,” tells the story of a family in their own congregation and has reached people all around the world. First Capital Christian received $20,000 from the Kingdom Advancing Grant, which will help fund their next film project, a three-part initiative called A.C.T. for Harrison. The film centers on the challenges and experiences of a family whose son is on the autism spectrum. The “A” is for Awareness—creating a feature film that follows a father and his autistic son as they travel across the country, based on the lives of a family in their community. Throughout the road trip, the characters learn more about God's love, while viewers become aware of the stresses and difficulties that parents of autistic children and adults face every day. The second part of the initiative is “C” for Community—establishing an online connection community for the parents of autistic children and adults. And the “T” represents Touch: they hope to touch the parents in Harrison County (later, all of Indiana) by providing opportunities for respite care, counseling, pastoral care, and special events. https://churchanywhere.us/fccc/

Passion SoCal (formerly Passion Church LA) - Life Skills Training - Los Angeles, CA ($20,000 & Mentoring)

Gang activity and drug deals were part of everyday life in Pastor Bobby Lopez’s upbringing. In his Los Angeles neighborhood, he learned more about how to sell drugs than how to complete basic tasks like putting on deodorant or combing his hair. This is the reality for many young people in the communities around Pastor Bobby’s church. Many teens in their area are active gang members who witness drug overdoses and even murders. Passion SoCal Network has addressed the critical need for holistic support among vulnerable youth by creating a Life Skills Training program for low-income and at-risk teens. The team at Passion SoCal established connections with area schools to share this program that teaches them life skills, social and emotional health, and the love of Jesus Christ. Through the Kingdom Advancing Grant, Passion SoCal Network received $20,000 to expand the licensing for their curriculum to reach more youth, purchase more supplies for interactive lessons, and provide food for kids in their classes. https://www.passionsocal.com/

The Crossing Church: Luv in Motion – Costa Mesa, CA ($16,000 & Mentoring)

Robert Womack and Toni Becker came up with the idea of Luv in Motion as a result of their own experiences in the wake of addiction and recovery. For many people in recovery programs in Costa Mesa, it is hard to transition into life and community when the program ends. Insurance often stops covering people after 90 days, which leaves them alone to pick themselves up. Luv in Motion engages people with purposeful volunteer opportunities after their recovery programs, teaching them job skills and offering job placement to be part of a meaningful community, that points them to how much God loves them. The initiative received $16,000 in Kingdom Advancing Grant funding, which will go toward supplies for service projects, transportation costs for participants, and more. Luv in Motion’s goal is to be the premier resource for local recovery and sober living programs by creating a supportive environment for service and connection. https://thecrossing.com/

Mt. Vernon New Life Church of the Nazarene - Dozer's Buddies/Autism - Mt. Vernon, OH ($15,000 & Mentoring)

Ten years ago, a family who had never been able to attend church came to a Sunday service at New Life Church of the Nazarene. Before then, they had not found a place where they knew their autistic and nonverbal son would be safe, loved, and cared for. The leaders at New Life wanted to serve this family well and become a safe space for other families like theirs, and that’s how their “Buddies” program began. The program director has a background in teaching, with more than 20 years of experience in special education. She oversees the dedicated Buddies room along with other New Life staff and 12 trained volunteers, who serve more than 45 students every Sunday. Children can learn about Jesus in an environment that fits their needs while parents can attend Sunday service and receive tools to help their kids thrive. To expand the Buddies program, New Life Church of the Nazarene was awarded $15,000 in Kingdom Advancing Grant funds, which will be used to upgrade their facility with sensory swings to accommodate more children, host open house days for the community, and train a therapy dog—Dozer the golden retriever. https://www.newlifenaz.net/

Lift City Church: Lift Leadership Institute – Lafayette, LA ($10,000 & Mentoring)

More than ten years ago, Pastor Tracie Millard of Lift City Church identified a gap in educational opportunities that focused on Christ-centered leadership and discipleship. As a skilled educator who had been in ministry for nearly 20 years, she set out to create an accessible program for people who might not have access to an education. As a result, Lift City founded the Lift Leadership Institute and began offering a two-year associate degree program that focused on character, integrity, ethics, and morality. Lift City received $10,000 from the Kingdom Advancing Grant to fund program expansion, including an option for a bachelor’s degree and programs for middle- and high-school age groups. In the years since its founding, the Lift Leadership Institute has graduated students as young as 18 and as old as 68. Lift City is the only church in the state of Louisiana licensed with the Louisiana Board of Regents to grant Christian-based diplomas in their area. Ninety-five percent of graduates from Lift Leadership Institute have been elevated to leadership positions in their careers or ministries, and the expansion of the program will allow more people to access affordable, Christ-centered education. https://liftcityleaders.org/

Crosspoint Free Methodist Church: Aslan’s Explorers – Hilton, NY ($5,000)

What started as a love for the Chronicles of Narnia series has become a full-fledged midweek program that runs from October to May at Crosspoint Free Methodist Church. Aslan’s Explorers combines camping and outdoor activities with literacy and life skills development—all through the lens of becoming Kings and Queens for the Lord. Through the Kingdom Advancing Grant, Aslan’s Explorers received $5,000, which will be used to purchase teaching materials, buy sets of the Narnia books for families that participate in the program, and develop video content for the curriculum. The program focuses on the four virtues of Narnia: bravery, kindness, humility, and faithfulness. Students from kindergarten through sixth grade can enroll in the program, and each year of the program is based on one of the Chronicles of Narnia books. https://www.crosspointfmc.org/

Awaken City Church: City of Belonging Initiative – Boston, MA ($4,000)

Surrounded by a community of immigrants and refugees, leaders at Awaken City Church knew one of the best ways to reach people with the love of Jesus was to provide legal support through a low-cost immigration office. They partnered with Immigrant Connection to become fully accredited and began accepting clients in 2023. Now, they’re hoping to expand beyond their legal services and create a “City of Belonging” by working with other churches and organizations in the Boston area to offer resources for migrants in the community. Their hope is to create a resource map for the city, where local organizations can share resources and work together to effectively meet the humanitarian crisis facing many immigrants today. The City of Belonging initiative received $4,000 in funding from the Kingdom Advancing Grant, which will allow Awaken City to take on more legal cases, add staff to their immigration office, and move their offices to a second storefront with more space. The second storefront will double as a place for legal services and a coffee house to create a safe space for community connections. https://awakenboston.org/immigrant

About Brotherhood Mutual Foundation^SM
A private nonprofit established by Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, the Foundation exists to distribute funds used to promote and encourage charitable, religious, and educational projects. Since 2005, the Foundation has donated millions of dollars to support dozens of nonprofit organizations whose work transforms their communities. The Kingdom Advancing Grant^SM was established in 2022.

News Release

$150,000 in Kingdom Advancing Grants awarded to nine churches in 2024

2024 Grant Recipients