$350,000 for a new shelter, an ROI of more than $3 raised to $1 spent
Trinity Lutheran Church, NYC
Challenge:
This small church with only one full-time staff person — its pastor — has an ambitious mission with little support from its affluent neighborhood. That mission: to operate a shelter for homeless LGBT youth and pioneer a model for other traditional Protestant churches in New York City. Trinity also sponsors an afterschool program for very-low income elementary school children and a leadership group for struggling Latina women. With little community support and a small congregation, funding is a huge need.
Solution:
LAPA immersed itself in the church’s outreach ministries and learned not only what made them tick, but also what made them unique. Based on years of experience working with direct service providers in New York City, LAPA identified more than 110 grant makers with an interest in funding Trinity’s programs. LAPA wrote high-quality grant proposals and even identified a philanthropist willing to underwrite a large part of the cost of LAPA’s contract. This is highly significant because many smaller nonprofits are caught in the Catch-22 that they need revenue but cannot afford to pay for the process of obtaining it.
Results:
LAPA secured more than $350,000 for Trinity, with the church earning more than $3 for every $1 spent on LAPA’s services. Among the successes have been grants of $30,000 from the Calamus Foundation and $25,000 each from the New York City AIDS Fund and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. These awards would have been unthinkable when the church’s grants program was in its infancy.