RootedGood launches $1.1 million Good Next Step Grant Program to turn vision into action
WISCONSIN — Churches across Wisconsin are being invited to reimagine their property as a tool for community good through the new Good Next Step Grant Program. The $1.1 million initiative offers grants of up to $40,000, along with expert guidance, to help congregations create affordable housing, sustainability projects, and community gathering spaces. The grant supports critical early-stage pre-development work—site analysis, zoning review, massing studies, pro forma modeling—while allowing congregations to retain control of their property as they move forward.
The program’s “pay-it-forward” model ensures that when a church project succeeds, funds are recycled to support the next congregation—creating a ripple effect of positive change across the state. The pilot will support up to 30 church churches, catalyzing an estimated $450 million in community-oriented development over the next decade, while creating a replicable model for churches nationwide
Rev. Mark Elsdon, co-founder of RootedGood, spoke with Wisconsin Public Radio in 2024 about the movement to expand uses of land owned by houses of worship:
“There are so many ways that [churches] can use property… for good in our communities beyond the ways we’re using them currently.”
From big cities to small towns, this new grant program equips churches around Wisconsin to keep control of their property, honor their mission, and address pressing local needs.
Churches that have completed a visioning or planning process and are ready to explore community-serving property development are encouraged to apply.
For more information: RootedGood.org/good-next-step
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Contact:
Angela Johnson
RootedGood
830.262.0707 ext. 105
[email protected]
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