Ordinary People, Making Change
Real numbers behind a simple idea: people of faith already have what it takes to change their communities. They just need a path.
What We’ve Built Together
The Changemaker Initiative is a faith-based nonprofit that helps everyday people and congregations turn what they care about into real change in their communities. We believe people in faith communities can be changemakers for good, and the numbers below are what that looks like in practice.
Since a group of laypeople at Los Altos United Methodist Church asked what would happen if a congregation activated its own people in 2018, that conviction has grown into three programs: Becoming a Changemaker Church for congregations, the Changemaker Fellowship for individuals, and Change the Story for young adults. Here’s what they’ve built together.
Impact on individuals
The Changemaker Fellowship guides people through self-discovery, deep listening, and a hands-on experiment grounded in spiritual practice. Since 2018, more than 100 Fellows ages 12 to 80 have gone through the program, coming from more than a dozen churches across 4 states.
The numbers point to a real shift in how Fellows live out their faith:
70%
say changemaking deepened their faith
80%
have carried changemaking skills into other parts of their life
50%
have stepped into new leadership roles
80%
have brought other congregants into social impact projects with them
Pam
Turned her love of the outdoors into a composting site on her church's property.
Brett
Started an HVAC business and now works to train formerly incarcerated people for stable jobs.
Christy
A former foster youth, grew her Los Angeles-based organization, which offers parenting classes to foster families. As Christy put it: "This is just a group of ordinary people doing amazing things."
Impact on Young Adults
Change the Story pairs young adults ages 23 to 29 with a faith community partner to fund and support a project the young adult leads, with up to $10,000 made possible by a grant from the Lilly Endowment. No young adult is ever expected to join the church they partner with.
Kenan expanded a Juneteenth festival in Los Altos with St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, deepening the community's understanding of the lived experiences of Black neighbors. Sarah partnered with Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church to turn a garage into a Social Justice Library. Loleita worked with City Church San Francisco to bring more than 40 people together for a dinner series on queer identity and faith. Alan gathered more than 50 neighbors at St. Paul UMC to help shape a Filipino History Mural at San José State University.
Where This Is Headed
What began as one experiment at one congregation is becoming a national movement. With support from the Lilly Endowment, the work has expanded to congregations across the country, and partnerships with organizations like Princeton Seminary and the Texas Methodist Foundation are extending the framework’s reach into new denominations and regions.
We’re developing new resources for youth, building more of these partnerships, and equipping more congregations to activate changemakers of every age. This is just a group of ordinary people doing amazing things, and there’s room for you.
Be Part of What’s Next
Fuel the Next Changemaker
Your gift funds community projects, equips congregations, and keeps this movement growing across the country.
Find Your Path to Changemaking
Whether you’re a pastor, a congregation, or a young adult with an idea, we have a program built for where you are right now.
Bring This to Your Community
Know a pastor, congregation, or young leader who’s ready for something like this? Share our work and help the movement spread.