Lilly Opens Major Grants to Catholic Campus Ministries
Up to 20 networks can win multiyear awards to nurture student faith.
Catholic campus ministries are eligible for substantial new funding after the Lilly Endowment launched a national initiative on October 23, 2026, to strengthen Christian work among college students.
The Endowment’s National Initiative to Strengthen Christian Campus Ministries at Colleges and Universities aims to strengthen the capacities of Christian campus ministries at or near colleges and universities to nurture the religious lives of students today and into the future, with a focus on public and secular campuses.
The Endowment intends to award grants of up to $7.5 million each to approximately 20 national and regional charitable organizations that support multiple local Christian campus ministries. Eligible applicants include archdioceses and church-related networks ministering to students on multiple campuses, placing Catholic groups such as Newman Ministry, FOCUS, St. Paul’s Outreach, and the Catholic Campus Ministry Association within the circle of those who may apply.
Matt Zerrusen, co-founder and chief innovative discipleship officer of Newman Ministry, said the organization is in the process of applying for the grant and is “grateful for the opportunity.” He observed that campus ministry has been “an overlooked part of ministry in the Church.” Zerrusen expressed hope that other Catholic ministries would apply and called for greater unity, saying, “There’s so much competition in the Catholic world that it’s like, ‘Well, hang on here. What are we doing?’ We’re both trying to solve the same problem.”