Total Inclusion!, a partnership between Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (LOM) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), is pleased to announce the Total Inclusion! Leaders subgrants. The aim of the subgrants is to provide intentional resources and support to outdoor ministry organizations in the LOM community that are leading the way in inclusion across the three focus areas of Total Inclusion!: the LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC community, and people with disabilities.
Total Inclusion! invites LOM member organizations to submit proposals for Total Inclusion! Leaders subgrants. There will be a total of $625,000 in funding available and up to 12 grants will be awarded. Funds will be distributed in two disbursements across 2026 and 2027. The goal of these grants is to extend the scope of existing inclusion programs. The application will ask proposals to provide compelling and thoughtful responses to the following guiding questions:
- How is your outdoor ministry organization already working to include the LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC community, and/or people with disabilities? How did this work begin? Who helped to guide you in this work?
- How are you defining and measuring inclusion at your organization?
- How do you plan to use these funds to expand the inclusion work already happening at your organization in at least one of the Total Inclusion! focus areas?
- How do you hope to support and encourage the inclusion work of other LOM organizations developing inclusive programs at their sites? How will you build space and time into your work to mentor other LOM organizations?
- What has the history and current status of your organization’s involvement in Lutheran Outdoor Ministries looked like, and how do you plan to continue investing in the LOM community?
Total Inclusion! anticipates awarding grants to organizations that submit the most compelling proposals that demonstrate how they have already laid the groundwork of inclusion in their community, show imagination in their next steps toward expanding their inclusion goals, and express their passion and commitment to support other leaders and organizations and share stories with the larger LOM community about their work.
Applications will open May 1, 2026 and must be submitted by September 15, 2026. Interested organizations must first register on the ELCA Churchwide grantee portal prior to completing the grant application. After registration has been approved, a link will be sent to complete the application on ELCA’s grantmaker platform. A review team will evaluate all applications, and a rubric will be used to decide which (up to) 12 grantees will be awarded. Announcements of the grant will happen no later than November 1, 2026.
Total Inclusion! is funded by Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies. All questions regarding Total Inclusion! Leader subgrants can be sent to Hannah Evans, Total Inclusion! Program Manager, at hannah.evans@elca.org.