Transforming philanthropy for Christian initiatives in Dane County is the mission of the Madison Christian Giving Fund. At a meeting at the Madison Club this morning, 54 people representing a variety of local churches and ministries worked at identifying the most pressing needs in the Madison area.
Table discussions identified needs first, then addressed how Christian faith addresses those issues, and then identified the challenges and barriers to finding Christian soulutions to thsoe problems. Christian ministries typically are ineligible for funding available to other non-profit organizations because of their religious content.
“We are here because we blieve God has a vision for Madison,” said Fund president Scott Haumersen. “That’s why the Fund was formed.” The Madison Christian Giving Fund is operated by a board of 20 volunteers and has no staff.
Haumersen said that the Fund will give out whatever is raised, and the goal is to make grants totalling $200,000 next year. At the end of the meeting, 2016 Grant request instructions were distributed. The money will be raised through payroll deductions, large and small donations, and social media campaigns. It will be disbursed in four categories: Children and Youth, Human Needs, Social Justice, and Evangelism.
“We see needs in our community that are not being met, such as homelessness,” Haumersen said. “Wouldn’t it be something if we said to the mayor, as the church body we’ve got this.”
Local ministries and Christian organizations are accomplishing things in the Madison community that other organizations can not do because they lack the spiritual component. Haumersen identified the Justified Anger campaign of pastor Alex Gee as one example. “Imagine the impact of the faith community in Madison ten years from now,” he said, in conclusion.