Invested Faith Fellowship

Invested Faith is a fund for faith-rooted social innovators founded by Rev. Dr. Amy K. Butler in 2019. The organization serves as a bridge between traditional churches and social innovators who are creating new expressions of faith and community in response to declining church attendance and the need for a new model of philanthropy.

What They Fund

The Fellowship supports faith-rooted social entrepreneurs working to address systemic issues of injustice in their communities while building sustainable financial models. Fellows work across diverse sectors including:

• Affordable housing and community development
• Food security and agriculture
• Education and youth development
• Economic empowerment and financial literacy
• Healthcare access and wellness
• Social justice and equity work
• Arts and cultural initiatives
• Environmental sustainability

Fellowship Components

• Unrestricted grant: $5,000
• Community storytelling: Invitation to tell their story through the Invested Faith community and website
• Peer support network: Opportunity to join the Invested Faith RESOURCED program, a peer support network of Fellows across the U.S.

Geographic Scope

Fellows are working in 24+ states plus the District of Columbia (as of 2025)

Fellowship History

• First class awarded: July 2021
• Total Fellows awarded (as of April 2025): 72 across 15 classes
• Classes awarded: Fellowships awarded in July 2021, and classes announced in January 2022, July 2023, August 2023, November 2023, January 2024, February 2024, May 2024, October 2024, January 2025, February 2025, and April 2025

Eligibility

• Faith-rooted social entrepreneurs
• Creating new expressions of faith and community
• Building sustainable financial models
• Addressing systemic injustice

About the Founder

Rev. Dr. Amy K. Butler - Founder and Visionary

• Previously served as the seventh Senior Minister and first woman at the helm of The Riverside Church in the City of New York (5 years)
• Former Director of a homeless shelter for women in New Orleans, Louisiana
• Former Associate Pastor at St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans
• Former Senior Minister of Calvary Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.
• Holds degrees from Baylor University, the International Baptist Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary
• Mission: Build courageous communities of people who live with tenacious love to change the world