About
The Grant
The PAW's concept paper, entitled: “The Vibrancy of Black Pentecostal Faith in the Face of Economic, Social, and Racial Disparities” was one of 49 chosen from over 1,100 applicants in 2025. The PAW received $5 million to implement the project in the United States over 5 years.
The project proposes an information campaign that includes producing high-quality stories from the testimonies shared by PAW affiliates. Those stories will be shared digitally and through other media formats. There will also be some limited outreach events with churches/Councils, and we will create resources to educate others about our faith (e.g., website, app, other materials).
First Assistant Presiding Bishop Mark Tolbert is the project lead.
For more project details, visit About the Project.
National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life
The aim of Lilly Endowment’s National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life is to help organizations identify, produce and share with a wide variety of audiences compelling stories that portray the vibrancy and hope of Christian faith and life.
Since 2024, 60 organizations from across the United States that have received grants through the initiative. The groups include media organizations, denominational judicatories, church networks, publishers, educational institutions, congregations and other nonprofit charitable organizations.
See Lilly Endowment Inc's official news release.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location.
In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A primary aim of its grantmaking in religion is to deepen the religious lives of Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance congregational vitality and strengthen the leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment values the broad diversity of Christian traditions and endeavors to support them in a wide variety of contexts.
The Endowment also seeks to foster public understanding about religion by encouraging fair, accurate and balanced portrayals of the positive and negative effects of religion on the world and lifting up the contributions that people of all faiths make to our greater civic well-being.