Following the successful launch of its philanthropic program in 2014, the Franciscan Sisters of Mary (FSM) deepened its partnership with Arabella Advisors to strengthen its grantmaking strategy and operations from 2015 through 2018. During this period, FSM refined its focus, broadened its impact, and established itself as a thoughtful and strategic environmental funder—regionally and globally.
Strategic Support from Arabella Advisors
Arabella Advisors provided comprehensive program management, including the development of grant guidelines, proposal review and due diligence, and monitoring of grantee performance. Arabella helped FSM implement its giving prioritie —clean energy, forest conservation, and sustainable agriculture—while also guiding the integration of a St. Louis-based local food strategy.
Their scope included:
– Facilitating annual grant cycles and proposal reviews
– Managing grantee relationships and site visits
– Developing evaluation plans and impact reports
– Identifying timely funding opportunities
– Convening community and philanthropic partners to increase collaboration
– Supporting communications and strategy refinement
Responsive and Core Grantmaking
FSM’s grantmaking matured into a two-track system:
– Core Grants were awarded through a formal annual process to organizations aligned with FSM’s long-term environmental priorities.
– Responsive Grants allowed FSM to act nimbly in response to emerging needs or timely opportunities that aligned with its mission.
This dual structure enabled FSM to balance strategic consistency with flexibility, responding to opportunities in advocacy, capacity-building, and grassroots mobilization.
Local Food Leadership in St. Louis
Beginning in 2016, FSM intensified its commitment to local, sustainable food systems. With Arabella’s support, FSM:
– Finalized a comprehensive local food strategy
– Convened and built partnerships with local food entrepreneurs, funders, and nonprofits
– Supported innovative local food infrastructure, such as processing hubs and shared-use kitchens
– Sponsored entrepreneurship competitions focused on food system innovation FSM’s leadership helped grow a more equitable, accessible food economy in the St. Louis region, especially in communities historically excluded from such investments.
Field-Building and Collaborative Impact
Throughout this period, FSM supported organizations that advanced environmental justice, built grassroots power, and promoted climate solutions globally. Many of these grants were structured through collaborative funds or intermediary partners that extended FSM’s reach while staying rooted in its values.
FSM’s work from 2015–2018 reflects a deliberate and evolving approach to grantmaking—guided by learning, grounded in faith, and focused on systems-level change for the health of the Earth and all who depend on it.