FSM Philanthropy: 2019–2023

Philanthropy 2019–2023

Between 2019 and 2023, FSM undertook significant changes to how it approached philanthropy. It shifted from traditional grantmaking to a trust-based, relational model—one that prioritizes relationship over transaction, centers the wisdom of those most affected by injustice, and removes unnecessary burdens from grantee partners. Grant program management was brought in-house, with a fully dedicated two-person team overseeing all aspects of the program.

Grantmaking during this period was concentrated in three key issue areas:
– Catholic action on climate globally
– Environmental justice in the Midwest
– Local sustainable food systems
The approach also became increasingly place-based, with a significant shift in funding to
organizations in the St. Louis area, and to a lesser extent, other Midwest-based efforts.

Examples of Grantee Work (2019–2023)

During this period, FSM made 150 grants to 49 different organizations, many of them multi-year commitments. These grants supported a wide array of efforts—local and global, grassroots and institutional—all aligned with FSM’s mission of care for creation and commitment to justice. Below are six representative examples that reflect the diversity, depth, and geographic range of the partnerships nurtured during these years:

Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU), St. Louis

FSM supported MCU’s launch of a full-time Environmental Justice Organizer position, which activated local congregations—Catholic and Protestant alike—to engage in environmental justice. Efforts included distributing masks during the pandemic, leading education events, and helping North St. Louis congregations monitor air quality and energy use in their neighborhoods.

Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO), Chicago

LVEJO played a pivotal role in launching Illinois’ Solar for All program, securing renewable energy and job training for marginalized communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they partnered with the Chicago EJ Network to launch an emergency fund for rapid community relief, and later led community organizing after an industrial smokestack implosion endangered public health.

HOSCO Shift, North St. Louis

With FSM’s long-term support, HOSCO Shift opened the North Sarah Food Cooperative just as the pandemic began. The space became a vital food distribution hub, delivering 140,000 meals and 300 tons of produce by fall 2020. It also supported local chefs and launched an online grocery platform serving low-income neighborhoods.

Centreville Citizens for Change, Metro East Illinois

FSM supported advocacy efforts of residents in Centreville, Illinois, who for decades endured severe sewage and floodwater issues. Through partnership with legal services and direct gifts like water pumps, FSM enabled both immediate relief and long-term systemic advocacy for infrastructure change.

Dutchtown South Community Corporation, (DSCC), St. Louis

FSM supported DSCC’s efforts to organize for tenant rights, distribute COVID-19 relief, and spotlight environmental racism in South St. Louis. DSCC was a key local partner in the release and community engagement around the Environmental Racism in St. Louis report, which identified environmental burdens disproportionately placed on Black residents.

Chicago Frontline Funding Initiative, (CFFI)

Launched in collaboration with LVEJO and the Regeneration Fund, this initiative supports grassroots environmental justice leaders in Chicago. Through a cohort model, leaders received capacity-building support, peer learning opportunities, and access to additional funders. FSM helped catalyze this effort to strengthen movement infrastructure from the ground up.

Building a Just Culture

As FSM’s philanthropic practice matured during this period, a core priority emerged: supporting the health and sustainability of those doing the work. The Franciscan Sisters of Mary began to intentionally explore what it means to foster a Just Culture—one where nonprofit workers are valued not only for their outcomes but for their humanity, wellbeing, and right to thrive.

This commitment was born from firsthand listening. Grantee partners consistently described the heavy burdens they carry: low pay, long hours, insufficient benefits, staff burnout, and even unsafe or unjust workplace environments. Especially for grassroots environmental justice organizations—many led by women and people of color—these pressures are compounded by systemic racism, disinvestment, and political marginalization.

To respond, FSM launched a multi-year effort to understand and support internal workplace
wellbeing in the organizations it funds. With guidance from consultant Jumana Vasi and the leadership of FSM’s philanthropy team, the Just Culture Project engaged grantees in confidential interviews, conducted surveys, and initiated pilot grantmaking dedicated solely to strengthening internal culture.

FSM defines Just Culture as:
“An organizational culture where all nonprofit workers have access to fair compensation and benefits, pathways for shared decision making, opportunities to grow professionally, and the ability to work in a safe, welcoming, and healthy environment.”

Over 2019 and 2020, FSM offered a pilot round of Just Culture grants—typically $10,000 per organization—to support leadership coaching, HR policy development, mental health care, racial equity training, and other self-identified priorities. These were intentionally non-competitive, with the aim of building trust and removing burdens from already overstretched teams.

Grantees described the process as “genuine dialogue” rather than traditional reporting. The
initiative allowed staff to name the internal changes they needed and gave them space to pursue long-neglected organizational health goals. The experience also revealed the importance of funders distinguishing Just Culture support from project funding or general operations. It must be additive, not a substitute.

In 2021, FSM shared its learning publicly through a report and companion media, inviting other funders to invest in the wellbeing of climate and environmental justice leaders. The materials included case studies, interviews, and toolkits to support a broader movement toward more just and healing-centered organizational practices.

FSM continued to make Just Culture grants through 2023, affirming that care for people is
inseparable from care for creation.