Connecting with Community for our Common Home
“Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.”
– Canticle of the Creatures St. Francis of Assisi
“We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental.”
Pope Francis’ call to complex, interconnected care networks for our interdependent world, along with a legacy of commitment to those most vulnerable has inspired Allegany Franciscan Ministries’ to invest in a long-term strategic effort focusing on our common home. The initiative was launched in 2023 to address the effect of climate change on communities of color and other historically marginalized communities and to protect people and our common home.
Our long-term goal is that everyone in our communities will have the resources, support, and opportunities necessary to thrive in the face of multiple risks, uncertainty, and threats caused by climate change. Our process is to walk alongside communities and leaders, especially BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and other affinity populations that have been strategically undervalued over time to create meaningful change.
Allegany Franciscan Ministries anticipates investing significant human, social, and financial capital in Connecting with Community for our Common Home at least through 2028. Nearly $3.7 million has been invested to date.
Save The Date! Connecting with Community for our Common Home Partner Convening May 27–29, 2026, in Orlando and Winter Park, Florida!
Explore our Connecting with Community for our Common Home (CCCH) evaluation resources below, which highlight key learnings and impact from the early years of this initiative. These two reports provide insights into progress, challenges, and opportunities for growth:
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit the Connecting with Community for our Common Home Grants Page to see what opportunities are open.
Please Note: We are unable to receive unsolicited applications at this time.
Generally, Connecting with Community for our Common Home awards are available to organizations that work with communities to educate, act, advocate for, or operate projects related to extreme heat, climate gentrification and affordable housing, or coalition building for climate justice and care for creation. We also consider projects that arise at the intersection of these topics and other environmental or social considerations. You may see our list of past funded projects as an example.
A report is required at the end of the grant period. For larger grant sizes or multi-year grants, the Organization may be required to complete one or more additional reports. Reports will either be a verbal report to be completed with the Allegany staff person overseeing the grant or a written report submitted through Allegany’s online grant portal. Reporting will include organizational updates, challenges encountered/lessons learned, and an accounting of grant funds. Reporting schedule information for your organization’s awarded grant can be found in Allegany’s online grant portal in your grant agreement.
Questions?
We look forward to hearing from you. Please contact us at climate@afmfl.org.