Darren Smith, Student
“I felt God calling me to take this challenge, to start a project with a church in the neighborhood I grew up in. We are the future!”
What if you had $10,000 to make a difference in your neighborhood?
You’ve seen the challenges in your community. You know that you have ability to help lead.
What if this was your opportunity? Your calling?
The ECHO Project gives next generation leaders the opportunity to create a community engagement project for social impact, partnered with a local church congregation.
Our mission:
empower next generation leaders
energize the church
engage the neighborhood in Jesus’ name
HOW IT WORKS
You Are Invited To Start A Two-Year Journey
Engage Your Church
Programs and grants start with a participating neighborhood church. This may be the church where you are a member, but this is not required. You may have grown up in a church, or have family or friends in the church.
Show a pastor this program and ask about participating.
No particular church? Send us a note to ask about options.
Eligible young adults are age 17-25, show initiative, faith, and maturity for ministry
Church Applies for Grant
A pastor or church leaders must fill out program application on this ECHO Project website
Five Chicago churches will be eligible in the first year
$5000 -mini grants are granted per year across two years
If awarded, you will receive an additional $1000 stipend for each year
Launch Your Community Engagement Project
Use $10,000 mini-grants to fund a two-year community engagement project for social impact—initiated and led by you!
Projects should meet a community need, for children, youth, seniors
Involve your church to support the project and engage the neighborhood
Be Mentored & Learn
Participate in 3x/month mentoring and learning sessions with ECHO Project social impact leaders. Learn community development, management, and outreach principles
At the end of your project deliver a final report about your project
Participate in learning sessions with your church to discuss outcomes, lessons learn, and make strategic plans for future growth
2025 Next Gen Leader Cohort
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Next Generation Leader
Is this you?
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Next Generation Leader
Is this you?
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Next Generation Leader
Is this you?
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Next Generation Leader
Is this you?
FAQs for Next Generation Leaders
How much money is included in the grant?
$10,000 is provided via the church to launch a community engagement program over two years.
Young leaders also receive a $1000 stipend for participating in the training and coaching sessions led by social impact leaders across the city.
What kind of projects can I create?
Social impact projects should be designed for community engagement, focused on local knowledge needs that can be met block by block. Ideas might include:
Tutoring programs for children
Medical screenings for the community
Sports or competitive events for young adults
We’re interested in seeing creative and collaborative solutions!
How old do you have to be to be eligible?
We define young adult or next-generation leaders as 17 to 25 years of age. However, we’ll work on a case by case basis to include the right youth or young adults.
What kind of help do I get?
Every next generation leader enrolled in the project will have regular connections with other project members across the city, and a team of experienced social impact leaders who will personally train and coach each project.
How do I apply?
Talk to your church! The grant program application is submitted by a pastor or church leader. If they aren’t yet aware of the program, you can show them this website and ask them to get in touch with a member of our steering committee. It’s not required that you be a member of the church.
The ECHO Project works directly with churches, but if you are a motivated young adult but don’t have a clear church partner, do please still send us a message.
