The NOW District Catalyst Grant will once again fund some innovative and enriching ministry projects in 2026. This year’s recipients truly embrace the concept of building ministry bridges by feeding the hungry, launching a comfort dog program, and expanding educational options for middle school students in the community.
As District President Mike Von Behren noted about this year’s recipients: “‘Comfort, comfort my people, says your God’ (Isaiah 40:1), and comfort dogs have given congregations in the NOW District new opportunities to speak to people about the comfort that only Christ can give. ‘Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 3:18) says God’s Word, and our expanding educational ministries connect families in the community to that growth in Jesus. ‘You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing’ (Psalm 145:16) prays the Psalmist, and community food care programs through our congregations are one way God does this. 2026 Catalyst Grants from the NOW District are providing God’s people that extra impetus to implement vital new connections, like these, with the unchurched community surrounding them in the name of Jesus.”
The Catalyst Grant exists to help congregations and ministries do something new — projects that reach people not connected to a church community and build bridges into corners of the Northwest that aren’t currently being served. The grant is designed as a catalyst, not a crutch: funded projects are expected to have a plan for sustainability after the cycle ends, and grantees are encouraged to “pay it forward” by blessing other ministries or returning funds to the Kingdom Fund over time. More than $1 million has been distributed since the program launched in 2014.
The grant favors momentum projects — those where a congregation has already secured outside funding (“skin in the game”). It won’t cover ongoing operations, staff salaries, or programs that have simply run out of other money. The idea is to come alongside ministries that are ready to grow, instead of propping up what already exists. Rooted in the Northwest District’s mission to “reach the lost, disciple the saved, and be essential participants and witnesses in their communities,” the Catalyst Grant is ultimately about multiplying Gospel impact across the region — one congregation, one new ministry at a time.
The application process is simple (click here for complete details!). Letters of Inquiry are due each year on Feb. 1.
Meet the 2026 recipients:
Christ the King Lutheran Church – Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
At Christ the King Lutheran Church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 40 volunteers work to feed the hungry by putting in more than 100 hours of their time every week. Each month, the congregation distributes approximately 250 food boxes to families in need, serves around 80 lunches weekly, and shares fresh produce and bread with neighbors facing food insecurity. And with support from a Catalyst Grant, Christ the King is taking the next step: constructing a new storage addition that will allow the ministry to safely store more food and serve even more families — all while the congregation provides the volunteer labor itself. “Our aim is not only to provide daily bread,” writes Pastor Dan Deuel, “but also to share the hope found in the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.”
Friendship Celebration Lutheran Church – Meridian, Idaho
Comfort dogs are a special kind of ministry… one that can reach the community in ways that regular people often can’t. Now, Friendship Celebration Lutheran Church in Meridian, Idaho, has received a 2026 Catalyst Grant to bring that ministry to the Treasure Valley and beyond. Comfort dogs are highly trained working animals placed through Lutheran Church Charities, deployed to schools, hospitals, homes, and communities in crisis. They offer compassion and healing through their simple presence and furry faces. With no comfort dog currently serving the Boise area — and a region stretching from Montana and Wyoming to Utah and Oregon in need — Friendship Celebration is ready to step up. And they hope other circuit congregations will join as partners in the effort.
Immanuel Lutheran Church and School – Twin Falls, Idaho
For 80 years, Immanuel Lutheran Church and School in Twin Falls, Idaho, has been educating children in the Magic Valley, and they are ready to launch the next chapter. With help from a Catalyst Grant, Immanuel will be able to expand beyond its current pre-k through 5th grade program by adding 6th, 7th, and 8th grade over the next three years. The vision is rooted in a simple reality: families who have grown to love Immanuel’s unique blend of a family atmosphere, Christian love, and high academic expectations want their children to stay. The addition of middle school grades would reach students at a critical point in their faith formation. Year-one projections show 15 new students, a net budget surplus, and startup costs supported in part by a newly secured endowment from the Martens Family Foundation. The mission, as Principal Angie Olson frames it, has always been the same: “to be in partnership, so children flourish to their fullest potential in Christ’s love.”