Katie’s Fund

Thank you for your gifts to Katie’s Fund!

As of June 11, 2026, the 2122: A campaign to raise $1 million for Katie’s Fund met its goal of $1,000,000 in gifts and pledges!

Named for Katharina von Bora Luther, the wife of Martin Luther, our two endowments offer you ways to make long-term or immediate impact on Women of the ELCA.

Katie’s Fund: Legacy is dedicated to the long-term future of our mission, creating a permanent source of support for leadership development, living theology, and global connections.

Katie’s Fund: Current allows us to invest in innovative programs, strategic priorities, and new opportunities that strengthen our mission and expand our impact.

How to donate

The easiest way to donate as an individual to Katie’s Fund is to go to welca.org/donate to make an online gift, selecting Katie’s Fund: Legacy or Katie’s Fund: Current in the drop-down designation list;

You can also send a check made payable to Women of the ELCA to Women of the ELCA, ELCA Gift Processing Center, PO Box 1809, Merrifield VA 22116-8009. Note “Katie’s Fund: Legacy WOG0206” or “Katie’s Fund: Current WOG0500 in the memo line.

Katie’s Fund Grants play a vital role for new and growing Lutheran ministries

Unnamed no more

Katie’s Grant through WELCA is playing a vital role for a new and growing Lutheran ministry. Unnamed No More is a trauma-informed Safe Church Ministry engaging faith communities in faithful conversation and response to gender-based violence.

Many congregations lack the structure to follow through with the recommendations outlined in the ELCA’s social message on Child Protection. Unnamed No More steps into that gap. Bishop Curry has named Unnamed No More as a national resource for synods, clergy, and congregations. Because of the support of Katie’s Grant, this ministry is now offered on a sliding scale, ensuring that no congregation is turned away due to financial limitations.

Community Coat Closet

A $1,000 grant to the Community Coat Closet run out of Redeemer Church in Benson, MN helped the church collect and distributed 158 coats, 67 pairs of snowbands, 47 pairs of boots, 245 hats, 7 head bands, 102 pairs of gloves and mittens, 93 scarves, 197 pairs of underwear, 347 pairs of socks, 28 youth bras, 20 tshirts, and 3 sweatshirts to children

A trip to the Holy Land

A Katie’s Fund grant helped SAM Jill Duis attend a trip to the Holy Land.

Katie’s Fund Grants

Katie’s Fund Grants are allocated to support programs, resources, and opportunities in the areas named when the Fund was first begun. These grants in the amount of $500-$5,000 are designed to support project resources, and opportunities in the areas of leadership development, global sharing and living theology. Learn more and see how you and your congregation can make a difference in the church, society and world through a grant from Katie’s Fund!

Apply for a Katie’s Fund Grant

Inspire others to give with Katie's Fund Skits

“Katie wants you . . . To donate to the Katie’s Fund Campaign!”

Want to raise money for Katie’s Fund in your group?

Download this script

Want to teach others about Katie Luther? Download this script, and please make a donation to Katie’s Fund in exchange for the rights to this Skit.

Teach others about Katie Luther

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Synodical Women's Organizations receive $1,000 seed grants through Katie's Fund

Northern Great Lakes

The Katie’s Fund grant to the Northern Great Lakes Synodical Women’s Organization (SWO) supported ministries in two ways. The SWO gave the Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force a portion of the grant, directing it to victim support. The SWO used the remaining portion to fund scholarships for first-time attendees to its synodical convention/retreat in October 2023. Might Northwestern Ohio and Northern Great Lakes work together to expand their anti-trafficking work? Other SWOs can help, like Northwestern Pennsylvania, for example. Read more.

Southeastern Minnesota

The women in the Southeastern Minnesota Synodical Women’s Organization (SWO) chose to use the seed grant for ministries within the synod’s two companion synods. A portion went to the Women’s Department of the Central Diocese Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania to fund a seminar for 26 women leaders from the 11 districts of the Central Diocese. The seminar focused on leadership, homosexuality and the importance of taking care of families. A portion of the grant funded a weekend retreat for women pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO). During each event the women recorded video greetings that were shared at the SWO convention in September. Read more.

northwest Synod of Wisconsin

To foster global connections, the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin Synodical Women’s Organization (SWO) used a portion of its grant to support the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi, its companion synod, in their goal of supplying as many villages as possible with their own well. With another portion of the grant, the SWO chose to give subscriptions to WELCA’s Gather magazine to women in our synod. Ten subscriptions were given, with eight going to new subscribers and two as renewal subscriptions. The final portion of our money funded five scholarships to a conference-sponsored retreat, open to the entire SWO. Three of the scholarships were awarded to returning attendees and two went to those attending for the very first time. Read more.

Katie's Fund through the years

Here are some projects supported by Katie’s Fund in recent years:

Providing documentaries to ELCA resource centers
A workshop about bullying and outreach to youth leaders at the ELCA Youth Gathering
Enabling two young adult women to participate in the 25th Anniversary Liberia Tour.
Tanzania journey to promote fair trade coffee challenge
Young Women’s Leadership Event at United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
Words Matter language project, program resources of Women of the ELCA
I Believe You an Emmy-nominated documentary about domestic violence and how faith communities respond.
2018 ELCA Youth Gathering interactive exhibit to create awareness about Human Trafficking.