$30,000 / 2011
Minneapolis, MN
Doran Schrantz, Executive Director
Website: www.isaiah-mn.org
ISAIAH is a network of congregations from various faith traditions working in the Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Rochester and Saint Cloud regions to promote racial and economic justice through intentional, intensive leadership development and collective, faith-based actions with the goal of effecting systemic change. ISAIAH’s 100 member churches include urban, suburban and rural congregations, drawn from different Christian denominations and mosques. Some of the churches have a predominantly white middle-class congregation; others are almost exclusively African-American; still others have Spanish-speaking Latino ministries; and many are multi-racial. ISAIAH has close ties to community groups in the Hmong and First Nations communities and its membership brings together the wide range of Minnesota’s increasingly diverse population. The congregations all work to ensure that all people, regardless of class, race, ethnicity or religion, are involved in creating the region’s future and benefit from the region’s growth. A $30,000 core grant in 2011 will support ISAIAH to build out its racial justice and education reform work to close the racial achievement gap and to hold the Minnesota Department of Education accountable to pursuing racial equity outcomes.