Jan 13, 2026
Wesleyan Impact Partners Receives $5.0 Million Grant from Lilly Endowment
Wesleyan Impact Partners has received a $5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life 2025.
News & Stories
Investing in the New Wesleyan Ecosystem
Wesleyan Impact Partners invests in churches, ministries, and spiritual entrepreneurs, partnering in a Spirit-led movement to bring about human flourishing grounded in love, generosity, and belonging.
News
Jan 8, 2026
Wesleyan Impact Partners Announces 2026 Locke Innovative Leader Award Honorees Boldly Transforming Communities
Recipients of the Locke Innovative Leader Award embody creative, courageous leadership expressed through practices that expand the church’s capacity for renewal, resilience, and justice. Their ministries show how congregations, communities, and leaders can work together as a living, interconnected ecosystem for transformation.
Sep 17, 2025
Wesleyan Impact Partners Names Rich Coffey As Director of Impact Growth
Wesleyan Impact Partners announces Rich Coffey as director of investor relations and impact growth. With over 20 years of experience in organizational growth, business strategy, operations, and financial management, Coffey will advance Wesleyan Impact Partners’ vision of empowering the church’s mission through a cycle of generosity.
May 8, 2025
Wesleyan Impact Partners Grows Lending Team
Throughout his career, Perry has used his expertise in multiple financial products and services to provide comprehensive lending strategies to help organizations achieve their financial goals.
Jan 30, 2025
Wesleyan Impact Partners Names Rev. Dr. Aleze M. Fulbright and Rev. William H. Lamar, IV as Board Members
New board members bring a rich tapestry of experience and perspective to deepen the positive impact of Wesleyan Impact Partners on the churches, nonprofits, and communities it serves.
Nov 19, 2024
Wesleyan Impact Partners Announces Rev. Alicia Forde as Director of Formation
Wesleyan Impact Partners announces the addition of Rev. Alicia Forde, a nationally recognized church leader who will inspire clergy and laity across the Wesleyan ecosystem.
Nov 19, 2024
Wesleyan Impact Partners Announces Bishop Gregory Palmer as Senior Advisor
Bishop Palmer will work closely with Rev. Lisa Greenwood, president and chief executive officer, and the executive team to shape initiatives to establish and deepen relationships with leaders and ministries across the Wesleyan ecosystem.
Sep 12, 2024
Wesleyan Impact Partners Names Kean Tonetti as Director of Gift Planning
Kean Tonetti has been named director of gift planning at Wesleyan Impact Partners. She has nearly 20 years of experience in charitable giving, estate planning, and nonprofit consulting that will support Wesleyan Impact Partners’ mission to empower churches, foundations, and nonprofit ministries now and into the future.
Jul 10, 2024
Wesleyan Impact Partners Announces the Selection of 19 Phygital Preaching Fellows
Wesleyan Impact Partners announces the selection and launch of its Phygital Preaching Fellows Initiative. Nineteen leaders will explore and experiment with technologies to discover new delivery systems for the Gospel as the church lives into the phygital (physical + digital) public square. The cohort of Phygital Fellows will share and showcase their learnings broadly, igniting imagination across the church for what God can do in and through digital spaces.
Apr 9, 2024
Wesleyan Impact Partners 2023 Impact Report
On behalf of the entire Wesleyan Impact Partners team, we’d like to thank you for partnering with us and share the impact we had in 2023 as we work together to embolden the church and its leaders to nurture thriving congregations and flourishing communities across the country.
Jan 23, 2024
Wesleyan Impact Partners Announces 2024 Locke Innovative Leader Award Honorees
Wesleyan Impact Partners, a national nonprofit dedicated to investing in growing the church's impact and nourishing the communities it serves, announces its 2024 Locke Innovative Leader Award honorees. These five spiritual innovators are creating new ways to transform lives and neighborhoods through asset-based community development, creative partnerships, social entrepreneurship, and capacity building.
Jan 17, 2024
Wesleyan Impact Partners Adds Four Nationally Recognized Community Changemakers from Across the Spiritual Landscape to its Board
Wesleyan Impact Partners announces the addition of four new members to its board of directors. Each member has a wealth of experience and diverse perspectives to guide our work. Wesleyan Impact Partners has a 55-year history as a trusted investment and loan partner growing churches and ministries and helps build thriving congregations and flourishing communities across the United States.
Jan 9, 2024
Wesleyan Impact Partners Expands Lending Team to Meet the Growing Needs of Churches and Nonprofit Ministries
Sep 27, 2023
Wesleyan Impact Partners Expands Its Learning and Innovation Group with the Addition of Two Nationally Recognized Methodist Leaders
Mar 1, 2023
Wesleyan Impact Partners Announces 2023 Locke Innovative Leader Award Recipients
Four Exceptional Leaders Committed to Innovative Ministries to be Honored in a Live Stream Event April 30
Mar 29, 2022
Wesleyan Impact Partners Awards $200,000 to Spiritual Entrepreneurs
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wesleyan Impact Partners is honored to announce the recipients of its 2022 class of the Tom Locke Innovative Leader Award. Working in fields as diverse as racial reconciliation, domestic violence, faith-based social entrepreneurship, and community building, they are explorers and pioneers at the cutting edge of spiritual entrepreneurship. Through this award, Wesleyan Impact Partners recognizes leaders who exemplify innovative spiritual leadership and missionally driven entrepreneurship across the Wesleyan ecosystem of the spiritual landscape for the sake of reaching more people and moving closer to the world God intends.
Apr 14, 2021
Wesleyan Impact Partners Announces Inaugural Tom Locke Innovative Leader Award Honoring Pioneers in Spiritual Entrepreneurship and Courageous Christian Ministry
Wesleyan Impact Partners, formerly the United Methodist Development Fund, is pleased to announce the honorees of its inaugural Tom Locke Innovative Leader Award. This award recognizes five individuals from across the country who exemplify innovative spiritual leadership and missionally driven entrepreneurship.