The KIT Project + BOLT: A Win-Win Partnership

A Win-Win Partnership for the Keep It Together Project

We’re so excited to announce our FIRST Institutional Partnership! The Board of Local Trustees (BOLT) of the National City Christian Church in Washington, DC, a Disciples of Christ church, offered to partner with Invested Faith to add to the Invested Faith funding for the KIT project.

It’s a story where everyone wins.

In January of 2022, Invested Faith awarded teacher Managerrie Winston a $5000 unrestricted grant as an Invested Faith Fellow. Winston, a high school teacher in Houston, TX with seven years of experience in Title I Schools, had noticed a lack of diversity and cultural relevance in the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum offered to students.

“Social emotional learning is a concept that has been around in the schooling system for a while. It offers tools for students to deal with stress, manage their emotions and make responsible decisions,” said Winston. However, her Black and brown students were struggling to connect with much of the material. Winston adapted traditional SEL techniques and created the KIT (Keep It Together) Project which offers SEL curriculum centered on Black and brown experiences to schools and youth programs.

The KIT project begins with the five core competencies of SEL: self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, social awareness, and relationship skills, but also includes units on spirituality and dealing with racism. The new curriculum offers examples and images relevant to the lives of Black and brown students coping with violence, discrimination, loss and other difficulties. 

Winston piloted her project in a Disciples of Christ Church school, First Christian Houston, in Houston TX and participated in a social entrepreneur cohort through NBA Cares, the National Benevolent Association of the Disciples of Christ church. 

After learning about Winston’s project, The Board of Local Trustees for the National City Christian Church in Washington, DC, a Disciples of Christ church, offered to join the work of Invested Faith as an institutional partner.

The Board of Local Trustees (BOLT) is a largely independent offshoot of National City Christian Church and oversees the distribution of two endowments. BOLT mission funding focuses on educational projects or on local community needs and DC projects.

“I’m excited that we’re able to connect with Managerrie because it’s such a great program and we were able to find a connection into a different region,” said BOLT treasurer Gentry Alexander. 

Many faith institutions are wondering where to place their resources so they directly support the work of spiritual entrepreneurs.  If your church is closing and wants to leave a legacy, or if your church is trying to think outside the box about how to invest funds for maximum impact, consider a conversation with Invested Faith.

We love partnerships where everybody wins!