The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, in collaboration with the Center for Policing Equity (CPE) and Salvation and Social Justice, is hosting a virtual learning community aimed at fostering partnerships between Black faith leaders and community-organizations in order to address the public safety and health needs of Black communities.

Black churches have long filled gaps in essential community needs and often step forward in times of crisis to support and stabilize their neighborhoods. This learning community builds on the deep trust that communities place in Black churches, recognizing their important role in responding to social and public health challenges and their untapped potential to shape public safety initiatives. It offers targeted guidance for Black faith leaders and community-led organizations to overcome structural barriers, build and strengthen partnerships, assess and leverage resources, and connect with each other.

The learning community will be led by Salvation and Social Justice, a Black-led, faith-rooted social service organization, along with support from the CSG Justice Center, a national nonprofit that provides data-driven solutions for complex justice challenges, and CPE, a leader in public safety design.

Participants will:

• Get peer-to-peer support and guidance from leading experts in faith-based, community-led public health initiatives and reimagined public safety responses;
• Learn how to create effective plans to advocate for, develop, and sustain faith-centered, community-focused policies and programs; and
• Address specific challenges they are facing with the direct staff support from the CSG Justice Center, CPE, and Salvation and Social Justice.

The topics for the sessions will be tailored to meet the specific needs of the learning community participants. However, potential subjects may include best practices for cultivating stakeholders, resource and asset mapping, developing a theory of change, advocacy messaging, and communicating impact to achieve sustainability, among others.

Sessions will occur on Zoom from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET on the following dates:

• January 21, 2026
• February 18, 2026
• March 18, 2026
• April 15, 2026
• May 20, 2026

APPLY NOW.

When is the deadline?

Black faith leaders or community-led organizations currently collaborating with a Black faith organization who wish to participate should complete and submit the application—which takes approximately 10 minutes—by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 10, 2025. A staff member from the CSG Justice Center will follow up with applicants by November 18, 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact Felicia Lopez Wright at fwright@csg.org. 

Who should apply?

This learning community is designed for Black faith leaders and community-led organizations that are currently collaborating with a Black faith organization. Applicants should be motivated to build and sustain partnerships between Black churches and local community organizations with the intention of expanding programs that address community issues related to conflict, substance use, and mental health and using first response approaches that do not rely on law enforcement intervention. 

How can I apply?

Black faith leaders or community-led organizations currently collaborating with a Black faith organization should outline their community partners, describe their vision, and highlight any community assets or resources they possess that will aid in achieving future success. 

Staff from the CSG Justice Center, CPE, and Salvation and Social Justice may schedule individual 30-minute meetings with applicants to learn more about them and understand what supports and resources would be most beneficial for their participation in the learning community. Once the participants are finalized, CSG Justice Center staff will send calendar invitations, access instructions, and supporting materials for the sessions.