Mission
In response to the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ and in keeping with our Baptist heritage, Baptist Community Ministries (BCM) is committed to the development of a healthy community offering a wholesome quality of life to its residents and to improving the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the individuals we serve.

Vision
BCM is a private foundation that provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in the five-parish greater New Orleans region. BCM holds charitable assets in trust from which funds are expended in the form of grants. BCM adds value to the grantmaking process by:

     (1) Strategically identifying and funding organizations with promising    programs that address critical community needs within specific zones of interest;
     (2) Evaluating the performance of funded programs and holding grantees accountable for results; and
     (3) Directing the attention of the community to successful programs in order to influence the efficient use of other scarce charitable resources.

Values
BCM emphasizes:
     Christian life and family values
     Compassionate care
     Unconditional acceptance of those we serve
     Reverence for the dignity of each person and the cultural diversity of the community

History
BCM is one of the largest private foundations in Louisiana. As a witness to the love of Jesus Christ, the BCM Mission is to help New Orleans become and remain a healthy community with a wholesome quality of life for all people in the region through its grantmaking endeavors. BCM has special interests in health, education, public safety, and governmental oversight. A local Board of Trustees comprised entirely of volunteer community leaders governs BCM.

Beginning its service to the community 83 years ago as Southern Baptist Hospital and later as Mercy+ Baptist Medical Center, BCM redeployed its assets through the sale of its hospital facilities in 1995. One year later, BCM used income from its invested endowment to begin making grants to community nonprofit organizations. BCM carefully considers its Christian Mission when funding community programs and it remains true to the ideal of Christian service to those living in the greater New Orleans region. Since the first grant was approved in 1996, BCM has funded more than 256 programs and initiatives submitted by over 123 nonprofit organizations. Total spending for grant and grant-related programs is over $120 million since the first grant was issued in 1996. These programs provide services to people in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, and Plaquemines Parishes.

With Hurricane Katrina forever etched into its history, BCM remains steadfast to its Mission. To meet the overwhelming needs of a post-Katrina environment, strategic endeavors that target long-range goals in each of the major areas of interest are a primary BCM focus. The semi-annual transom cycles encourage unsolicited proposals from qualified, nonprofit organizations to develop new ideas and nurture inventive solutions to community problems. Challenges to the healthy functioning of any community are larger than one organization such as BCM can overcome. Therefore, BCM encourages the constant collaboration of community partners including businesses, government, grantmakers, faith-based groups, charities, and individual citizens. Programs funded by BCM often reflect themes of self-help, independence, and individual responsibility. BCM membership in regional and national organizations, such as the Southeastern Council of Foundations, also fosters ethical and informed grantmaking and provides a perspective into the grantmaking activities of other foundations.