We Raise Foundation, in Partnership with Siebert Lutheran Foundation, Awards $300,000 Grant for Career Readiness and Community Revitalization Initiative
We Raise Foundation, in Partnership with Siebert Lutheran Foundation, Awards $300,000 Grant for Career Readiness and Community Revitalization Initiative
Itasca, IL—We Raise Foundation and Siebert Lutheran Foundation have jointly awarded a $300,000 grant to Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, Wis., to support its innovative “Nehemiah 2.0” program. The initiative blends faith-based education with hands-on workforce development, introducing students to real-world career paths in the trades and real estate, while laying the foundation for future homeownership.
The funding will support the salary and benefits of the Nehemiah 2.0 program director over a three-year period, enabling the program to scale its reach and deepen its impact. By May 2028, Kingdom Prep aims to have successfully renovated and sold or rented at least three homes in the Milwaukee area and engaged over 100 students in the process.
“We Raise is thrilled to join our friends at Siebert Lutheran Foundation in making this $300,000 investment in Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School,” said Paul Miles, President and CEO of We Raise Foundation. “The young men at Kingdom Prep are truly remarkable, and they are being shaped by a team of leaders deeply committed to their growth. We are humbled to contribute to their journey. Kevin Festerling and his team embody the heart of Christian leadership—nurturing the whole person, not just academic performance, though that too is valued. The Nehemiah 2.0 project is about building strong pathways to a flourishing future, unlocking the God-given potential within each student. We look forward to witnessing and celebrating their success for years to come.”
“We’re honored to support Kingdom Prep’s innovative approach that blends faith-based education, career training, and community impact,” said Charlotte John-Gomez, President and CEO of Siebert Lutheran Foundation. “This partnership with We Raise Foundation reflects our shared commitment to equipping the next generation and shows how aligning resources can expand our collective reach. We hope this kind of collaboration inspires others to join in multiplying impact and drive lasting change for students and the community.”
Nehemiah 2.0 builds on Kingdom Prep’s existing Biblical approach to learning and leadership, adding career-focused training that promotes social responsibility, community revitalization, and long-term stability for students. Participants gain exposure to trades such as carpentry, electrical work, and plumbing, as well as to real estate management and finance. Students will also benefit from mentorship by local industry professionals and apply classroom concepts through hands-on experience in home renovation.
Over time, the program aims to become financially self-sustaining through revenue generated from rental income and home sales. Kingdom Prep plans to expand its network of partners to include other active players in the housing space, including nonprofits, corporations, and government agencies.
In addition to the grant award, We Raise will also provide Kingdom Prep with critical capacity-building services, including a resource development assessment, an incentivized crowdfunding campaign, and research, to help strengthen and sustain its program. 
About Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School
Founded in 2018, Kingdom Prep is an all-boys Lutheran high school with a mission to serve Milwaukee families seeking a path out of intergenerational poverty and violence. With a current enrollment of 174 students—100% of whom participate in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and 99% of whom are students of color—Kingdom Prep focuses on “teaching life, not just academics” through a Biblical lens. Learn more at kplhs.org.
About We Raise Foundation
Motivated by the belief that freedom is grace in action (Galatians 5:1a), We Raise Foundation funds innovative ideas and leaders that help individuals and communities thrive. We have a preference for funding solutions within the areas of education, workforce development, and reentry, and employ a unique approach to our investing by coupling program funding with a variety of robust value-added services that empower our grantees to grow their solutions. As a result of these value-added services, every $1 that donors invest through We Raise multiplies into more than double the benefit to the organizations we support. Learn more at weraise.org.
About Siebert Lutheran Foundation
Siebert Lutheran Foundation maximizes collaboration, relationships, and funding to strengthen and grow organizations in the Lutheran Christian community that share the Gospel, educate children and youth, and serve the needs of its neighbors. The foundation was established as a trust in 1952 by the late Albert F. Siebert, founder of the Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation. The trust was created to enable Mr. Siebert’s entire interest in the company to be left to “advance the Lutheran church” after his death. The Foundation has granted $156.7 million within Siebert’s funding priorities in Wisconsin since 1976. Learn more at siebertfoundation.org.
