Financial Health Initiative Begins Second Cohort with Expanded Participation

The Office of Pastoral Life of the Orthodox Church in America has launched the second cohort of the Financial Health Initiative, a program designed to support the financial well-being and stability of its clergy households.

Cohort 2 began June 1, 2026, with 36 clergy households participating from across the Orthodox Church in America. Forty-five households applied for the second cohort, exceeding the program’s original capacity of 30 households. Additional fundraising allowed the Office of Pastoral Life to expand the cohort and welcome six more households, while nine households remain on the wait list.

The Financial Health Initiative, or FHI, is part of the broader work of the Office of Pastoral Life to strengthen and support clergy and their families. Through the program, participating clergy households receive structured financial education, budgeting tools, access to financial coaching, and a $5,000 incentive grant. The program is intended to help clergy households develop stronger financial practices, increase clarity around household finances, and take practical steps toward long-term financial stability.

“Clergy households carry real responsibilities, both in the…