The Hispanic House of Studies at Duke Divinity School has received a $1.4 million grant from The Duke Endowment to fund programs that reach Hispanic and Latino communities.

The mission of the Hispanic House is to assist Duke Divinity School and the North Carolina and Western North Carolina Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church in supporting and strengthening ministries to and with Hispanics and Latinos in the state.

The Endowment grant will be used to expand the work of the Hispanic House of Studies and create a more unified vision among different constituents that reach Hispanic and Latino communities. The grant will help fund the ongoing work of forming leaders for Hispanic/Latino ministry, creating spaces for dialogue, training, and spiritual formation; identifying best practices for Hispanic/Latino ministry; and creating dialogue among the Divinity School, The Duke Endowment, the two United Methodist conferences, and other national entities on finding ways to increase their impact through collaborative initiatives.

“The Hispanic House of Studies seeks to be not just a program, but a resource center that will facilitate and grow a movement of people with a vision of the kind of leaders that the 21st century Church needs—leaders who are able to bring together peoples from different cultures, languages, and theological understandings for the glory of God,” said Ismael Ruiz-Millan, director of the Hispanic House.

Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed more than $3 billion in grants.