Covenant Agencies

Through its governance structure and consistent with its Faith Heritage Statement, the Board of Directors of Heifer International has recognized eight faith-based groups as Covenant Agencies of the organization. These Covenant Agencies (a) subscribe to the purpose and objectives of the organization; (b) support and promote the programs of Heifer; and (c) participate in and financially support the organization's programs.

On a rotating basis, five of these eight Covenant Agency denominations hold a Heifer International board of director position.

Heifer Covenant Agency Members:

Church of the Brethren has a deep connection to Heifer International. Heifer’s Faith Heritage Statement acknowledges Heifer founder Dan West, a Church of the Brethren relief worker, whose vision of a worldwide program to end hunger and poverty was born of his Christian faith but who understood that to serve God, we serve all our brothers and sisters. The Church of the Brethren holds a permanent seat on Heifer’s Board of Directors.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is the humanitarian relief and development arm of the United Methodist Church. UMCOR works to end hunger and poverty around the world through awareness, advocacy and action. UMCOR specializes in solutions that help people become self-reliant. Specific global development programs address issues of sustainable agriculture, Fair Trade, nutrition, food sovereignty, hunger, poverty and others.

Wider Church Ministries is one of four covenanted Ministries in the United Church of Christ. Wider Church Ministries supports congregations in developing relationships with a wider church that is global, multiracial, multicultural, open, affirming and accessible to all. Heifer International is supported through its One Great Hour of Sharing, the refugee, relief and development offering of the UCC which transforms lives through health, education, agricultural, and emergency relief initiatives in 138 countries.

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) supports Heifer through its Week of Compassion – the relief, refugee and development mission fund of the Christian Church in the United States and Canada. The Week of Compassion seeks to alleviate suffering through disaster response, humanitarian aid, sustainable development and the promotion of mission opportunities.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) through its missionaries, companion churches and partner agencies, works every day to proclaim the love of God and make the world a better place to live across the globe. Through relief, development, education and advocacy, ELCA works to support people who live with chronic hunger and poverty around the corner and around the world.

Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP) intends to be a catalyst of collective action in support of God’s vision of the beloved community where all people have sufficient healthy and culturally appropriate food. We help connect Presbyterians to people living in impoverished communities, in the U.S. and overseas, to spark understanding about the root causes of hunger and to inspire solidarity and action alongside those most affected. While immediate and direct aid is an important part of our work, hunger will always recur unless its underlying causes are addressed. We have learned from our partners that community organizing, agroecological farming and sustainable development, corporate responsibility and beneficial public policies are essential elements for creating prosperity everywhere, from small rural hamlets to neglected urban neighborhoods. PHP encourages individuals, church groups and institutions to evaluate their own needs and develop new ways of caring for and sharing the abundance of God's Creation.

National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC)'s mission is to apply the teachings of Jesus Christ for the social, economic, and spiritual development of rural America with responsibility for the care of God's creation. By providing spiritual, educational and advocacy assistance, NCRLC helps rural people shape their futures and lead lives of dignity. The NCRLC believes that we can all fight hunger by making smarter investments in sustainable agriculture and that we must do more to enable poor communities to access the resources they need to grow and secure their own food.

Episcopal Relief & Development works in partnership with the worldwide Anglican Church, ecumenical agencies, and local organizations to saves lives and strengthen communities around the world. ERD alleviates hunger, ensuring that people have enough nutritious food that is available and affordable by offering seeds, tools and training to improve crops, add nutritional value and increase total food production; by giving families and communities healthy animals to provide an ongoing source of nutrition; by teaching environmentally sound farming practices that sustain the productivity of the land, and by providing food to those experiencing chronic food shortages.