Blog
Stories, ideas, and research from the people and congregations we work with.
Video: How to Unlock Church Land for Community Good
Mark Elsdon shares Fieldworks research at Notre Dame on getting more funding, faster, to churches developing land for community good.
Pittsburgh Church Wins 2025 Good Futures Neighbor Award
Second United Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh wins $5,000 to open a neighborhood café offering job training, connection and community space.
How to End Well: A Guide for Churches Facing an Ending
A guide to help churches close a program, building or congregation with care, honoring the past and making room for what's next.
Fieldworks Design Sprint Report: Moving Money to Develop Church Land
A visual report from a 2025 design sprint where 60 leaders designed ways to fund church land development for community good.
Fieldworks Research Report: Unlocking the Potential of Church Property
What 95 leaders told us about the barriers and solutions for turning church land into housing, child care and community space.
How to Partner Well: A Guide for Congregations
A guide to help congregations find, design and sustain partnerships with other organizations that strengthen their mission.
How to Sell Well: A Guide for Churches Selling Their Property
A guide to help congregations decide whether and how to sell church property, and leave a positive legacy when they do.
How to Develop Well: A Guide for Churches Working with a Developer
A guide to help churches get clear on their goals and build a fair, effective partnership with a property developer.
How to Rent Well: A Guide for Churches Renting Out Space
A guide to help churches rent out space in a way that serves their mission and actually brings in more money than it costs.
Podcast: Mark Elsdon on RootedGood and Pres House
On the Give Back Economy Show, Mark Elsdon talks about his work with RootedGood and Pres House in Madison, Wisconsin.
Podcast: Mark Elsdon on Why Churches Aren't Broke
On the Spiritual Capital podcast, Mark Elsdon explains how church land and buildings can be resources for mission, not burdens.
Article: How Pres House Brought New Life to a Campus Ministry
How Mark Elsdon and his team turned a dormant campus ministry into one that brings in more than $2 million a year.
Article: How One Campus Ministry Funds Itself Through Student Housing
Religion News Service on how Pres House combined church property, impact investment and mission to build a sustainable ministry.