Grant Manager, Jesuit Grants Collaborative
By Rachel Amiri
It all started during a weekday lunch rush in New Orleans in 2007.
Amy Levidis, then a recent alumna of Loyola University New Orleans, was working at her parents’ po’ boy shop, across the street from the New Orleans Province office. A customer there was challenging her decision to attend Loyola.
“He was asking, ‘Why would you go to Loyola when you could go to any other local school? That would probably be much more economical,’” she said.
“I said, ‘Loyola was right for me. It was a smaller school that gave me a personal connection with faculty. I wasn’t just another student in a large classroom. In those four years, I was challenged but also learned the importance of humanity and social justice.’” The young graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree made a courteous yet firm defense of Jesuit, liberal arts education over sandwich prep.
Little did she know that Fr. Fred Kammer, SJ, then-provincial superior of the former New Orleans Province, was finishing his meal and had heard the entire exchange.
“He said, ‘I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Our office is hiring for advancement. Give us a call,’” Levidis related. “I called him the next day, and a few weeks later, I got the job.”
Levidis has since committed her career of almost 20 years to supporting the work of the Society of Jesus. Initially part of the advancement office for the former New Orleans Province, she’s now the grants manager for the Jesuit Grants Collaborative, a social ministry of the USA Central and Southern Province.
Her personal commitment to the Jesuit mission of “faith doing justice,” drives her efforts to support Jesuit and other nonprofits.
“I’ve been so fortunate throughout my life, this is one small way that I can give back to not only my community but others throughout the country and set a great example to my kids,” she said. “That is where I feel we, as Jesuit colleagues, belong.”
The Jesuit Grants Collaborative was founded in 2005 and offers grant-writing support services to Jesuit organizations, schools and other nonprofits. Over the past 20 years, the small grants team has raised over $30 million on behalf of organizations both inside and outside the province, many of which are small nonprofits engaged in direct service to the poor and vulnerable.
“While we are always willing to lend a hand to any Jesuit organization, our most rewarding mission is to ensure we’re helping organizations that don’t necessarily have the capacity for grant writers. To me, that’s where I feel like we’re doing the most justice for our partner organizations, and that’s often where we can truly see the fruits of our labor,” said Levidis.
In her role as grants manager, Levidis works with a team alongside Flossie Bourg and Brooke Arceneaux to divide their time into hourly “shares” contracted to various organizations for grant research, writing and packaging services.
They serve a wide range of organizations, reflecting the province’s priorities: schools, retreat centers, international ministries, border ministry, parishes and a homeless shelter.
“The beauty of it is that every day is different, and we are constantly learning from our partners and collaborators. We hear about what’s happening with the organizations we work with, and we share ideas. From there, we build and expand,” she said, noting it’s a group effort. “Collaborating in that way has really helped us better serve our partners.”
Seeing the impact of their work drives Levidis’ commitment to it.
One long-time partner organization, the Thrive for Life Prison Project founded by Fr. Zach Presutti, SJ, in New York, has grown from a small prison ministry to a robust organization in multiple states. Thrive for Life offers Ignatian intellectual and spiritual formation to incarcerated people and transitional housing to help the formerly incarcerated continue their formal education and reintegrate into society following release.
“When we started working with them, it was a two-person team. We have been with them throughout the process and watched them grow,” Levidis said.
As of 2025, Thrive for Life has established three transitional houses of study for the formerly incarcerated and continues to offer Ignatian retreats to the imprisoned.
Levidis says she finds hope and passion in the role she plays supporting the good work that organizations such as Thrive for Life can do with the fundraising support the Jesuit Grants Collaborative offers them.
“It’s not just one person whose life is impacted, but it’s their family’s, too. We are giving them an opportunity and the tools necessary to rewrite their story. That’s really where the passion lies for me,” said Levidis.
Reflecting on the path that led to her work in the Jesuit Grants Collaborative, she adds, “I guess in a similar way, although I didn’t fully realize it at the time I met Fr. Kammer, my decision to attend Loyola became a pivotal part of my own story — one that I will forever be thankful for.”
