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Are seminaries and divinity schools from all denominations and religious traditions eligible?
Yes. Qualified seminaries must also be fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and located in the United States.
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Can religious organizations and institutions that are not ATS accredited apply for grants?
No. With very rare exceptions, our religion grants are limited to ATS member schools as described above.
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What do you mean when you say you fund a top priority of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)? Are certain areas of more interest to your Trustees?
Our Trustees are interested, literally, in funding a top priority of the CEO from the theological school seeking support. They do not restrict, in any way, how the head of the institution chooses to use a grant, recognizing that those in the top leadership position know best how to use grant funds. They do expect, however, that the CEO give careful consideration to the purpose of the request by identifying a priority that leverages Foundations’ funding by maximizing its impact.
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How do you define the CEO?
This may be president, dean, or rector depending on the organizational and/or ecclesial structure of the institution.
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Do you fund endowments or capital projects?
Yes. See above.
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If you have no particular preferences for funding, how will our proposal be evaluated in competition with others?
Our Trustees do have a particular preference for the type of institution that applies. Their intent is to strengthen theological education over the long term by supporting top tier institutions with a primary focus on preparing ministers for churches. This “100-year” view is designed to “make good schools even better” by placing faith in the leadership of theological schools with proven and sustained quality.
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What should be included in the initial letter requesting a grant?
The CEO’s letter should specify a grant amount (not to exceed $200,000), the purpose of the grant, and an explanation of why it is a priority. Upon receipt of a qualified proposal, the Foundations’ staff will evaluate the institution in relation to others seeking grants at the same time. Those determined not to meet our criteria will be declined after this initial review. Many fine institutions are screened out at this stage. Our intent is to preserve the time of the requesting institutions because of the extensive work involved in the next steps. Highly qualified applicants will be asked to submit more detailed institutional information and respond to questions.
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If we receive a grant in religion how long should we wait before applying for a new grant?
Because the Foundations religion program is highly competitive, past grantees are eligible to reapply no earlier than four years from the date of notification approving their last grant. Institutions that have been declined may submit proposals at any time but may wish to wait until financial and other quality factors have improved, making the seminary more competitive.
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May we apply for a grant during a leadership transition?
Due to our emphasis on leadership, Trustees do not award grants during a leadership transition. A CEO should be in office for at least a year before applying for a grant. For example, if the top leader takes office on July 1, eligibility for a grant begins the following July 1. Past grantees that have met the four-year waiting period but are in a leadership transition must delay until they meet this requirement.
This rule also applies to grants that are in progress. For example, should a CEO announce his/her resignation at any time during the grant review process, then the proposal will no longer be eligible for Foundations’ support. This applies even to long-tenured leaders.