In July, the Kern Family Foundation awarded In Trust Inc. a $600,000 grant to strengthen its Governance Mentor. The grant will enable In Trust to enhance the coordination, content, delivery, marketing, evaluation, and effectiveness of the Mentors.

"Our board and staff are thrilled," said In Trust president Christa Klein. "This grant will enable us to build our organizational capacity in response to the growing volume of requests for Mentors. We will also be able to provide some modest competitive grants for further board development in participating schools."

Since the inception of In Trust's governance mentoring in 2004, more than 50 theological schools have engaged Mentors to assess board performance, consider the board's role in fundraising and strategic planning, explore governance structures and information systems, and evaluate their presidents. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, 15 Governance Mentors -- all leaders in theological education and governance -- already meet semiannually to study current challenges in governance and hone their own skills in response. "Now, thanks to the Kern Family Foundation, we can undergird the service for the long run," said Klein.

For more information about In Trust's Governance Mentors, click here.