Videos & Webinars
Strategic Shorts
Video Series for Building Institutional Capacity The Rev. David Rowe, Ph.D., Project Director for the Governance Initiative and…
Explore resources and tools to clarify board roles and responsibilities, fostering effective leadership, accountability, and mission-focused service in theological schools.
- In Trust Magazine Articles 322
- Documents 16
- News & Insights 23
- Videos & Webinars 15
- Podcast 7
Soundings
‘Do’s’ for trustees
Veteran nonprofit board member Frank P. Wendt offers four pointed comments and suggestions for building better…
The Star
Future Promise
Boards of theological education institutions need to lean into strategy and visioning to navigate an uncertain…
The Star
Future Promise | Sincere encouragement
Boards should consider finding ways to keep students and young alumni invested in board work
The Guardian
Minimizing lame duck syndrome
There are lessons that can help boards and leadership prepare for the inevitable presidential transition
On My Mind
Answering the call
After more than 15 years with the In Trust Center, I continue to be inspired by…
The Guardian
Clarity, commitment, connection … and trust
Nothing serves an institution more than strong relationships, which hinge on creating cooperation among key leaders.
On My Mind
Means or Ends?
Today, theological education has embarked on a journey where structures and models may need to be…
The Star
Trends, tradition, and hard decisions
Elizabeth Palmer Bennett, CPA, was the vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer…
On My Mind
The straight truth
Categories are useful for defining and organizing complexity but don’t always fit. It’s time to reconsider…
The Star
Future Promise | Abundance
Our president and board have spent time over the past three years in discernment about our…
The Star
Present Moment | Shared Governance
Over time, shared governance has been sometimes defined less by mutual accountability and public responsibility, and…
Feature Articles
Cultivating new ministers
Partnering with the largest Roman Catholic diocese in the United States, Loyola Marymount is looking to…
Document
Core Essential 4-Balanced Budgets Fundraising Goals
Budget building is a challenging process, especially when finances are tight, and board members should balance…
Guide
Executive Sessions
If your board is not holding an executive session during every board meeting, maybe it should.
Annual Report
Board Officer Description Templates
We are often asked by our members how to draft descriptions for board officer positions. In…
Guide
Who’s in the chair?
The board chair plays a pivotal role in guiding the board and serving as a trusted…
White paper
Five things for a high-performing advisory board
Infographic
Core essentials of board governance
Annual Report
Which Wise Stewards Guide is right for you?
White paper
The role of the faculty in shared governance
News & Insights
In Trust Monthly Newsletter: August 2025
Deferred maintenance, CBTE's potential, role of boards, and much more.
News & Insights
Board Chair Newsletter: March 2025
In Trust Center President Amy Kardash discusses "Balcony Time"
News & Insights
January 2025: Board Chair Newsletter
In Trust Center President Amy Kardash addresses the need for board education and available resources to…
News & Insights
Board Chair Newsletter: December 2024
In Trust Center President Amy Kardash reflects on avoiding missing trends and issues that affect our…
News & Insights
In Trust Monthly Newsletter: November 2024
Lilly Endowment's new funding announcement, the issue of power and much more.
News & Insights
Board Committees: Charter Templates
The charters for board committees serve several significant purposes in school governance. Key committees include the…
News & Insights
Board Officer Positions Description Templates
Effective governance is paramount to the success and sustainability of any institution. Central to this governance…
News & Insights
In Trust Monthly Newsletter, April 2023
Wise Advice on Fundraising, Change is good, and much more.
Videos & Webinars
Boards on a Tight Rope: Navigating the Power Differential in Shared Governance
Webinar explores attitudes about power, types of power at play within shared governance, and strategies for…
Videos & Webinars
Guiding Transformations: Change Management
The In Trust Center is pleased to announce a new webinar series focused on change management…
Videos & Webinars
Preparing and Executing an Effective Leadership Succession & Transition Plan
Join the discussion about how to plan well in advance of an anticipated change.
Videos & Webinars
Tending to Sustainability
A two-part conversation as you consider your own sustainability plan.
Videos & Webinars
Using Strategic Partnerships to Fulfill Mission
JoinRick Staisloff for a discussion about strategic partnerships.
Videos & Webinars
Your Institution’s Financial Picture
Join Chris Meinzer as he discusses questions about financial challenges and opportunities facing seminaries and theological…
Videos & Webinars
A Discussion on Leadership Transitions – Preparing the way for success
Join us for a series of conversations with leadership consultant, David Gyertson, about leadership transitions.
Videos & Webinars
Mining Your Board’s Potential: Strategies for Maximizing Board Members’ Contributions to Your School
The wisdom, professional expertise, and life experiences of the folks seated around your board table are…
Podcast
Ep. 43: Making CHANGE in theological education
Is there a way to help theological schools cut overhead costs and free up resources to…
Podcast
Ep. 26: Hiring well, hiring right
Price Harding, chair of the executive search firm, CarterBaldwin, discusses the essentials of hiring a leader…
Podcast
Ep. 25: Leadership in transition
Dr. David Gyertson, a former university president, consultant, and recruiter, discusses the intri-cacies of presidential transitions,…
Podcast
Ep. 23: Consultant Series: Rev. Bill Nelsen discusses interim leadership
In the second installment of the Consultant Series, Rev. Dr. William (Bill) Nelsen, senior consultant with…
Podcast
Ep. 13: Dirty Money
Rebekah Burch Basinger, Ed.D., an expert in theological education governance and fundraising, discusses how leaders in…
Podcast
Ep. 7: Wise Stewards Series: President and board reflections
In this episode, two leading authorities in theological education discuss an inside perspective on the dynamics…
Podcast
Ep. 4: Wise Stewards Series: The president and board chair relationship
In the fourth installment of the In Trust Center’s Wise Stewards podcast series, Drs. Rod Wilson…
Upcoming & Recent Webinars
The In Trust Center hosts learning community spaces throughout the year. Check out our upcoming and recent ones below.
Videos & Webinars
Strategic Shorts: Large-scale Collaboration and the Role of Boards
Focus on the critical role boards play in large-scale collaborations
Videos & Webinars
Strategic Shorts: Large-scale Collaboration and Difficult Personnel Decisions
How theological schools can navigate complex personnel decisions during large-scale collaborations.
Videos & Webinars
Large-scale Collaboration and Change of Control
The formal process of transferring control between institutional boards
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