The Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative was designed by Lilly Endowment Inc. to create ways for theological schools in North America to train and support ministers for Christian churches. The Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Deasy, director of institutional initiatives of the Association of Theological Schools, and Amy Kardash, president of the In Trust Center for Theological Schools, discuss key findings and themes. ATS and the In Trust Center are co-coordinating the initiative.

An In Trust Center Resource Grant offers member schools a chance to explore innovation at their institutions through a matching grant opportunity of up to $15,000. Listen to this 30-minute information session, including Q&A, as we provide details on eligibility requirements, funding priorities, application process. Previous grantees are eligible to apply as long as they are not within our current funding cycle.

In response to the global need for cost reduction and improved efficiency in education, institutional leadership teams are exploring innovative approaches beyond traditional revenue solutions and cost-cutting measures. A promising alternative lies in adopting new business models with a strategic finance approach.

Dr. Rebekah Basinger addresses the opportunities and challenges that come with chairing the board of a theological school, which include how to design effective board meetings, enhance board member engagement, and develop the board for long-term effectiveness while giving attention to the board chair and president partnership and the critical importance of call in both roles.

This is "the" guide for people governing theological schools. As the introduction says, "How well a theological school is governed is key to the institution’s overall effectiveness and its fidelity to its mission. In the midst of change and discontinuity, the governing board is the steward that nurtures the purpose and vision of a theological school across the span of time." Download the guide and get started!

What does it take to raise money? At its heart: generosity. In her career, Dr. Carla Maxwell Ray has helped raise more than $1 billion for a variety of organizations, institutions, and schools, and she encourages fundraisers to invite people into the opportunity to be generous. In this episode, Ray discusses ways to help people see generosity as a spiritual virtue and the opportunity to be part of the good work that is happening across the world.

Is there a way to help theological schools cut overhead costs and free up resources to focus on mission? That’s the goal of the CHANGE (Configuring Higher Education Administration for Next Generation Excellence) Initiative, one of the projects funded in Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. Listen how Dr. David Boshart, president of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, and Dr. Jeff Williams, the project director of the CHANGE Initiative, provide an overview of how a nonprofit organization can provide business offerings to schools, increasing quality of services while allowing schools the space to innovate.

The Rev. Dr. Steven Moore, CEO emeritus of the M. J. Murdock Trust, says leaders in theological education should consider how they focus on stewardship. Drawing on 40 years of leadership in nonprofit groups and theological and higher education, Moore outlines what good leaders need, how boards can frame the work, and how leaders can stay fresh.

Rev. Dr. Frank Yamada, ATS executive director, discusses what leadership turnover means for theological education, and the skills boards and leaders need to navigate these times.