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Find similar grantsPastoral Study Project is sponsored by Louisville Institute. Supports individual or collaborative study projects on Christian life, religious practices, and institutions.
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Pastoral Study Project - Louisville Institute The Louisville Institute Pastoral Study Project Grant (PSP) awards grants of up to $20,000 (USD) to support individual or collaborative study projects on Christian life, religious practices and institutions, and possibilities and ideas for the church, our communities, and the wider world.
Grants are awarded to skilled and innovative clergy, lay leaders, and staff working in diverse Christian contexts in the United States and Canada. Application due date : August 12, 2026 (11:59 p. m.
EDT) Project grant amount : up to $20,000 (USD) Project timeframe : January 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028 Awards announced : November 2026 Pastoral Study Project Consultation : January 2027 What are Pastoral Study Project grants?
Pastoral Study Project grants offer pastoral and ministry leaders time away from the daily demands of their work in order to dig deeply into significant questions of ministry, the church, and Christian faith in our communities and the wider world.
We know that pastoral leaders have keen insight into the challenges and promises of faith, practice, and ministry, and often wish for the opportunity to engage more fully with the meaningful questions they face in their ministries.
Our Pastoral Study Project grants give you that chance: financial support of up to $20,000 (USD) that provides time and resources to think, research, ask, learn, study, and reflect about that big idea you’ve been pondering. Grantees share their research through books and other publications, blogs and websites, podcasts, digital media and film, exhibits, worship, music, public presentations, classes, and more.
These projects are lifegiving for grantees and their communities, and strengthen the vitality of North American Christianity. The most engaging projects are deeply connected to the lives of North American Christians, the strongest will speak to matters that are important to church life, and in both cases, projects will address questions significant to the flourishing of North American faith communities. What do I need to know to apply?
Download the full 2027 PSP Application Guide for all details needed to apply. Watch the Pastoral Study Project Grant Application Process Webinar Learn about previous PSP Grant projects Ready to apply? Click here or APPLY in the upper right corner.
Who is eligible for a Pastoral Study Project grant?
have received theological education, training, and/or mentoring for Christian leadership carry ministerial credentials (ordination, commissioning, licensing, etc.) from are employed in diverse ministry contexts in the United States and Canada: church and denominational staff Men and Women Religious members of monastic communities non-profit and parachurch staff artists and musicians working in a ministry setting ordained ministers not currently employed in religious settings others regularly working in recognized positions of pastoral leadership Additional eligibility information: PSP grants are not educational scholarships and cannot be used for tuition, expenses, or projects related to degree programs such as an M.
Div. or a D. Min.
Ph. D. and Th.
D students are not eligible for a Pastoral Study Project grant, but may apply for one of our fellowship programs . Faculty and administrators at institutions of higher education typically apply for the new Grants for Researchers rather than the Pastoral Study Project Grant. For questions regarding your project and its eligibility, please email grants@louisville-institute.
org . See additional stipulations below. For questions about grant eligibility, please email grants@louisville-institute.
org . How can I use Pastoral Study Project grant funds?
PSP grants can be used for: Time away from your regular job, such as salary replacement for unpaid time off, or for a temporary replacement or supply minister while you are on leave Resources related to your learning, such as books, training, or consultations Tools to facilitate your study, like library access, a recording device, or software or transcription programs Travel directly related to your project and its investigation, such as to access archives, museums, or libraries, or for experiences connected to your project (e.g., historical settings, visiting sites, specific learning events, worship, or trainings) Childcare or other family support you need to undertake your project Compensation for research participants and partners, interviewees, focus groups, research assistants, and others who work on the project with you PSP funds cannot be used for: Your regular salary to continue your current job or an existing ministry New programs or staff positions at your church or organization Payment to “experts” to do research for you Expenses in pursuit of a degree (M.
Div. , D. Min, Ph.
D. , etc.) Tools for your everyday work, such as an office chair, desktop computer, or cell phone Pastoral Study Project Grants are intended for study and research. For financial support of sabbaticals of rest and renewal, see Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs .
For projects focused on personal reflection or discernment, see the Reflective Leadership Grant from Forum for Congregational Life. For questions about grant proposals, please email grants@louisville-institute. org .
What is the Pastoral Study Project Consultation? The Pastoral Study Project Consultation is an annual two-day event held in a location to be announced for all PSP grantees. Grantees gather at the beginning of their grant period to learn from others, discuss and hone their projects, and imagine and discover new resources and possibilities.
Grantees this cycle will attend the PSP Consultation January 2027 . Approved travel and lodging expenses for participating in the PSP gathering are covered by the Louisville Institute. Attending this event is a requirement of receiving a PSP grant.
Download the 2027 PSP Application Guide. The application guide contains the details you need. Read the guide carefully and refer to it as you prepare your application materials.
Review the eligibility requirements in the guide. Create an account. Click on the “ Apply ” button to create an account and get started in the application portal.
Prepare your materials. Complete applications require the following (see the Application Guide for full details): General application information Line Item Budget & Budget Narrative Curriculum Vitae or resume Overview of your ministry context Two Letters of Recommendation All application elements are submitted online through our application portal. Applications are due by 11:59 p.
m. EDT August 12, 2026, and letters of recommendation are due from the recommenders August 19, 2026. What is the selection process for Pastoral Study Project grants?
The Louisville Institute appoints a selection committee to review proposals and award Pastoral Study Project grants. The selection committee meets about 8–10 weeks after the application due date. This is a competitive grant for which we typically receive more than 100 applications and will award 25 grants in 2027.
All applicants are notified by email as soon as possible after the selection process. Awards will be announced publicly in November 2026. I’m new to this — where can I learn more about how to conduct research?
Need help thinking through how to do research? Check out these resources on interviews, surveys, observation, and other ways to collect data! Studying Congregations — www.
studyingcongregations. org — is an online collaborative resource for understanding congregations in North America.
Find out more about: Archives/written materials Interviews and focus groups The USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture has created an online resource manual for studying religious communities and practices, including: Additional Eligibility Information for all Grants & Fellowships You are welcome to apply again for any of our grants or fellowships – in fact, it’s very common!
However, you may only apply for one grant or fellowship between June 1, 2026, and May 31, 2027 . Any previous fellowships or grants from the Louisville Institute must be completed and final report submitted before applying for another LI fellowship or grant.
Members of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary staff, faculty, Board of Trustees, or student body, or their immediate family members (parents, spouses, or children), are ineligible for Louisville Institute grants or fellowships. Members of the Louisville Institute Advisory Board and their immediate family members are also ineligible to apply.
Louisville Institute grantees may not simultaneously hold two individual grants from Lilly Endowment-funded organizations that together total more than $55,000 (USD). Please contact us if you have any questions about this stipulation: grants@louisville-institute. org.
Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us! grants@louisville-institute.
org. Our impact is broad & deep.
Portal login or registration may be required to access the full application.
Key questions and narrative sections extracted from the solicitation.
Project Summary: Provide a brief summary of the proposed study project
Project Narrative: Describe the proposed pastoral study project in full detail
Bibliography: Provide a bibliography relevant to the proposed study project
Ministry Context Overview: Describe the ministry context in which you serve
Affirmation of Support: Provide an affirmation of support for the proposed project
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Nonprofit organizations, primarily Christian congregations and organizations that support them. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows up to $20,000. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Applications for Pastoral Study Project are due August 12, 2026. This is an annual program. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, and final submission checks.
Pastoral Study Project is funded by Louisville Institute. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Yes — this listing is flagged as national in scope, so applicants across the U.S. may apply, subject to the sponsor's other eligibility criteria.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly. Note that portal registration or login may be required before you can access the full application.
The solicitation lists 9 required documents: General application information, Project summary, Project narrative, Bibliography, Line item budget with narrative, and Curriculum vitae or resume, among others (the full list is in the Required Documents section on this page). Check the official notice for formatting and page-limit rules.
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Research Programs is accepting applications for the Public Scholars program. The purpose of this program is to support the creation of well-researched nonfiction books in the humanities written for the broad public by offering grants to individual authors for research, writing, travel, and other activities leading to publication. The program is intended both to encourage non-academic writers to deepen their engagement with the humanities by strengthening the research underlying their books, and to encourage academic writers in the humanities to communicate the significance of their research to the broadest possible range of readers. Funding Opportunity Number: 20200205-FZ. Assistance Listing: 45.160. Funding Instrument: G. Category: HU. Award Amount: $30K – $60K per award.
Brown Girl Jane x SheaMoisture Grant is a grant from SheaMoisture and Brown Girl Jane that funds Black and woman-owned beauty and wellness businesses in the United States. Part of SheaMoisture's broader commitment to addressing racial inequality through its $1 million annual giving fund, this program specifically supports founders at the intersection of Black and women-owned entrepreneurship in the beauty and wellness sector. Applicants must be based in the U.S. and have operated their business for at least one year. Grants range from $10,000 to $25,000. Check the SheaMoisture Fund website for the current open cycle, as deadlines vary by cohort.