As Leadership Education continues to respond faithfully to the evolving needs of Christian organizations and institutions, we have made the intentional decision to pause the launch of the next Foundations of Christian Leadership cohort.

This temporary pause will allow us to reflect deeply on how best to serve the leaders and communities we are called to support. Specifically, we are taking this time to:

• Clarify and identify the most appropriate audience for the program as we seek to ensure that FOCL continues to be a meaningful and relevant resource for those leading in today’s complex Christian context.
• Determine and integrate an assessment tool that will enhance the curriculum and provide deeper support for participants navigating leadership in a time of ongoing change.

We remain committed to the mission of forming and equipping Christian leaders, and this season of discernment is part of our long-term vision for strengthening that work. We are excited to share updates as this process unfolds and hope you will stay connected with us during this time of reflection and renewal.

For questions, please contact us at leadership@div.duke.edu.

Innovation Grant Eligibility

Leadership Education at Duke Divinity provides Foundations participants with the opportunity to apply for grants of $5,000. These Innovation Grants will fund experiments that the participants will design and implement in their respective organizations.

These grant opportunities are designed to:

• Spark theological and practical imagination.
• Empower participants to identify new and more Christ-like ways of approaching the core work of their institutions.
• Attract the attention of institutional leaders and partners.

Award Process

The grant application process will be outlined during Session 1 of Foundations of Christian Leadership. The window for submitting grant applications will open at the conclusion of Session 2 of Foundations. Grant funds are not available until 10 months after Session 1 of Foundations.

Grant Parameters

Grants will be awarded to the organization under the leadership of the Foundations participant. The funding may not be used to cover the cost of attending Foundations.

As part of the grant application process, program participants will be asked to describe the experiment, the project timeline and anticipated outcomes. Recipients will be expected to submit reports during and at the conclusion of the grant project that reflect the project’s successes and challenges.

At the conclusion of the grant project, the participant and a representative from the institution will commit to participate in an online convening of other grantees and Leadership Education staff to offer feedback and learnings from the project experience.

These grants are made possible by the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc.