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!

Compelling stories from the winter issue of the magazine, a misalignment in theological education, and much more.

Supporting student financial well-being, economic challenges facing clergy, and institutional debt.

What's an endowment and how do you use it? A financial expert who serves on the board of a theological school offers wisdom and insight on endowments.

How should a board and senior leaders consider the prospect of embedding? Rev. Dr. Byron Klaus, who has been through the experience and coached others, offers practical advice.

Theological school boards can - and should - spend time preparing policies and procedures that prepare for potential legal actions. Find out more here.

Brenda Bailey-Hainer led ATLA's staff from a big office in Chicago to a distributed workforce with people in several different states. She offers great insights and wisdom that can help any organization.

Click here for a few resources to help your institution work through the grant writing and sustainability process

In January of this year, theBaptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (BTSR) closed its doors for good. Mike Clingenpeel, a BTSR board member, wrote an article for the school's website reflecting on the closure, and his article was reprinted in the Summer 2019 issue of In Trust. Clingenpeel's honest reflections offerrare insight into the painful realities of closing a seminary.

A recent issue of Trusteeship magazine features an article by Peter Smithtitled "How Should Boards Respond to Disruption." The article was written primarily for boards of universities and colleges, but itgoes right to the heart of what it will take to lead a seminary through the next 30 or 40 years.

When an issue of Trusteeship magazine has the theme of "Institutions in Crisis," you know you're in for some great articles on board governance. Handling crises — whether postponing them, mitigating their effects, or managing the fallout — is a big part of leading an institution. And there are all sorts of events and circumstances that may qualify as a crisis.

The fiscal responsibilities of seminary boards, presidents, and administrators are vast and complex. And for those who want to maintain or improve their school's financial health, it's sometimes hard to know where to start. Here are resources that may offer some guidance in tending to institutional financial health.

At some point every board member will hear arguments for and against tenure, the policy that has been called "the most sacred cow munching on the ivy that covers the towers of academia."

Seminaries are People Too: Mindsets that make or break institutional change

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.

This webinar series addresses the basics of change management and adaptive leadership needed to navigate change.

An In Trust Center Resource Grant is a matching grant opportunity that can help you try something new and innovative at your school. Join us for this 30-minute information session to learn how to apply for a 2023 Resource Grant to further your mission and turn your innovative vision into reality.

Dr. David Rowe, creator of TransformingCollege.com and former interim president of Lancaster Theological Seminary, will lead this series, helping participants turn mental models that explain how theological education is being disrupted into frameworks for overcoming that disruption.

Dr. David Rowe of AGB Consulting leads discussions on strategic transformation and financial sustainability in theological schools.

In this dynamic webinar, Kristal Frazier will review the fundamentals of grant proposal writing.

Learn how to apply for a 2022 Resource Grant to further your mission and turn your vision into reality.

This webinar will address how seminaries can own their destiny by being responsible and "finishing well," rather than closing in crisis.

A two-part conversation as you consider your own sustainability plan.

Considering new grant work but wondering how to articulate your vision?

Join Chris Meinzer as he discusses questions about financial challenges and opportunities facing seminaries and theological schools in North America.

Dr. Rebekah Burch Basinger sees fundraising as a vital ministry that can shape faith and fuel the work of theological education. An expert in fundraising, Basinger revisits her book "Growing Givers' Hearts" on its 25th anniversary and explores the power of generosity, breaking the scarcity mindset and embracing God’s abundance. She shares insights from her research, offering practical wisdom for boards, presidents, and leaders to treat fundraising as an expression of faith. Learn how theological schools can inspire donors, strengthen financial health, and model a spirit of generosity that transforms future church leaders.

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.

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.

Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative is investing millions of dollars in theological education in North America. The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the In Trust Center are co-coordinating the initiative, and in this episode, the In Trust Center’s Amy Kardash and the Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Deasy of ATS discuss the emerging trends, interesting projects, and how coordination works.

Rev. Dr. Scott Sunquist, president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, discussses the school’s plan to sell all or part of its scenic campus in Hamilton, MA, and move to Boston.

Dr. Jason Allen discusses the core principles behind a remarkable institutional turnaround as outlined in his book, "Turnaround: The Remarkable Story of an Institutional Transformation and the 10 Essential Principles and Practices that Made it Happen."

Dr. David Rowe answers questions about why the educational model needs change and offers practical advice for theological school leaders.

In this episode of the Women in Leadership series, Amy Kardash, president of the In Trust Center, speaks with Dr. Charisse Gillett, president of Lexington Theological Seminary, about Dr. Gillett's strategies for navigating her institution through significant transformations and the prevailing trends concerning women in leadership roles.

Rebekah Burch Basinger, Ed.D., an expert in theological education governance and fundraising, discusses how leaders in theological education should think about the idea of “dirty money.”

Dr. Alton B. Pollard, III, president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (LPTS), shares his experiences about the “momentous decision” to sell a portion of the LPTS campus and the importance of stewarding the mission of the institution.