Imagine having the resources you need to spend time in deep reflection with trusted colleagues and some of the brightest academic minds to tackle vexing, adaptive challenges your church is facing and generate resources that will support your ministry. With the support of Lilly Endowment, The Louisville Institute’s Collaborative Inquiry Team (CIT) program offers grants up to $45,000 for three years to support teams of pastors and academics who pursue projects intended to strengthen North American Christian congregations. Grants are given from one-and-a-half to three years in length.

Projects may range from historical inquires to ethics, biblical studies, sociology, and theology. Past grantees have included examinations of gender issues among ethnic congregations, interfaith commitments and cooperation among evangelical communities, and advocacy across religious traditions. If you have an idea, Louisville Institute will even provide you initial feedback to determine if your idea meets the requirements for funding. Before you contact Pamala Collins with eligibility questions, however, there are a few steps you need to take:

• Develop a central QUESTION, with a paragraph describing why this question is vital to the church.
• Identify a team (4-8 persons) of North American academic and pastoral leaders with terminal degrees (such as a Ph.D. or Th.D. for academics and a Master of Divinity for pastors).
• In 2-3 paragraphs, state how you plan to research this question.
• Get feedback from colleagues before contacting the folks at Louisville Institute.

Here are links to the application process, the 2018 CIT Application Guide, and application page.