Institutions eligible for funding in this program area include, but are not limited to, public as well as private universities and colleges, graduate schools of education and free-standing educational research institutes. Only in exceptional cases will proposals be accepted directly from individual private or public schools or school districts. Receipt of a grant under the secondary education program by a private college or university does not affect its chances of receiving a separate grant in the higher education program category. The Foundations' principal commitment in the field of religion is to graduate theological education. All grants to institutions of graduate theological education will be to schools or seminaries that are fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and which primarily produce persons prepared for ordination to pastoral or pulpit ministry.
All denominations are eligible.
As in our programs for higher education, evaluation of competing requests is focused on the overall quality of the applying institution, which is fundamental to successful competition. No preference exists for any particular category or type of project for which grants are requested. However, proposals should be signed by the President or Dean and should represent the leader's highest priority for reinforcing institutional excellence. Proposals normally will not be considered from institutions in leadership transition. The head of a seminary or divinity school should be in office for at least one year prior to submitting a grant request.