Category: News
Central Seminary Awarded $2.34 Million in Lilly Endowment Inc. Grants
Central Seminary Awarded $2.34 Million in Lilly Endowment Inc. Grants to Advance Theological Education, Pastoral Leadership, and Congregational Resources
OVERLAND PARK, KS — Central Seminary is honored to announce it has been awarded $2.34 million in grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support a trio of initiatives aimed at reshaping theological education, strengthening congregational leadership, and expanding support for students and alumni in ministry.
The grants were awarded through three programs of Lilly Endowment: The Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, the Thriving Congregations Initiative, and the Thriving in Ministry Initiative. Together, these investments will enable Central Seminary to deepen its mission of providing accessible, affordable, and culturally responsive theological education and leadership development.
Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative
Central’s new Pathways Forward: Theological Education Reimagined is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, which aims to help theological schools across the United States and Canada strengthen their educational and financial capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future.
Lilly Endowment’s generosity will support four key initiatives at Central:
• Financial Sustainability: In moving forward with its strategic priority of securing long-term financial health, Central will create a unified, mission-driven financial system that supports both degree and non-degree offerings. The seminary will streamline processes,
enhance financial oversight, and ensure the efficient use of resources—strengthening Central’s financial foundation for the future. • Integrated Communications and Development: Central will formally align its branding, marketing, communications, and recruitment into a strategic framework that enhances visibility and institutional impact.
• Technology Ecosystem Overhaul: Central will design and implement an integrated technology system to support multilingual, multicultural theological formation across its academic and non-degree programs. This system will improve efficiency, accessibility, and long-term coherence.
• New Institute: Central will establish a new Institute that will offer culturally informed, non-degree learning pathways—webinars, events, and certificate programs—for pastors and ministers, especially in rural and Midwestern communities.
Central is one of 163 theological schools that have received grants since 2021 through the Pathways initiative. Together, the schools serve a broad spectrum of Christian traditions in the U.S. and Canada. They are affiliated with evangelical, mainline Protestant, nondenominational, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Catholic, Black church, Latino, Asian American, Indigenous, and historic peace church traditions.
“This generous grant enables us to reimagine how theological education can meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s church leaders,” said President Pamela R. Durso, President of Central Seminary. “It affirms our vision and equips us to extend our reach to pastors and ministry leaders who are often overlooked.”
Thriving Congregations Initiative
A second $1 million grant has been awarded to Central through Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative, which aims to encourage the flourishing of congregations by helping them deepen their relationships with God, enhance their connections with each other, and contribute to the vitality of their communities and the world.
The grant will enable Central to expand its new Institute to offer churches expert guidance and congregational coaching beginning in these key areas:
• navigating fragile church finances and outdated accounting systems;
• managing large, aging church buildings;
• addressing mental health challenges affecting congregations;
• promoting accessibility and inclusion for individuals with disabilities; and
• reimagining outreach strategies to better engage children, youth, and young adults
• strengthening lay leadership through multilingual programs and new communities of practice.
“This grant empowers us to prepare lay leaders who can guide congregations through change with wisdom, resilience, and cultural awareness,” said President Durso. “We are honored to partner with the Lilly Endowment and our denominational colleagues to strengthen the church through adaptive, accessible leadership training.”
Thriving in Ministry Initiative
Central has also received a $340,000 grant from Lilly Endowment through its Thriving in Ministry Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to support the efforts of a variety of religious organizations across the nation as they create or strengthen programs that help pastors build relationships with experienced clergy who can serve as role models and mentors and guide them through key leadership challenges in congregational ministry.
With the support of this grant, Central will continue to provide mentors for its students, create peer networks, and provide culturally responsive resources and opportunities for both students and alums. “Our students are deeply committed to ministry but often stretched thin,” said President Durso. “This grant allows us to continue walking with them—providing the relationships and resources they need to thrive in ministry and in life.”
These three grants underscore Central Seminary’s commitment to innovation, equity, and faithfulness in preparing leaders for a changing church. Central is proud to be among the recipients of Lilly Endowment’s 2025 grant initiatives and looks forward to the work ahead.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of religion and lift up in fair, accurate and balanced ways the roles that people of all faiths and various religious communities play in the United State and around the globe.