College of Pastoral Leaders

• The quality of leadership matters for the church.
• Vital leadership depends on life-long learning and transformation. Transformation happens in community and over time.
• Pastors need communities of trusted peers who know and understand the calling because ministry can be lonely and isolating.
• Pastors' most urgent needs are often contextual. A one-size program does not fit all, so we empower pastors with agency for their own development.

Cohort groups of four to six pastoral leaders may apply.

The category of pastoral leaders includes ordained clergy serving in a pastoral setting, chaplains, congregational pastors and preachers not required to be ordained but currently serving in full-time ministry, and bi-vocational pastors.

Each member should be engaged in an official capacity for ministry and be in good standing.

Each member should be willing and able to commit to:

• participate fully in the group for a two-year period, including entering into covenants, agreements or other promises made by the group;
• set individual intentions for their own heart, soul, mind, and strength; and
• share those intentions with the other members of the group, as agreed.

Each group consists of not fewer than four and not more than six members. One person serves as the contact person. Each group will determine how needs for leadership, facilitation, reporting, logistics and other matters will be met.

Cohort groups must meet together with regularity during the two year period. Each group will determine the frequency, duration and setting of their meetings. Members need not live in the same geographic area nor be members of the same denomination; neither is that prohibited.

Each cohort must: 

1. Submit financial reports to Austin Seminary as specified.
2. Submit quarterly updates about cohort activities. 
3. Submit a final report by July 31 of the second year following the award of the grant.

*If you are located in the Austin/Central Texas area, you will be expected to visit campus for lunch with the Associate Dean of Lifelong Learning (at no charge to you) to meet and discuss your experiences with the program once each year during your grant period.
*If you are not local to Austin/Central Texas, you will be expected to visit online with the Associate Dean of Lifelong Learning once each year.

If you have any questions about these expectations or the application overall, please email us at: learnforlife@austinseminary.edu.

Funds may be used for travel, meals, lodging, books, resources, guest teachers, events, and treats. 

Absent exceptional circumstances, proposals will not be awarded which:

• seek to host one event as the sole cohort activity
• only fund participation by members in a group traveling as part of another institution
• aim to launch a new ministry effort
• dedicate more than 10% of the award to the purchase of equipment
• include more than 10% of the award for costs allocated to individual activities, such as individual spiritual direction, couples counseling
• provide more than 50% of the budget to one resource person.

Awards will be made for not more than $10,000. A lump sum will not be disbursed. Cohort members will be reimbursed for funds expended. (Complete guidelines will be provided upon acceptance.) In special circumstances, funds can be released to prepay substantial expenses.

Deadline for application: May 15, 2025

Awards announced: June 30, 2025

Start date for grants: July 1, 2025

End date for grants: June 30, 2027

Each application will be reviewed by a selection panel composed of Austin Seminary faculty, Austin Seminary administrators, and former members of the College of Pastoral Leaders.

Applications will be evaluated in keeping with the criteria set forth in the Application Process section.

Preference will be given to qualified first time applicants.

Consideration will also be given to selecting a class of cohort groups who represent diverse perspectives, races and traditions.

Up to five awards of not more than $10,000 each will be made.

Applicants will be notified through the designated cohort contact person no later than June 30 on the disposition of their application.

2025 Application

Sample CPL Budget

Application Instructions

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at 512-404-4857 or learnforlife@austinseminary.edu.

1. Take this seriously and work together. Plans that fail are often those which are really just one person’s idea that everyone else thought was okay.
2. Propose a plan that speaks to your particular needs as leaders. Aim for something that will stimulate your imagination—not simply business as usual. (But please don’t simply try to dress up a fun trip with friends in pastoral theological language.)
3. Describe specifically where and what you plan, e.g. “5 days at Mo-Ranch, Texas to include 2 days with Rick Perry” not “go to a ranch somewhere with a retired politician (yet to be determined.)”
4. Include means of reflection and a realistic set of anticipated resources.
5. Include consistent connection points for the cohort across the two years. This grant is for community, infusion of ideas, inspiration, spiritual nourishment and rest. Give yourself permission to be nurtured as well as to nurture others.
6. The purpose is not to produce a product, but to recreate you and give you space to discern and reimagine your ministry. Don’t plan to write a book. Don’t put a weight of expectation on yourself that becomes a burden. Think burden lifting.
7. Be bold in claiming activities that are just beyond what you have done before or never thought of yourself doing.
8. Integrate program narrative, calendar, budget and budget narrative clearly.
9. Be as specific as possible with estimates of costs. We know they may change, but please don’t just fill in with guesstimates off the top of your head.
10. If you develop a budget greater than $10,000, indicate the sources of additional income needed. Some people contribute continuing education funds from their own organizational budgets. Please be realistic about this and explain in the budget narrative how it is going to work.
11. Write concisely and well.

Absent exceptional circumstances, proposals will not be awarded which:

• seek to host one event as the sole cohort activity
• only fund participation by members in a group traveling as part of another institution
• aim to launch a new ministry effort
• dedicate more than 10% of the award to the purchase of equipment
• include more than 15% of the award for costs allocated to individual activities, such as individual spiritual direction, couples counseling
• provide more than 30% of the budget to one resource person.

Applicants are welcome to consult with staff in the Center for Lifelong Learning as they are preparing proposals.