Women in ministry face many challenges, and that includes financial ones. In order to meet continuing education requirements, or simply to keep their skills and knowledge sharp and current, women often have to seek out grants to fund their classes, seminars or conferences. There is continuing education help out there, but it's not always easy to know where to begin.
Begin Close to Home
Your local congregation or your judicatory or administrative body are both good places to start if you're searching for grants to continue your theological studies. Many churches, as well as dioceses or presbyteries, include continuing education as part of ministry benefits packages. If it's not part of your benefits, there may be a special fund that people in your area or denomination can draw from. In addition, your congregation might decide to pay for your class or conference if you can demonstrate how it will benefit them.
Your National Denomination
Look next to your denomination's national resources. There is probably a website for your church that includes a link to an education page. This will give you information about any grants available through the national administrative center.
The School or Organization
If you have a specific course or seminar that you're taking for continuing education, they may have funds available to assist with the cost. Contact the school's financial aid person, or the person in charge of organizing the conference. Even if they can't help you, they will know who you should contact.
Look for Women-Specific Sources
There are organization that exist simply to enable women's education, no matter what subject the woman wants to study. A simple search for "grants for women," "grants + women+ education," or "grants + women + ministry" will give you excellent places to begin your search for continuing education funds.
Sign Up With Scholarship Search Agencies
Online scholarship search companies can take your gender and areas of interest into account to search databases filled with thousands of scholarship, loan and grant programs. It only takes a few minutes to sign up with one of these companies. It's advisable only to sign up for free and reputable companies, however; there is no shortage of low-quality information providers who wish only to exploit your need for financial assistance.
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