Request for Proposals

Transcription

1 Theology Institutes for High School Youth Request for Proposals An Invitation Lilly Endowment is pleased to announce its Theology Institutes for High School Youth grants program. Accredited four-year colleges and universities especially those with strong theology faculties and clear commitments to support religious life on their campus are invited to submit proposals of up to $600,000 each to create or enhance theology institutes that provide high school youth with opportunities to 1) explore in-depth sacred scriptures and theological traditions and examine the moral and ethical dimensions of contemporary challenges; 2) draw on the wisdom of their religious tradition as they make decisions about their futures; and 3) consider vocations in full-time ministry and religious leadership. The immediate aim of this grants program is to deepen the faith of young people by helping them think theologically about their lives as well as the challenges faced by our global community. The ultimate aim is to identify and cultivate a cadre of theologically minded youth who will become leaders in church and society. The Endowment anticipates awarding 20 grants to colleges and universities that demonstrate the readiness to design and launch high-quality Theology Institutes for High School Youth. The Opportunity for Theology Institutes for Youth In an increasingly complex, global society, the need is great for a new generation of leaders with moral and spiritual grounding who can connect their deeply held convictions to their analysis of contemporary challenges and lead organizations with vision and creativity. The demands of leadership, whether in congregations and religious institutions or professional and business organizations, will require leaders who are educated through exposure to a wide range of ideas and who can respond creatively in a changing cultural context. How are these future leaders identified, and what kinds of experiences prepare them for their future roles? How are their imaginations nurtured and broadened to recognize the moral and ethical dimensions of emerging challenges? How are their religious and spiritual lives deepened to enable them to draw on the wisdom of theological traditions as they make decisions about their futures? How are their passions and aspirations supported by finding peers who share their commitments to service and by participating in vibrant communities of faith? The high school years are a time of exploration and discovery. Young people seek opportunities to broaden their horizons, discover and test their passions and establish their independence as 1

2 intellectual and moral beings. American high schools, with the assistance of colleges and universities, have taken significant steps to encourage and support the intellectual development of youth. Through the proliferation of Advanced Placement courses and the expansion of International Baccalaureate programs, as well as other academic and extra-curricular enrichment programs, American teenagers with intellectual curiosities have opportunities to engage in sophisticated courses of study, explore different fields of interest, identify their aptitudes and test potential career options. These educational and enrichment opportunities surround young people with inspiring peers and mentors and introduce them to cutting-edge research and the latest theories about many of the hardest challenges facing our global community. At the same time, the high school years are a pivotal period of spiritual growth when young people explore moral questions and claim their faith and values as their own. Many young people begin to ask probing questions about the values and faith traditions that they inherited from their parents and seek to establish their independence as moral agents who are responsible for their own actions. They often recognize the ethical conflicts embedded in contemporary events, but are not always clear about how to draw on their faith to understand and respond to them. Congregations, as well as church camps and parachurch ministries, provide important settings for nurturing the spiritual lives of young people and teaching them about their faith traditions. But pastors and youth ministers, as well as parents, recognize the limits of their current practices of religious education. While these important youth ministries serve the spiritual needs of many high school young people, they often fail to provide settings for a significant group of youth to probe hard moral questions about the world around them. These young people need settings in which they can encounter the best theological writings from their traditions and grapple with the most perplexing dilemmas facing our communities. They need settings to explore in-depth the core spiritual practices that have shaped their communities of faith. And they need settings to consider and test potential careers as leaders in their religious communities. During the past two decades, Lilly Endowment has supported several initiatives involving colleges and theological schools that were designed to deepen the religious lives of young people and encourage them to explore vocations in ministry and service. (A description of these initiatives is included in the appendix.) We have learned a great deal through these efforts. Many high school youth are ready and eager to explore in-depth their theological traditions, broaden their vision of the world and grapple with thorny moral and ethical challenges. Many seek opportunities to discern potential vocations in ministry and service with thoughtful mentors. Most importantly, many are energized when they are brought together with other youth who share similar theological questions and vocational aspirations and who become their peers. Thus, this grants programs seeks to build on and extend these efforts. We believe that colleges and universities have an important role to play in cultivating a new generation of morally and spiritually grounded leaders. And these efforts must involve high school youth. Several colleges and universities already host summer institutes for talented high school students for both academic and recreational enrichment. These summer experiences include advanced courses of study in fields ranging from the sciences to drama and film as well as athletic camps in numerous sports. These colleges and universities have models for summer institutes as 2

3 well as facilities and resources that could be deployed to develop new theology institutes for high school youth. How would a summer theology institute for high school youth be structured? How would it engage young people in careful study of the sacred scriptures and theological texts that are at the heart of their religious traditions? How would it deepen their experience in the spiritual practices that shape their religious communities? How would it push them to explore the moral and ethical dimensions of contemporary challenges? How would it engage them in discernment practices to test potential vocations in ministry and service? A Variety of Approaches The Endowment intends to fund a variety of youth theology institutes that take seriously the theological education of high school youth and demonstrate a commitment to the identification and nurture of future religious leaders. We do not have a particular model in mind. We have discovered, however, that the strongest youth theology programs share many of the following: Introduce youth to the major texts, theological resources and practices of their religious traditions; Create settings for youth to explore the meaning and significance of the practical wisdom of their religious faith for their own lives; Provide opportunities for worship and spiritual formation; Encourage youth in critical thinking about their faith in relation to contemporary social issues and challenges; Enable youth to explore their vocational aspirations in a context of spiritual and theological discernment and to consider religious leadership among their career options; and Attend to theological preparation and support of staff (e.g., directors, faculty, undergraduate students and other staff) who will serve as counselors and mentors. We encourage interested colleges and universities to draw upon their religious heritage and tradition in imagining and designing a youth theology institute that fits their unique context. Religion and theology faculty, and potentially faculty from theological schools, are wellpositioned to provide the intellectual and theological resources needed to engage youth in theological inquiry. College chaplains and other administrators are deeply influential in shaping the aspirations, convictions and commitments of young people. Undergraduate students themselves, studying theology as well as other fields in the humanities and sciences, may be potential mentors, willing to engage high school students in thinking theologically about complex challenges. Building on Previous Initiatives The youth theology programs associated with previous Endowment initiatives have generated significant knowledge about how to engage youth in theological inquiry and to encourage and equip youth with spiritual and leadership gifts to understand themselves as leaders in their religious communities. 3

4 A sampling of these youth programs follows: Hellenic College The CrossRoad Program is a 10-day summer institute that helps high school juniors and seniors explore the Orthodox Christian theological traditions and engages them in practices of vocational discernment as they make decisions about their futures. University of Notre Dame The ND Vision Program offers four, one-week summer programs, involving 360 high school students per week, that engages participants in an exploration of Catholic social teachings, helps them connect their faith with real life issues and deepens their appreciation of Catholic liturgy and worship practices. Candler School of Theology (Emory University) The Youth Theological Initiative (YTI) gathers young high school scholars together for three weeks to explore important theological and social issues, worship ecumenically, live in intentional community and serve others through work at local social service agencies. Saint John s School of Theology (St. John s University) The Youth in Theology and Ministry Program (YTM) invites 60 high school youth and their adult mentors to campus for two-weeks over two consecutive summers to study theology with college professors, learn a variety of Christian prayer forms, develop and implement a community service project and participate in multicultural and interreligious immersion experiences. Calvin Theological Seminary The Facing Your Future Program invites bright, spiritually mature high school seniors with leadership potential to participate in a three-week program involving lectures in theology and biblical studies, theological reflection, movie and book discussions, prayer, worship and recreation time and an intensive ministry experience. While these programs provide successful models of youth theology institutes, they are not intended to be prescriptive. Colleges and universities should design and propose theology institutes that fit their unique context. (A list of additional high school youth theology programs at seminaries and colleges is included in the appendix.) Partnerships Encouraged Colleges and universities are encouraged to design and carry out these youth theology institutes in relationship with other interested partners and institutions. We hope that schools will form partnerships where appropriate with congregations, denominational agencies, and especially theological schools. In particular, schools may wish to invite faculty teaching in theological schools to help in the design, implementation and ongoing teaching in the theology institute. These partnerships should seek to establish and/or reinforce networks and structures among multiple educational and religious organizations to recruit and cultivate high school youth for vocations in religious leadership and service. 4

5 Application Criteria and Procedures Accredited, four-year colleges and universities may submit proposals of up to $600,000 each that may be used for up to a four-year period to design and launch high school youth theology institutes that advance the initiative s aims stated above. The Endowment will review the proposals and award grants on a competitive basis to colleges and universities that submit complete proposals that demonstrate that they have the capacity to design and implement a high-quality youth theology institute. Funding decisions will be based on the following criteria: 1) the quality of design of the proposed theology institute and its potential to advance the initiative s aims; 2) the capacity, readiness and appropriateness of the school to develop a youth theology institute; and 3) a clear commitment to identify and/or develop other funding sources to sustain key activities beyond the grant period. These are intended to be onetime grant awards. If successful, the schools are expected to carry forward the youth theology institute from other funding sources. The Endowment anticipates awarding at least 20 grants on a competitive basis. Interested colleges and universities are asked to follow the application procedure and timeline described below. (1) Complete an Interest Form and send to Lilly Endowment by June 19, This form (available on website link below) indicates interest in developing a proposal and names a key contact person involved in this effort. (2) Submit a complete proposal to Lilly Endowment by August 14, 2015 (postmarked). (3) Lilly Endowment anticipates notifying schools of funding decisions in December Guidelines and forms may be found at 5

6 Proposal Guidelines Completed proposals must include the following material: (1) Official Request Letter (with signatures) (2) Proposal Narrative (up to 12 pages single-spaced) (3) Budget and Budget Narrative (4) Accompanying Materials Letters of Support Proposal Worksheet and Contact Information Form Exempt Status and Foundation Status Form Copy of Internal Revenue Service tax status determination letter (1) Official Request Letter The proposal should include a letter from the organization requesting a grant that is signed by the college or university president. This letter should accompany the full proposal. (2) Proposal Narrative Please prepare a proposal narrative of up to 12 pages (single-spaced) that addresses the following: 1) Executive Summary: Begin with a one-paragraph executive summary that describes your organization and highlights the key goals and activities of the youth theology institute. 2) Purpose and goals: State the youth theology institute s purpose and goals. Include a discussion of the school's understanding of the needs, interests and capacities of high school youth to engage in theological inquiry and the youth theology institute s anticipated contribution to the cultivation of a new generation of morally and spiritually grounded leaders. 3) Organizational appropriateness: State how the proposed institute fits the mission, heritage and culture of the school. Include a discussion of the school s theological faculty resources and other capacities and considerations that make it appropriate for the school to establish a youth theology institute. 4) Design: Describe the program design, including the program's content, format and organization. How will the institute engage young people in theological inquiry? The purpose and description of each component of the theology institute should be clearly stated. If the theology institute includes a partnership with another organization, the responsibilities of each party should be fully described (here or in #6 below). 5) Expected outcomes and evaluation: State the expected outcomes for the youth theology institute. What are the anticipated outcomes for young people? Staff? Your 6

7 school? What evidence and stories will you collect to assess your progress towards these outcomes? Who will be responsible for evaluating specific activities and the overall theology institute? 6) Leadership: Key leaders for the youth theology institute should be identified and their qualifications described, including the administration, faculty, staff and students. 7) Partnerships: Describe your key institutional partners for designing and implementing the youth theology institute. What roles do you anticipate that your partners, including congregations, seminaries, denominations, and other organizations, will play in implementing the theology institute? Letters of support from partner organizations indicating their willingness to participate in the theology institute should be included with the proposal. 8) Institutional resources: List key institutional resources that will be available for establishing a youth theology institute, including faculty, physical space, and opportunities for service, study and/or recreation in the geographic area. 9) Anticipated obstacles: Describe challenges or obstacles you anticipate facing as you design and launch this youth theology institute. 10) Long-term development: Describe your plans to sustain the youth theology institute beyond the initial Endowment grant. How will new sources of funding be cultivated to replace grant dollars? How will other institutional and intellectual resources be secured and sustained? Who will be in charge of long-term development and fundraising? (3) Budget (See for guidelines.) Please prepare a budget and budget narrative for the activities described in the proposal narrative. (Budget documents are not included in the 12-page limit for the proposal narrative above.) 1) Budget: A detailed line-item budget should be submitted as a separate document. Please follow the Guide for Budget Preparation in preparing the budget which can be found on the Endowment website. We recommend that you work closely with those responsible for accounting procedures and financial policies in the organization. Budget Summary: If your budget is more than one page, please prepare a one-page budget summary, condensing the line items into larger categories, according to the guidelines. Please send an electronic copy (in excel) of your budget or budget summary to [email protected]. 7

8 2) Budget Narrative: An accompanying budget narrative provides written explanations (a sentence of two for each line item) of how you calculated each budget line. (4) Accompanying Materials (See for forms.) In addition to the proposal narrative and budget, a complete proposal should include the following materials. 1) Letters of Support: Please provide letters of support from key partners. Letters indicate the partner s willingness to participate in the youth theology institute s efforts. 2) Proposal Worksheet and Contact Information Form: Please fill out the worksheet and send it electronically to [email protected]. This worksheet provides information about the youth theology institute and the individuals who are responsible for overseeing a grant award. 3) Exempt Status and Foundation Status Information Form: A completed form should be enclosed with your proposal. This form is used to verify your organization s tax status. 4) Copy of Internal Revenue Service tax status determination letter: Please also include a copy of your Internal Revenue Service tax-exempt status determination letter. 8

9 Proposal Checklist A complete proposal should include the following items: Official Request Letter Proposal Narrative (up to 12 pages single-spaced) Budget (detailed line-item) and Budget Narrative Budget Summary (if detailed line-item proposal budget is longer than one page) Accompanying Materials Letters of Support A completed Proposal Worksheet and Contact Information Form A completed Exempt Status and Foundation Status Form Copy of Internal Revenue Service tax status determination letter In addition, please a copy of the following items to [email protected]: Executive Summary A completed Proposal Worksheet and Contact Information Form Budget (or Budget Summary) The Endowment does not accept proposals sent by fax or , except for the items indicated immediately above. When mailing your proposal documents, please do not enclose them in binders, especially those that are difficult to remove or that require making holes in the documents. Please send five (5) copies of the proposal and accompanying materials to the address below. Proposals must be postmarked by August 14, Questions If questions arise as you develop the proposal please [email protected]. Please Send Completed Proposals to: Jessicah Krey Duckworth Program Director, Religion Lilly Endowment Inc North Meridian Street Post Office Box Indianapolis, IN

10 APPENDIX Since 1998, Lilly Endowment has launched a series of strategic initiatives aimed at cultivating a new generation of theologically minded leaders for church and society. These initiatives include: Theological Programs for High School Youth, and Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation. In 1998 and 1999 the Endowment s Theological Programs for High School Youth awarded grants to seminaries to create innovative youth theology programs. The results of these efforts are encouraging. More than 22,000 young people have participated in these youth theology programs, and many describe their experiences as pivotal in encouraging them to pursue careers in ministry and service. Moreover, these theology programs have generated significant knowledge about how to encourage and equip youth with spiritual and leadership gifts to understand themselves as leaders in their churches. Beginning in 2000, the Endowment launched its Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation initiative and provided grants to colleges and universities to create or enhance vocational discernment and leadership development experiences for college students. This initiative s momentum is now being carried forward through the Council of Independent College s Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education, which involves 184 colleges and universities from across the United States. Through these efforts, thousands of students have taken advantage of opportunities to explore connections between their fields of study and the wisdom of their religious traditions. Several of the participating colleges and universities created vocational discernment experiences for high school students as key elements of their grants. These programs have helped high school students explore their theological traditions and engage in faith-based discernment practices as they make decisions about their futures; they also have generated a steady stream of new students to their campuses. Each of these seminary- and college-based theology programs for high school youth has been distinctive and grounded in the religious heritage and contemporary context of its host institution. Yet they have shared common characteristics. They have introduced youth to theological and biblical texts, provided them with opportunities for worship and spiritual formation, helped them examine contemporary social challenges, engaged them in vocational discernment practices, provided them with leadership development experiences through ministry projects, supported them with mentors and encouraged them to explore callings in full-time ministry and other service professions. What follows are helpful resources that relate directly to these initiatives. These include: books and reports on vocational discernment and adolescent spirituality; descriptions of youth theology programs; and a list of Endowment-supported college- and seminary-based youth theology institutes. 10

11 I. Selected Bibliography Adolescent Spirituality and Vocational Discernment Baker, Dori Grinenko and Joyce Ann Mercer. Lives to Offer: Accompanying Youth on Their Vocational Questions. The Pilgrim Press, Clydesdale, Tim. The Purposeful Graduate: Why Colleges Must Talk to Students about Vocation. University of Chicago Press, forthcoming, Daloz, Laurent A. Parks, Cheryl H. Keen, James P. Keen and Sharon Daloz Parks. Common Fire: Leading Lives of Commitment in a Complex World. Beacon Press, Dean, Kenda. Almost Christian: What The Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church. Oxford University Press, Garber, Steven. Fabric of Faithfulness: Weaving Together Belief and Behavior. InterVarsity Books, Placher, William. Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Wisdom on Vocation. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Roels, Shirley. An Education for Abundant Life Liberal Education v. 100: no. 1 (Winter 2014), pp Smith, Christian and Melinda Lundquist Denton. Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. Oxford University Press, Schwehn, Mark and Dorothy Bass, eds. Leading Lives That Matter: What We Should Do and Who We Should Be. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Wheeler, Barbara G. et al. On Our Way: A Study of Students Paths to Seminary. Auburn Seminary, February

12 II. Descriptions of Youth Theology Institutes 1) University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN -- ND Vision See Tara Hunt, Faith and Leadership Notre Dame students model a life of faith in progress for teens. Faith and Leadership: 2) Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC -- Duke Youth Academy See Fred Edie, Book, Bath, Table, and Time: Christian Worship as Source and Resource for Youth Ministry. The Pilgrim Press, ) A profile of several programs. Frykholm, Amy. Seminary for Teens Christian Century November 30, 2010, pp III. List of College- and Seminary-based Youth Theology Institutes College-based High School Youth Theology Institutes Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN Youth Theology Institute Furman University, Greenville, SC Summer Connections Hellenic College, Brookline, MA CrossRoad Summer Institute Luther College, Decorah, IA Wholly Iowa Youth Leadership Discipling Event Maryville College, Maryville, TN Horizons Tabor College, Hillsboro, KS Ministry Quest University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN ND Vision Seminary-based High School Youth Theology Institutes Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, IN!Explore Bethany Theological Seminary, West Richmond, IN Youth: Explore Your Call Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI Facing Your Future Candler School of Theology (Emory University), Atlanta, GA Youth Theology Initiative Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO Vocatio Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN Christ Academy Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC Duke Youth Academy Emmanuel Christian Seminary (Milligan College), Milligan College, TN Youth in Ministry 12

13 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, MA COMPASS Program Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, GA Youth Hope-Builders Academy Lancaster Theological Seminary, Lancaster, PA Leadership Now Lincoln Christian College and Seminary, Lincoln, IL WorldView Eyes Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Chicago, IL Youth in Mission Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Gettysburg, PA & Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA Theological Education with Youth Multnomah University, Portland, OR Spring Thaw Perkins School of Theology (Southern Methodist University), Dallas, TX Faith Calls Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA Miller Summer Youth Institute Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA Theological Foundations for Youth St. John's School of Theology and Seminary, Collegeville, MN Youth in Theology and Ministry St. Mary s Seminary and University, Baltimore, MN Youth Theological Studies St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, St. Meinrad, IN One Bread, One Cup Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH Summer Seminary Sampler Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, IA Wartburg Youth Leadership School 13