To promote Stewardship education across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Stewardship of Life Institute is pleased to launch in 2023 the Sharron Blezard Innovation Fellowship, as well as resuming our traditional Stewardship Grant Program. Details below:
The Sharron Blezard Innovation Fellowship
The fellowship provides up to $40,000 to create a resource for ministry that encourages people to embrace their role of steward in creation. The Fellowship is named for the Rev. Sharron R. Blezard, a longtime SOLI writer and editor who died of breast cancer in July 2021. The annual deadline for applications and requests for proposals is September 1.
Click here for an application in English. En Espanol.
Click here for an RFP in English. En Espanol.
Click here for information on Sharron Blezard in English. En Espanol.
SOLI Stewardship Education Grants
The Stewardship Education Grants are SOLI’s grants up to $12,000 for projects that encourage creative, collaborative, grassroots efforts to teach stewardship to church leaders in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America synods, congregations and affiliated partner ministries..
Applications are accepted twice a year. Deadlines are September 15 and March 15.
Click here for an application for the Stewardship Education Grant.
Click here for an FAQ that gives details about the program, as well as examples of previous successful grant projects..
The Stewardship Education Grant Program from 2014 until it was suspended in 2021. At its April 2023 meeting, SOLI’s Board of Directors approved resuming the program.
The Stewardship Education Grant Program began out of recognition that across our church many leaders do not have the information or tools they needed to lead their churches into financial stability. We welcome ELCA seminaries, judicatories, congregations and other church partners to put together ideas and programs that will assist the leaders they serve.
