JACKSON, MS – Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) has received a grant of nearly $1 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish The Kaleo Project, a strategic five-year initiative designed to address the growing shortage of pastoral candidates within Reformed and Presbyterian church constituencies.
The program is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, which aims to support theological schools across the United States and Canada in strengthening their educational and financial capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations, both now and in the future.
The name Kaleo comes from the Greek word meaning “I call,” a reminder that God initiates the call to ministry, but the church plays an essential role in recognizing, affirming, and preparing those He calls. The Kaleo Project employs a two-pronged approach to addressing the pastoral shortage: proactive vocational exploration and strategic recruitment, combined with enhanced resources and support to equip students for ministry. Through this initiative, RTS seeks to increase the number of Master of Divinity graduates from a three-year average of 83 students to 110 students annually within five years.
Vocational Exploration Grants Now Available
A centerpiece of the initiative is the new Vocational Exploration Grant Program, which will provide funding to help individuals explore a calling to ordained pastoral ministry. Prospective students may request grants to help cover the costs of visiting an RTS campus to learn more about preparing for ministry. Current students may request grants to visit a particular congregation, mission field, or other area of potential future service. Grant amounts are determined based on individual needs and are ordinarily limited to $500 per experience.
Prospective Master of Divinity students who are college juniors and older, and current Master of Divinity students who have completed at least 54 credits, are eligible to apply. Applications open November 15, 2025, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. For more information and to apply, visit rts.edu/kaleoproject.
“The church is facing a critical shortage of well-trained pastoral leaders at the very time when faithful, biblically grounded ministry is needed most,” said Dr. Ligon Duncan, Chancellor and CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary. “The Kaleo Project reflects our deep commitment to partnering with local churches to identify and equip the next generation of pastors. We are deeply grateful to Lilly Endowment for this generous grant, which will enable us to help churches be more intentional about raising up pastoral candidates and ensure that financial barriers don’t prevent called individuals from pursuing seminary training.”
Reformed Theological Seminary 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.
“Theological schools have long played a central role for most denominations and church networks in preparing and supporting pastoral leaders who guide congregations,” said Christopher L. Coble, the Endowment’s vice president for religion. “These schools are paying close attention to the challenges churches are facing today and will face in the foreseeable future. The grants will help these schools engage in wide-ranging, innovative efforts to adapt their educational programs and build their financial capacities so they can better prepare pastors and lay ministers to effectively lead the congregations they will serve in the future.”
About Reformed Theological Seminary
Founded in 1966, Reformed Theological Seminary exists to serve the church in all branches of evangelical Christianity, particularly the Presbyterian Reformed family, by preparing its leaders through a program of graduate-level theological education. RTS offers eight degree programs through campuses in Jackson, MS; Orlando, FL; Charlotte, NC; Washington, DC; Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; New York, NY; and through a Global (online) program.
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 States and around the globe.
Contact: David S. Veldkamp