April 23, 2026 (Louisville, KY) — Louisville Institute is pleased to announce the award of 26 grants through its Pastoral Study Project (PSP) program for 2026. The grants, totaling approximately $500,000 and funded through the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc., will support study projects by pastoral and ministry leaders at the intersection of Christian faith, ministry practice, and the broader social landscapes of North America.

The Pastoral Study Project awards grants of up to $20,000 to skilled and innovative clergy, lay leaders, and staff working in diverse Christian contexts in the United States and Canada. PSP grants offer pastoral and ministry leaders time away from the daily demands of their work to dig deeply into significant questions of ministry, the church, and Christian faith in our communities and the wider society.

Selected from a competitive pool of applicants through a rigorous review process conducted by an independent selection committee, this year’s 26 funded projects span an impressive range of ministry contexts and concerns. Their work addresses topics as varied as clergy mental wellness and burnout prevention, faith-based housing for LGBTQIA+ families, the impact of deportations on Hispanic congregations, reimagining retirement as a season of calling, digital ministry tools for Latino congregations, neurodivergent gifts in ministry, and holistic approaches to youth discipleship in Black churches.

“These 26 projects represent a host of creative and consequential pastoral work being done today at the intersection of faith, ministry, and public life,” said Rev. Dr. Vanessa Lovelace, Executive Director of the Louisville Institute. “We are proud to support pastoral leaders whose study projects hold real promise for strengthening the church and the communities it serves.”

Grant recipients gathered at the Pastoral Study Project Consultation in January 2026, a multi-day convening in which PSP grantees shared their projects, learned from one another, and discovered new resources and possibilities. All expenses for Consultation participants are covered by the Louisville Institute.

2026 Pastoral Study Project Grant Recipients