Scholarships, Grants, Loans, and Awards

All applications are available at the links listed below. If you don't have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader and wish to download the paper application, click here to download it.

Higher Education Scholarships and Grants

As an expression of Christian concern for the nurture of students, the Synod of the Trinity of the Presbyterian Church (USA) offers five types of scholarships, and awards more than $150,000 annually (2008 awards story) to individuals pursuing a higher education, and whose permanent residence is within the boundaries of the Synod of the Trinity.  The Synod encompasses all of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, except for the counties of Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan, and Pendleton, and in Ohio, only the counties of Belmont, Harrison, Jefferson, Monroe, and the southern sector of Columbiana.

Deadline of April 30, 2009 postmarked date is past.

This scholarship assists full-time undergraduate students who are members of or actively involved in a Presbyterian Church (USA) and attending any college. The student must reside within the bounds of the Synod.  Deadline for all materials of April 30, 2009 postmarked date is past. The 2009-2010 application is no longer available.

This scholarship assists full-time undergraduate students of any denomination who are attending any college and who are African American, Asian, Hispanic, Latino, Middle Eastern, or Native American. The student must reside within the bounds of the Synod.  Deadline for all materials of April 30, 2009 postmarked date is past.  The 2009-2010 application is no longer available.

This scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students who are the children of minimally-salaried Presbyterian Church (USA) pastors serving in the Synod of the Trinity. It is named in memory of former Synod Executive William G. Rusch and is made available through the generous support of his family and friends. Combined in this scholarship is the Shepard Memorial Fund, which is an endowment fund in memory of Thomas and Lula M. Shepard. Other support comes from the Synod's General Mission Budget through the generous support of our congregations. The student must reside within the bounds of the Synod.  Deadline for all materials of April 30, 2009 postmarked date is past. The 2009-2010 application is no longer available.

This grant is for graduate studies, and it is available as the result of a generous gift given by the estate of Mary L. Clark. It is a restricted fund that provides financial assistance to persons who are residents of Pennsylvania and who are engaged in studying for service in the Presbyterian Church (USA) ministry.  Deadline for all materials of April 30, 2009 postmarked date is past.

This scholarship is for graduate studies, and the funds are available as a result of a generous gift given by the estate of Mary Meade Maxwell, a life-long Presbyterian. It is a restricted fund and is to be used to provide financial assistance to persons who reside within the bounds of the Synod of the Trinity and who are preparing for full-time church-related vocations in the Presbyterian Church (USA).  Deadline for all materials of April 30, 2009 postmarked date is past.

Presbyterian undergraduate and graduate students should also explore the various financial aid programs of the denomination by contacting the Office of Financial Aid for Studies, Presbyterian Church (USA.), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202 (888-728-5776).  Another funding source for those who are pursuing their theological educational goals is the Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation, 2120 S. 72nd Street, Suite 630, Omaha, NE 68124 or at their website.

Grants, Loans, and Awards

Self-Development of People (SDOP) Grants:

This is a partnership initiative with groups within the bounds of the Synod of the Trinity, oppressed by poverty or social systems, who want to take charge of their own lives, and who have organized to affect their own conditions.  SDOP grants are for projects that will produce direct long-term benefits for the group through the projects they control. The partnerships are initiated by proposals to the Synod's SDOP Committee and are evaluated by its funding criteria.  Annually, the Synod funds approximately $60,000 for SDOP proposals.  Print the criteria and application today.  The 2009 application must be used.  If you have received Synod SDOP Funding for your project previously, please use this new application form.

Funding for SDOP projects comes from the One Great Hour of Sharing offering.  For more information, contact Marcia Humer at 800-242-0534 ext. 233.   Application deadline has been extended to May 8, 2009.

Information on SDOP at the national level is available online or by contacting the Director, Cynthia White, at the PCUSA Center in Louisville, KY, phone 888-728-7228 ext. 5780.

†††††††††††††††

Presbyterian Hunger Program Grants

The Synod of the Trinity reviews national Presbyterian Hunger Program proposals that come from within the bounds of the Synod.  These proposals are funded by the One Great Hour of Sharing offering.  For more information, contact Marcia Humer at (800) 242-0534 ext. 233.  For in-depth information about this ministry, visit their website at General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

†††††††††††††††

Building Grant and Loan

The Synod available to advise churches in the planning of new construction or specific remodeling projects. The Synod provides guidance for demographics and strategic planning for presbyteries and congregations.  For additional information, contact the Synod office at (800) 242-0534.

Handicap Accessibility low interest loans of up to $30,000 from the General Assembly are available to assist churches in making their buildings handicap accessible.  For information on these loans, please contact Judy Walton, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Investment and Loan rogram, Inc., at (800) 903-7457 ext. 5231.

†††††††††††††††

Peacemaking Travel Grants

Travel Grants are available for individuals and groups residing within the bounds of the Synod.  Travel must be related to peacemaking either locally or globally and be a deeper commitment to peacemaking as we live out our faithfulness to God.  Click here for the 2009 travel application.

Andrew Murray Travel Grants

The Andrew Murray Scholarship Fund was established in 1992 to honor the memory of a former peacemaking moderator, Andrew E. Murray.  The purpose is to provide grants to individuals and groups from Presbyterian churches within the Synod who are planning to travel to countries of the former Soviet Union as part of peacemaking missions or projects.  This fund is administered by the Grants & Scholarship Committee. Click here for 2009 travel application.

Peacemaking Grants

Grants are available for peacemaking efforts to help finance peacemaking projects and programs developed by congregations or presbyteries of the Synod of the Trinity. The application for peacemaking travel or for PC(USA) peacemaking-supported activities will be available soon.

Andrew Murray Peacemaking Awards

One peacemaking endeavor from each Presbytery within the bounds of The Synod of the Trinity can be acknowledged annually by applying to the Grants & Scholarship Committee no later than August 31. Application will be available soon. by clicking here.

†††††††††††††††

Disaster Relief Funds

The Synod of the Trinity provides funding for Disaster Relief for use by its presbyteries.  In the event of a disaster within the bounds of the Synod of the Trinity, information will be available on this site.  Get more information on disaster relief efforts within the church at General Assembly's website.

Back to "Programs and Services"