About the Charlotte Partnership Program
The Partnership Program is one of Gordon-Conwell’s most premier scholarships. This scholarship provides the opportunity for others to share the privilege of sending you to seminary and staying connected with you throughout your time here. The added value of stewardship education and skills will serve you well for a lifetime of ministry. This IRS-approved program is the first of its kind in seminary education.
Your Commitments
As a participant in the Partnership Program, you agree to fulfill the following:
- Come to seminary with a sending church that has confirmed your call to ministry, and has agreed to pray for you, communicate with you regularly and give at least $500 per year to the Partnership Program Scholarship Fund.
- Identify, through your network of family and friends, at least 10 donors who will each give a minimum of $45 per month to the Partnership Program Scholarship Fund and support you in prayer. Contributions are tax-deductible.
- Write monthly news updates for your prayer and financial partners.
- Personally send occasional hand-written thank-you cards to ensure faithful communication and convey appreciation.
- Attend a financial planning seminar
- Attend support-raising training events and other educational training events.
A Partnership Coordinator will orient you to your responsibilities and the administrative details of pledge gathering, monitor your progress, and provide support to help you meet your commitments.
A Focus on Stewardship and Discipleship
Through Gordon-Conwell’s Partnership Program and Pierce Center for Disciple-Building, you will participate in spiritual and discipleship mentoring, training events, and small groups designed to help you grow in Christ-like character and conduct, and prepare you to teach others.
Eligibility
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The Partnership Program assists the student in learning critical fundraising skills that will be used throughout ministry. All degree program applicants should be prepared to demonstrate the full intent of using their degree in a ministry-based, not-for-profit sector of a local or global environment. All Partnership Program applicants must complete the following:
- Write a statement indicating your full intentions for ministry and telling how you will use the fundraising skills you learn in your future ministry.
- Submit this statement to your pastor for review. Your pastor must then attach your statement to the pastoral letter of recommendation and endorse your stated goals.
- You must fulfill the Partnership Program educational components and commitments.
- Program excludes international students.
Application and Deadlines
Candidates may submit an application to the Partnership Program after they have been accepted into a degree program* and have paid the $75, non-refundable matriculation fee. Applications must arrive prior to the published deadline and may not be made retroactive for any semester. Therefore, early application is strongly recommended. Deadlines for each semester are:
| Entry Point for Scholarship: | Deadline: | Fundraising Training Due: | Fundraising Deadline: |
| Fall Semester | April 30 | May 31 | August 31 |
| Spring Semester | September 30 | October 31 | January 31 |
| Summer Semester | January 31 | February 15 | May 1 |
For more information, please contact the Charlotte Partnership Program office at (704) 940-5840 or charpartnership@gcts.edu for more information.
* Certificate program students and special/non-degree seeking students are not eligible. Current students are not eligible for the full-tuition scholarship, but are eligible for the previous provisions of the Partnership Program. The full-tuition program is open to all newly matriculated students beginning Fall 2012 or later.
