Grants

Please read this whole section carefully before applying for a Yarnton Trust grant.

The Trust funds gospel workers in two key pathways: Foundation Training and Advanced Training. All grants are awarded in partnership with a Training Church, on a matched funding basis.

In addition, a third 'Enabling' category of grants will be available to people who can make a significant contribution to gospel training culture.

Foundation training grants (2 years)

Foundation training is full-time in a local church for 2 years, in partnership with an external training provider (exceptionally one year).

In many churches, Foundation training will be Apprenticeship or Associate programmes. The external training provider could be a Gospel Partnership training course or a portfolio of distance-learning courses like Union’s Grow programme.

Foundation training is with the expectation that the significant majority - around 80% - will continue to Advanced training and set-apart gospel work.

Advanced training grants (3–4 years)

The Trust funds exceptional individuals in their post-Foundation training through Advanced Training grants. Within this pathway, there are two routes:

Pathway 1 — In-church leadership training: an individual trains for three or four years in a local church as a Pastor in Training, Trainee Christian Leader, or similar role, alongside study at a training provider such as a theological seminary, Crosslands, or the Leaders' Training Course.

Pathway 2 — Residential theological study: an individual pursues full-time residential theological study at an accredited theological college, seminary, or divinity faculty, preparing for ordination or set-apart gospel work.

The expectation is that 100% of people completing Advanced training go on to set-apart gospel work.

Matched funding model

Grants will be awarded on a matched funding basis; as a minimum, the grant will need to be matched by the training or sending church.

Yarnton will also look for evidence of a third source of funding – personal support, gospel patronage, other trusts – ideally at the same level.

The principle of matched funding maximizes the overall investment in training.

Yarnton will consider making an enhanced grant for local churches unable to match fund due to their demographic.

Annual gatherings

Grant recipients will meet together annually for gatherings focused on preaching, leadership development, and gospel partnership. These will be peer groups of around 10-12 people at similar stages in training, fostering lifelong relationships and collaboration.