PLATINUM2022

SCHOLARLEADERS INTERNATIONAL

To encourage and enable Christian theological leaders from the Majority World for the Global Church.

Deerfield, IL   |  www.scholarleaders.org

Mission

To encourage and enable Christian theological leaders from the Majority World for the Global Church. We help theological leaders clarify their unique callings, pursue advanced education, define strategies for their mission, develop sustainable plans, and tackle key theological issues.

Ruling year info

1984

President

Dr. Christopher M. Hays

Main address

2065 Half Day Road T-2992

Deerfield, IL 60015 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

CISF

EIN

94-2923639

NTEE code info

Scholarships, Student Financial Aid, Awards (B82)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2023, 2022 and 2021.
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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

ScholarLeaders International addresses three primary problems. 1) ScholarLeaders addresses the problem of lack of funding for Majority World students of theological education by providing scholarships for their PhD studies. 2) ScholarLeaders addresses problems of long-term viability at Majority World seminaries by providing consulting support so that seminaries can create strategic financial, faculty, facility, and succession plans. 3) ScholarLeaders addresses the problem of strife between Muslims and Christians by providing a platform for academic dialogue and reconciliation. 4) ScholarLeaders addresses the problem of gender inequality by focusing on equipping women in theological education. 5) ScholarLeaders addresses the problem of the Majority World's marginalization in theological education by publishing the InSights Journal for Global Theological Education, which amplifies the voices of Majority World theological educators.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

LeaderStudies

LeaderStudies awards scholarships to global Christian leaders pursuing doctoral-level education in theology and related disciplines. We encourage these women and men throughout their academic journey by providing holistic care, from writing workshops to targeted research funding to personal spiritual support.

Population(s) Served
Christians
Academics

The Vital Sustainability Initiative promotes effective executive leadership at global theological schools. At a handful of top institutions, we help executives cultivate sustainable systems for institutional health, including faculty and curriculum development, financial stewardship, and relationships with local churches and communities. In turn, these institutions can train more effective Christian leaders.

Population(s) Served
Christians
Academics

Through our Catalytic Ventures programs, we support a growing list of initiatives, including reconstructing theological education in Ukraine, advancing a Christian understanding of Islam, and empowering women in theological education.

Population(s) Served
Interfaith groups
Academics

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of independent organizations served

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Christians, Academics

Related Program

Vital SustainAbility Initiative

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

The Vital SustainAbility Initiative serves Majority World schools of theological education to promote faculty and staff development, financial sustainability, and long-term strategic planning.

Total number of periodical subscribers

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Christians, Academics

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

The InSights Journal for Global Theological Education publishes articles related to the practice of Majority World theological education. It provides a platform for global leaders to share knowledge.

Number of administrators and staff who plan and experience professional development activities together

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Women and girls, Christians, Academics

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

The Women's PeerLeader Forum was started in 2017. It provides a venue for women leaders in Majority World theological education to counsel and encourage one another.

Number of students currently receiving PhD scholarships

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Christians, Academics

Related Program

LeaderStudies

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

LeaderStudies provides scholarships to outstanding Majority World Christians who earn their PhDs and then return to their home countries to teach and lead seminaries, churches, and other missions.

Number of students who have earned a PhD and returned home to serve in theological education

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Christians, Academics

Related Program

LeaderStudies

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

In total, ScholarLeaders has supported almost 300 Majority World Christian leaders for their PhDs since its founding in 1984.

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

ScholarLeaders International exists to encourage and enable indigenous Christians, women and men, as theological leaders. These leaders teach pastors and others to understand and apply Jesus' teachings in their unique contexts. They bring wise, visionary leadership to new and existing schools and ministries.

ScholarLeaders invests in the most promising indigenous Christian theological leaders in the Majority World to enable these wise women and men to focus on issues of greatest opportunity and need. They, in turn, train and encourage other leaders. ScholarLeaders also consults with indigenous leaders of theological institutions to help them develop strategic long-term plans for institutional stability.

For over 30 years, ScholarLeaders has identified and supported some of the brightest Christian theological leaders from around the world, enabling them to obtain PhDs. They have gone on to form and guide new ministries and institutions that develop the Church and its leaders in their own countries. ScholarLeaders also employs the former president of a top African theological institution and a team of regional consultants who work with Majority World theological institutions.

ScholarLeaders currently supports 56 leaders from 28 countries for study at 33 institutions in 17 countries. Thanks to new PhD programs at Majority World schools and new models of doctoral training, many are able to remain active in ministry while pursuing studies at the highest levels. ScholarLeaders plans to expand its work with Majority World schools of theological education into several new cohorts in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Latin America.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time

Financials

SCHOLARLEADERS INTERNATIONAL
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

SCHOLARLEADERS INTERNATIONAL

Board of directors
as of 01/10/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Dr. Tite Tienou

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 1/10/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 03/13/2020

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
Policies and processes
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.