The Fund for Theological Education Inc
The Fund for Theological Education (FTE), also known as Forum for Theological Exploration, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1956, the organization cultivates diverse young adults to become faithful, wise, and courageous leaders for the church and academy. The organization operates with a staff of approximately 16-17 employees and maintains a substantial asset base to support its mission-driven work.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$39.6M
+11.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+211.1% YoY
Grant Count
55
+57.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
+98.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization's mission is to cultivate diverse young adults to be faithful, wise, and courageous leaders for the church and the academy. Through its initiatives, FTE enables gifted young people throughout the Christian community to explore and respond to God's calling in their lives.
Primary Program Areas:
Ministry Program: Identifies, inspires, and nurtures outstanding undergraduates and seminary students from various Christian denominations pursuing vocations in ministry and theological scholarship. The program offers three kinds of fellowships, including Undergraduate Fellowships for rising juniors or seniors.
Strategic Partners Initiative: Equips and strengthens diverse networks of leaders of congregations and church-related organizations to identify and inspire young adults to explore and pursue a call to ministry and teaching through grants, conferences, leadership development opportunities, and community support.
High School Youth Theology Institutes: Provides spaces for young people to explore questions about their faith, purpose, and call to ministry. These institutes work with colleges and universities, congregations, denominational offices, service agencies, and youth ministry organizations to identify, ignite, and cultivate the gifts of future Christian leaders.
Doctoral Fellowship Program: Awards fellowships to scholars of color pursuing doctoral studies in theological and religious fields.
Grantmaking
The organization does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis for grant opportunities.
Grant Range
$12,000
Average Grant
amount varies by year
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization's grantmaking focuses primarily on Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $39,615,127
- Total revenues: $8,347,006
- Total expenses: $5,526,947
Assets and Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $35.5 million
- Total revenues: $5.75 million
- Total expenses: $5.57 million
- Total liabilities: $619,000
Giving Rate: Approximately 1.2% of assets annually
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $39,615,127 | $35,537,023 | $32,218,252 |
| Revenue | $8,347,006 | $5,752,139 | $7,187,666 |
| Expenses | $5,526,947 | $5,572,732 | $5,327,664 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,792,209 | $1,005,403 | $640,856 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Fund for Theological Education Inc
Doctoral Fellowship for Ph.D. and Th.D. Students
THE FUND FOR THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION INC
Amount
Up to $35,000
Deadline
February 16, 2027
Ministry Exploration and Mentoring Projects for Young Adults
THE FUND FOR THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION INC
Amount
$1,000
Deadline
November 2, 2026
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MATT BLOOM PHD | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| REV AISHA BROOKS-JOHNSON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| REV ERNEST A BROOKS III | VICE CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| REV JOHN HELMIERE | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| MS SOON MEE KIM | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| ANDREA PERRETT | CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| DR SHIVELY TJ SMITH | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| MR J LARRY STINE | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| REV DR STARKSKY D WILSON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| DONALD STEPHEN LEWIS JR | PRESIDENT | 40 | $210,793 |
| PAUL BOIS | VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION | 40 | $152,075 |
| CHRISHAUN HOOPES | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS | 40 | $107,405 |
| CHRISTINA REPOLEY | VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAM | 40 | $131,904 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The organization has maintained active fellowship programs, with recent announcements highlighting:
Announcement of doctoral fellowship awards to scholars of color in 2024, 2023, and prior years
Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) Awards Doctoral Fellowships to 17Continued expansion of its high school youth theology institutes
Ongoing development of strategic partnerships to cultivate Christian leaders across multiple denominations and organizational contexts
Contact Information
Website: fteleaders.org
Phone: 678-369-6755
Address: 120 W Trinity Pl Floor 4, Decatur, GA 30030-3313
EIN: 21-0725643
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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