What is The Shepherd’s Fund?

The Shepherd’s Fund was established by a generous donor to bless retired ordained pastors and missionaries, their spouses, and their widow/widowers who have faithfully served Christ and His church. The Shepherd’s Fund provides financial assistance when a medical or life stage crisis creates a hardship.

Identifying the Need

The majority of pastors serve small churches and do not have substantial salaries, often working second jobs to supplement their income. As a result, they often are not able to set aside an appropriate sum of money for retirement and when a medical crisis occurs this puts them in a financial crisis as well.

Grant Limitations

A retired pastor and their spouse may qualify for up to $25,000 in lifetime assistance. Support is provided for documented medical expenses as needs arise. Payments are made based on invoices or receipts rather than a fixed annual amount. This approach helps us steward the Fund wisely and ensures assistance is available over multiple years for those experiencing ongoing medical hardship.

    • Grants may also be given to surviving spouses of pastors.

Our Process

1. APPLY
A pastor, spouse, widow, or family member completes the simple online application through The Shepherd’s Fund. A denominational or church leader may help guide them to the application if needed.

2. REVIEW
The Shepherd’s Fund reviews the application and confirms the individual is in good standing with their denomination.

3. GATHER INFORMATION
If more information is needed, The Shepherd’s Fund will reach out directly to request items such as:

  • Basic income and expense information
  • Most recent tax return (if available)
  • A note from the doctor explaining the medical situation

We will help guide applicants through this step to keep it simple.

4. APPROVAL
The Shepherd’s Fund carefully reviews all information and determines if assistance can be provided, along with the appropriate amount.

5. PAYMENT
If approved, The Shepherd’s Fund sends payments directly to the provider (such as a hospital, doctor, pharmacy, or other necessary service).

6. FOLLOW-UP
The Shepherd’s Fund stays in touch as needed and provides updates to the applicant and, when appropriate, their denominational contact.

 

APPLY NOW ONLINE
* NOTE: YOU WILL NEED TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT.