The Pilot Lay Leader Development Track is a pilot formation and support pathway for emerging staff and volunteer lay leaders whose gifts are vital to parish life and diocesan ministry.
This pilot track aims to expand access to lay formation by removing financial barriers to diocesan and churchwide training programs. It is designed to support emerging staff and volunteer lay leaders who deepen their ministries through formal training, licensure, or other structured opportunities that strengthen their service in Episcopal communities.
Applications to the 2026 ECF Fellowship Class are now closed. Applications to the 2027 class will open in November 2026.
What Fellows Receive
Fellows in the Pilot Lay Leader Development Track will receive modest financial support up to $5,000, depending on need, to cover the costs of training or licensure programs, connection with a small cohort of peers, and opportunities to help shape this inaugural community of energized and committed lay leaders. Fellows also join the wider ECF Fellows network, gaining access to shared learning and churchwide relationships.
Who Should Apply
Designed for faithful staff and volunteer lay leaders of Episcopal congregations who:
- Are actively involved in ministry in their parish, diocese, or local community
- Seek to deepen their lay ministry through formal training, certification, or licensure
- Are interested in pioneering a new community of lay leaders who learn from one another and share their experiences with the Church
Applicants may be pursuing roles such as Eucharistic Minister, Worship Leader, Pastoral Leader, Preacher, Formation Leader, Evangelist, other diocesan-licensed ministries, or other structured lay leadership development pathways.
What We Expect from Applicants
Applicants should be prepared to:
- Provide a reference letter from someone who can speak to their ministry (e.g., bishop, rector, priest-in-charge, senior warden, or fellow parishioner)
- Describe how they plan to use the Fellowship funds for training or formation
- Share their understanding of their call as a lay leader in their congregation, community, and the wider Church