The POISE Religious Sabbatical Program offers some of our region’s most treasured leaders an opportunity to engage in a period of renewal and reflection away from the persistent obligations of daily service. Learn more about our work to provide 18 organizations with sabbatical funding of up to $10,000 each.

SABBATICAL PROGRAM GOALS

• Recognize and reward accomplished nonprofit leaders with an extended break from their work for personal rejuvenation

• Advance the skills and capacity of staff at sabbatical organizations, fostering a more sustainable leadership structure

• Encourage shared leadership within the organization

• Advocate for the investment in people as the most valuable asset to the religious sector

• Foster community and cross-disciplinary dialogue among nonprofit leaders in the Pittsburgh region

• Capture the organizational impact in video clips designed to increase visibility and boost fundraising efforts

Religious leaders serve a variety of roles in their privileged position at the center of congregational life: preacher, teacher, spiritual guide, pastoral visitor, friend, and confidante. These continual responsibilities and the pace and demands of religious life may feel relentless, leaving even the most dedicated with a need to replenish their spiritual reservoirs.

Many religious leaders work under unyielding stress. Enormous work demands and financial pressure may prevent them from taking time off for much-needed rejuvenation and reflection. The Sabbatical Program offers religious leaders opportunities to reflect, rejuvenate, and return to their work reinvigorated.

To learn more, contact Sarah Byrne-Houser, Program Officer for External Partnerships, at: sbyrne-houser@poisefdn.org