Continuing Education Grants
The Education Legacy Fund
What is the Education Legacy Fund?
The Legacy Fund originated as the Al Gunderman Memorial Grant Fund of the LCMS Kansas District. Mr. Alan (Al) D. Gunderman served as the Executive Director of Educational Services for the LCMS Kansas District for more than a decade. Al promoted, encouraged and administered the areas of youth ministry, singles ministry, Directors of Christian Education and their ministry, and elementary and early childhood education and its ministry. On Christmas Day, 2003, he was called by God to enter Eternal Life.
In 2004, the Kansas District Board of Directors passed a resolution to allocate $2,000 of undesignated funds for the purpose of providing continuing education opportunities in the Kansas District. These funds were set up in memory of Alan D. Gunderman to be administered by the Board of Education of the Kansas District. The Board of Education was to offer grants to servants of the church (professional or lay leaders) for the expressed purpose of attending seminars, classes or training workshops to enhance their continuing education.
By 2007, only $800 remained in this fund. At the same time, the Kansas District Media Library was in the process of closing, and there remained some $1,500 in the Media Board Library account that was also administered by the Board of Education of the Kansas District. In August of 2007, the Board of Directors passed a resolution to combine these two funds (the Al Gunderman Memorial Grant Fund and the Media Board Library Fund) into the Education Legacy Fund.
How to apply for a Legacy Fund grant
Those desiring one-time consideration for assistance with their continuing education may apply for a Legacy Fund Grant by completing the grant application below and submitting it to:
LCMS Kansas District
Attn: Board of Education
1000 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, Kansas 66604-1104
Requests should not exceed $500, and only one request per congregation, school and/or worker will be considered each year. All applications are reviewed quarterly by the Board of Education (BOE) at their regular meetings.
The BOE will determine approval of these requests based on the following:
(a) Availability of funds
(b) The scope of the project
(c) The potential impact at the local level for the congregation, school and/or worker
Recipients of a Legacy Fund Grant are notified in writing by a member of the Board of Education.
How to support the Legacy Fund
Through the years, gifts have been made to the Education Legacy Fund through congregational and individual gifts.
Other gifts can take the form of charitable gift annuities, insurance policies, charitable remainder trusts or charitable lead trusts. Donors using these forms of support are urged to seek the advice of professional counsel (tax accountant or attorney) concerning the best giving option for them.
Won’t you help provide educational opportunities to congregations, schools and church and lay workers so that the people of God in the LCMS Kansas District may be better served with the precious Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?
All gifts to the Education Legacy Fund of the LCMS Kansas District are considered tax-deductible, as the Kansas District is a 501(c)3 corporation under the Internal Revenue Code. Please use the gift card below as a means of notifying the District office of your desire to offer a gift in support of the Legacy Fund.
For further information, please contact the Kansas District either by phone (785-357-4441) or in writing (LCMS Kansas District, Attention: Board of Education, 1000 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66604).
District Contacts
Jim Bradshaw
Assistant to the President for Education and Youth
785-357-4441
Fax: 785-357-5071
jbradshaw@kslcms.org
Janet Powell
Administrative Assistant
janet@kslcms.org
785-357-4441, ext. 2001