New ways of supporting training for women and men into Baptist ministry came into being in 2022.  

A Baptist branded crowdfunding scheme in partnership with Stewardship launched last spring. Ministers-in-training can now apply for a ‘Partner Account for Individuals’, to which those wishing to support them can make one-off or regular gifts, choosing to remain anonymous if they wish.  

In addition, those who cannot access student finance through the UK or Welsh Government, can now instead apply for a loan for student fees through Kingdom Bank, with whom the Baptist Union has entered an agreement. If an application is approved, payments for student fees will be made direct to the college. Students can also borrow up to £1,500 for resources that enable their study, such as a laptop or books.  

After training, the students are expected to pay back the loan over ten years. The interest rate is favourable compared to a typical personal loan because the Baptist Union acts as the guarantor. This is currently a pilot scheme (available for students starting in September 2022), and it is hoped the arrangement will be made permanent if funding allows.  

Both these initiatives were proposed by the Funding for Ministerial Training Working Group, and approved by Baptist Union Council in October 2021.