Franklin W & Helen S Bowen Charitable Trust
Bowen Charitable Trust (Franklin W. & Helen S. Bowen Charitable Trust) provides scholarships and grants to individuals pursuing vocational ministry and to institutions/events supporting vocational ministers, with priorities for American Baptist Churches in West Virginia. The site includes distribution guidelines, downloadable application forms, meeting dates, and a contact email ([email protected]).
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Individuals seeking scholarships for vocational ministry and small religious or Baptist-affiliated institutions/events that support vocational ministers.
Good Fit
- • Scholarship requests for vocational ministry or seminary study
- • Programs or events that serve American Baptist Churches or West Virginia Baptist networks
- • Requests in the small-grant range (typically below $5,000)
- • Completed application submitted per the posted form and timing rules
- • Mentoring or ministerial training programs aligned with the trust's stated priorities
Geography
Grants span multiple states (eight in 2024) but are regionally concentrated, with roughly half of dollars directed to Pennsylvania and a large share to West Virginia.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows a broad recipient set (65 distinct recipients) including many individual scholarship awards and a mix of charities and individuals, with 48 new recipients in 2024 and 17 returning recipients across years.
New Applicants
Observed behavior shows substantial new recipient turnover (48 new recipients in 2024) and a clear public application path on the website (downloadable forms, email and mail submission instructions and timing rules), although some preselected-language appears in filings.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
