The Clergy Project is proud to announce the addition of the Employment

Transitional Assistance Grant, thanks to a generous grant from the Stiefel

Freethought Foundation.

Todd Stiefel, founder and President of Stiefel Freethought Foundation said, "With

this donation, my foundation hopes to help formerly-religious clergy find secular

employment. These clergy men and women will no longer have to put the priority

of feeding their family above their desire to stop preaching what they no longer

believe.” Stiefel continued, "Additionally, this is an investment in the next great

leaders of the freethought movement because of the incredible skills such as

community building, support, and management that these clergypersons bring with

them."

This project will provide crucial support to Clergy Project Members leaving active

ministry. The program, offered by RiseSmart will provide 6 months of assistance

including, skills assessment, resume prep and connection with a recruiter in their

area to help them to find sustainable employment.

Dan Barker, President of the Clergy Project board said, "I wish there had been a

service like this when I left the ministry in the 1980s. I spent a long time

floundering, searching for a way to make a meaningful living as a nonbeliever.

Eventually, we all have to solve the problems of life on our own, but just knowing

there are resources from sympathetic organizations can be immensely helpful."

The program is scheduled to officially begin in March 2013.

About The Clergy Project

The Clergy Project is a private, invitation only, online peer support community for active and former clergy who no longer hold supernatural beliefs - to date we have over 400 members and growing. The Clergy Project is managed and operated by member volunteers. Members of the public can submit donations on behalf of the Clergy Project to the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science or the Freedom from Religion Foundation.