The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) has awarded $697,900 through the inaugural grant cycle of its Regional Conference Higher Education Fund (RCHEF), supporting 14 higher education projects across Africa, Europe, and the Philippines.

The general boards of Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry have awarded $143,350 in Campus Food and Hygiene Insecurity Grants to 19 United Methodist-related colleges and universities, supporting campus programs that help students access nutritious food, personal care items, and other essential resources needed to pursue their education.

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) and the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU) mourn the passing of Rev. Dr. Roger Ireson, president emeritus of IAMSCU and general secretary of GBHEM from 1988 until his retirement in 2001, who died on November 6, 2026, in Austin, Texas.

As of late September 2026, This Moment Matters has disbursed $38.6 million across 681 grants in the areas of agriculture and food security, education, health, migration, and peace.

The proposal to unify four general agencies of The United Methodist Church — Discipleship Ministries, Global Ministries (GBGM), Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM), and United Methodist Communications (UMCom) — to create a new connectional ministries agency has passed its next significant milestone.

Facing ongoing global instability, the boards of Higher Education and Ministry and Global Ministries invest in strengthening mission and ministry, prepare for organizational change, and affirm a vision of hope.

The Central Conference Theological Education Fund (CCTEF) awarded $992,594 in grants to support theological education across The United Methodist Church. During its spring 2026 meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, commissioners reviewed $3.9 million in funding requests and made awards from a total allocation of $1.03 million. The final grant list was released in August.

The School of Mission for Young People (SMYP) brought together more than 30 leaders in the UMC to engage in conversations and experiences around mission in Asia.

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) continues its commitment to cultivate future church leaders through the Young Clergy Initiative (YCI) Vocational Discernment Grant Fund, a program designed to help individuals listen, discern, and respond to God's call to vocational ministry. Established by General Conference in 2012, the Young Clergy Initiative was created to increase the number of young clergy, under age 35, serving across United Methodist jurisdictions in the United States.

A new grant program, the Ministry Support Fund, to support clergy care, leadership development, and conference ministries was announced August 19 during the Boards of Ordained Ministry (BOM) Mid-Quadrennial Training held in Atlanta. The initiative was created by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the General Board of Global Ministries to help annual conferences address emerging needs related to licensed and ordained ministry.