Bill and Margaret Best Travel Fund
The Overseas Travel Fund was renamed the Bill and Margaret Best Travel Fund in 1990 in memory of former Assembly Executive Secretary Rev. W.A. Best and his wife Margaret. The purpose of the Fund is to assist church workers wanting to further develop their area of service to the Church. The Personnel Work Group administers the Fund.
Download Bill and Margaret Best Travel Fund flyer here.
Eligibility
Church workers must have been employed in an equivalent full-time role that is recognised by the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand for at least five of the previous 10 years. The term ‘church worker’ includes ministers, lay ministers and elders. Training and study courses should meet the minimum duration as set out in the table below:
| Location of course/conference | Minimum duration |
| Within New Zealand | Seven (7) days |
| Australia/Pacific region | Seven (7) days |
| North America/Asia | Fourteen (14) days |
| Europe | Twenty-one (21) days |
Applicants must complete their course and return to New Zealand within 12 months of the course beginning. Grants are for travel costs only. For assistance with course fees and/or materials please contact your presbytery. Where the course is in North America, Asia or Europe, the applicant needs to demonstrate that the equivalent course is not available in New Zealand or the Pacific region.
Applications
Applications close 30 September each year. Applicants are notified of the outcome of their application by by November. Applicants are encouraged to apply for their grant prior to travel. However, applications for travel undertaken in the past 12 months will be considered. All applications must include a letter of approval from the presbytery. Applicants wanting to attend a conference as an official representative of the Presbyterian Church should provide the names of at least two referees.
An application form can be downloaded here.
Previous grants
Where an applicant has previously received a grant from the Fund, they must undergo a stand-down period before they are able to apply for a new grant. The stand-down period is as follows:
| Location of previous travel | Stand-down period |
| New Zealand , Australia or the Pacific | Three (3) years |
| Asia | Five (5) years |
| Europe or North America | Eight (8) years |
Study leave report
At the completion of the course, applicants should forward their study leave report, along with the summary report page in the application pack, to: Kate Wilson, Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, P O Box 9049, Wellington 6141 or kate@presbyterian.org.nz.
Convenors of committees and/or work groups who have obtained support for overseas visitors are required to advise the Personnel Work Group that the visit is complete. This notification should also be sent to Kate Wilson, Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, P O Box 9049, Wellington 6141 or kate@presbyterian.org.nz.
For additional information, contact Kate Wilson at 04 381 8291 or kate@presbyterian.org.nz