Grants & Applications
Granting Opportunities
Annually, the Catholic Foundation offers a competitive granting process that makes awards from our field of interest granting funds. Anyone can support these funds to benefit their communities today and for future generations. As a community foundation, we strive to make the granting process as open and clear as possible and empowering local parishes, schools, and ministries making the most impact in our neighborhoods. Our 2023 Grant and Impact cycle has closed for the 2023 grant year.
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Community Impact
Since 2017
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“These grants are not just about the money; it’s about the relationships. We want to learn about our grant recipients, educate them and help tell their stories. These grants are about telling their stories — from diapers to food, to Catholic schools and vibrant parishes reaching out in evangelization and helping out with the challenges of being a new mom. Look around — from Gaylord to Monroe, from Jackson to Marine City, these grants will go toward making our community stronger.”
~ Angela Moloney, President & CEO – Catholic Foundation of Michigan
Focus Areas
The Catholic Foundation grants in three major focus areas. All grant seekers should review the program areas outlined below and consider how your project or program aligns with the foundation’s grant-making goals. For more specific details, you may also review our granting guidelines linked above.
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Empowering Social OutreachOur Gospel call is to respond to vital social service needs such as food, shelter, medicine for the sick, and hope for those in despair within our community. Examples include but are not limited to:
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![]() | Building Vibrant Parish LifeOur parish is where we encounter Christ – in the sacraments, as well as in the people of our faith community. It’s where we worship, learn, and serve. It’s our home, and it is our privilege to create a strong parish environment. Examples include but are not limited to:
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Fostering Catholic Education and FormationCatholic education encompasses all types of faith formation for people of every age. We encourage all stages of educational and spiritual development to enhance vibrant discipleship. Examples include are but not limited to:
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Types of Grants
Impact Grants
More About Impact GrantsPriority will be given to requests that:
- Build on a community’s assets and distinctive attributes through best practices and innovation
- Foster collaboration and coordination of multiple partners or ministries
- Expand education, service and outreach while building vibrant communities in line with Catholic values
- Measure and demonstrate results
- Ensure sustainability when funding ends
Church in the City Grants
More About Church in the City GrantsThese grants are awarded to Catholic parishes, schools and other Catholic organizations that propagate the Catholic faith in the cities of Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. The endowment provides support for evangelization, Catholic education and faith formation, service and outreach and building vibrant Catholic communities in the city.
Priority will be given to requests that:
- Build innovative evangelization projects in line with Unleash the Gospel that boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus and lead souls to a personal encounter with him.
- Actively support groundbreaking faith formation and education
- Infuse creativity into support for evangelization into the urban Catholic life
St. Oscar Romero Grants
More About St. Oscar Romero GrantsGrants will be awarded to parishes, schools and registered nonprofit organizations that improve the quality of life for the Latino or Hispanic community in the northeast region of the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Priority will be given to:
- Applicants who clearly demonstrate that their work will directly benefit a majority-Latino population and employ culturally-competent best practices.
- Organizations that are Latino-led and embody a mission focused on supporting the Latino community
- Catholic Organizations
Spirit of Innovation Grant
More About Spirit of Innovation Grants
Through “Spirit-led” grants, Catholic parishes, schools and organizations in the Archdiocese of Detroit will be able to develop, launch and grow new initiatives, ministries and approaches that share the good news with all, forming joyful missionary disciples.
The grants will:
- Activate future initiatives to serve beyond the work of individual parishes and their Missionary Strategic plans
- Inspire disciples to dream and innovate
- Attract national ministries and organizations
- Support innovative and outward-focused missionary work in the Archdiocese of Detroit
- Respond to future inspirations of the Holy Spirit
Priority will be given to requests that:
- Clearly draw upon the foundational conviction of the pastoral letter Unleash the Gospel
- Embrace cooperation and collaboration between multiple partners
Sanctity of Life
More About Sanctity of LifeGrants will be awarded to parishes, schools and registered nonprofit organizations for creative programs that nurture a holistic reverence for life.
Priority will be given to:
- Collaborative and/or multigenerational projects.
- Projects that reach many people.
- Catholic parishes or schools.
- Projects that protect the unborn, persons with disabilities, and/or at the end of life.
- Projects that clearly demonstrate a commitment to Catholic Social Teaching training best practices.
Encouraged Project Proposals:
Include projects that:
- Respond to climate change, conserve energy or water, build or improve habitat for wildlife, or beautify the growing environment on the entity’s property
- Life environmental justice issues (i.e. projects that partner with frontline communities, impacted communities, and that center leadership in impacted communities, and that center leadership in impacted communities of color)
- Help promote understanding, bridge-building and healing related to creation care through retreats, workshops or other gatherings
- Promote service projects (tree plantings, cleanups, community gardens, etc) that have an educational and/or advocacy component
- Reduce carbon emissions and promote institutional sustainability and sustainable lifestyles
Brian V. Hill Education for Marriage and Family
More About Brian V. Hill Education for Marriage and FamilyGrants will be awarded to parishes, K-12 schools and registered nonprofit organizations for creative programs that promote Theology of the Body education and demonstrate a commitment to its curriculum
Examples of funding could include:
- Books for a men’s group or women’s group study on Theology of the Body
- Theology of the Body guest speakers at programs such as RCIA, youth and young adult formation, adult formation, marriage prep, marriage enrichment, etc.
- Dignity of the person and pro-life speakers can also be included
Priority will be given to:
- Applications that clearly demonstrate a commitment to Theology of the Body and training best practices
- Organizations that embody a mission focused on Theology of the Body curriculum
- Catholic parishes or schools
Laudato si’ Granting Fund
More About Laudato Si’ Granting FundThe Laudato Si’ grant supports creative environmental projects that build holistic care for creation in line with the papal encyclical, Laudato Si’ and help lift the Catholic voice on environmental issues as outlined by Catholic teaching. Political projects are discouraged from applying.
Grant requests must:
- Meet the Catholic Foundation of Michigan funding eligibility stated on page 1.
- Make a connection to one (or more) of the seven goals of the Laudato Siˊ Action Platform (LSAP).
Priority will be given to grant that:
- Are led by Catholic youth or young adults or are multigenerational which include significant leadership from young people.
- Are Catholic parishes and schools
- Are Located in Detroit and its contiguous suburbs
- Collaborate with socioeconomically marginalized communities
- Clearly demonstrate a commitment to Catholic Social Teaching
GIVING
You care, and so do we. At the Catholic Foundation of Michigan, we understand your commitment
to your faith and can help you spring it to action. Together, we can positively make a greater impact on
our community.
Give now to the following granting funds:
- Amazing Catholic Educators
- Brian V. Hill Education for Marriage and Family
- Catholic Education and Formation
- Church in the City
- Laudato Si’
- Sanctity of Life
- Social Outreach
- Spirit of Innovation
- St. Oscar Romero for Latino Ministries
- Vibrant Parish Life
Create your own Granting Fund:
A granting fund gives you the opportunity to target your contribution to the area most important
to you. Whether you are interested in education, youth, spirituality, the arts, or some other area of
impact, these funds are broad in scope, yet targeted to meet the persistent needs of the community.
The experienced and knowledgeable Catholic Foundation granting team will identify, evaluate,
and award grants to the most qualified and deserving organizations and programs in your area(s) of
interest.
Contact the Catholic Foundation to learn more: Info@CatholicFoundationMichigan.org
GIVE NOW
Read more about the impact of the Catholic Foundation granting funds: