Grantmaking
Because we make millions of dollars in grants each year to scores of qualifying 501(c)(3) agencies, organizations, institutions, and programs, The Catholic Foundation has become the “go-to” place for the institutions, agencies, and organizations serving people in need in our community.
Our years of experience and accumulated knowledge of community needs ensure efficient, effective use of all grants awarded. But we’re about more than efficiency and effectiveness. The Catholic Foundation enhances every gift with our experience, credibility, visibility, and endurance. And by combining and compounding our donors’ gifts with those of other like-minded families and individuals over time, we have created an endowment which is the primary philanthropic resource of the Diocese of Dallas.
View The Catholic Foundation Grant Recipients*
* Does not include Grants from Donor Advised Funds
Grant Guidelines
The Catholic Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, distributes grants only to qualified public entities or 501(c)(3) charities, and neither lends nor grants money to individuals or political organizations. Awards from the Foundation's Unrestricted Endowment Fund are designated specifically to help meet the needs of the people of the Diocese of Dallas, and are made in one of three categories – Educational, Charitable, or Religious.
(Grants made from Donor Advised and Designated Funds, while similarly restricted to qualifying 501(c)(3) charities, are not restricted to Diocesan organizations, but can be distributed to fulfill any philanthropic purpose the donor envisions. For more information, see Grantmaking from Donor Advised Funds, below.)
Grants from The Catholic Foundation are awarded on the basis of one or more of the following conditions:
- Foundation support would be vital to the proposed project's success
- A collaborative network exists that multiplies the impact of the grant
- The proposed project is likely to continue and expand after the grant period, becoming self-supporting
- The proposal is innovative and efficient in its use of funds
- Expenses are reduced by sharing resources with other agencies or groups
- The project is a well-planned approach to solving a problem and delivering services
- The project promotes better human relationships and a sense of community
- The project helps fulfill the mission of the applicant organization
- The project will be funded within one year of the grant
Grants from The Catholic Foundation are not made to or for purposes of:
- Annual fund-raising events or drives
- Debt reduction
- Professional conferences, symposia, or attendance at seminars or meetings
- Organizations not supported or endorsed by the Catholic Church or not serving an identifiable Catholic population
- Funding more than one year of a program's cost.
Grant Application
Elements of the Application include: A project description, project cost, signatures of the church pastor, school principal, or agency head; a narrative description of the organization, a specific funding request, the budget for the project, including bids and proposals; and a list of all sources of income for the project. The grant application will also include the organization's most recent financial report, current operating budget, list of board of directors or parish finance council, a copy of the most recent IRS letter, and, in some instances, two competitive bids or proposals for purchases of computer or other major equipment.
Applications are processed two times a year – February 1 and August 28 in 2008 – but may be submitted at any time. Applications must be completed in accordance with the form below, and submitted in triplicate, including all attachments. Applicants are asked not to contact Foundation trustees about their application. If you have questions about the grant application process, please contact the Grants Department of The Catholic Foundation at 972.661.9792 or by email at info@catholicfoundation.com.
A PDF copy of the complete Grant Application is available below, or by request from The Catholic Foundation (972.661.9792, or info@catholicfoundation.com).
Download Grant Application (Word Document)
Grant Deadlines
The 2008 Catholic Foundation grant application deadlines are February 1, 2008 and August 28, 2008.
Grantmaking from Donor Advised Funds
While donors who have established advised and designated funds with The Catholic Foundation have legally ceded control of their contributions to the Foundation (in accordance with the IRS regulations governing public charities), Catholic Foundation donors are encouraged to advise the Foundation about their charitable distribution preferences at any time.
Our initial conversations will focus on your personal philanthropic goals and how you hope to use your charitable fund to effect that vision. In this ongoing philanthropic partnership, communication plays an essential role, with the Foundation informing you about unique charitable opportunities, and you, the donor, informing the Foundation about grants you’d like to see made from your fund. Such requests must be made in writing, or through the password-protected DonorLink. Once the Foundation has verified the recipient’s qualifications and the availability of funds, a grant can be approved and the funds distributed within approximately two weeks’ time.
For more information about Donor Advised Funds, click here.