Grants

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 philanthropy 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.

An organization receiving a grant may not submit another grant request for 2 years since approval of their last grant request. Churches and schools will be treated as separate organizations. Organizations with an open grant may not apply until the grant has been completed, fully funded and the final report submitted to the Foundation. Grant requests up to $100,000 will be considered. Due to the length of grant cycles, applicants needing immediate funding should purse other resources.

Elements of the grant 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 501(c)3 letter of determination, and in some instances, two competitive bids or proposals for purchases of computer or other major equipment.

Applications for Tuition Assistance are accepted for the Spring cycle only.

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.

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 (unless Grant Contract specifies otherwise)

Grants from The Catholic Foundation are NOT made to, or for, the purposes of:

• Annual fund-raising events or drives
• 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
• Endowments, Individuals, or Political Organization
• Operating costs, unless related to a new initiative or program
• Tuition Assistance (generally made only from Restricted Funds, if available)

Grant Guidelines 2021

Understanding The Catholic Foundation

• Very few projects are funded 100 percent.
• Proactive grants are of interest to The Catholic Foundation, particularly those that address issues before something breaks or those that resolve a long standing concern.
• The Catholic Foundation is unable to fund operating expenses.

Check List For First Time Applicant

• Have a 501(c)3 status
• Include a brief history of your non-profit and its programs 
• Include your target population and geographic area
• State how your organization's mission lines up with The Catholic Foundation's interests
• Provide a short description of the project including approximate cost and financial support being requested
• Describe the plan that will provide long term sustainability of the project
• Describe how outcomes will be measured
• Provide organization contact information including name, title, address, phone and email
• Keep the inquiry to a maximum of two pages
• Send your letter of inquiry to grants@catholicfoundation.com

Check List For Past Recipient Of Catholic Foundation Grant

• Provide a short description of the project including approximate cost and financial support being requested
• Summarize the proposal and issue you are addressing
• Describe the plan that will provide long term sustainability of the project
• Describe how outcomes will be measured
• Discuss other sources or potential sources of funding for your project
• Provide organization contact information including name, title, address, phone and email
• Keep the inquiry to a maximum of two pages
• Send your letter of inquiry to grants@catholicfoundation.com

Applications for Tuition Assistance are accepted for the Spring cycle only.

If you have questions about Tuition Assistance, please contact the grants department of The Catholic Foundation at 972-661-9792 or by email at grants@catholicfoundation.com.

Online Tuition Assistance Application