We don’t grow funds to just grow funds. We grow funds to grow grantmaking. And that grantmaking grows sacraments and important ministries in our community. In 2004, $796,000 in grants were directed by the Catholic Community Foundation (CCF). In 2014, that amount had grown to $1.2 million, and in 2024, we expect that number to be more than $2.1 million. This is why we hired our Grants Program Manager Meg Payne Nelson last year. And in her first year on staff, in conjunction with Grants Manager Jules Vierling, she has been hard at work developing grant programs that can grow as we grow.
Using our mission statement as a framework, Meg has outlined a plan for three grant programs that will serve those most in need: Spiritual, Educational, and Social Impact Grant Programs.
The Spiritual Impact Grant Program is still in development, but in the fall we launched the Educational Impact Grant Program, which distributed $120,000 to six Catholic elementary schools with acute needs, funding solutions ranging from strategic initiatives to boost enrollment to much-needed upgrades in technology.
The Social Impact Grant Program is a redesign of what was previously called our Community Priorities Program. Like it’s predecessor, it has three unique priorities: youth programming, pregnancy and single parent services, and care for the elderly, only now to maximize grant size, this program will cycle through these priorities, one priority per year. This spring, grants totaling $85,000 were distributed to eight organizations that serve vulnerable elderly. Next year, the Social Impact Grant Program will fund pregnancy and single parent services. If you’d like to join us in providing support in this area, please consider donating to CCF for social impact. The need is large, and together we can leverage our mutual support for the greatest impact.
Due to still limited amount of funding available, our applications are currently solicited by invitation only. If you have questions or comments, please contact Meg Payne Nelson at nelsonm@ccf-mn.org or 651.389.0882.