Grants Process

The Giving Circle will offer awards in these 5 program areas:

1. Teacher's Choice & Youth Programs
Supports Catholic Education by awarding classroom and school projects as proposed by Catholic high school and elementary school teachers. Funding is also available to projects aimed at youth in the areas of creating enriched educational opportunities, leadership, promotion of Christian virtue, and academic enhancement.

2. Sanctity of Life
Funding opportunities for ministries and nonprofit organizations dedicated to the protection of human life - from conception to natural death.

3. Work Among the Poor
Enables support for the advancement of various solutions to the issues of poverty, such as homelessness, lack of basic medical care, and provides for outreach and direct care for the poor.

4. Health & Wellness
Funding will be awarded to programs serving vulnerable populations and addressing any of the following needs: food insecurity and/or access to healthy foods, preventative health and wellness, health education, access to health resources, and recreation and physical activity.

5. Arts & Culture
Funding will be awarded to programs that serve Catholic populations and/or celebrate Catholic spirituality through art in the following areas: arts in the schools, classical music instruments, Catholic Church art and musical instrument needs, and public art with a Catholic/spiritual theme.

Funding Priorities

The Giving Circle seeks to fund proposals that:

• The project is a well-planned approach to addressing a clearly identified need with clearly stated goals, objectives, and means of measuring outcomes.
• The project helps fulfill the primary mission of the applicant organization.
• The proposed project is likely to continue and expand after the grant period, becoming self-sustaining.
• The proposal provides innovative and creative solutions and demonstrates efficiency in its use of funds.
• The project supports the mission of the Church and its ministries

Eligibility

Organizations applying for a grant through the Catholic Community Foundation for the Diocese of Phoenix’s Giving Circle must meet all the following eligibility criteria:

• 501(c)3 public charity registered with the Federal Internal Revenue Service
• Program or organization must primarily serve a population within the geographic region of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix which includes Maricopa, Mohave, Yavapai, and Coconino counties (excluding the territorial boundaries of the Navajo Indian Reservation), and the Gila River Indian Reservation in Pinal County
• Organization's values must be aligned with the teachings of the Catholic Church
• Grant recipients must take a one-year hiatus before they may reapply to the Giving Circle for a new program/project grant request.