Category Two: Building Leaders
Download the entire Catholic Extension Funding Guidelines.
GOAL
To assist dioceses with the recruitment, education, and ongoing formation of current and future leaders in the church.
SUMMARY
A critical need for the church is the availability of trained, competent, and faithful ministers. "Building Leaders" supports efforts to develop well-trained diocesan and parish leaders in sufficient numbers to sustain excellence in church life. Funding through this initiative supports the recruitment, education, ongoing formation, and professional development of ordained and lay leaders. Additionally, Catholic Extension has developed a number of existing partnerships with external organizations and universities that offer opportunities for training and leadership development, offered over and above the diocese's particular funding requests. Please click here to learn more about these opportunities.
QUALIFYING FUNDING AREAS
Recruitment and Training of New Leaders
Catholic Extension will consider funding the following recruitment and training opportunities for new leaders in mission dioceses:
For the education of seminarians:
For seminarians, Catholic Extension offers resources in two basic ways.
- Subsidies that fund a portion of a diocese's overall financial obligation for seminarian tuition, room and board, and the operations of seminary and vocations recruitment programs located in their diocese. The amount of funding will be determined by the number of seminarians sponsored by the diocese for the year in which funds are requested.
- Challenge grants are available on a limited basis to enable dioceses to build endowments for seminarian education so that they can better manage seminarian expense fluctuations from year to year. Dioceses that receive seminarian subsidies as described in bullet point #1 will not be precluded from seeking these challenge grants additionally. Catholic Extension will match funds raised dollar for dollar. Dioceses will be required to raise a minimum amount, dependent upon the total challenge amount, within a specific time period, typically one year, in order to receive the grant. Funds for these grants must be directed to a separately established restricted fund. Click here to read more about the specific the terms of this opportunity.
For the education of deacons:
- Subsidies that help dioceses funding their diaconate cohorts preparing for ministry.
- Funding for the professional development of deacons, including regional and national conferences.
- Funding to support diocesan recruitment efforts for the diaconate.
For lay or religious leaders:
- Funding for lay pastoral education for those preparing for full-time ministry, including Masters-level degree programs.
- Support for on-line education and remote learning opportunities.
- Funding for national or regional training workshops.
- Funding for non-degree certification of lay leaders.
- Funding to support diocesan recruitment efforts for lay leaders.
Ongoing Formation
Catholic Extension will consider funding the following opportunities for priests and deacons as well as lay and religious leaders in mission dioceses:
- "New skills" training if the acquisition of that new skill is of strategic interest to the diocese or parish, where the minister serves. (i.e. language or administrative skills)
- Opportunities for pastoral leaders to convene, and engage in ongoing education
DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS
- Online Funding Request Form
- Letter of endorsement from diocesan bishop (one letter is sufficient for simultaneously submitted requests, but a copy of that letter should be attached to each online request)
- Financial statements from diocesan program/office, or entity seeking support
- Program budget for year in which you seek funding
- List of students and their basic information: names, emails, age, their associated parish/ministry in the diocese, year of ordination/program completion
- Verification of expenses, such as tuition and room and board, or verification of conference fees and information on the nature of the conference