Nearly $1 Million to Increase Self-Sustainability of Dioceses and Parishes

Catholic Extension today announced that it has awarded $979,221 in grants to help 59 dioceses and their parishes in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Pacific Islands become more self-sustaining by supporting communication and fundraising initiatives, as well as financial and facility management programs. The 106-year-old national organization is helping parish and diocesan leaders improve their ability to meet their churches' fiscal and operational needs from within, creating opportunities for these organizations to forge ahead during the current economic downturn.

The grants focus on three main areas: 1) diocesan and parish fundraising, which received nearly $600,000 of the total; 2) diocesan and parish financial and facility management, which received approximately $270,000 and 3) diocesan planning and operational efficiency projects, which received $110,000.

"Dioceses and parishes are better able to accomplish their missions when their leaders soundly manage assets, plan for the future, communicate well and raise money," said Joseph Boland, Senior Grants Director for Catholic Extension. "We have been gratified to witness many dioceses become stronger this year because they have accepted our offer for and made the most of Catholic Extension grants specifically developed to ensure ongoing sustainability during challenging times."

Examples of the myriad grants awarded include:

• Diocesan and parish fundraising
o A $100,000 three-year grant to the Diocese of Tyler in Texas to support implementing a multi-year discipleship/stewardship program designed to increase the diocese's fundraising capabilities
o A $55,000 three-year grant to the Diocese of Jefferson City in Missouri to support "Sustaining Diocesan Ministries into the Future," an initiative to establish major gift programs, as well as planned giving programs to sustain the most critical ministries in the diocese
• Diocesan and parish financial and facility management
o A $20,000 grant to the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands to conduct its first independent audit in order to promote financial transparency
o A partnership with the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference to sponsor a financial workshop in Puerto Rico on April 20, which was attended by more than 230 participants from six dioceses to discuss the need, importance, and benefits of financial responsibility and accounting in parishes
o Nearly $20,000 in grants to diocesan facility management grants that resulted in 17 dioceses joining the Catholic Conference for Facility Management (CCFM). As part of their membership, Catholic Extension helped broker the creation of a facility management resource center, which provides under-staffed dioceses access to facility experts who give advice and information on proven methods and best practices for the care and construction of church facilities, many of which have been built with Catholic Extension support

"Property management is a critical element of diocesan and parish success, but priests and parish leaders continue to be under-trained in this area," said Fr. Raymond Sabio, Prefect Apostolic of the Marshall Islands in the Central Pacific, which received membership to CCFM for the first time through Catholic Extension's invitation. "We are grateful to Catholic Extension for providing us the opportunity to learn how to manage our buildings; we are not just taking care of souls, we are also taking care of properties."

• Diocesan planning and operational efficiency projects
o A $50,000 grant each year for two years to the Diocese of Superior in Wisconsin for the diocese to conduct parish viability studies so that pastors and communities can restructure their resources accordingly.
o A $10,000 grant to the Diocese of Boise in Idaho, which encompasses 83,574 square miles, for computer equipment and video-conferencing software licenses to enable 800 parish diocesan employees and 3,000 volunteers to communicate more frequently and receive ongoing professional and pastoral formation while reducing travel costs.

These grants are among the more than 1000 that Catholic Extension will fulfill in poor and isolated communities across the U.S. and its territories. Last year alone, the organization invested $14 million in America's 86 "mission dioceses," geographic regions of the U.S. where the Catholic Church is growing and needs are great. Catholic Extension was able to do so through contributions from 47,000 individual donors who share its commitment to strengthen communities and sustain the Catholic faith throughout the country.