Purpose

The Diocesan Grant Fund is financial assistance available to help in the formation of faith formation directors/coordinators, catechists, youth ministry coordinators, liturgists, pastoral associates, deacons, diocesan personnel, Catholic school administrators and teachers who are volunteering or serving professionally on a full or part-time basis. To a lesser extent financial assistance funds are available on an in-service grant basis for educational personnel and groups who seek additional in-service training. Grant funds are dependent upon available funds and approval of the Diocesan Grant Fund.

Types of Grants Available

Type I – Funding for college or graduate credit programs for individuals serving in parish and diocesan ministries.

Type II – Funding for participants in the ministry formation programs throughout the diocese.

Type III – Funding for in-services and workshops for Catholic groups and individual ministers.

Criteria for Issuing Grants

1. It is normative that funds are issued for theological and pastoral
2. Priority for issuing funds is the attainment of diocesan recommended qualification for ministry personnel.
3. Applicants must be working or volunteering in the Diocese of Saint Cloud in
4. Financial needs are explained clearly in the application.
5. Full-time students would be expected to find financial aid in addition to the grant.

Grant Committee

Grants will be issued at the discretion of the grant committee with the approval of the Ordinary of the Diocese. The committee is made up of five voting members dedicated to faith formation in the diocese: a clergy representative, members from the faith formation, school or youth ministry constituencies, as well as the formation staff of the diocese. One representative from the diocesan finance office as well as the Chancellor are non-voting members. Clergy members and members from the constituencies will serve 3-year rotating terms, with the option to serve 2 terms consecutively.

Grant Timeline

The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on the deadline date. All applications submitted after that deadline will be processed in the following grant period. Applications will be presented to the grant committee within two weeks of the application deadline. The committee will make recommendations to the Ordinary of the diocese who will offer approval. Once approved, the grant monies will be dispersed. All of this should happen within 30 days of the application deadline.

Applications

Applications are available here.

NOTE: Application deadlines April 15, July 15 and November 15 of each year.