Building Leaders Grants

The Building Leaders Grants by Catholic Extension aim to enhance the recruitment, education, and ongoing formation of church leaders. This initiative provides critical funding for the professional development of both ordained and lay leaders in mission dioceses. By fostering partnerships with various organizations, it addresses the need for trained ministers and supports various funding areas, including seminarian sponsorship and diaconate formation, ensuring a robust future for church leadership.

Goals
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.
Qualifying Funding Areas- Recruitment and Training of New Church Leadership
Catholic Extension will consider funding the following recruitment and training opportunities for new church leadership in mission dioceses:

• Seminarians
• For seminarians, Catholic Extension offers two types of funding:

Subsidies cover a portion of a diocese's overall financial obligation for seminary tuition costs, room and board, as well as the operation of diocesan seminary recruitment programs. *Funding amounts are determined by the number of seminarians being sponsored by the diocese in the year of the request.
Challenge Funding are available on a limited basis, enabling dioceses to build an endowment fund for seminarians so they can manage fluctuating expenses from year to year. Dioceses that receive seminarian subsidies as described in #1 can also seek challenge funding. To receive funding, dioceses will be required to raise a minimum amount of funding within a specific time period. Catholic Extension will provide a one to one match for funds raised. This funding must be directed to a separately established restricted fund.
Deacons
Subsidies for dioceses funding cohorts in any diaconate formation program
Funding for the professional development of permanent deacons in the Catholic Church, including regional and national conferences
Funding to support diaconate recruitment efforts in a diocese
Lay and Religious Leaders
Funding for the education of lay and religious leaders preparing for full-time ministry, including Masters degree programs
Funding for online education and distance learning programs
Funding for national or regional church leadership training workshops
Funding for non-degree certification of lay leaders
Funding to support diocesan recruitment efforts for lay leaders
Ongoing Formation of Church Leadership
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 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

Eligibility

Catholic Extension provides funding directly to designated Extension Dioceses that are approved by Catholic Extension’s Board of Governors.

Ineligibility

Funding is not available to individuals or organizations that do not work in these specified dioceses.