Catholic School Leadership Development Grant

Catholic School Leadership Development Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Catholic Extension
Last Updated: March 04, 2026

Summary

The Catholic School Leadership Development Grant Program aims to cultivate and retain promising leaders within the Catholic school system. In partnership with Loyola Marymount University, this initiative offers a graduate-level online Certificate in Catholic School Administration, covering 80% of tuition costs and providing funding for essential travel. The one-year program focuses on mission effectiveness, operational management, and instructional leadership, requiring participants to serve two years in their diocese post-completion, thereby enhancing local educational leadership.

Overview

Catholic School Leadership Development Grant Program The purpose of this initiative is to enable your diocese to develop and retain its Catholic school system’s most promising leaders. Catholic Extension has engaged in a partnership with Loyola Marymount University’s Catholic School Leadership Academy to offer a graduate level virtual online Certificate in Catholic School Administration program to novice and prospective leaders in Catholic schools in your Extension Dioceses. Although leadership development is often identified as a strategic concern for Catholic Schools in Extension Dioceses, these schools often lack opportunities for professional development due to barriers of cost and distance. This agreement covers 80 percent of the cost of tuition, as well as funding for travel and accommodations for the introductory course on campus at Loyola Marymount University in late July 2023. This unique and successful educational program professional development that is specific to the Catholic school administration context. The one-year (4 course/10 graduate level units) program is designed to address three major themes in Catholic school administration, mission effectiveness, operational management, and instructional leadership. All of the certificate coursework will count toward a Master of Arts in Catholic School Administration at LMU. Students will be asked to commit a minimum of 2 years of service to a Catholic School in their diocese after they successfully complete the certificate program. Additionally, at the conclusion of the program students will be asked to apply their new skills by implementing a specific project that will enhance their local Catholic school in a strategic area identified by the principal. Duration: 1 year Value to Participating Diocese: $19,817 per student Desired Outcomes Building Leadership Capacity: Dioceses and individual Catholic schools can retain their most promising leaders and can eventually promote some to leadership positions or offer increased responsibilities in their current position.Knowledge and Skills Applications: Catholic school professional educators can apply the administrative knowledge and skills attained from the program to their current and future work as leaders, therefore strengthening their local Catholic school.

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applications for this program will be considered from either an individual candidate in a diocese, a pair of candidates, or three applicants wanting to work together as a diocesan group. Participants must be nominated by the principal of the school where they work and then approved by the diocesan superintendent.