Charity and Mercy Grants

Funder: Catholic Charities of Central Missouri (Diocese of Jefferson City)

Geographic Scope: Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri

Eligibility:

• Parishes located in the Diocese of Jefferson City
• Must be directly serving vulnerable people in need, regardless of faith affiliation
• Parish-based and operated by the parish

Purpose:
Grants are designed to assist parishes with startup costs of new charities or acts of mercy resulting from their pastoral plan. Funding can be used to:

• Help start up a new ministry
• Purchase items needed for the ministry
• Expand capacity of current ministry to serve more people
• Start new long-term sustainable ministries

Charitable Service Principles (per Pope Benedict XVI's "Deus Caritas Est"):

• Responds to immediate needs with genuine love and heartfelt concern enabling others to experience the richness of their humanity
• Independent of parties or ideologies, serving anyone regardless of faith affiliation
• Love given freely, not proselytism

Grant Guidelines:

• Funding for direct service ministry addressing unmet needs
• Priority given to parishes meeting criteria with new projects
• Parishes may apply once every 12 months from date of initial application
• Application Frequency: Quarterly notifications of awards
• Grant reports with photos due within 12 months of award letter
• CCCNMO board members may visit parish prior to award

Contact Information:

• Parish Social Ministry office at Catholic Charities
• Phone: 573-635-7719
• Applications by email or direct mail
• Acknowledgment email sent upon receipt

Review Process:

• Committee of Catholic Charities Board members, Advisory Committee members, and staff review all applications
• CCCNMO Board makes final decision
• Pastors/Administrators and contact persons notified quarterly

Application Process

Submission Method: Online form at cccnmo.org/grants

Required Application Components:

Contact Information (Step 1)

1. Name of individual completing application
2. Role/position/title
3. Complete address (street, city, state, ZIP)
4. Best phone number
5. Best email address

Parish and Ministry Overview (Step 2)

1. Select parish from provided list (Diocese of Jefferson City parishes)
2. Name of the Parish Social Ministry (program/project name)
3. Detailed ministry description including:
   • What the ministry does and whom it serves
   • Frequency of operations
   • Location
   • Whether new or existing ministry history

Principles of Charitable Service

1. Explain how ministry aligns with parish pastoral plan and responds to unmet needs with "genuine love and heartfelt concern" (provide examples)
2. Describe how ministry is independent of parties/ideologies and serves anyone regardless of faith affiliation (provide examples)
3. Detail evaluation process and adaptations based on results (provide examples)
4. Explain collaboration with other social ministries in broader community (provide examples)
5. Address whether people served must pay; if yes, describe exception process for those unable to afford (provide examples)

Support and Impact

1. Approximate number of people served within calendar year
2. Volunteer hours to be donated in first calendar year
3. Does ministry have paid staff? (Yes/No)
   • If yes: Describe staff roles and accomplishments
4. Confirm ministry is parish-based (Yes/No)
5. Select funding level needed: $1,000 / $2,500 / $5,000 / Other amount
6. Explain ministry's relationship to local parish
7. Describe how funding allows ministry to serve people and fulfill parish social ministry in pastoral plan
8. Detailed explanation of how grant money would be used:
   • Be specific and imaginative
   • If multiple items/areas, rank by importance with estimated costs
9. Total cost needed (may exceed grant request) and sustainability plan beyond grant:
   • How will ministry be sustained (financially, in-kind donations, volunteer time, etc.)

Grant Submission (Step 3)

1. Verify pastor/administrator awareness and approval of ministry and grant application
   • Required: Answer "Yes, my parish pastor or administrator is aware of our ministry and approves of this grant application"
   • Provide name of Pastor/Administrator
2. Provide FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number) of parish (Required)
3. E-Signature: Type full name as verification of submission on behalf of organization (Required)

Supporting Documents

• Optional: Upload additional supporting documents (max file size 4 MB per file)

Note: Applications may be returned if parish pastor/administrator has not approved prior to submission.