Funding Amount

Varies

Deadline

June 30, 2026

84 days left

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Competitive Impact Grants

Status: Active, 2026 cycle opens June 1, 2026

Geographic Scope: Michigan, primarily serving the Archdiocese of Detroit and surrounding areas

Focus Areas:
The Catholic Foundation grants in three major focus areas:

  • Social Outreach - Responding to vital social service needs such as food, shelter, medicine for the sick, and hope for those in despair

  • Parish Life - Building welcoming and attractive Catholic parishes, supporting resource equipment, materials, technology development for communications and outreach

  • Catholic Education and Formation - Supporting innovative faith formation, youth/young adult/senior ministries, improving access to parochial schools, promoting leadership development
  • Grant Types:
    1. Impact Grants - General competitive grants prioritizing requests that build on community assets, foster collaboration, expand education/service/outreach, measure results, and ensure sustainability
    2. Church in the City Grants - For Catholic parishes, schools and organizations in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park prioritizing innovative evangelization, faith formation, and vibrant Catholic communities
    3. St. Oscar Romero Grants - For parishes, schools and nonprofits improving quality of life for Latino/Hispanic communities in northeast region of Archdiocese of Detroit
    4. Spirit of Innovation Grants - For Catholic parishes, schools and organizations in Archdiocese of Detroit developing new initiatives and approaches sharing the Gospel
    5. Sanctity of Life Grants - For creative programs nurturing holistic reverence for life, with priority to collaborative/multigenerational projects
    6. Brian V. Hill Education for Marriage and Family Grants - For creative programs promoting Theology of the Body education
    7. Laudato Si' Granting Fund - Supporting creative environmental projects aligned with papal encyclical Laudato Si'

    Eligibility Requirements:

  • Eligible: Nonprofit entities serving communities primarily in Michigan; U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations with audited financial statements; organizations with mission, values and behaviors aligned with Catholic Teachings; addressing one or more focus areas

  • Not Eligible: Individuals; funds designated for endowment, deficit financing, capital campaigns, or loans; programs operated to benefit for-profit organizations; organizations that discriminate based on federally protected status
  • Impact to Date: 278 grants distributed to 131 grant recipients totaling $1.04M since 2017

    Contact: Christina@CatholicFoundationMichigan.org or 248.204.0332

    Address: 1145 W. Long Lake Road, Suite 201, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302

    How to Apply

    Grant Application Process

    Timeline:

  • Letter of Intent (LOI) Opens: June 1, 2026

  • LOI Deadline: June 30, 2026

  • LOI Response Timeline: Within 30 days of submission

  • Full Application Deadline: August 31, 2026

  • Final Decision: By end of November 2026
  • Stage One: Letter of Intent
    1. Watch the application overview video on the Catholic Foundation website
    2. Read the Grant Guidelines
    3. Review the Foundation's Focus Areas
    4. Review the Eligibility Requirements
    5. Create an account on the Online Grant System (if you haven't already)
    6. Complete the online LOI form through the Online Grant System
    7. Submit by June 30, 2026
    8. Await notification within 30 days

    Note: Not all LOIs generate invitations to apply. The process is competitive and only top grant projects are invited to proceed.

    Stage Two: Complete Full Application
    1. Upon LOI approval, applicants receive invitation to submit full online grant application
    2. Complete the online application through the Online Grant System
    3. Submit by August 31, 2026
    4. Receive funding decision by end of November 2026
    5. All funding decisions made by Catholic Foundation Board of Directors at fall meeting

    Required Materials:

  • Letter of Intent form (online)

  • Full grant application (online)

  • Review of Grant Guidelines

  • Alignment with one or more focus areas
  • Submission Format: All parts of the process are online. No printed submissions accepted.

    Support Available:

  • Staff available to discuss project ideas and answer questions

  • Call: 248.204.0332 or email: Christina@CatholicFoundationMichigan.org

  • Application instructions available online

  • FAQs available for guidance
  • Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    educationhispanicenvironmental-conservationsocial-services

    Categories

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