Engaging Young Catholics Grants

The Engaging Young Catholics Grants aim to support ministries that provide faith formation to children, teens, young adults, and families. By focusing on the pastoral needs of young Catholics, the program enhances community vibrancy and fosters new leadership within the church. Catholic Extension prioritizes operational support and seed funding for initiatives that develop youth and young adult ministries, ensuring that dioceses can effectively reach and engage younger generations in their faith.

Goals
To support ministries to children, teens, and young adults, and families that provide faith formation.
Summary
The vibrancy and viability of a Catholic community largely depends on its ability to share the faith with the next generation. "Engaging Young Catholics" helps dioceses and parishes provide for the pastoral and faith formation needs of young Catholics. Additionally, Catholic Extension supports initiatives that serve to develop new leaders in the church among young Catholics.
Qualifying Funding Areas
Catholic Extension will consider funding the following types of Catholic youth and young adult ministry programs. This will be done through operational support, salary subsidies or seed money that creates, sustains or expands ministries serving young Catholics on a parish, regional, or diocesan level.
Catholic youth ministry
Religious education for children and families.

Eligibility

Catholic Extension provides funding to Catholic dioceses in the United States that have demonstrated “Extension Diocese” status.Generally, this status is granted to dioceses that are under-resourced and cannot sustain themselves without outside funding. (Please refer to questions 3-5 for more details).Once a diocese gains Extension status, it is regarded as an “Extension Diocese,” and funding can be directed to diocesan offices, special diocesan ministries, parishes, and religious orders doing ministries within the diocesan territory.

Catholic Extension never provides funding directly to regional or national Catholic organizations.However, they may work as partners with Catholic Extension to provide services to a Extension diocese.

Ineligibility

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