Church in latin america subcommittee application criteria

Conferences of Bishops, Dioceses, Parishes, Religious Congregations, and Catholic institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean can apply to the Subcommittee of Bishops on the Church in Latin America for economic aid. Priority is given to pastoral programs and pilot projects approved by the local bishops in Latin America, and those which provide a permanent basis of planning in the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean. The objective of this fund is to initiate programs so that subsequently, the organization can maintain the programs with their own resources or those of other entities. The applicants should obtain from local sources approximately one third of the total cost of the project. The assignment of economic aid made by the Subcommittee cover programs that have concrete goals and objectives that can be realized in a maximum time frame of 12 months.

The following categories of projects are eligible:

1. Catechetics -- Preparatory courses in the sacraments for young children, youths, and adults.
   
2. Religious Education -- Instruction given to adults concerning aspects of the doctrines of the Church, i.e., social doctrine of the Church, liturgy, lay ministries, etc.
   
3. Evangelization -- All activities intended to introduce the Faith to "non-believers", "agnostics", or those "who do not attend church", or those who have left the path of the Faith
4. Pastoral -- Programs or activities which are executed by a parish or by a diocese in one or more pastoral areas, i.e., youth, social, or jointly with the goal of strengthening the spiritual bonds in the local community
5. Formation of lay leadership -- Spiritual preparation and conceptual practice of the laity with the goal of assuming a role of leadership in whichever aspect of the parish or the diocese.
   
6. Socio-religious research -- Applied studies (quantitative or qualitative) which generate understanding about socio-religious realities, and whose final product would be a publication (book, article, video, etc) and/or an event to present and circulate the results.
7. Formation of the permanent diaconate -- Preparation for men in the Ministry.
   
8. Formation of religious personnel -- Initial instruction of religious personnel in the national and diocesan seminaries, secular institutes, and masculine and feminine religious congregations.

The following categories are NOT eligible for this aid:

1. Programs not related to the local pastoral priorities

2. Construction, repairs, remodeling, and/or construction materials

3. Purchasing of land, lots, premises, or buildings

4. Purchasing of equipment (vehicles, office machinery, computers, sewing machines, benches, chairs, projectors, etc.)

5. Establishment of funds (scholarships, investments, etc.)

6. Funding for events, activities, debts, or expenses incurred before the meeting in which the petition for funds was evaluated.

7. Maintenance of buildings, churches.

8. Programs that are not capable of being economically self-sufficient.

9. General administrative expenses and/or operational expenses of previously established institutions.

10. Consecutive petitions for the same project or organization

11. Petitions to cover financing for more than twelve months/

Please keep in mind that this for informative purposes only and we can not guarantee that your petition will receive any form of economic aid.