The Catholic Campaign for Human Development fully upholds the Church's teaching on the sanctity of the human person from the moment of conception through the moment of natural death. Organizations that receive CCHD funds must not participate in or promote activities that contradict the moral and social teachings of the Catholic Church. For example, organizations that support or promote same-sex marriage, discrimination, racism, capital punishment, abortion, or euthanasia are not eligible for CCHD funding.
To ensure CCHD funds are used in keeping with Catholic moral and social teaching, all applicants must go through a multi-step review process.
Know CCHD
1. Applicant organizations should carefully review CCHD's criteria and guidelines for Community Development or Economic Development. Also, CCHD recommends you view the grant program description webinars. Finally, the applicant would benefit from reviewing and having a good sense of the grant review process and timeline below.
2. Once the applicant organization is familiar with CCHD mission and criteria and guidelines, CCHD strongly encourages applicants to contact and build a relationship with the local CCHD Diocesan Director(s) in the diocese(s) where the applicant's activities are located.
3. After the applicant organization has been in touch with the local CCHD diocesan director, applicant organizations may contact the CCHD grant specialist overseeing the region in which the applicant works if the applicant has additional questions.
Pre-Application
1. The first official step of the funding process is submitting a pre-application. CCHD uses the pre-application to determine the funding eligibility of a potential applicant organization. Pre-applications for the upcoming grant year are made available on September 1st. CCHD will stop accepting pre-applications on November 1st.
2. There are two pre-Applications: one for Community Development grant program, and another for Economic Development grant program. We strongly recommend you read all criteria and guidelines outlined in these programs before submitting a pre-application.
3. All new applicants are required to submit a pre-application for the grant they wish to apply for. "New Applicants" are organizations that wish to apply for a Community Development or Economic Development grant, and did not receive a grant during the last grant cycle.
4. Depending on the results of the pre-application, the applicant will be invited to submit a full application or will receive a declination e-mail.
Application
1. Once the applicant has submitted a complete application, national staff and local diocesan staff will review the application.
2. Diocesan staff will conduct a site visit.
3. Both national and diocesan staff will write up their reviews and have a dialogue to agree on a recommendation to the USCCB's CCHD Subcommittee.
4. Groups will be notified of a final funding decision in the summer of the following year. CCHD national grant awards range from $25,000 to $75,000. A grant award may be less than the amount requested. If eligible, currently funded organizations will have an opportunity to reapply while completing their Interim Report which is due January 15th.
If you have any questions about this process, e-mail us.