Diversity Outreach Initiative at the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering

 

For more than 40 years, the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) has brought hundreds of people to Washington, DC to build solidarity, knowledge, and skills among Catholic social ministry leaders.

The Diversity Outreach Initiative (DOI) provides scholarships for leaders from diverse Catholic communities to participate in the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) from January 31, 2027 - February 2, 2027. DOI scholarship recipients join the community at CSMG to pray, learn, and act for human life and dignity. DOI participants will have the opportunity to expand their network of established Catholic social ministry leaders, learn about domestic and international challenges to human dignity and the Church's response, and share their own experiences in ministry and commitment to justice. 
 

This initiative expresses our commitment to develop leaders from Catholic ethnic, cultural, and disability communities and to celebrate the richness and diversity of their gifts in the Church’s social ministry. 

 

"[DOI] was extremely beneficial to me personally, and to my Diocese. Not only did I learn so much about the Church’s position on important issues, but I was able to network and collaborate with my colleagues to plan for more effective dissemination of this information to the people we serve in eastern North Carolina." 
- Lauren Green, Director of African Ancestry Ministry & Evangelization, Diocese of Raleigh

 

APPLY HERE

Please note: Those selected to participate in DOI are not automatically registered for CSMG. Decisions will be sent in late October 2026. If you choose to apply, do not register for CSMG until you have received notification of acceptance.

 

 

Who can participate in DOI?

Leaders from under-represented ethnic, cultural, and disability communities working in Catholic institutions (parishes, schools, social service agencies, etc.) are eligible to participate in DOI. We encourage participation from rural and mission dioceses. Applicants do not have to be Catholic; however, they must work with or serve a Catholic entity.

Priority is given to applicants who demonstrate leadership, currently work with a national CSMG collaborating organization or diocesan social action office, or meet the diversity criteria of this initiative and live in a USCCB designated Home Mission Diocese.

 

If you have participated in DOI in the past, you are ineligible to apply or receive the scholarship again. 

 

 

 

What is the process of applying for DOI?

Applicants must complete and submit this application form by September 23, 2026.

Applicants must include references from two of the following individuals: a CSMG Committee member at one of our collaborating organizations, a campus coordinator for our Young Leaders Initiative, a diocesan director in a related area, such as social action, human life & dignity, or cultural/disability concerns, or a campus minister. If your diocese does not have a diocesan director in a related area, you may submit a reference from a diocesan director in a nonrelated area.  

DOI scholarship recipients will be notified by late October 2026. 

Applicants should not register for CSMG until they receive written confirmation of a DOI scholarship award with registration instructions from the CSMG DOI Committee.

 

 

What will the DOI scholarship cover? 

Scholarships will cover CSMG registration fees and hotel accommodations. Hotel accommodations include one private room in the Omni Shoreham Hotel on Sunday, January 31st and Monday, February  1st with checkout on Tuesday, February 2nd. 

Scholarships do not cover transportation or incidental expenses. DOI participants are required to put a card down at the hotel upon arrival to cover incidentals. 

 

 

Do DOI applicants need to register for CSMG?

If you are applying for the DOI scholarship, DO NOT register for CSMG before receiving written approval of scholarship assistance and specific registration instructions for DOI participants. Applicants will be notified of the status of their scholarship application by late October 2026. 

Participants will not be reimbursed if they register for CSMG in advance of receiving written approval of the DOI scholarship.

 

 

What is expected of DOI participants? 

  • DOI participants will attend a virtual call before CSMG to connect with the DOI committee, learn about the initiative, and review information about CSMG. 

 

  • DOI participants will attend the entirety of CSMG (Sunday – Tuesday) and are expected to attend the in-person DOI gathering at CSMG. 

 

  • Pending participant interest, DOI committee members will hold a post-CSMG virtual call to make CSMG learnings actionable in each participants’ community. 

 

 

How can organizations get involved with DOI?

  • Give financial or in-kind donations to support the Diversity Outreach Initiative. Organizations may discuss contribution and benefit options by contacting Yohan Garcia at @email or by phone at 202-541-3373.

     

  • Identify leaders from diverse ethnic, cultural, and/or disability groups, and encourage them to attend CSMG.

     

  • Nominate leaders to participate in DOI by emailing their names and email addresses to Payton DeAndrea at @email. The individual(s) nominated will then need to complete and submit an application form.

 

 

USCCB DOI Committee Members

Shareena Grant (Co-Chair) 
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Secretariat of Justice and Peace, Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation

Yolanda Taylor-Burwell (Co-Chair) 
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church 

Yohan Garcia

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Secretariat of Justice and Peace

Primary contact for organizations interested in collaborating or sponsoring

@email 


Payton DeAndrea

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Secretariat of Justice and Peace 

Primary contact for DOI applicants 

@email