Grants

Through grantmaking, we are able to strengthen our community and allow focus to shift from financial insecurities to remain on Catholic ministry.

Grant making is the ultimate measure of success at the Catholic Community Foundation. We focus on strengthening the community through fund development and grant making in support of Catholic ministry. Our grants are made possible through the generous philanthropy of the donors who contribute to the funds of the Foundation.

Types of Grants

We make grants from a number of different sources. Below are the main types of grants that the Foundation generates:

Living the Faith Grants - Open Application

The Living the Faith Grant Cycle is the Catholic Community Foundation’s annual open application grant process. Parishes in the Diocese of San Jose are invited to apply for grants in our 5 grant categories.

Learn more about the Living the Faith Grant Cycle >>

Designated Endowment Grants

These grants come from Designated Endowments – endowments that support one organization or ministry FOREVER. A Designated Endowment will always only grant to one organization for the purpose set out at the creation of the fund. The Foundation grants from these endowments once a year and there is no application required.

Learn more about Designated Endowment grants >> More information coming soon.

Donor Advised Fund Grants

Many individuals and families use Donor Advised Funds at the Foundation to realize their philanthropic goals. Fund holders can recommend grants to Catholic and non-Catholic non-profit organizations all over the United States. Fund holders can recommend grants at any time. The Foundation educates DAF holders about local opportunities and organizations to which they may be interested in recommending a grant.

Learn more about Donor Advised Funds >>

Family Endowment Grants

A Family Endowment is a permanent fund created by an individual or family which will grant in their name to the organizations they love FOREVER. The family that creates the fund decides who the recipients of the fund will be. Many times, this type of endowment is funded using a bequest and the granting does not begin until after the donors’ lifetimes. The recipients of grants from Family Endowments are notified via letter of the grant and do not need to fill out any application to receive these grants.

Learn more about Family Endowments >>

Grant History

Grant Stories

Strengthening Community Outreach and Faith Formation

Mar 16, 2025

By Marie Galetto-Dugoni Saint Elizabeth Parish in Milpitas, a vibrant and active parish with a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, received several grants from the Catholic Community Foundation’s Spring Grant Cycle in 2024. These grants, awarded across five...

Mental Health Support for Catholic School Students

Aug 20, 2024

Updated August 2024 In 2021, a coalition of experts in pediatric health declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. Rates of childhood mental health concerns and suicide have risen steadily since 2010, and by 2018 suicide was the second...

Grantee Story: Saint Victor Parish’s Spiritual Retreats

Aug 19, 2024

By Marie Galetto-Dugoni The pastor, staff and volunteers at Saint Victor Parish work hard to create engaging, spiritually fulfilling experiences for their parishioners. In 2017, Fr. Mark Gazzingan, Tamra Nelson, and the parish staff decided to try something new. The...