How to Apply for a Discretionary Grant
We provide a limited number of discretionary grants on a rolling basis throughout the year. These grants, most often ranging in amounts from $500 to $2,500, are designed to diversify our grantmaking options as well as enhance our responsiveness to community needs.
Discretionary grant requests must fit within our eligibility guidelines. Each year we award an average of 25 discretionary grants, totaling nearly $60,000. Awards are based on the proposed project, the availability of funds, and other requests for funding. Organziations and projects that have received discretionary support over the past several years can be found on our past awards page.
How do I apply for a discretionary grant?
Create an account
To create an account in the Foundation’s online grants system, please go to our Grants Portal and click on the “Create an account now” button. This is a one-time only step that includes a brief five-question quiz and an internal Foundation review. Once completed, users may access the Foundation’s grants portal at any time.
Important: You will need a valid Tax ID # (EIN) to create an account. Catholic schools, churches and religious orders should use the IRS’s U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Group Ruling # where applicable.
After your registration has been approved, which can take up to two business days; you will be emailed a system generated username and password for use in accessing the Grants Portal Homepage and initiating a grant request.
A note about our online application system: The system is most compatible with Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer Version 11+, and Safari. For optimum functionality, we recommend the Chrome browser and we strongly encourage all users to review the Grants Portal Users Guide.
Complete the narrative and upload attachments
From your Grants Portal Homepage, click on the Apply for Funding link followed by the Apply for Discretionary Grant button.
Answer all of the required questions and upload the following documents:
- A project budget, if applicable
- A copy of your operating budget, if you are applying for general operating support
- If you are applying for general operating support, please make sure to note what segment of your operations funding would support, i.e. salaries, supplies, program expenses, etc.
- A list of your organization's Board of Directors
Important: There is no auto-save function in the grants portal. Please SAVE your work frequently. Click the Edit button to return to your work after you click Save.
Review and submit your request
Once you have completed the required fields, uploaded the required attachments, and are satisfied that your application is complete, click Submit.
Frequently Asked Questions
May I have a discretionary request and a request for funding under your grants program under consideration at the same time?
Yes.
What happens once I submit my discretionary request?
After we receive your discretionary request and deem the submission complete, you will receive an email confirming receipt. Submitted requests are then shared with the our board on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
What happens if I receive a discretionary grant?
If your discretionary grant is approved, we will contact you by phone to share the news. Funds are generally disbursed within two weeks of the approval date.
What happens if my request is not approved?
If your discretionary request is not approved for funding, you will be notified via email shortly after November 15th.