Faith For Tomorrow Grants

In March of 2000, Bishop Victor Balke and a coordinating committee made up of Sr. Pat Murphy, George Noel, Dan Hannig, Fr. Dave Super, Fr. Mike Foltz, Msgr. Roger Grundhaus, Barbara Schmidt and Jean LaJesse led a capital campaign to build A Faith for Tomorrow Endowment. 

After considerable discernment, it had been determined that there were critical needs in the parishes for financial support in five areas:  Continuing Education for Lay Leaders, Salary Subsidies for Faith Formation Leaders, Parish Religious Education and Formation, Development of Educational Technology, and a Catholic School Subsidy.

The Faith for Tomorrow (FFT) endowment became a permanent investment, an interest-bearing fund whereby parishes could apply for grants to subsidize their needs for education, formation, and technology. As of October 3, 2023, the Faith for Tomorrow Endowment has assets of $2,303,264 with parish assets of $870,038.

Over the past twelve years nearly $2,000,000 has been given in the form of grants to support our parish youth faith formation, religious education teachers, and technology needs in the parishes and in subsidies for Catholic Schools. Considerable staff development has also been achieved with the use of the Faith for Tomorrow grants.

Nearly 25 years later, the Faith for Tomorrow Endowment continues to support our parishes and schools with an expanded set of Funding Priorities that includes support for vocations as well as evangelization initiatives. These funding priorities will be in place until 2025. They are listed under the buttons to the right with other pertinent information related to the Faith for Tomorrow grants.

There are two Grant Cycles per year, one in the Spring and one in the Fall.  Larger parishes may apply for up to three grants per cycle and smaller parishes (less than 400 registered parishioners) may apply for up to two grants per cycle.  Grants for any reason are capped at $10,000.00. If the grant awards are not used within the year by the parish or individual and for the purpose they were intended for, they must be returned to the Catholic Community Foundation. Grant reports are required for previous grant awards before new grant applications will be accepted.

The Board of Directors of the Catholic Community Foundation determines the amount of funding available per cycle.  Parish Pastors must endorse each grant application for it to be considered.

1. Read the Funding Priorities carefully. You will need to note in the application which funding priority your application falls under.

2. Check with your Pastor to make sure you have his endorsement for your request.

3. Decide with your Pastor whether this is a first, second or third priority grant application. It is important for the grants committee to know which application is the most important to your parish if there is limited funding.

4. Complete the online application by writing a narrative for the request. Be specific.

5. Prepare a simple budget. Add quotes for material expenses.

6. Ask your Pastor to fill out the endorsement form.

7. Submit your application within the application window timeframe.

Who can apply for an FFT grant?

Only organizations listed under the Diocese of Crookston entry in the current volume of The Official Catholic Directory, published by P.J. Kennedy & Sons, may apply for FFT grants. Such grants may be for the benefit of an individual, such as a scholarship, but it must be submitted by a qualified organization, generally a parish, and with the Pastor’s endorsement.

The Faith for Tomorrow (FFT) Endowment seeks to promote religious education in all its forms at the Parish and in Catholic Schools.

Funding priorities for FFT grants for 2020-2025 are:

1. Formation of Missionary Discipleship: FFT seeks to prepare missionary disciples by supporting parish missions, parish or individual retreats, continuing education, personal or group formation. See Appendix A.

2. Youth Faith Formation: FFT seeks to support the formation of young people by funding programs, materials and technology used for parish youth formation. See Appendix B.

3. Formation and Education for Lay Leaders: FFT seeks to assist lay leaders through grants for education, continuing education, and personal/professional development and formation, such as master’s degrees, etc.

4. Support for Vocations: FFT seeks to create a culture toward vocations to the Priesthood, Diaconate and Religious Life. FFT is interested in innovative ideas to promote vocations in the parish. See Appendix C.

5. Catholic School Subsidy: The Faith for Tomorrow Endowment will provide subsidies to Catholic schools. Amounts will be determined by the Foundation Board based on the availability of funds. No grant request is required for the Catholic School Subsidy. Individual and parish grants will not affect the Catholic School Subsidy.

Appendix

A) Formation of Missionary Discipleship: Pope Francis states that every Catholic is to be a missionary disciple in the world and writes that the entire Church should pursue the “missionary option.” Thus, FFT Grants will be awarded to prepare both lay leaders as well as entire parishes in how to pursue the missionary option in their personal and communal lives. The Church at the parish level is called to open its doors, not to wait for people to enter but rather to go out into their communities to reflect the love of Jesus to others. We must move beyond the maintenance of what we are doing towards a missionary life exemplified by each Catholic. Clergy must continue to provide the sacramental life and leadership in each parish – their ministry life is already full. Thus, FFT Grants seek to form the laity who are called to respond to live out the “missionary impulse” in their lives.

The FFT Endowment seeks to prepare missionary disciples by supporting parish missions, parish or individual retreats, continuing education, personal or group formation, etc., which seek to help Catholics discern how they are called to spread the Good News (the Gospel) as missionary disciples in their parish and/or community.

B) Youth Faith Formation: Imparting the truths of the Catholic Faith by providing quality Catholic education for all Catholics is a priority in the life of every parish in the Diocese of Crookston. The Faith for Tomorrow Endowment seeks to support efforts by funding programs, materials and technology used for parish youth formation that reflects the goals and vision put forward by Pope Francis in Christus Vivit and Catechetical priorities put forth in the New Directory of Catechesis. These include, but are not limited to:

Programs and materials that:

• Aid in the formation of catechists for evangelization.
• Emphasize the relationship between catechesis and evangelization.
• Emphasize the role of the Parish in the formation of young people.
• Create mentorship relationships and intergenerational companionship.
• Increase the capacity for authentic leadership among the youth.
• Emphasize missionary discipleship among the youth and/or parish.
• Promote and train youth and adults for ministry on the margins, including, but not limited to mission and service projects, prison ministry and nursing home ministry.
• Encourage and train youth to be a resource to the parish and to the wider community.
• Create a youth-friendly environment and spaces in the parish that are welcoming and inviting to all youth.
• Facilitate the connection between formators of youth and marginal youth and families in the community.
• Promote Catholic Social Teaching as an integral part of catechesis.
• Educate on the proper use of technology in the digital culture.

C) Support for Vocations: Creating a Culture toward Vocations to the Priesthood, Diaconate and Religious Life. From 2020-2024, eleven of our active priests are eligible for retirement. That amounts to one-third of our presbyterate. It takes six to eight years for a man to journey through seminary to ordination. The need for priestly vocations within our diocese is great. The Faith for Tomorrow endowment seeks to support and encourage parishes in building a culture of priestly vocations. Vocations begin in the family, and families are formed in the parish. Support for innovative ideas to promote vocations in the parish will be considered by the Grant committee.

FFT 2024 Grants Calendar

FFT 2024 Fall Grant Cycle

Application window opens on Nov. 1, 2024 and closes on Nov.30, 2024.
Grants Committee meets on December 11, 2024.
Grant Awards will be dispersed before the end of the 2024 Calendar year.

FFT 2025 Grants Calendar

FFT 2025 Spring Grant Cycle

Application window opens on March 1, 2025 and closes on March 31, 2025
Grants Committee meets on April 10, 2025.
Grant Awards will be dispersed by the end of April 2025

FFT 2025 Fall Grant Cycle
Application window opens on Nov. 1, 2025 and closes on Nov.30, 2025.
Grants Committee meets on December 10, 2025.
Grant Awards will be dispersed before the end of the 2025 Calendar year.

FFT Spring 2023 Grant Awards

Amount of available funding $60,000