Guidelines

Grant Proposal Guidelines

The Ambassador’s Fund for Catholic Education supports innovative programs that advance Catholic education and ministry.

  • Grant Size & Term: One-time grants, typically $25k–$75k, for one year. Pilot programs may be funded for up to 2–3 years. Requests outside this range will be considered.

  • Funding Priorities: Fresh thinking, new action, and emerging concepts that strengthen Catholic education, engage youth, or deepen faith. The Fund may also invite organizations into funding conversations.

  • Spring 2026 Grant Cycle Timeline:

    • Portal Opens: March 17, 2026

    • Deadline: April 14, 2026 (11:59pm ET)

    • Award Notification: July 2026

    • Funds Available: July 2026

  • Not Funded:

    • Individuals, scholarships, tuition, financial aid

    • Non-program capital projects or campaigns

    • Annual operating/budget relief, prior expenses, or fundraising events

    • Endowments, debt reduction, political causes, other foundations (except in rare cases)

    • Stand-alone conferences or technology purchases (with limited exceptions)

    • Non-program staff positions

Application Process

  1. LOI (Letter of Inquiry): Complete the Letter of Inquiry form to confirm eligibility and outline your project. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Fund (grants@ambassadorsfund.org) for guidance.

  2. Proposal (if invited):

All proposals must be submitted via the online portal. FAQs below clarify restrictions and requirements.

Organizations are encouraged to submit only one proposal per cycle, with limited exceptions.

Grant Proposal Checklist

Before You Begin

  • Review Guidelines + FAQs (eligibility, exclusions, reporting).
  • Review Ambassador’s Fund website for giving interests & past projects.
  • Contact Megan@ambassadorsfund.org with questions.

Required Application Materials

  • Proposal Narrative
  • Project/Program Budget (itemized, sources noted)
  • Organization Balance Sheet
  • Video Submission
  • Optional: Up to 2 one-page attachments

Tip: Draft in Word/Excel, save copies, then upload.

Proposal Narrative (12 Elements)

  1. Executive Summary (100 words) – program overview
  2. Problem/Need (450 words) – issue, opportunity, supporting data
  3. Goals (50 words) – broad outcomes, not actions
  4. Objectives (150 words) – measurable results (who, what, % change, timeframe)
  5. Target Population (75 words) – who benefits, partnerships
  6. Plan/Method (300 words) – action steps
  7. Evaluation (100 words) – how success will be measured
  8. Leadership/Staffing (100 words) – responsible person, credentials
  9. Timeline (130 words) – July 1 start; use bullets or list
  10. Budget Overview (75 words) – context for attached budget
  11. Sustainability (75 words) – continuation beyond grant
  12. Publicity (75 words) – how grant will be acknowledged

Attachments

  • Itemized budget (Excel/PDF/Word)
  • Balance sheet

ONCE A GRANT DECISION IS MADE 

  • Grant award, decline, and defer letters for the Fall 2025 Cycle will be delivered in February 2026, following the AFCE Board Meeting.
  • Grant award, decline, and defer letters for the Spring 2026 Cycle will be delivered in July 2026, following the AFCE Board Meeting.
  • Grantees are asked to countersign and return the grant award letter, which indicates acceptance of the terms and conditions of the grant. Particular care should be taken when reading and agreeing to the grant stipulations, indicated by the grantee representative’s initials.
  • The countersigned letter is generally asked to be returned within two weeks, with a copy retained by the grantee.
  • Full grant funds will be delivered in July 2026. 
  • The interim and final reports are to be submitted via the Fund’s Google Classroom account. In some cases, grantees will be invited to update the Fund on their interim progress through an oral report session. Instructions and links to the report templates will be sent to the email address of the individual who submitted the proposal. Any change to the name and email address associated with the proposal must be reported to the Director of Grants Management (Megan@ambassadorsfund.org) so that reporting occurs properly and on time.

Funding Process, Application Guidelines, Proposal Tips & Prompts, and Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

Grants are awarded on a one-time basis and generally for a one-year period. Pilot programs may be considered for a 2–3 year period.

Catholic colleges: Yes, for initiatives that strengthen student understanding and practice of our Catholic faith, for example, through a series of Scripture studies, compelling theme-based retreats, rigorous examination of Catholic intellectual history, or other programs that increase appreciation of Church teaching and of its thinkers, authors, and rich insights.

Secular institutions: Yes, support is restricted to Newman Club programming at the Philadelphia-area public and private non-Catholic institutions and is generally overseen by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office for Catechetical Formation.

As part of the proposal process, grant applicants might be invited to meet in the Ambassador’s Fund office with the Grant Review Committee to discuss the elements of their grant proposal. This is an opportunity to respond to specific questions and to elaborate on project/program details.

With some exceptions, site visits generally occur during the course of the funded program rather than as a component of the proposal application process.

Yes, in two words, impact and sustainability.

The Grant Review Committee will be looking for the expected program results as measured against the proposal objectives (outcomes).

The committee will also be looking for indications of sustainability of the funded program, i.e., how it will be integrated into the life of the school, parish, or organization once funding is completed. The committee will look for indications of funding that will be required after the grant period ends, an associated funding strategy, and sources of anticipated follow-on funding.

Overall, the committee will be looking for concepts or problem solutions that are new, better, or different; clarity and coherence in the presentation of the case for support; a clear and solid project budget.

The Grant Review Committee will look for the connection between the proposed program/project and the budget structured to carry it out. The proposed program elements drive the budget. Applicants should not determine a desired grant award, e.g., $50,000, and create a program that backs into that amount.

Applicants should not request funding to support staff or faculty positions or for traditional needs, materials, or equipment that would be included in the annual operating budget. This would include the purchase of specific academic or student services programs that should be planned for or projected for addition over a series of years and then incorporated into the school’s operating budget of the relevant fiscal year.

Each grantee will be required to submit an interim report by January 15 of the funded year and a final report in June–July. For the Fall 2024 Cycle, an Interim Report will be due June 30, 2025 and the final report will be due December 31, 2025. Terms and conditions of the grant are defined in the grant award letter, which requires the countersignature of the organization’s primary officer. Reporting guidelines are noted in the grant award letter. Reports will be submitted through the online portal. In some cases, grantees will be invited to update the Fund on their progress through an oral report session.

The board meets in January to determine awards requested in the November deadline cycle. The board evaluates grant requests from the April deadline cycle in June.

Grant funds are payable upon receipt of a signed agreement letter from grantees.

Contact Megan Famular, Director of Grants Management, at megan@ambassadorsfund.org with questions on any aspect of Ambassador’s Fund for Catholic Education programs and guidelines.

Additional email option at famularmegan@gmail.com.