Working on the Margins
The 2024 CCHD grant application deadline is April 29th.
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CCHD Mission
CCHD’s mission is to address the root causes of poverty in America through promotion and support of community-controlled, self-help organizations and through transformative education. Its pastoral strategy is empowerment of the poor through a methodology of participation and education for justice, leading toward solidarity between poor and non-poor as impelled by the Church’s biblical tradition, modern Catholic social teaching, and the pervasive presence of poverty in the US. This ministry for justice is rooted in our baptism and faith commitment.
We invite you to be a part of this social mission of the Church.
Parishes interested in advocating for CCHD may visit the USCCB website for additional resources.
About CCHD
Created in 1970, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is the US Catholic Bishops’ domestic anti-poverty program working to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ “… to bring good news to the poor … release to the captives … sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18). Funds collected in support of this initiative will assist programs working with our brothers and sisters living in poverty by providing them opportunities to break the poverty cycle through decision making that affects their lives, families, and communities. Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, CCHD educates on the causes of poverty and addresses them through advocacy.
CCHD is made possible by the generosity of Catholics in the US in the annual parish collection held in November. After each collection, 75% of the funds are sent to the National Office to support nationally funded groups, while 25% remain in the diocese for locally supported groups. The collection also supports the mission to promote Catholic Social Teaching throughout the diocese.
Two Feet of Love in Action
CCHD recognizes that there are two different but complementary ways that we can walk the path of love, or caritas. We call these the “Two Feet of Love in Action,” based on Pope Benedict XVI’s reflections in Deus Caritas Est (God is Love) and Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth).
Social Justice: The left foot’s goal is to remove root causes of social injustice and improve the structures that negatively affect individuals and their families. Examples include working to improve the local education system, supporting environmental laws, participating in living wage campaigns, and promoting peace.
Charitable Works: The right foot’s goal is to meet the basic needs of individuals. Examples include volunteering at homeless shelters, tutoring children, donating food to pantries, sponsoring a refugee family, and participating in community beautification projects.
Due to the generosity of parishioners and CCHD supporters, the Diocese of Dallas has funds available for local grants. We are looking for organizations who:
- Address the poverty cycle
- Educate on the effects of living in poverty
- Directly serve people in poverty embodying Catholic Social Teaching
Local grants are available in amounts ranging from $1,000 – $5,000.
To qualify for a local grant, an organization must have 503(c)1 status, be non-partisan, not contradict the moral teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, and be within the Diocese of Dallas. Priority will be given to organizations that give a decision making voice to those living in poverty and benefiting from the program.
Direct service applicants may not be considered.
Applications are due by April 29, 2024.
CCHD Community Development grants from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops range between $25,000 and $75,000. Community Development grants support efforts that demonstrate a commitment to the dignity of the human person. CCHD funded groups are led by people living in poverty and work to address the root causes of poverty by nurturing solidarity between the poor and non-poor and facilitating the participation of people living in poverty in decisions that perpetuate poverty in the lives. As part of such efforts, low-income people gain the ability to identify barriers, brainstorm solutions, and take action to change problematic structures and systems in their communities.
For more information about eligibility and Diocesan endorsements, please contact Kevin Prevou at [email protected] or (214) 379 – 2848.
2023 Local CCHD Funded Groups
- 2TheNextShift is a locally funded group that works to provide resources, such as mentoring, counseling, seminars, and community events, that address critical areas of self-care, mental, physical, financial, psychological and spiritual support to all first responders. CCHD supports their “Cooking and Coaching” sessions.
- One Man’s Treasure is a locally funded group seeking to empower men recently released from Texas state prisons who come to the Dallas and Fort Worth area by providing them with clothing and opportunities for networking. CCHD supports their goal to purchase more items of critical need to ensure each client has a complete set of clothing.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Pharmacy is a locally funded charity that provides medication at no cost to the uninsured, low income families of North Texas. CCHD supports their goal of serving more patients, especially in the area of mental health and high cholesterol medicine purchases.
- Dallas Leadership Foundation is a locally funded group that works to address the root issues facing challenged communities through leadership development. CCHD supports their “Neighborhood Navigators” project, providing funds for training and resources for the next generation of DLF neighborhood leaders.
- Housing Forward is a locally funded group serving as the collective voice for homelessness in Dallas and Collin counties. CCHD supports Housing Forward’s Flex Fund, which contributes to the expenditures that may impede a client from ending their homelessness. The Flex Fund exists to pay for those one time fees/needs.
- Shiloh Place is a locally funded group whose ministry works to invest in the lives of women, providing them with education and skills needed to end the cycle of poverty for their family for generations to come. CCHD supports their mission to equip single mothers with financial independence and personal wholeness through support of their physical, educational, emotional, and spiritual needs.