The Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Diocese of Trenton, is once again accepting applications for its annual grants which will be awarded to Catholic social agencies in the Diocese that focus on providing basic human needs.

Each year the CCHD-DT awards three to five grants in amounts to such agencies ranging from $3,000 to $10,000. The grant monies are received from the collection taken by each parish within the Diocese the weekend before Thanksgiving; this year’s collection will be held Nov. 22-23.

Seventy-five percent of monies collected by CCHD – DT is sent to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ CCHD national office, while 25 percent is retained by the Trenton Diocese and awarded in grants.

A grant can be received for two consecutive years; afterward, a year must pass before another grant application is submitted.

In order to facilitate the awarding of grants in a transparent way, three criteria were developed. First, the agency will have a mission of providing social services with a focus on basic human needs, such as food, clothing, shelter and jobs. Second, applications will only be accepted from Catholic social agencies recognized as such by the National Catholic Directory. Third, priority will be given to new initiatives taken by agencies and to those that enhance or provide for a foundation of self sufficiency.

Grants will not be given to fund salaries, building upgrades, operating deficits, research projects or to cover fundraising. An application must be completed which includes a description of the project, persons in need who might benefit from services, expected outcomes, how the program will be funded in the future and a brief budget for the program.

Before awarding a grant, a site visit to the potential grant recipient will be necessary. Both a six-month and end-of-year review is required by the grant recipient. Grant monies must be used within a year of receiving a grant, and the recipient must be willing to publicize how the grant was used by the Diocese.

Applications must be a maximum of two pages and are due Oct. 24. Those received after the deadline will not be considered.

“I wish to extend my thanks to the parishes for their support of the CCHD,” said executive director of Catholic Social Services for the Diocese, Daughter of Charity Sister Joanne Dress, “and to [former director] Father Joseph Jakub for his service and leadership.”

Grants will be reviewed and awarded by a small committee in conjunction with Sister Joanne.

For more information, contact Daughter of Charity Sister Joanne Dress at [email protected] or 609-403-7180. Applications should be forwarded to Sister Joanne c/o CCHD, 701 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville, N.J., 08638.