Witness of Hope Grant

The Witness of Hope Grant supports parishes across the Diocese of Winona‑Rochester by providing small, mission‑focused awards that strengthen local ministry and urgent pastoral needs. Funded through the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota and our generous donors, these grants help parishes meet practical needs, launch new initiatives, and support projects that build up the faith of their communities.

Purpose of the Grant

The Witness of Hope Grant exists to:

• Support urgent needs within parish ministries and programs

• Encourage creative, local solutions to pastoral needs

• Provide small, timely awards that make an immediate impact

• Strengthen parish life across Southern Minnesota

These grants are designed to be simple, accessible, and responsive to the needs of parishes.

How Grants Are Awarded

Witness of Hope Grants are not part of a traditional open application process. Instead, grants are awarded based on:

• Needs identified by parish priests,

• Recommendations from the Bishop, and

• Input from the diocesan deans (regional priest leaders).

This approach ensures funding is directed where it is most needed and most aligned with diocesan priorities, and saves those in the most need from having to find and apply for our grant.

Special Application Opportunities

Occasionally, the Foundation opens the grant to parish applications when the Bishop identifies a specific diocesan priority. A recent example includes Synodal implementation of local Evangelization and vocations-related initiatives.

During these periods, an application process with be shared so that parishes may submit short proposals focused on the Bishop’s priority theme.

Typical Grant Amounts

Witness of Hope Grants are modest, mission‑driven awards. Most grants range from $150–$2,000, depending on need, project scope, and available funding.

What the Grant Supports

Past grants have supported:

• Urgent cost for short-term school heating while a new boiler was being fundraised for

• Short-term support of Catholic school tuition for a family who came upon hard times

• One time support for faith formation costs for a large family

• Project-based support of evangelization and vocation efforts aligned to the Bishop's synodal exhortation.

These grants help parishes and families meet real needs quickly and effectively.

See the Impact

• First Annual Witness of Hope Grant

• Soon to come: Parishes put synodal goals into action with help of Witness of Hope grant

Interested in Learning More?

Parishes or ministry leaders who want to explore potential needs or discuss upcoming diocesan priorities can contact:

Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota 507‑218-4098 or info@catholicfsmn.org