Generative Spirit Grant Opportunity

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland is opening a new grant opportunity in 2019 through its Generative Spirit Initiative. This grant opportunity is made possible through a funding partnership between the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

Full guidelines are below. View and print a PDF of the guidelines here: Generative Spirit Grant Opportunity_2019

The Generative Spirit Initiative cultivates shared learning and relationship-building between Catholic sisters and lay partners in ministry, particularly young adults, with a vision to sustain the tremendous impact that sisters make to communities of need. Through this initiative, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland intends to inspire the next generation of lay leaders who understand and follow the model of Catholic sisters to be leaders in service and ministry. To learn about the current work of Generative Spirit, please visit generativespirit.org.

The foundation is seeking proposals from organizations in the dioceses of Cleveland and Youngstown to expand the work of Generative Spirit through the support of existing programs or new ideas to advance one or more of the goals listed below and contribute to the initiative’s ultimate vision.

Vision:

To form the next generation of lay people who understand and follow the model of Catholic sisters to become leaders in service and ministry for our cities, country and the world.

Goals:

• Strengthen/advance ministries of sisters dedicated to serving those most in need by:

1. 1. Supporting Catholics sisters to be advisors and companions to the next generation of ministry leaders
   2. Building the capacity of the next generation of leaders

• Advance and carry on the commitment of Catholic sisters to social justice issues through collaboration with lay partners, including:

1. Building awareness and deepening understanding of lay leaders and young adults about significant social issues and the unique approach of sisters to address these
2. Creating opportunities for mutual learning and relationship-building between Catholic sisters and their lay partners, particularly young adults

• Share the legacy of Catholic sisters and their ministries and their significant impact on the social fabric of Northeast Ohio.

Letter of intent instructions:

Please submit a letter of intent of no more than 1,000 words via email to Rachel Drotar, Project Coordinator, at rdrotar@socfcleveland.org. The letter should be in a Word document or PDF format, and please use the subject line “Generative Spirit Letter of Intent” in your e-mail. The letter should include the following information:

• A brief description of your program/project and the organization leading it
• How your program/project advances one or more of the Generative Spirit goals and the initiative’s vision listed above
• Any existing or potential partners involved in the program/project
• The estimated budget for the program/project and the amount you would request from the foundation through this grant opportunity

GRANT AMOUNT: Grants may be requested up to $10,000

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Use of Funds

The Generative Spirit grant opportunity is open to a current program/project or an idea for a new program/project that addresses the goals listed above. We encourage you to submit a letter of intent even if you are unsure if your program is a good fit. This process will allow us to discern this fit before you submit a full application.

Eligible Applicants

Applicants must have tax-exempt status as nonprofit organizations, as identified by the Internal Revenue Code. Grants are not made to individuals.