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The Catholic Community Fund of the Archdiocese of Boston Inc

Annual Giving
$11.4M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.0M
Decision Time
4mo

The Catholic Community Fund of the Archdiocese of Boston Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $11.4 million (FY2023)
  • Total Assets: $98.2 million (FY2023)
  • Number of Grants: 84-93 annually
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $10,000+ (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: 144 cities and towns within the Archdiocese of Boston (eastern Massachusetts)

Contact Details

Overview

The Catholic Community Fund of the Archdiocese of Boston Inc (CCF) was originally organized as the Third Century Fund in 1989, renamed The Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Boston in 2000, and adopted its current name in 2011. With total assets of approximately $98.2 million and annual grantmaking of over $11 million, CCF serves as the community foundation for the Archdiocese of Boston.

The organization's mission is to support and advance the work of Catholic organizations across Greater Boston communities addressing service, faith, education, and health needs. Guided by Catholic social teaching, CCF supports nonprofit organizations dedicated to the common good and human dignity, regardless of religion, race, or background. CCF serves the fourth largest archdiocese in the United States, reaching 1.8 million Catholics across 250+ parishes. Since 2019, CCF has awarded 366 individual grants totaling $64.9 million.

CCF also oversees the Catholic Health Foundation of Greater Boston, which since 2013 has awarded 841 grants totaling over $8 million to healthcare-related nonprofits. In 2020, CCF launched the historic $200 million "Inspiring Hope" capital campaign—the first archdiocesan-wide capital campaign in nearly two decades and one of the largest faith-based fundraising efforts in the United States.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Catholic Health Foundation Grants (Annual Cycle)

  • Amount: $5,000 - $10,000+ (typical grants based on documented awards)
  • Annual Distribution: Approximately $700,000-$780,000 annually across 100+ grants
  • Categories: Bereavement, Building/Equipment, Cancer, Education (medical/health), Employee assistance, Health services for Middleborough residents, Medical, Social needs, and Unrestricted
  • Application: Online portal via Foundant Grant system

2. Endowment Distributions

  • Amount: Varies based on donor-restricted funds
  • Annual Distribution: $1.5 million in FY2024
  • Areas: Social services, education, health, and faith-based initiatives

3. Donor Advised Fund Grants

  • Minimum to establish: $25,000
  • Granting: Donors recommend grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations aligned with Catholic social teachings

Priority Areas

  • Service: Organizations providing food, shelter, safety, and compassion to those in need
  • Education: Catholic school scholarships, learning initiatives, faculty development, especially in underserved communities
  • Health: Healthcare services consistent with Catholic Church teachings (via Catholic Health Foundation)
  • Faith: Parishes, seminaries, and faith-based ministries enabling spiritual practice

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Government agencies
  • Endowments or operating deficits
  • General operating expenses of the Archdiocese or its parishes/churches
  • Activities inconsistent with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

  • Gavan Mooney — President, Chief Philanthropy Officer for the Archdiocese of Boston
  • Lynne Sullivan — Executive Director
  • Cathy Robinson — Operations Coordinator
  • Patricia Kelleher Bartram — Executive Director, Catholic Health Foundation of Greater Boston

Board of Trustees

Officers:

  • Archbishop Richard G. Henning, S.T.D. (Chairman)
  • John E. Straub, Chancellor and CFO, Archdiocese of Boston (Treasurer)
  • Francis O'Connor, Esq., General Counsel, Archdiocese of Boston (Secretary)

Members:

  • Bishop Mark O'Connell (Vicar General)
  • Paul G. Cushing (General Counsel, Mass General Brigham Hospital)
  • Patricia M. Dinneen, Ph.D. (Chair, Social Justice Ministry)
  • Very Rev. William P. Joy (Special Assistant to Vicar General)
  • Kevin P. Martin, Jr. (Office Managing Partner, CohnReznick LLP)
  • Jerome Meier, M.B.A.
  • Stephanie Monaghan O'Brien, J.D.
  • Adelene Perkins, M.B.A. (Former CEO, Infinity Pharmaceuticals)
  • Mary L. Ryan (Former Chairman/CEO, Thompson Steel Company)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Catholic Health Foundation Grants:

  1. Access the online application portal at: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=rcab
  2. Log in and click on the "Apply" menu to start an application
  3. Submit all required documentation before the deadline (typically mid-April)

General CCF Funding: For other CCF funding outside the Catholic Health Foundation, there is no public competitive application process. Funding is distributed through:

  • Endowment fund distributions according to donor restrictions
  • Donor Advised Fund recommendations
  • Direct Archdiocesan support for parishes, schools, and ministries

Decision Timeline

  • Catholic Health Foundation: Annual grant cycle, typically opens February with decisions announced by summer
  • FY26 Grant Process: Opens February 2026

Recent Grant Recipients

  • Care Dimensions: $10,000 for children's bereavement program
  • Mothers' Milk Bank Northeast: Grant for equitable access to donor human milk
  • Cardinal Spellman High School: $5,000 for student social/emotional support services
  • Angel Flight Northeast: Medical transportation for patients
  • Riverbend: $5,000 for social enterprise catering business
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Cancer research partnership
  • Bethany Care Center: Nursing, rehab, and hospice care for seniors

Reapplication Policy

Applications from previously funded organizations will only be considered if the organization has submitted a final report on grants received from CHF.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Catholic Teaching: All funded projects must be consistent with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. This is a fundamental eligibility requirement.

Geographic Eligibility: Organizations must be located within the Archdiocese of Boston and/or providing services within the 144 cities and towns that comprise the Archdiocese.

Health-Related Initiatives (for CHF): Projects should address one of the ten funded categories: Bereavement, Building/Equipment, Cancer, Education (medical/health), Employee assistance, Health services for Middleborough residents, Medical, Social needs, or Unrestricted.

Completion of Previous Grant Reports: If your organization has previously received funding, you must submit a final grant report before being eligible for new funding.

Clear Service Focus: Successful applicants demonstrate direct service to vulnerable populations—the nearly 10% of the 4.5 million people in the Archdiocese living below the poverty line represent a key constituency.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Catholic Health Foundation is the main competitive grant program with an annual cycle opening in February—this is the primary opportunity for external organizations to apply
  • Non-Catholic organizations can apply to CHF as long as services align with Catholic Church teachings on healthcare
  • Grant amounts are modest (typically $5,000-$10,000), making this suitable for discrete program support rather than organizational operating costs
  • Geographic scope is limited to the 144 cities and towns of the Archdiocese of Boston in eastern Massachusetts
  • Final reports are mandatory—failure to submit previous grant reports disqualifies organizations from new funding
  • The Catholic Community Fund itself primarily distributes endowment funds and manages donor advised funds rather than accepting competitive applications
  • Relationship building with the Archdiocese and its affiliated organizations (Catholic Charities, parishes, Catholic schools) can open doors to partnership opportunities

References

Research conducted December 2025

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