In Love of God and Neighbor Fund

Supporting Outreach in the Catholic Diocese of Wichita

At the heart of our mission is the call to serve our brothers and sisters in need. One of the most impactful ways to live out this call is at the local level, with neighbors supporting neighbors. Established as a key component of the One Family, Fully Alive in Christ! Campaign, the In Love of God and Neighbor Fund will provide essential support for outreach initiatives across our diocesan family, empowering local ministries and enabling the diocese to make significant investments in addressing the pressing challenges of mental health, hunger, and homelessness in our communities.

Application Current Recipients

Helping our Neighbors: Eligibility & Timeline

Who Can Apply

Grants are primarily intended to support parish ministries within the Catholic Diocese of Wichita

After working with lay people and parish volunteers, pastors can submit an application for funding benefiting their parish ministries. This includes, but is not limited to, conferences (parish-based chapters) of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, food pantries, and similar initiatives directly serving local needs.

Applications from other Catholic-based organizations within the Diocese of Wichita will also be accepted and carefully considered on a case-by-case basis, ensuring alignment with the Fund’s mission and objectives.

When to Apply

Supporting Local Ministries Twice a Year

The In Love of God and Neighbor Fund awards grants twice annually, with each funding cycle allocating no less than $100,000 to support vital outreach efforts. Applications are accepted May 1 – June 1 and November 1 – December 1. Approved grants will be funded in the month following the application deadline (July and January).

How to Apply

Applications accepted during May and November

Approved grants will be funded in the month following the application deadline (July and January).
All grant applications must be submitted through the online form below. Strict adherence to application deadlines is required.

Application Guidelines

Individual grant awards will typically be in the $5,000 range per year. Exceptions for larger grant requests will be considered with adequate justification, and made on a case-by-case basis.

Pastors/executive directors of organizations and ministries may reapply annually for continued funding. Applicants that have received funding within the past 12 months will be asked to report on how those funds were used when submitting a new application. Organizations will be notified by email of acceptance/non-acceptance of a grant application.

Funding Exclusions
Endowments, capital projects, salary expense, event sponsorships, conference registrations, professional development, and debt reduction.

Salary and personnel-related expenses that are essential to the long-term operations of the program are generally not prioritized to receive funding. Salary-related requests may be considered on a case-by-case basis when it is essential to the immediate success of a proposed project.

Reporting
A committee of lay volunteers will review the grant applications and make recommendations to Bishop Kemme (or his designee) for approval. Twice a year, following each funding cycle, grants awarded will be published in the Catholic Advance.

Have Questions? Please contact us at 316-269-3917 or by email.

contact us

Application

The next round of grant applications will be open May 1 – June 1, 2026

Organization Name(Required)

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Executive Director/Pastor Name(Required)

First Last

Person writing this grant application(Required)

Title of your grant request(Required)

Amount Requesting(Required)

Provide a brief summary of the work/ministry for which the grant funding is requested(Required)

Provide a description of the primary audience your organization is serving with this grant request(Required)

Please describe how the funds will be used and how this project aligns with your ministry’s mission.(Required)

What impact do you believe this grant request will have?(Required)

Should this funding not cover all of the expenses associated with the project, what are you doing to obtain the remaining funds?(Required)

Option for Attachments (Project overview, renderings, etc.)

Max. file size: 100 MB.

Has your organization received funding from the In Love of God and Neighbor Fund in the last 12 months?(Required)

Yes

No

How were those previously awarded funds used, and what impact did this have on your organization or community? Briefly describe the activities, services or support that was funded, and include key outcomes or metrics if applicable.(Required)

Signature(Required)

OFFICES

MINISTRIES

ACTS OF SERVICE

VOCATIONS