1). What type of grants does the Loyola Foundation fund?

The Loyola Foundation assists overseas Roman Catholic mission projects, primarily in developing countries (Africa, India, South/Central America, etc.) Requests must be capital in nature (i.e. construction, equipment, vehicles) and be self-sustaining upon completion.

2). What is the size of the grants the Loyola Foundation makes?

The average grant made by the Foundation is $10,000. Requests for projects whose cost are in excess of $50,000 can only be considered if at least 75 percent of the funds needed to complete the project have been secured from other sources.

3). Are there any other restrictions on the type of grants the Loyola Foundation will consider?

The Foundation does not accept requests for operating expenses, scholarships, tuition, endowment funds, travel expenses or meeting costs. The Foundation does not make grants for continuing subsidies, emergency needs, minor seminaries, or individuals. The Loyola Foundation generally does not consider grant requests for projects located within the continental United States.

4). What materials does an applicant need to submit to have a request considered by the Foundation?

As the application form spells out, for a construction or renovation project, the application must include a professional cost estimate and blueprints, prepared by a local contractor. As applicable, the applicant should submit photographs illustrating the current status of the project. For vehicle or equipment requests, the applicant must supply pro forma invoices for the requested items, prepared by a local dealership. In all cases, please enclose a map of the parish or project area.

As a prerequisite towards granting any request, the Board of Trustees requires a letter from the Diocesan Bishop, on his stationary with raised imprint seal affixed, approving the specific project. Applicants must send the original letter bearing the ordinary's signature and raised seal via postal mail to the Foundation. To assist in the processing, please include the grant request number assigned by the Foundation. All other materials can be filed electronically or faxed according to the applicants' ability. In some cases, the Foundation may ask the applicants to mail in originals of other documents even if these have already been submitted electronically or via fax. See also the Foundation's guidelines.

5). When does the Loyola Foundation Board of Trustees meet to consider requests?

The Board of Trustees usually meets twice a year, in June and December.

6). When is the deadline for application submissions?

Completed applications must be received by March 31 for consideration at the June meeting and by September 30 for the December meeting. Due to the high volume of submissions, applications received in late March or in late September might not be considered in the corresponding funding cycle. These requests would then be considered in the next funding cycle. The Loyola Foundation recommends applicants complete and submit applications as far ahead of the deadlines as possible.

7). How long will it take for applicants to receive word whether their grant request has been accepted?

Applicants are notified as soon as possible. Usually, a decision is rendered between 6 months and 12 months after submission of the grant request. In all cases, applications are held for a period of no more than one year from time of submission. It is critical that applicants include all the required supplementary documents and information along with the application form. Failure to do so will incur delays.

8). Where can I get an application for grant consideration?

Applicants may write to info@loyolafoundation.org, or via fax or regular mail (see contact information below) with a brief description of the project they seek funding for. You may also fill out an application form directly online or print out the form and submit it in hard copy. If the request falls within the guidelines for consideration, you will be contacted and assigned a grant request number.

9). Are there any other important guidelines for grant consideration?

The Foundation recommends that applicants submit applications to other potential funders at the same time they are applying to the Loyola Foundation. Requests that have matching contributions receive special consideration. In such cases, documentation-letters of intent, cancelled checks, bank statements, etc.-of any success in acquiring additional funds should be submitted as part of the application process, in hard copy or as electronic.

If a matching grant will be pursued at a later date, please include information on where the match will be sought and exactly how it might be obtained. The Foundation also gives special consideration to those requests that, if funded, would complete a project.

10). How often may we apply for funding?

For practical purposes and to avoid unnecessary confusion, please submit your initial request once. The Foundation will then contact you and advise if your request falls within the guidelines for consideration. If your request can be submitted to the Board of Trustees, you will be assigned a grant request number. Please include this number in all subsequent correspondence with the Foundation. You may be asked to supply additional information in order to complete the application process.

Only one grant request per Diocese is accepted for consideration in any given calendar year. Should the Trustees deny a particular request, the same grant application cannot be submitted again. Individual grant recipients must wait a minimum of three years before reapplying to the Loyola Foundation.

Please note: Applicants must fill out the application and submit all supporting materials and correspondence in English. Please write to info@loyolafoundation.org with any further questions. Applications, supplementary documents and any correspondence can also be sent by mail to:

The Loyola Foundation, Inc.
10335 Democracy Lane
Suite 202
Fairfax, VA 22030
571 435 9401

Applications, supplementary documents and any correspondence may also be submitted via fax to:
571 435 9402