CCHD 2017 Collection

As the official anti-poverty agency of the Catholic bishops in the United States, CCHD operates at the highest levels of fidelity to Church teaching, integrity, and transparency in its mission to provide critical support to people experiencing poverty. CCHD monitors grant recipients through a thorough reporting process in cooperation with the local diocese. 

CCHD requires of each grantee the highest standards of accountability and conformity with the moral and social teaching of the Catholic Church. If an organization commits offenses against Catholic moral or social teaching or undermines the Church's defense of the human person or the promotion of the family, any funding support will is immediately terminated.

 The work of CCHD changes lives. This work is powerful, healing, and restorative and demonstrates Christ’s ability to overcome all that stands in the way of unity and charity. Learn more about CCHD, our mission, and our funding procedures by exploring these FAQs. 

ABOUT CCHD

What is the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD)?

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) was founded in 1969 and established in 1970 with the primary goal to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ "... to bring good news to the poor ... release to captives ... sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free." (Luke 4:18)

CCHD is the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic Bishops. CCHD works to break the cycle of poverty by helping low-income people participate in decisions that affect their lives, families, and communities. CCHD empowers those experiencing poverty and builds solidarity between people living in poverty and their neighbors.

CCHD has a complementary mission of educating on poverty and its causes. This dual pastoral strategy of education for justice and helping people who are experiencing poverty speak and act for themselves reflects the mandate of the Scriptures and the principles of Catholic social teaching.

CCHD also provides the Catholic faithful with concrete opportunities to live out the love of God and neighbor in ways that express our baptismal call and continuing Eucharistic transformation. Pope Benedict XVI has taught that “restoration of justice, reconciliation and forgiveness” requires: “…determination to transform unjust structures and to restore respect for the dignity of all men and women, created in God’s image and likeness. Through the concrete fulfillment of this responsibility, the Eucharist becomes in life what it signifies in its celebration.” (Sacramentum Caritatis, #89, 2007)

Through grants given to local community organizations, CCHD empowers those experiencing poverty and builds solidarity between people living in poverty and their neighbors. CCHD is helping communities to build resilience and stand in solidarity with their most marginalized members.

Where do CCHD funds come from?

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is a nationwide effort, with donations from, and projects in, Catholic (arch)dioceses throughout the country. Funds are collected each year from Catholics in a CCHD second collection taken up in most (arch)dioceses on World Day of the Poor in November. Twenty-five percent of the donations stay in the (arch)diocese to fund local organizations that are in line with CCHD’s mission, while seventy-five percent is sent to the CCHD national office to fund organizations in dioceses across the country. This is especially helpful to dioceses with fewer resources.

Who benefits from CCHD?

CCHD was founded to help people experiencing poverty break the cycle of poverty and address its root causes by investing in their development as leaders. With support from CCHD, people living in poverty can come together to help shape decisions that affect their families and communities on issues like quality education, affordable housing, economic development, and safe neighborhoods. CCHD also educates people, especially Catholics, about poverty and its causes and our call to be neighbors to all

CCHD is an essential part of the Church in the United States' social mission, and a unique part of the Catholic community's broad commitment to assist low-income people, families, and communities.

What kind of initiatives does CCHD fund?

CCHD funds programs where poor and marginalized people are empowered to make decisions, seek solutions to local problems and find ways to improve their lives and neighborhoods. Community Development initiatives empower low-income people to gain the ability to convene, identify barriers, research issues, brainstorm solutions, and take action to change problematic structures and systems in their communities. Economic Development initiatives help poor and low-income people develop new businesses, create new jobs and develop assets that are owned by families and communities.

CCHD focuses on the underlying structures that trap people in a cycle of poverty, by empowering those who are living in poverty to change unjust systems, policies, and situations that perpetuate poverty in neighborhoods and communities across the United States. This can mean everything from addressing wage theft to improving public transportation to assuring water in fire hydrants. For more than 50 years, CCHD has helped make long-term changes in the economic conditions of communities across the United States.

Since beginning its work in 1970, CCHD has awarded over 440 million dollars in grants supporting nearly 12,000 community-based, grassroots-led organizations. CCHD is committed to transparency and continues to publish a list of recent grantees online each year.

How are decisions made about what groups CCHD funds?

The CCHD national grants process is a partnership between (arch)dioceses and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All initiatives supported with CCHD funding complete a thorough application process that includes a pre-application, full application, site visits, and other requirements, with involvement on both the national and diocesan levels. Funds from the national office cannot be awarded without the specific endorsement of the local bishop and the national subcommittee of bishops. For a detailed account of the CCHD review process, see the section entitled How Does the CCHD Application Review Process Work?

Additionally, some smaller organizations are funded directly by the diocese from the twenty-five percent of the collection retained by the local diocese. While dioceses are encouraged to follow CCHD national criteria and guidelines for local use of funds, each diocese has its own process for reviewing requests for local grants.

What differentiates the Catholic Campaign for Human Development from other Church charity programs?

CCHD is a unique and essential part of the Catholic communitys broad commitment to assist low-income people, families, and communities. This commitment also includes our Catholic parishes, schools, Catholic Charities, health ministries, and countless other examples of service to “the least of these.” (Matt. 25) Like many other Catholic ministries, CCHD helps people overcome poverty without regard to their race, ethnicity or religion.

Distinct from the important work of direct service efforts, CCHD supports organizations and initiatives that address the root causes of injustice and poverty in America and empower those most impacted to address the systems and structures that perpetuate the cycle of poverty, such as racism, unemployment, and lack of education or economic opportunities. CCHD invests in long-term strategies and approaches that can achieve lasting and impactful results to strengthen communities.

As a national initiative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, CCHD is an essential and complementary part of the Catholic social mission proclaimed by Jesus Christ and taught by the Church. CCHD does not replace, nor can it be replaced by, other expressions of the Churchs essential social mission. CCHD is a complement to the direct-assistance mission of Catholic Charities agencies and other Church emergency relief programs.

CCHD supports self-help efforts to bring about positive institutional changes that address root causes of poverty, carrying out Pope Benedict XVIs teaching that “justice is inseparable from charity, and intrinsic to it. Justice is the primary way of charity…” and his call to pursue the common good through “the institutional path…of charity.” (Caritas in Veritate, 6-7)  

About CCHD PDF

CCHD's Catholic Identity

Is CCHD Catholic?

Deeply rooted in Jesus’ mission to "... to bring good news to the poor ... release to captives ... sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free,” (Luke 4:18), the Catholic Campaign for Human Development is a work of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is a way to live out love of God and neighbor in ways that express our baptismal call and our continuing transformation through the Eucharist. CCHD draws its directions, policies, and practices from Catholic social and moral teaching and prohibits funding groups that violate fundamental Catholic teaching. In all its work, CCHD seeks to carry out the following central themes of Catholic social teaching:

  • The Life and Dignity of the Human Person: CCHD works to protect and enhance the life and dignity of all, from the first moment of conception to the moment of natural death and every moment on the spectrum of life in between, especially focusing on the lives and dignity of those who are poor, vulnerable or suffering economic or other injustice.
  • Option for the Poor and Vulnerable: CCHD practices the Churchs priority for the poor, helping low-income and vulnerable people improve their lives and communities by their own actions.
  • Call to Family, Community, & Participation: CCHD works from the bottom up, emphasizing self-help, participation, and decision-making by poor people themselves to address their own situations by advocating for policies and initiatives that allow families and communities to be safe, healthy, and stable. CCHD works to support and strengthen the fundamental social institutions of marriage and family and other mediating structures, including parishes, neighborhoods, community organizations, economic development groups, and worker and other associations.
  • Rights and Responsibilities: CCHD empowers people experiencing poverty to advocate for their own rights and call on civil authorities and on all of society to fulfill their duty to ensure the rights of all, such as a place to live (i.e. affordable housing), health (i.e. access to healthcare for all), employment (i.e. job creation and training), food and clothing (i.e. living wage), and many others.
  • Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers: CCHD allows workers to organize for their own rights and work for economic justice by urging decisions and policies which place the good of persons above economic profit.
  • Solidarity: CCHD is a sign of solidarity, standing with and for those who are poor, seeking to strengthen communities, and helping to build bridges between those who are poor and those who are not.
  • Subsidiarity: CCHD focuses on local communities seeking to give voice to those closest to problems of poverty, as these communities address economic injustice by working with local, state, or national institutions to address the causes of poverty.
  • Care for God’s Creation: CCHD supports organizations and initiatives that are working for environmental justice that fosters better care for the creation and protection of those low-income communities that are the most likely to suffer the negative impacts of a changing climate.
  • Pursuing Justice: CCHD supports self-help efforts to bring about positive institutional changes that address root causes of poverty, carrying out Pope Benedict XVIs teaching that “justice is inseparable from charity, and intrinsic to it. Justice is the primary way of charity…” and his call to pursue the common good through “the institutional path…of charity.” (Caritas in Veritate, 6-7)
  • Faithful Stewardship: CCHD seeks to make effective and faithful use of resources—financial, institutional, and human—to advance CCHDs mission in accountable and transparent ways.

Do CCHD’s criteria exclude Catholic institutions or Ecclesiastical bodies from applying

No. CCHD will encourage the participation of Catholic parishes and parishioners, priests and deacons, religious, and diocesan leaders in the activities and groups that carry out the mission and reflect the foundations of CCHD. The direct involvement of Catholic leaders, clergy, parishes, and other Catholic institutions will be considered a significant positive factor and advantage in the review of applications for CCHD funding. Catholic organizations and organizations that include Catholic parishes, organizations, and institutions in substantial numbers will receive priority consideration as long as they effectively carry out CCHDs mission and clearly reflect CCHD’s foundations.

CCHD has always been deeply integrated into the life of the Catholic community. Over 950 clergy and religious are currently involved in CCHD’s work & over 1200 parishes are currently engaged with the work of CCHD-funded groups.

In the past, CCHD’s criteria and guidelines included confusing language about which types of groups would not qualify for CCHD funding. The language in the criteria and guidelines has been revised to more accurately depict which groups would not be eligible to apply for CCHD funding. To be considered for CCHD funding, groups must meet all CCHD criteria.  

Why doesn’t CCHD fund Catholic programs or initiatives exclusively?

Many of the programs funded by CCHD include partnerships with other communities of faith and secular groups. As long as the mission and actions of the groups requesting funding are not at odds with Catholic social teaching, the bishops believe Catholics can partner with others in the community to address the root causes of poverty and injustice, and advance the cause of human dignity and development.

Through the cultivation of relationships with national networks, local community groups, as well as partnerships that span across ecumenical and interfaith lines, CCHD has allowed the Church to stand in solidarity with communities in times of great need.

If the Catholic Campaign for Human Development does not fund direct service to the poor, why is it still considered a Catholic charity?

 The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is a charitable organization of the nation's Catholic bishops. Since its inception in 1970, CCHD's goal has been to help poor people achieve self-sufficiency. The bishops intended CCHD to complement the direct-assistance mission of Catholic Charities agencies and other emergency relief programs run by the Church.

Distinct from the important work of direct service efforts, CCHD supports organizations and initiatives that address the root causes of injustice and poverty in America and empower those most impacted to address the systems and structures that perpetuate the cycle of poverty. CCHD invests in long-term strategies and approaches that can achieve lasting and impactful results to strengthen communities.

CCHD's Catholic Identity PDF

How Does the CCHD Application Review Process Work?

The Process

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) conducts a rigorous, consultative review process before awarding any grants. CCHD national grants staff at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) work closely with CCHD diocesan staff appointed by the local bishop to review the organizations seeking CCHD funds. The bishop of each diocese in which an applicant works must approve or decline every recommendation before a subcommittee of bishops approves or declines the request.  The process is designed to ensure each applicant organization meets all the criteria and guidelines established by the bishops for CCHD-funded groups. CCHD funds projects of two general types: community development and economic development.

The Process

The process begins with the CCHD pre-application, which clearly lays out CCHD guidelines and asks applicants to provide details about the mission, goals, structure, and methodology of their organization. The pre-application requires the applicant organization to stipulate their organization does not “participate in or promote activities that contradict the moral and social teaching of the Catholic Church” (with explicit direction on what that means), and that their organization does not endorse any candidate for public office, and that their organization does not support or endorse a political party.

The Eligibility Determination and Full Application

The pre-application is reviewed by CCHD national grants staff.  With input from diocesan directors, they decide whether an applicant meets the basic requirements to be invited to submit a full proposal, or will be declined at this stage.

The full proposals require applicants to thoroughly explain both the structure and activity of their organization, including past efforts and proposed efforts. Applicants are again required to attest that their organization is not involved in promoting activities contrary to Catholic teaching. Specifically, the proposal application for both community development and economic development applicants asks:

“Organizations that receive CCHD funds must not participate in or promote activities that contradict the moral and social teachings of the Catholic Church. Organizations that support or promote, for example, capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia, racism, war, discrimination, or same-sex marriage are not eligible for CCHD funding. Do the activities of your organization conform to the moral and social teachings of the Catholic Church?”

The CCHD community development application restates the requirement that applicant organizations be strictly non-partisan (economic development initiatives would not engage in political activity). Applicants are also required to describe any voter registration activities:

“Please indicate if your organization is planning to engage in voter registration and/or voter education or “get out the vote” activities during the proposed grant year. If so, provide a brief description of those activities. Please note, while CCHD encourages activities that promote civic engagement, organizations that participate in partisan activities and/or take stances which promote in any way (including voter guides and other written material) legislation, propositions, or ballot initiatives that contradict the moral or social teaching of the Catholic Church are ineligible for CCHD funding.”

How Proposals Are Reviewed

Full proposals are reviewed by both CCHD national grants staff and CCHD directors in the diocese in which the applicant proposes to operate. CCHD diocesan directors initiate and build relationships with each applicant through site visits, where they learn more about the applicant organization, and share with them the mission of CCHD, including criteria and guidelines for funding. National grants staff, who cover multiple dioceses in specific regions of the country, also conduct site visits throughout the year and build and maintain relationships with funded groups. Site visits play a key role in ensuring applicant organizations understand the requirements of CCHD funding: that their organizational activity may not be contrary to Catholic teaching; and that investments truly result in the human development of low-income people, through personal growth, civic engagement, and making changes in policies and structures that foster the common good.

After the site visits, the local CCHD diocesan director and CCHD national grants staff each vet the applicant organization, write extensive reviews of the organization, consult to discuss their respective reviews, and jointly make a recommendation to the local bishop. The local bishop, considering both the national grants staff and the diocesan director reviews, ultimately determines whether to endorse an applicant for funding. If the local bishop endorses the applicant for funding, the application is presented to the subcommittee of bishops at the USCCB who oversee CCHD. The subcommittee of bishops then reviews and approves or disapproves the funding recommendations.

Start-Up of Grants

Immediately after an applicant has been awarded a grant, CCHD national staff sends the grantee their “start-up” materials or all the materials CCHD needs in order to release funds. These materials include an official grant award letter and a legally binding contract between the USCCB and the funded groups. The grant agreement details all the conditions of the grant, and includes this language:

“Grantee agrees that it will not engage in activities in conflict with fundamental Catholic moral or social teaching. Among other things, Grantee agrees that it will not promote or support abortion, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, racism, discriminatory measures toward immigrants, or use of the death penalty. Prohibited activities include participation in or endorsing initiatives that promote in any way legislation, propositions or ballot initiatives (including voter guides and other written materials) that are in conflict with fundamental Catholic moral or social teaching.

Grantee agrees that it will not knowingly participate in any coalition that has as part of its organizational purpose or agenda the promotion of actions in conflict with fundamental Catholic moral or social teaching.”

How Grantees Are Funded; Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation

CCHD’s grant year begins July 1. Midway through the grant period, on December 1, all funded organizations must submit a combined interim report and application for the new grant year to the CCHD national grants staff. The combined interim report and application for the new grant year report on accomplishments made during the first half of the grant year and sets goals for the upcoming grant year. The joint interim report and application are as in-depth as the original application and the proposal goes through a rigorous evaluation process, including site visits and the written support of the local bishop. Applicants file a final report on July 15, two weeks after the end of the grant year.

Violations of Grant Agreements

When CCHD learns a funded group may be involved in activity that violates the grant agreement or is contrary to Church teaching, the following process is immediately implemented:

  1. CCHD national grants staff notifies both the CCHD national director, who notifies the chairman of the bishops’ subcommittee overseeing CCHD; and the CCHD diocesan director, who notifies the local bishop. Any pending grant payments to the organization in question are put on hold.

  2. CCHD national grants staff coordinates a thorough review of the facts with the diocesan director, requesting specific details regarding the activity in question and sharing all information with the local bishop.

  3. If after the review, the diocese is convinced that the organization is in full compliance with CCHD criteria and guidelines, the diocese must submit an official letter to CCHD giving an overview of the review and stating their continued support. 

  4. The information from the funded group is then shared with the CCHD national director, who shares it with the chairman of the CCHD subcommittee.

  5. If CCHD determines the activity in question is in violation of the grant agreement or contrary to Church teaching, the group’s grant is canceled and is asked to return any unspent funds.

The CCHD grant process requires close and constant coordination between national and diocesan staff. It is a priority for CCHD to build strong relationships with CCHD-funded groups to ensure CCHD knows the groups and their work, and the groups know CCHD and our Catholic mission.

About CCHD

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is the domestic anti-poverty, social justice program of the Catholic bishops in the United States. Its mission is to address the root causes of poverty in America through the promotion and support of community-controlled, self-help organizations and through transformative education.

Founded in 1970, CCHD's pastoral strategy is the empowerment of the poor through a methodology of participation and education for justice, leading toward solidarity between those experiencing poverty and their neighbors as impelled by the Church's biblical tradition, modern Catholic social teaching, and the pervasive presence of poverty in the United States. This ministry for justice is rooted in our baptism and faith commitment.

The economic development, community development, and education for justice programs of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, implemented in collaboration with local dioceses, are supported by an annual collection in U.S. Catholic parishes.

How Does the CCHD Application Review Process Work? PDF

Upholding Catholic Values

Does CCHD fund groups that act against Catholic values?

As the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is deeply rooted in Catholic teaching and guided by the USCCB’s priorities. The program’s mission seeks to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ to "... to bring good news to the poor ... release to captives ... sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free." (Luke 4:18)By helping low-income people participate in decisions that affect their lives, families, and communities, CCHD works to break the cycle of poverty. CCHD empowers those experiencing poverty and builds solidarity between people living in poverty and their neighbors.

Does CCHD fund groups that act against Catholic values?

No. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development advances and uplifts the moral and social teaching of the Catholic Church. This includes fully upholding our Church's teaching on the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception through natural death. CCHD funds organizations that empower people living in poverty to come together and seek systemic solutions to pull themselves out of poverty. All initiatives that are supported with CCHD funding have gone through a thorough application process and are endorsed by BOTH the local bishop and national subcommittee of bishops as organizations with objectives and actions that are fully in accord with the moral teaching of the Catholic Church.

CCHD’s funding policies and procedures have strong policies and clearer mechanisms to screen and monitor grants and groups to ensure that CCHD funds go to organizations that uphold the life and dignity of the human person in every way. CCHD will do all it can to ensure that groups abide by these strengthened requirements and will act immediately and decisively if it is discovered that any group is violating these essential conditions for CCHD support.

CCHD takes every allegation that a group is working against Catholic values, very seriously. Catholics can be assured that any group that engages in activity contrary to Church teaching, such as promoting abortion or same-sex marriage is ineligible for CCHD funding because this is a clear violation of the CCHD funding criteria and guidelines. Together with the local diocese, each allegation is rigorously reviewed. All organizations supported by CCHD are closely monitored throughout the length of their grant to ensure that the terms of the grant agreement, are strictly followed. Any departure from this irrevocable commitment would lead to immediate termination of funding support.

What about participation in coalitions for a good purpose, like better wages or housing, that include groups acting against Catholic values on other issues?

CCHD encourages groups to work across geographical, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological lines to overcome poverty and advance the common good. However, CCHD will not fund groups that are knowingly members of coalitions that have as part of their organizational purpose or coalition agenda, positions or actions that contradict fundamental Catholic moral and social teaching (e.g. promotion or support of abortion, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, racism, as well as the use of the death penalty punitive measures toward immigrants, etc.). Prohibited activities include participation in or endorsing actions that promote legislation, and ballot initiatives (including voter guides and other written materials) that contradict Catholic moral or social teaching.

Actions of other coalition partners on non-coalition issues or issues not agreed upon by the coalition members, call for a different moral analysis. CCHD has engaged a moral theologian for additional guidance on the ethical implications of these relationships and what is morally acceptable and what is not for CCHD-funded groups.

Does CCHD fund organizations that advocate abortion or same-sex marriage?

No. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development fully upholds our Church's teaching on the sanctity of human life from conception through natural death. The Campaign funds organizations that empower the poor and help them organize themselves to break the cycle of poverty. All grant applicants complete a thorough application process and funds are provided only to organizations with objectives and actions that are fully in accord with the moral and social teaching of the Catholic Church. The local CCHD diocesan director and national grants staff evaluate every proposal. Every organization recommended for funding requires endorsement by the local bishop and national subcommittee of bishops.

The funding criteria, including the fact that organizations must be in conformity with the moral guidelines of the Catholic Church, are specified from the earliest stages of the application process. Organizations are monitored through regular reporting and on-site visits. Funding is discontinued if organizations deviate from their initial objective into areas inconsistent with the moral teaching of the Catholic Church.

Does CCHD monitor the social media activity of CCHD-funded groups?

CCHD recognizes the role social media plays as a source to share official statements and represent formal stances and endorsements from our funded organizations. In November 2022, the CCHD Subcommittee approved the adoption of CCHD’s Social Media Policy to clarify where and how our grant agreement applies to organizational activity and make it clear that social media content from employees of a funded organization is not considered an official statement of the organization (unless stated as such) and is thus not applicable under CCHD’s grant agreement. Included within CCHD’s grant agreement, CCHD’s Social Media Policy states:

“CCHD understands any organic posts as well as “likes”, “shares”, or other activity by a Grantee on official social media accounts, in visual or print, as representing formal endorsement or support. Grantee agrees that it will not post, share, or like anything on the organizational social media accounts in conflict with Catholic moral or social teaching. This includes the promotion or support of abortion, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, racism, discriminatory measures toward immigrants, or use of the death penalty as well as activities that include participation in or endorsing that promote in any way legislation, propositions, or ballot initiatives (including voter guides and other written materials) that are in conflict with fundamental Catholic moral or social teaching.

CCHD does not consider social media activity from employees as representative of an official position of the grantee unless stated as such. Employees who identify their employment on their personal social media account and use that account to express personal views are requested to put a disclaimer on that account that provides that the views expressed are their own and not necessarily the views of the Grantee. Grantee staff should be mindful of how a social media post could reflect upon the Grantee and impact its compliance with CCHD’s social media policy.”

Upholding Catholic Values PDF

What is Community Organizing?

What is community organizing?

Community organizing involves bringing people and groups (often including churches) together to collectively address issues of common concern, for example, availability of affordable housing, access to services and businesses, decent education, jobs with living wages, and other issues of economic development and justice.

Does CCHD only fund community organizing?

No. CCHD considers community organizing as one (but not the only) tool to give greater voice to the poor and help them to break the cycle of poverty. Community organizing is a means, not an end in and of itself.  Used well, community organizing can be an effective way to change the conditions and policies which leave people poor. Community organizing can be an important way for people to defend their own lives and dignity, families, and communities.

Why has the Catholic Church been supportive of community organizing efforts?

Becoming involved in community organizing efforts is one way Catholics can exercise their moral responsibility to participate in public life. “It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1913).  The faithful can help address systemic injustice in society by voting, legislative advocacy, and public witness. Community organizing can help individuals become more informed voters; participate in advocacy on behalf of the vulnerable, and join with others in public witness of our faith.  

Additionally, community organizing puts Catholic social teaching principles into action when such efforts are geared toward protecting the dignity of the human person, ensuring that basic human rights are fulfilled, and inviting individuals and institutions to carry out their duties and responsibilities. Community organizing brings together people of varied socio-economic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds to work together in solidarity for the common good. It allows people who are poor and people who are not poor to work together to solve problems. When people who are poor take leadership and work to address their own situations, their human dignity is affirmed.

Pope John Paul II recognized the value of CCHD’s work when he noted, “The [Catholic] Campaign for Human Development has been a witness to the Church’s living presence in the world among the most needy, and to her commitment to continuing the mission of Christ, who was sent ‘to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives … and release to the prisoners’ (Luke 4: 18-19). I commend the bishops of the United States for their wisdom and compassion in establishing the [Catholic] Campaign for Human Development … and I thank the whole Catholic community for the generous support given to this initiative during all these years.” (Providence of God Church, Chicago, Illinois, October 1979)

What are examples of community organizing efforts that CCHD supports?

With support from CCHD, parishes around the country have been involved in important efforts to address the causes of poverty. For example, 34 churches in Pinellas County, FL are involved in a community organizing group called Faith and Action for Strength Together, or FAST. When many of the community’s members began experiencing displacement because of the rising cost of housing, the churches responded by praying and forming an action plan. They invited public officials to meetings where 2,500 FAST members were gathered to challenge those officials to support policies that benefit poor people. Their efforts resulted in an affordable housing trust fund that directed $19 million toward housing for low-income persons, and new legislation to guarantee the development of 3,000 units over the next three years for families with incomes under $42,000 a year.

Here are some other examples of community organizing efforts that CCHD has supported:

Parent Voices in Oakland, California

No Boundaries Coalition in Baltimore, Maryland

Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children 

Living Hope Wheelchair Association in Houston, Texas

United Workers Association in Baltimore, Maryland

What is Community Organizing? PDF

Additional Resources

If you have questions about CCHD and its funding practices, please let us know by e-mailing us at CCHD.