Why Is There A Need

There are limited resources available in Vermont to support Catholic activities and education; many of the existing foundations in the state will not make grants for religious purposes or to religious organizations. Often parishes and schools compete with one another for support from the same few donors. The foundation fills a gap by providing professional, faith-based investment services to Catholics who wish to further the mission of the Church.

Developing a Catholic foundation that meets the needs of the community and furthers the mission of the Church is not a new idea. There are 181 Catholic dioceses in the United States and 143 Catholic foundations — many of which formed in the early 1980s. Eight-five percent of these dioceses (122) use a foundation separate from the diocese.

There are numerous state and federal regulations in order to become a community foundation that require accountability to the donor and the community, including an annual meeting, report and audit.

Foundations act as both a fundraising resource and investment management vehicle. Just like colleges and universities, dioceses have recognized the importance of building endowment funds for stability and future mission of the Church as well as provide accountability to the community. In addition, our investment policies reflect our faith. All investments meet the Catholic ethical standards required by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops guidelines.