The Legacy of Faith Religious Education Fund provides annual support for the religious education of children and young adults, as well as ongoing faith formation for adults beyond Confirmation. This endowment helps ensure that Catholics across the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend receive solid, faithful catechesis.

Applications open each year on September 1 and are due according to the timeline outlined in annual application materials. All parishes in the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend are eligible to apply.

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Grants are determined in partnership with the Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis and the Office of the Bishop for the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend. For questions about grant eligibility, please contact Melinda Doak at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For assistance with the online application tool and user registration, please contact the Catholic Community Foundation at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Legacy of Faith Hispanic Ministry fund strengthens ongoing efforts to form lay leaders who assist with catechesis, religious education, and faith formation for adults, youth, and children. It places special emphasis on helping Hispanic Catholics grow in their understanding of the faith so they can become leaders in their families, parishes, and communities.

Applications open each year on September 1 and are due according to the timeline outlined in annual application materials. All parishes in the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend are eligible to apply, with preference given to those parishes designated as Hispanic Ministry parishes.

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Grants are determined in partnership with the Hispanic Ministry Office and the Office of the Bishop for the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend. For questions about grant eligibility, please contact Melinda Doak at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For assistance with the online application tool and user registration, please contact the Catholic Community Foundation at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Legacy of Faith Elementary Schools fund supports all Catholic elementary schools in the diocese with long-term financial assistance, while giving special attention to those facing the greatest needs. Although every school benefits from this endowment, its distributions are intentionally directed to help ensure that schools with more limited resources receive additional support so that Catholic education remains accessible and sustainable across the diocese.

Distributions from this endowment are reviewed and reallocated each year by the Office of the Bishop for the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend. Each parish elementary school automatically receives its annual distribution in November or December, with no application required.

The Legacy of Faith Catholic Charities fund strengthens the agency's ability to provide long-term care and support for vulnerable children, families, and seniors. It helps sustain essential services such as emergency shelters, transitional housing, support for families in crisis, assistance for those moving from welfare to work, and programs that serve seniors in need. Through this permanent source of funding, the agency can offer hope, stability, and practical help to those who need it most—today and for years to come.

Catholic Charities Fort Wayne–South Bend is the designated beneficiary of this endowment and receives annual distributions directly; no additional applications or grant requests are accepted for this fund.