The Archdiocese of New York is launching a new initiative to support parishes and local communities in delivering pastoral ministry programs.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced in early November 2024 that the pastoral offices of the archdiocese would refashion their mode of operating to one that – in accordance with the timeless Catholic principle of subsidiarity – fulfills their ministry on a parish and local level, to listen to the voice of the people of God and operate on what the Holy Father calls a “bottom-up” model rather than a “top-down.”

The archdiocese’s Sharing God’s Gifts Pastoral Grants Program encourages parishes to reimagine faith formation and community engagement at all levels.

The program provides grant opportunities to strengthen ministry efforts within the parish, focusing on five key areas:

• Adult Discipleship and Marriage Formation
• Cultural Diversity
• Respect Life
• Youth Faith Formation
• Youth/Young Adult Ministry and University Apostolate

Each program or project will be eligible to receive $2,500 to $35,000 and will be awarded after a thorough review process by multiple committees representing diverse areas of the archdiocese.

It is important to note that the first grant application deadline is February 2, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

To assist with this transition to be more helpful, our application process has been designed to make the experience a seamless one. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact sharinggodsgifts@archny.org for assistance.

To learn more about the new pastoral grants program or to begin the application process, visit the website sharinggodsgifts.org. A directory of pastoral office contacts is available on this site. Sharing this announcement with parish ministry leaders is encouraged.