About Us
CHRISTUS Fund

Learn about the CHRISTUS Fund purpose and requirements below, then click here for the application process and outline.

Creating healthy communities is a core driving strategy for CHRISTUS Health. We are committed to advocating for systemic changes to improve the health of our communities.

We recognize that each community is unique, with distinct cultures and resources; thus, each community must create its own healthy community vision. CHRISTUS Health is committed to working with community-led partnerships in all the communities we serve in order to achieve measurable, sustainable improvements in well-being. This commitment is a reflection of our conviction that everyone deserves access to quality health care and basic necessities.

Purpose

At CHRISTUS Health, we are committed to extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ beyond our facilities and into our communities. The intent of the CHRISTUS Fund is to provide resources to not-for-profit agencies and groups whose vision, mission and goals are consistent with CHRISTUS Health's mission, values and philosophy of a healthy community. We believe that by working together, we can make a profound difference in the quality of people's lives and create sustainable, positive change in our communities.

Requirements for applying for assistance from the
CHRISTUS Fund

  • Applications should be prepared according to the instructions provided in the Application Process.
  • Complete applications must be submitted by the established deadlines: January 1 and July 1.
  • Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
  • The CHRISTUS Fund Advisory Committee will review the applications two times per year and will make recommendations about funding. The committee meetings are held in April and October.
  • Applications will be evaluated using an established set of criteria.
  • Proposals will be considered for one year funding.
  • Applicants will be notified within five months following the deadline.

Funding Criteria

Criteria include but are not limited to the following:

Eligibility Criteria — The proposal must meet the following eligibility criteria in order to be considered for funding.

  • Proposals must be consistent with CHRISTUS Health's values, support its mission and be faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
  • Proposals should be for community-based programs and support community planning or be supported by a community plan.
  • The proposed program should reflect local community priorities and serve as a tool for building healthier communities.
  • The proposed program should focus primarily on the geographic areas where CHRISTUS Health ministries and sponsoring congregations are located and involved.
  • Applicants should be nonprofit corporations with tax exempt status and not foundations.
  • Priority is given to proposals for start-up programs. However, under special circumstances, proposals will be considered for refunding.

Exclusions — The CHRISTUS Fund does not support grants for the following purposes:

  • Individuals or special events
  • Scholarships
  • Costs for capital, equipment, overhead or administration (unless these are directly associated with the proposed program)
  • Acute care services, hospital services
  • Biomedical research
  • Endowments
  • Annual campaigns or fund raising
  • Existing obligations or debt liability evaluation

Criteria — The following elements are considered important to the evaluation of the proposal for funding approval. The CHRISTUS Fund will consider programs that:

  • are submitted by agencies in communities served by CHRISTUS Health or from CHRISTUS Health entities
  • improve the physical, emotional and/or spiritual health of low-income persons and underserved communities
  • focus on systemic change or promote human dignity
  • have the potential to empower or enhance the community's capacity for self-sufficiency and social responsibility
  • demonstrate special concerns for women, children, the elderly, and the mentally or physically challenged
  • impact significant numbers of people
  • demonstrate measurable outcomes
  • demonstrate they are collaborative initiatives
  • generate a portion of their funding from other sources
  • demonstrate the ability to sustain the impact of the proposed endeavor over a reasonable time period
  • can become self-sustaining within a defined time period
  • have the potential to be replicated and
  • offer creative approaches to service delivery.

Click here for the CHRISTUS Fund Application Process and Outline
Click here to read about previous grant recipients

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