Friends of the Poor ® Grants

Friends of the Poor® is an original SVdPUSA program to provide direct service to the poor in the United States, coordinated by the National Council through the national volunteer network of SVdP Conferences and Councils. The purpose of the Friends of the Poor® Fund is to raise significant amounts from the general public for direct service to the U.S. poor, through the wide variety interventions of the 100,000+ volunteer members of the Society nationwide.
Information on applying for a Grant can be found in the Grant Guidelines and Schedules document below.


Grant Application and Guidelines

Recent Grant Recipients

Conference Name

Christ Our Light
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart of Jesus
St. Alphonsus-St. Clement
St. Clare
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
All Souls
Cathedral of St. Peter
Immaculate Conception
St. Charles Borromeo
St. Joseph
St. Mary's
St. Patrick
 
Region

Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Midwest
Midwest
Midwest
Midwest
Midwest
Midwest
Midwest
 
City, State

Cambridge, OH
Hammond, IN
Lorain, OH
Indianapolis, IN
Dearborn, MI
Cincinnati, OH
Monroe, MI
Englewood, CO
Belleville, IL
Montgomery City, MO
St. Charles, MO
Farmington, MO
Joplin, MO
Dubuque, IA
 
Purpose

Short-term temporary housing
Utility, rent and food assistance
Utility assistance, beds, appliances
Utility, rent, toiletries, food assistance
Utility and rent assistance, education
Baby/toddler care essentials
Bed frames, box springs and mattresses
Pre-release clothing & basic needs program
Saturday morning breakfast program
Utility and rent assistance
Backpack kids food program
Summer lunch program for kids
Utility and rent assistance, bus coupons
Bus passes, work shoes
 
Award Amount

$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$4,550.00
$4,987.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$4,313.00
$3,958.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
 

We received 43 grant proposals totaling $206,108. Grant awards for this round total $67,808. Thank you to an anonymous foundation for providing an additional $47,808 in grant funding.

Through a standardized, simple application process, SVdP Conferences can apply for up to a $5,000 grant from the National Council’s Friends of the Poor® Fund. The total Friends of the Poor® Program budget is normally limited to the amount raised and/or approved by the National Council budget process. Individual grant award amounts may vary from the application amount, but will NOT exceed $5,000.

Grants are targeted to specific, current needs of the poor, above and beyond available conference resources. Preferred interest areas are: systemic change, rental/housing assistance, utility assistance, food, clothing, transportation, baby/children needs and medical.

Systemic Change is a new area of interest.



Urban Farming, Food Pantry and Nutrition Program Grants

The National Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been awarded a grant from an anonymous foundation to fund projects to strengthen predominantly under-served Black communities and neighborhoods through urban gardening nutrition programs that are producing fresh produce for food pantries or other types of SVdP serving operations. The National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul through its African-American Task Force reviewed the applications that were submitted. Thirty-six grants were awarded totaling nearly $150,000. 

Conference Name

Holy Spirit (formerly St. Peter Claver)
Immaculate Conception - St. Cecilia
New All Saints
St. Francis Xavier
St. Peter Claver - St. Pius V
St. Veronica
Corpus Christi
Most Holy Redeemer
Sacred Heart of Jesus
St. Augustine - St. Monica
St. Charles Lwanga
St. Ladislas
St. Matthew Cathedral
St. Moses the Black
St. Peter Claver
St. Peter in Chains/St. Xavier
St. Stephen-Mary Mother of the Church
St. Ignatius Loyola
St. Rita
Holy Trinity
Our Lady Queen of Peace
St. Ann
St. Basil/Visitation
St. Margaret of Scotland
St. Rita of Cascia
Mary Immaculate
St. Charles Borremeo
Holy Family
St. Joseph
St. Margret Mary
St. Patrick
St. Paul
St. John Bosco
St. John Vianney
St. Joseph/Mission San Jose
Sts. Peter and Paul
 
Region

Eastern
Eastern
Eastern
Eastern
Eastern
Eastern
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Mideast
Midwest
Midwest
North Central
North Central
North Central
North Central
North Central
North Central
Northeast
Northeast
Southeast
Southeast
Southeast
Southeast
Southeast
Western
Western
Western
Western
 
City, State

Asbury Park, NJ
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Detroit, MI
Detroit, MI
Detroit, MI
Richmond, MI
Detroit, MI
Columbus, OH
South Bend, IN
Detroit, MI
Detroit, MI
Cincinnati, OH
Detroit, MI
Denver, CO
St. Louis, MO
Bloomington, IL
Madison, WI
Peoria, IL
Chicago, IL
Chicago, IL
Aurora, IL
Bellport, NY
New York, NY
Orlando, FL
Huntsville, AL
Swannanoa, NC
Adamsville, AL
Pensacola, FL
Lakewood, WA
San Jose, CA
Fremont, CA
San Francisco, CA
 
Award Amount

$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$2,500.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$2,500.00
$5,000.00
$2,500.00
$4,993.00
$800.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$3,300.00
$4,400.00
$5,000.00
$771.00
$3,224.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
$2,500.00