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/Council Name

Fort Worth District Council
Holy Family
Resurrection of the Lord
Sacred Heart
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
St. Gregory the Great
St. John Bosco, St. Andrew, IC
St. Rose of Lima
Christ the King
Holy Family
Holy Spirit
Our Lady of the Mountains
Queen of Angels
Queen of Apostles
St. Cecilia
St. Cyril of Alexandria
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
St. Frances Cabrini
St. Francis of Assisi
St. John Bosco
St. John the Evangelist
St. Jude
St. Mary Star of the Sea
St. Matthew
St. Rita in the Desert
St. Robert
 
Region

South Central
South Central
South Central
South Central
South Central
South Central
South Central
South Central
South Central
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
Western
 
City, State

Arlington, TX
Galveston, TX
San Antonio, TX
Rockport, TX
Carrollton, TX
Dallas, TX
San Antonio, TX
Natalia, TX
San Antonio, TX
San Diego, CA
Chehalis, WA
Sacramento, CA
Sierra Vista, AZ
Port Angeles, WA
San Jose, CA
Bainbridge Island, WA
Tucson, AZ
Irvine, CA
Tucson, AZ
Yuma, AZ
Lakewood, WA
Vancouver, WA
Tuba City, AZ
Port Townsend, WA
Hillsboro, OR
Vail, AZ
San Bruno, CA
 
Purpose

Convert payday loans
Rent and utility assistance
Rent, utility, food, transportation and medical assistance
Rent, utility, medical and clothing assistance
Chiller for food pantry, grocery and gas cards, rent assistance
Rent and utility assistance
Rent and utility assistance
Food, utility assistance, back to school shoe program
Food, utility & rent, bus passes, hygiene, diapers, formula
Rent, utility and transportation assistance
Rent and utility assistance
Housing assistance
Rent and utility assistnace
Nightly lodging assistance
Rent assistance, security deposits
Rent and utility and assistance
Rent and utility and assistance
Rent and utility and assistance
Rent and utility and assistance
Rent and utility and assistance
Rent assistance
Rent and utility and assistance
Wood for heating and cooking
Rent and utility assistance
Rent assistance
Rent, utility, food and medical assistance
JC Penney gift cards for back to school clothing
 
Award Amount

$4,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$3,561.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$3,561.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$3,561.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$4,500.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
$3,561.00
 

We received 50 grant proposals totaling $244,997. Grant awards for this round total $127,744. Thank you to an anonymous foundation for providing an additional $25,000 in grant funding, and to an anonymous bequest for providing an additional $39,745 in grant funding for the Western Region.

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