FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie Zakrzewski | 501-618-0234 | katie@catholicclimatecovenant.org
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On June 5, Catholic Climate Covenant announced the recipients of the 2024 Victory Noll Sisters small grants program.
After carefully reading applications from over 250 U.S. Catholic communities, Catholic Climate Covenant selected 91 recipients for the small grants ranging from $500 to $1,000, totaling $85,074 in grants awarded. The Covenant will accept more applications for small grants to award the remaining $14,926 at a later date this year. A list of all winners, including those from previous years, can be found here.
“We are excited to announce the recipients of our Victory Noll Sisters small grants, dedicated to advancing the spirit of Laudato Si’ and uplifting voices on the margins,” said Dan Misleh, Founder and Interim Director of Catholic Climate Covenant. “We’ve awarded several innovative solutions that honor our sacred duty to protect and preserve God’s creation while building bridges in Catholic communities. Through their inspiring initiatives, these grant winners embody our shared commitment to stewardship and sustainability, growing hope for a brighter, more sustainable, and just future.”
The Victory Noll Sisters Small Grants Program is made possible through the generosity of the Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters, also known as the Victory Noll Sisters. In their honor and to advance creation care projects throughout the country, the Covenant decided to award up to $100,000 in small grants.
The 2024 Victory Noll small grant awards are the third cycle of small grants Catholic Climate Covenant has offered to Catholic groups to support their creation care efforts. Recipients were selected based on an array of criteria, ranging from the proposed project’s connections to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, the engagement of Catholic youth, and the lifting of environmental justice issues, among other factors.
“Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters have been pleased to support the work of Catholic Climate Covenant for several years,” said Sister Mary Jo Nelson, OLVM, past President of the Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters. “Our community is honored that the Covenant named their small grants program after our community and that they so willingly share the grants we have awarded them. We continue to be excited by all of the diverse, fascinating, Laudato Si’-inspired projects that we can grow in Catholic communities across the country.”
“Sometimes it just takes a little help to start transformative projects and larger aspirations for sustainability,” said Kayla Jacobs, Youth Mobilization Program Manager for Catholic Climate Covenant. “I’m glad we can play a role in helping Catholic institutions take these steps towards implementing Laudato Si’.”
“We hope that these grants will continue to spur faith-driven, ecological innovation and a spirit of service in U.S. Catholic communities for years to come,” Misleh said.
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About Catholic Climate Covenant
Catholic Climate Covenant is a national U.S. nonprofit founded with the support of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2006 that inspires and equips U.S. Catholics and institutions to care for creation together. Through 20 national partners, we guide the U.S. Church’s response to climate change and integral ecology through faith-driven education, advocacy, and resources.
www.catholicclimatecovenant.org.
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