The Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation (CDMF) provides grants, charitable distributions, and financial support to various parishes, schools, and nonprofits throughout the Diocese of Madison. Many of the funds that support these great works are established by individuals who wish to make a faith-based difference in their community.
In fiscal year 2024, the CDMF made its largest impact yet. Our funds made grants and distributions throughout the diocese to many of our parishes, schools, nonprofit ministries, and to support development of vocations.
A total of more than $4 million was distributed as of the end of our fiscal year June 30, with the foundation reaching more than $76 million in assets under management (this number has since grown to more than $80 million in assets under management).
Of the total amount distributed, more than $1.7 million went to support vocations. This money largely came from the CDMF’s Priests for Our Future Fund, which exists to fund the cost of recruiting, education, training, and forming the seminarians who are preparing to be priests for the diocese.
Other funds such as the Queen of Apostles Vocation Fund, which exists to directly fund tuition, room, and board for seminarians, made significant distributions as well.
More than $1.5 million was distributed to parishes. Many parishes throughout the diocese have funds with the CDMF, which we invest, grow, and ultimately distribute earnings back to the parishes for various purposes.
These can range from general parish operations and maintenance, to more creative endeavors such as particular ministries at the parish level.
More than $475,000 was distributed to support education across the diocese.
Parish schools which have funds with the CDMF use this money to support their school’s programming and upkeep.
We also have funds such as the St. John Bosco Fund, which makes direct grants to schools which are determined to have the most need for providing tuition assistance to students. The CDMF has seen a lot of growth in this area. As an example, one of our newest funds, the Janice M. Weichmann-Werlein Catholic Education Music & Art Fund, will provide financial assistance for art and music programming at Catholic schools in the diocese.
More than $416,000 was distributed to various ministries throughout the diocese.
Many of these are nonprofit organizations which have funds with the CDMF.
We are blessed to work with organizations such as Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul, Our Lady of Hope Clinic, and the Catholic Multicultural Center. These organizations are part of the bedrock of Catholic community services in our diocese and they provide much-needed charitable support that directly impacts those most in need in our diocesan communities.
The distribution information listed in this article, and much more, will be included in the CDMF’s Annual Report, which will be included in the Catholic Herald in mid-December. Our Annual Report will feature letters from our President and Executive Director and photos of the CDMF’s work throughout the year, and will highlight the individual funds that make up our portfolio.
We look forward each year to distributing this report to the Catholic community in the diocese.
If you are interested in starting an endowment fund of your own, please visit diocesemadisonfoundation.org or give us a call at 608-821-3048.
Also consider asking your parish priest if he has considered starting an endowment fund for the parish with the CDMF. We would be happy to help in any way possible as we work together to serve Christ and His Church here in the Diocese of Madison.
Grant McGurn is the operations manager for the Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation (CDMF).