The mission of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is to support organizations led by low-income individuals aiming to break the cycle of poverty and improve their communities. Funded by annual contributions from Catholics across the United States, CCHD is dedicated to projects that uphold Catholic values, with a specific focus on enhancing community influence for the common good in partnership with local Catholic dioceses.
The Community Development Grant Program offered by CCHD provides grants ranging from $25,000 to $75,000 to support community efforts that demonstrate a commitment to the dignity of the human person. This program backs initiatives led by people living in poverty, focusing on addressing the root causes of poverty by promoting solidarity between the poor and non-poor and enabling the participation of impoverished individuals in decision-making processes that affect their lives. The goal is to help low-income people identify barriers, brainstorm solutions, and take action to change the structures and systems that perpetuate poverty in their communities, aligning with the mission of Jesus Christ to bring relief to the poor, release to captives, sight to the blind, and freedom for the oppressed.