Conferences of Bishops, Dioceses, Parishes, Religious Congregations, and Catholic institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean can apply to the Subcommittee of Bishops on the Church in Latin America, a division of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), for economic aid.

In particular, priority is given to pastoral programs and pilot projects approved by the local bishops in Latin America, and those which provide a permanent basis of planning in the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean. The objective of this fund is to initiate programs so that subsequently, if this is the case, the organization can maintain them with their own resources or those of other entities.

The applicants should obtain from local sources approximately one third of the total cost of the project. The assignment of economic aid made by the Subcommittee of Bishops cover programs that have concrete goals and objectives that can be realized in a maximum time frame of twelve months.

When you formulate a project that you would like to submit for the consideration of the Subcommittee of Bishops for economic aid, you should keep in mind the following categories which are eligible:

1. Catechetics	5. Formation of lay leadership
2. Religious Education	6. Socio-religious research
3. Evangelization	7. Formation of the permanent diaconate
4. Pastoral	8. Formation of religious personnel

Youth Jubilee Cochabamba, Bolivia, August 2000

Please keep in mind that according to the regulations that govern this program of donations the following categories are NOT eligible for this aid:

1. Programs not related to the local pastoral priorities
   
2. Construction, repairs, remodeling, and/or construction materials
   
3. Purchasing of land, lots, premises, or buildings
   
4. Purchasing of equipment (vehicles, office machinery, computers, sewing machines, benches, chairs, projectors, etc.)
   
5. Establishment of funds (scholarships, investments, etc.)
   
6. Funding for events, activities, debts, or expenses incurred before the meeting in which the petition for funds was evaluated.
   
7. Maintenance of buildings, churches.
   
8. Programs that are not capable of being economically self-sufficient.
   
9. General administrative expenses and/or operational expenses of previously established institutions.
   
10. Consecutive petitions for the same project or organization
    
11. Petitions to cover financing for more than twelve months/

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