How to apply

Ideally, the person responsible for the practical realisation of the project should elaborate and submit the application. This can be a bishop, a priest, a male or female religious or a layperson.

To come into consideration for funding, a request must have the explicit written approval of the local bishop (in the case of diocesan and parish projects) or religious superior (if the project is fully internal to the religious congregation) stating that it is a priority for the diocese or the congregation.

If your project fits our funding criteria and if you have secured the preliminary approval of your bishop or superior, here are some guidelines about writing a project application and including all necessary technical information.

Important! In view of more stringent reporting, safeguarding and data protection requirements in the world today and out of a duty to show our benefactors how their donations have been used, we are introducing a Project Agreement and a Data Protection form, which must be signed and returned to us before any funds can be released.

1. Project presentation

We have no forms for you to present your project argumentation (exceptions see Special cases). Please use your own stationery and write as you know best. Assume we know nothing about your specific situation, yet need to understand “Who, Where, When, What and Why?”

  • Describe the pastoral need behind the project by introducing the diocese, parish (community), congregation or institution along with a description of the local situation (historical, social, religious,  economic etc). You may quote testimonies of the people you are trying to help.
  • Describe your goals and objectives (What you want to achieve vis-à-vis the need you have described).
  • Where relevant, always give concrete figures (number of parishioners, seminarians, novices, sisters, participants etc).
  • State in a concise way the specific purpose for which you need a grant (What you actually need the money for) Specify the total costs of the project.
  • Specify how much money you have (or can obtain) locally, from other charities (please name them) and how much you expect from ACN.
  • Back up your argumentation with pro-forma invoices, cost estimates, finance plans, photos, budgets, programs, lists of participants, etc.
  • Let your bishop read your application and ask him to verify what you have written and to approve your sending it off to us.
  • If you have general photos illustrating your pastoral work or the people you serve, please send us two of the best, as we depend solely on fundraising and might need such photos, should we decide to support your project.

2. Personal information

To avoid incomplete or out of date personal information, please make use of ACN’s basic application form and attach it to every application you submit.

Additional personal information is required in the case of scholarships and vehicle purchase requests. Please download the form you need from the Forms section of this website.

3. Language

You may submit your application in any of the West-European languages in which this Website is available. In addition, some East-European languages such as Russian, Ukrainian and Polish are also understood at our Head Office. If in doubt, please consult your bishop or religious superior.

4. Submission Deadlines

ACN’s fundraising and decision-making are ongoing. Thus, we have no fixed submission deadlines for project applications. The sole exception is scholarships, where decisions must be taken in time for the commencement of the academic year. See special cases.

Due to the high number of applications we receive, please reckon with at least two months for a decision from us.

Our financial resources never suffice to cover all requests received. It is therefore inevitable that some applications will be turned down despite their fitting our funding criteria.

5. Where to apply

Simply address your hand-signed request to our international Head Office in Germany where our Project Department is located.

 Aid to the Church in Need
 ACN International
 Postfach 1209
 D-61452 Königstein/Ts.
 GERMANY

Please email project applications from Africa, Asia/Oceania, Middle East, part of Latin America (see below), and all scholarship applications from anywhere in the world to: projects@acn-intl.org

For project applications (except scholarships) from the following parts of the world, please email to the addresses indicated:

Europe (see Head of sections for more details): europe@acn-intl.org

 Latin America (part – see Head of sections for more details): la2@acn-intl.org

Do not send via one or more of our national offices – this creates unnecessary costs and delays. 

You may also know us as:

  • Aid to the Church in Need (Australia)
  • Kirche in Not (Austria)
  • Kerk in Nood/Aide à l’Eglise en Détresse (Belgium)
  • Ajuda à Igreja que Sofre (Brazil)
  • Aide à l’Eglise en Détresse/Aid to the Church in Need (Canada)
  • Ayuda a la Iglesia que Sufre (Chile)
  • Ayuda a la Iglesia que Sufre (Colombia)
  • Ayuda a la Iglesia Necesitada (México)
  • Aide à l’Eglise en Détresse (France)
  • Kirche in Not (Germany)
  • Aid to the Church in Need (Ireland)
  • Aiuto alla Chiesa che Soffre (Italy)
  • Kerk in Nood (Netherlands)
  • Pomoc Kosciolowi w Potrzebie (Poland)
  • Ajuda à Igreja que Sofre– Fundação AIS (Portugal)
  • Ayuda a la Iglesia Necesitada (Spain)
  • Kirche in Not/Aide à l’Eglise en Détresse (Switzerland)
  • Aid to the Church in Need (United Kingdom)
  • Aid to the Church in Need (USA)
  • Aid to the Church in Need (Korea)
  • Aid to the Church in Need (Malta)
  • Aid to the Church in Need (Philippines)
  • Pomoc trpiacej Cirkvi – ACN Slovensko (Slovakia)

 

A note on electronic communication

It is our policy to accept applications as email attachments. In this case, please, do not forget to sign your application and scan it to us. The same applies to the letter of endorsement of your bishop. Applications without signatures cannot be processed.