The Catholic Initiative’s role is to ensure that a property and its finances are on sound footing, so that the Parish/School and the Diocese can focus on their core missionary work.

Legally, the nature of the collaboration is akin to a renter and a landlord. With a major difference—in this case, the landlord (i.e. The Catholic Initiative) is not collecting rent and instead works in partnership with the renter to remove any barriers or obstacles that would inhibit the renter from using the property for their missionary purpose.

In the same way that a typical landlord would not interfere in the day-to-day activities of a tenant, The Catholic Initiative is not intervening in the day-to-day activities of the Parish or School. The “renter” will continue to be responsible for the operation and successful Catholic faith formation of the community. 

In addition to responsibility for the physical property, The Catholic Initiative will take responsibility for fundraising for an endowment through professional philanthropic activity to sustain the operational expenses of the school, church, or parish. By raising and holding this endowment, The Catholic Initiative will grant money each year back to the “renter” as needed, and assuming the grants are being used responsibly, to ensure the long-term success of the mission.

Lastly, The Catholic Initiative and the “Renter” both have protections to ensure that the properties will always be used for their missionary purpose, and the Landlord is expressly prohibited from terminating the lease, except if the local Catholic diocese decides that the church, school, or parish should no longer exist. The Catholic Initiative is focused on evangelization in perpetuity for each and every school, church, or parish. The combination of private philanthropic support plus a growing endowment will allow the pastor, principal, or leadership team to spend less time fundraising and more time tending to their flock.

The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation was founded by William J. Pulte, master home builder, quiet philanthropist, and devout Catholic. Through restoring these vital spaces and creating endowments, the Initiative carries forward Bill’s legacy of generosity, using resources to sustain and strengthen Catholic institutions for future generations. 

The Foundation prides itself on not only being a deeply charitable organization but in embodying its Founder’s entrepreneurial spirit and problem-solving abilities in the way that it approaches philanthropy. 

The Catholic Church faces a lot of challenges in America today. We see the decline in church participation, and Catholic parishes and schools are closing at record rates. That trend is going to continue unless something changes. These are issues that dioceses across the United States are dealing with. 

The Catholic Initiative is an innovative, Vatican-approved funding model that takes a different approach to ensuring the long-term sustainability of vibrant parishes & schools. The crux of The Catholic Initiative is setting up not just a building that will live on beyond us, but a system that will live on beyond us. We see it as an opportunity to help transform the future of the faith by pioneering a new model and changing the way that we invest in and sustain these sacred places forever.

Donors can support The Catholic Initiative broadly, specific projects within The Catholic Initiative, and even specific aspects of specific projects that align with their passions. Once they choose their project, they can further specify whether their contribution will go toward long-term sustainability through an endowment or dedicated restoration efforts. If donors choose to give to the general Catholic Initiative fund, their gift will be allocated where it is most needed across various projects. 

Donations are placed in restricted funds managed by a top-tier investment firm, ensuring that every dollar is used exclusively for its intended purpose and that those dollars will grow over time. This approach provides both financial stability and transparency while empowering donors to make a meaningful, lasting impact.

For more information or if you are interested in giving, please contact Michael McLaughlin, Chief Inspiration Officer, at 574.299.6038 or michael@thecatholicinitiative.org

There are so many wonderful Catholic faith communities across the United States who are thriving. A universal challenge for these communities is fundraising and the long-term sustainability of property and capital investments. There are vibrant Catholic communities with active parishioners who love their parish, school or church but they do not have the ability to financially support its ongoing operation and upkeep. The Catholic Initiative exists to lean in and help and support these vibrant communities, to ensure that the Catholic Church can be a lighthouse for their communities for generations to come. Because of the present situation around secularization and general Church/School economics, Catholic dioceses are having to evaluate the closure of thriving parishes & schools, where the community is active, but the economics don’t support the operation. The Catholic Initiative is there to stand in the is breach for some of those communities and is inviting all people of good will and philanthropy to join us. Catholic parishes blessed with wealth cannot be the only surviving parishes in a diocese.