Updates from the UTO Grant Committee

Did you know that UTO operates on a year-round grant schedule? This means that when one process ends, the other begins. In June, UTO announced the 2025 grant awards and launched our 2026 application materials for our UTO leaders. While applications aren’t due until early 2026, we strongly recommend getting started now on drafting applications. We hope you’ll help us get the word out about the focus for 2026 to help us raise the funds to give away. We also hope you’ll either consider applying or help those in your diocese with their application.

For those of you supporting UTO at a diocesan level, we strongly recommend watching the training video and taking the local supporter quiz. This will help you see some of the big bucket items the UTO Board is looking for when reviewing grants. Once you’ve passed the quiz, you’ll get a digital badge that you can display in diocesan newsletter articles or in your email signature line to let people know you are ready to help. Also, beginning this year, if you have an internal deadline for UTO applications for your diocese, please email Heather and she’ll add that information directly to the “apply” page so folks have all of the deadlines in one place.

For those of you supporting/leading UTO in a parish, please be sure to look over the focus for 2026 because that is where every thank offering UTO receives in 2025 will go next year. We hear a lot of talk about how divided the world is, and our grant focus for 2026 is trying to find a way to bring folks together. This is a great cause for a donation to support the work of bridging the divide.

For those of you interested in applying for UTO funds, we have open office hours happening every month this fall on different days and at different times to try to accommodate anyone who wants help. 

Open Office Hours for August and September:

• Aug. 13 at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Register here.
• Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. Eastern time – Spanish-language webinar. Register here.
• Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Register here.

Find all upcoming dates at https://unitedthankoffering.com/wp-content/uploads/Open-Office-Hours-2025.pdf