The Total Catholic Education Endowment Fund

Type 2 – Individual Forgivable Educational Loan Application Packet

The Total Catholic Education Endowment Fund

Catholic Community Foundation, Inc.

administered by the

Office of Catholic Education

Purpose of the Total Catholic Education Endowment Fund (TCE Fund)

The purpose of the TCE Fund is to provide financial resources to support the professional training, education, and staff development of Catholic educators and catechetical leaders in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in order to enhance education and faith formation in the Church of Central and Southern Indiana.

All requests for funding must be related to the formal education and faith formation ministries of the Church of Indianapolis under the direct purview of the Office of Catholic Education. All programs and activities funded shall be in accordance with the policies and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

The Origin of the Total Catholic Education Endowment Fund

The late Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara, STD, made a significant investment of donated funds to establish the TCE Fund in 1990. In 1993, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, OSB, in collaboration with advisory groups, made an additional significant investment in the fund to support the training of education and faith formation personnel in the archdiocese. The Archdiocesan Board of Education recommended criteria and procedures for grants and loans from the interest income of the TCE Fund in 1993. The criteria and procedures were revised in 2004 with the advice of the Archdiocesan Education Commission.

Types of Funding Available from the TCE Fund

There are two types of funding available:

Type 1 Group Project Grants: Generally, these are grants to fund professional training, education and staff development for groups of Catholic educational administrators, teachers, catechists, educational commission members or other employees and volunteers involved in the delivery of the formal education and faith formation programs of the archdiocese. The grants do not need to be repaid unless the proposed program is not carried out.

Type 2 Individual Forgivable Loans: These are tuition-only loans to individual education and faith formation employees of the archdiocese for professional education and training to enhance leadership or teaching skills, or to obtain degrees or certification desired or required for specific roles or positions within the formal education and faith formation ministry of the archdiocese. These loans are conditional in that the loan agreement requires the employee to work for the archdiocese for a full five (5) program years following completion of the funded educational program in order for the repayment of the loan to be completely forgiven. If the program is not completed within a reasonable time or if the employee leaves his/her position, the loan must be repaid with interest to the TCE Fund on a pro-rated basis. Generally, forgivable loans are approved and funded one half by a supporting institution (parish, school, or agency) and one half by the TCE Fund.

NOTE: This packet describes only Type 2 Individual Forgivable Educational Loans

You may obtain an application packet for Type 1. Group Project Grants, from the Office of Catholic Education.

Funding Process

Funding is awarded on a twice-yearly basis from the interest earned from the TCE Endowment. The number of grants/loans awarded and the overall level of funding available in each cycle are highly dependent on market effects upon the earning power of the TCE Endowment as well as the total amount of funding requested for the cycle.

Applications are received and processed by the Office of Catholic Education and are then evaluated by the Grants Committee of the Archdiocesan Education Commission (AEC). The committee recommends funding of requests to the full Commission. The Commission then makes a final recommendation (resolution) to the Secretary/Executive Director Catholic Education and Faith Formation. The decision of the Secretary/Executive Director regarding the awarding of funding is final.

Funding Cycles

The twice-yearly application deadlines are as follows:

October 1 for individual professional education or training beginning after December 31

March 1 for individual professional education or training beginning after May 31

Note: Applications must be postmarked no later than the

application deadline (or next business day).

Criteria for Awarding Individual Educational Forgivable Loans

The following criteria are used by the AEC in awarding individual educational forgivable loans to individual employees in a competitive process relative to other proposals:

The relative impact the loan is likely to have on enhancing the quality of education and faith formation in the parish(es), school(s) or archdiocese.
The relative impact the loan is likely to have on enhancing the quantity of education and faith formation delivered in the parish(es), school(s) or the archdiocese (how many people will potentially be reached by the educator).
The relative level of contribution, direct and/or in-kind, made by the sponsoring institution (parish, school or agency) to the overall cost of the proposal.
The relative level of contribution, direct and/or in-kind made by the individual applicant toward the overall cost of the proposal.
The relative economic need of the sponsoring institution, assuming the high merit of the proposal.
The relative economic need of the applicant, assuming the high merit of the proposal.
The relevance of the proposal to the mission of the sponsoring institution and/or the archdiocese compared to other proposals (degree of direct application).
Consideration of equitable distribution of grants and loans throughout all areas of the archdiocese.
The relative need of the archdiocese for the skills enhanced by the degree or training sought.
The relative quality of the proposal (clear objectives, understandable, well-formed ideas, realistic budget, good supporting documentation, etc.).

NOTE: Incomplete applications will not be forwarded to the TCE Grant Committee.

Conditions: Type 2 Individual Educational Forgivable Loans

Persons employed in the formal educational programs of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis --Catholic schoolteachers, education and faith formation administrators and others -- are eligible to apply for Individual Educational Forgivable Loans from the TCE Fund in accordance with the above criteria. Successful proposals will augment the applicant’s professional education, skills and certification as well as enhance the leadership of the education and faith formation mission in institutions of the Archdiocese (program contribution).

TCE Forgivable Loans are generally awarded for relatively short-term professional training such as for licensure or license renewal to teach a certain subject or grade level, Master’s Degrees that lead to a higher skill level in catechetics or teaching; or additional training that leads to qualification as a supervisor, administrator, youth minister, etc. Special consideration may be given to those seeking qualification/licensure in areas where there is a shortage of qualified teachers or administrators (i.e., math and science teachers, professional DREs, principals, etc.). Requests for full funding of 4-year Bachelor’s Degrees or Doctorates generally fall outside the scope of the Forgivable Loan program, as these are long-term commitments and tend to cause an ongoing demand for funds that may preclude awards to several other short-term applicants that could be served with equivalent funds. Bachelor’s Degrees are usually considered the minimum qualification for entering the fields of education, faith formation and youth ministry and Doctorates are often seen as beyond the scope of necessity for most ministries covered by the program. However, all applications for funding will be considered on the merits of the request.

Forgivable loans will be awarded in a partnership between the TCE Fund (archdiocese), the sponsoring institutions (parishes, schools) and the applicant (employee) with the following stipulations:

· Loans are for tuition only. Costs for books, student fees, transportation and all other related and incidental costs are to be paid by the applicant (in-kind contribution).

· Applicants for funding of administrative or theological degrees or training must be professed and practicing Catholics.

· Applicants for funding of degrees or training leading to qualification or certification for administrative positions in Catholic schools or faith formation programs must complete the appropriate SRI Interview with a trained Perceiver from the Office of Catholic Education and receive a satisfactory score before funding can be awarded.

· Loans are granted to pay for the tuition for only three (3) semesters at a time – the equivalent of one academic year in advance. Tuition invoices must be presented for payment.

· A new promissory note is signed each time funds are loaned to the applicant.

· Renewal for another three semesters, while not guaranteed, is accomplished with a simplified application process and renewal loans are awarded on a first priority basis.

· Proof of prior course completion and success are required for loan renewal and at the completion of the proposed program of study.

· Once the proposed education or training is completed, for every year of service to the sponsoring institution through five (5) program years, the TCE Fund will forgive one fifth (20%) of the total amount loaned to the borrower each year. One half of this 20% per year will be repaid to the TCE Fund by the sponsoring institution and the other half will be absorbed by the Fund.

· If the applicant fails to complete the education or training in reasonable time as proposed or leaves the employment of the sponsoring institution during the training, he/she will immediately begin repayment of the entire loan with interest as stipulated by the archdiocese in the loan note.

· If the applicant successfully completes the training as proposed, but leaves the employment of the sponsoring institution at any time during the five years immediately following the date of completion, the remaining debt for the sponsoring institution shall shift to the borrower and he/she shall immediately begin repayment of the loan on a pro-rated basis (20 percent for each year not employed for up to the full five years).

· In the case of a transfer of an employee to another institution within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, the employee may, at the new employer’s option only, transfer the debt of the sponsoring institution to the new employer.

· All decisions concerning reasonable progress and program completion shall be made by the Secretary/Executive Director in consultation with the administration of the sponsoring institution.

For further Information please contact:

The Office of Catholic Education

1400 N. Meridian Street, P.O. Box 1410

Indianapolis, IN 46206-1410

(317)236-1430 or

Toll Free (800)382-9836 Ext. 1430

E-mail:

Website: www.archindy.org

OCE Revised 05/06

Total Catholic Education Endowment Fund

Type 2 Individual Educational Forgivable Loan

Application (New Loan)

Application Date: / Social Security
Number:
Name of Sponsoring Parish/ Institution (Employer): / City:
Name of Applicant (Employee):
Applicant Home Address Information: / Phone: Daytime:
Evening:
Street: / Fax:
E-Mail:
City: / State: / ZIP:
Please state Educational Goal of Loan Request (describe the degree, license, certificate, skills, etc.):
Total Cost of Loan Request
(from budget): / $ / Installment amount requested this time / $
Timeline: Proposed Beginning Date: / m/d/yy / Ending
Date: / m/d/yy
Will this installment complete your proposed education or training program: YES NO

NOTE: All of the above information must be provided

Please answer all questions completely on the attached worksheet and budget form:

Please submit with this application:

a work resume

all college transcripts

any other information showing the extent of your previous educational/professional background, experience and service

copies of official institutional documents showing current per-hour tuition costs for which you are requesting TCE loan funds

two (2) letters: 1) a recommendation from your principal or supervisor; 2) a letter of support from your education commission/board president, pastor, dean, high school president, or program director responsible for the sponsoring institution or parish.

Administrative applicants must make arrangements with OCE to complete an SRI interview and be recommended as administrative candidate before a loan can be approved.

NOTE: Incomplete renewal applications will not be submitted to the TCE Grants Committee.

TCE INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL FORGIVE-ABLE LOAN GRANT APPLICATION Page 2 / Applicant Name:
11. Please provide a brief description of the proposed course-of-study/training including the educational goal(s) of the loan request
A. Description:
B. Educational goal(s) of the loan request (degree, license, certificate, etc.):
1.
2.
3.
4.
12. What impact is the loan likely to have on enhancing the quality of education and faith formation?
13. What impact is the loan likely to have on enhancing the quantity of education and faith formation delivered (i.e., how many people will the applicant potentially reach and in what settings over a five-year period following the completion of the program of study)?
14. What is the relevance of this proposal to the mission of the sponsoring institution and/or the archdiocese (degree of direct application to needs)?
Continue to next page please
TCE INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL FORGIVE-ABLE LOAN GRANT APPLICATION Page 3 / Applicant Name:
15. Financial Questions:
A. Why is your employer willing/ not willing to sponsor one-half of this educational loan?
If the employer is not sponsoring the proposal financially, are you willing to self-sponsor half the cost of the proposal on an ongoing basis? yes no Comment?
B. Is the parish, school or agency willing to make additional direct or in-kind contributions to the cost of this proposal (i.e., time off, cost of textbooks, materials, fees, transportation, use of equipment/facilities, etc.)? (describe and show detail in the budget):
C. Are you, the applicant, willing to make significant direct or in-kind contributions to the cost of this proposed education/training (i.e., time, effort, cost of textbooks, materials, fees, transportation, childcare, etc.)? (describe and show detail in the budget):
D. What is the relative economic need of the sponsoring institution?
E. What is the relative economic need of you, the applicant?
F. What will be the consequences to your ministry if the loan is not granted?
Continue to next page please

Please thoroughly recheck all information and figures before submitting

TCE INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL FORGIVEABLE LOAN GRANT APPLICATION
Page 4
6. Budget Form (New Loan) (Submit with New Loan Application)
Application Date: / Social Security Number:
Name of Sponsoring Parish/ Institution (Employer): / City:
Name of Applicant (Employee):
College or Training
Institute to be attended:

Please list the tuition-only costs of the entire proposed educational or training program and then check-off the courses that you wish to take during the next three (3) semesters (this funding cycle):