The Papal Foundation has approved more than $15 million in grants for 2026, marking the largest total in its 38-year history.
The announcement came as Pope Leo XIV received members, trustees and stewards of the foundation at the Apostolic Palace at the conclusion of their annual pilgrimage.
The Chicago-born pontiff thanked donors for their sustained financial backing of projects ranging from humanitarian aid to clerical education, telling them their generosity had enabled “countless people to experience in a concrete fashion the goodness and kindness of God in their own communities”.
According to figures released by the foundation, the 2026 grants will support more than 140 projects across approximately 75 countries, continuing a steady increase in annual distributions in recent years.
In 2023, the foundation allocated around $9.5 million to 114 projects in 57 countries, rising to roughly $14 million in 2025 for 116 projects in more than 60 countries. The latest total represents a further expansion rather than an isolated increase, with consistent growth in the foundation’s grant-making capacity.
The foundation also reported a notable rise in new membership, with 25 families joining in the year since the election of Pope Leo XIV. Membership as a steward requires a contribution of at least $1 million, forming part of an endowment used to fund papal projects. The increase is viewed as a sign of renewed engagement among wealthy American Catholics following the election of the first pope born in the United States.
During the audience, the Pope referred to his own experience of the foundation’s work during his time as Bishop of Chiclayo, stating: “I have already been aware of your work, especially during my years of service as Bishop of Chiclayo, where I saw first-hand the positive impact of the Foundation’s grants, as both the Diocese and a religious community were blessed to receive assistance on various projects, thanks to your generosity.”
He continued by expressing gratitude for the organisation’s role in supporting the universal Church, saying: “I am, therefore, deeply grateful for your ongoing commitment to assist the Successor of Peter in his mission to care for the needs of the universal Church.”
The Pope pointed in particular the role of the foundation in funding scholarships for priests and Religious from developing countries to study at pontifical universities in Rome. “Many priests and consecrated men and women have likewise been able to receive an advanced education from the Pontifical Universities in Rome that would otherwise not have been possible, forming them to be future leaders in the Church,” he said.
The Pope also emphasised the wider spiritual dimension of charitable giving, stating: “All members of the Church, by virtue of our Baptism, share the responsibility to proclaim the Gospel today with words as well as with charitable deeds.” He added that “by funding projects, humanitarian aid and scholarships for people from around the world, the Papal Foundation participates in the Church’s ongoing evangelical mission”.
Referring to the liturgical season, the Pope described Easter as a “time focusing on mission as well as peace” and recalled Christ’s words to the Apostles, “Peace be with you!” He told members that their work contributes not only to the Church’s mission but also to peace at local and regional levels.
Concluding his remarks, the Pope asked for continued support and prayers, saying: “I ask for your continued prayers for my ministry as the Successor of Saint Peter and for the needs of the Church.” He added: “You will probably never meet everyone who has benefitted from your kindness, so in their name I express heartfelt appreciation.”
The Papal Foundation, established in 1988 by Cardinal John Krol of Philadelphia, was created to provide direct financial support for the charitable priorities of the Pope.
Based in Pennsylvania, it includes all United States cardinals as ex officio members and is governed by a board of lay trustees and bishops. Since its inception, it has distributed more than $250 million to projects around the world.
Speculation that financial concerns may have influenced the election of Pope Leo XIV has been rejected by senior Church figures. Speaking in Rome at the presentation of a book examining relations between the United States and the Holy See, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller said: “Although Cardinal Reinhard Marx dedicated a full day to discussing the Holy See’s finances in the pre-conclave, this did not influence the final decision.” He added that the election of a pope “is based on different criteria”, stressing the spiritual nature of the process.
During the pontificate of Pope Francis, contributions linked to Vatican causes experienced a noticeable decline, particularly in the years following the global financial crisis and during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Reports of financial corruption within Vatican structures further weakened donor confidence, especially among American benefactors, while Pope Francis’s criticism of aspects of free market capitalism was also seen to have cooled enthusiasm in some quarters.
