New Grant Program Supports Aging Catholic Sisters Globally

The Anna Trust Foundation announces inaugural grants to help congregations care for their elderly members.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:07am

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A new grant program launched by the Anna Trust Foundation will provide up to $40,000 each to seven projects aimed at developing innovative and sustainable solutions to support aging Catholic sisters around the world. The grants were awarded to congregations and collaboratives in West Africa, Peru, Ivory Coast, Texas, Chad, Rwanda, Chile, and Burundi.

Why it matters

As the global population of Catholic sisters continues to age, this new grant program represents an important effort to address their evolving needs and ensure the dignity and well-being of elderly women religious. The projects funded cover a range of initiatives, from developing geriatric care curricula to implementing digital tools to support sisters' emotional and physical health.

The details

The seven grant recipients are: ANIMA UNA (West Africa), Hermanas de la Caridad Dominicas de la Presentación (Peru), Conférences des Supériers Majeurs – Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Congregation of Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word (Texas), Society of Helpers (Chad and Rwanda), Corporación Tejiendo Solidaridad (Chile), and Congregation des Soeurs Bene-Tereziya (Burundi). The grants will fund projects focused on collaborative care frameworks, content development for elderly sister care, geriatrics training, digital health tools, and long-term planning initiatives.

  • The Anna Trust Foundation announced the inaugural grants on March 31, 2026.
  • A new call for proposals will be launched by the end of 2026.

The players

The Anna Trust Foundation

A foundation founded in 2024 in Rome to help congregations of women religious serve their older sisters. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, a major funder of Global Sisters Report, created The Anna Trust.

Loreto Sr. Patricia Murray

Chair of The Anna Trust Foundation.

Incarnate Word Sr. Teresa Maya

Vice Chair of The Anna Trust Foundation.

Lynn Ortale

President of Maria College in Albany, New York, which is partnering with The Anna Trust Foundation to provide dementia care training for Catholic sisters.

Carmelite Sr. M. Peter Lillian Di Maria

Director of the Avila Institute of Gerontology, which is collaborating with Maria College on the dementia care training program.

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What they’re saying

“The Anna Trust Foundation is committed to supporting, also in the future, those congregations that were not funded in this phase, acknowledging the importance of their work. We are fully dedicated to fostering a shared path that both strengthens early-stage project development and ensures that elderly sisters may experience the highest possible level of well-being within their communities.”

— Loreto Sr. Patricia Murray, Chair of The Anna Trust Foundation

“We are so grateful for the Institutes willing to submit applications for grants to try new options and test possibilities for meeting the needs and honoring the wisdom of our elderly sisters, now and in the future. The Anna Trust is committed not only to intentional and carefully planned collaboration for our religious communities, but also to the future that this can mean for the dignity of all of the world's vulnerable elderly.”

— Incarnate Word Sr. Teresa Maya, Vice Chair of The Anna Trust Foundation

“Religious sisters have touched countless lives around the world. Through this partnership, we are living out our Mercy mission and paying our gratitude forward to the sisters for their lifelong ministries.”

— Lynn Ortale, President of Maria College

“Through this training program, essential concepts of dementia care will be disseminated globally, enabling sisters to gain practical knowledge and a deeper understanding of dementia and optimal care practices. We are delighted to partner with Maria College to support the formation of dementia trainers through its non-credit certificate training program.”

— Carmelite Sr. M. Peter Lillian Di Maria, Director of the Avila Institute of Gerontology

What’s next

The Anna Trust Foundation will launch a new call for grant proposals by the end of 2026, providing additional opportunities for congregations to receive funding for projects supporting aging Catholic sisters.

The takeaway

This new grant program from the Anna Trust Foundation represents a significant investment in addressing the evolving needs of aging Catholic sisters globally. By supporting innovative, collaborative solutions across multiple countries and congregations, the foundation is working to ensure the dignity and well-being of elderly women religious who have dedicated their lives to service.