Global Sisters Report awarded two grants for coverage of women religious

Global Sisters Report, a publication of the National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company, recently was awarded two grants for its reporting of Catholic women religious: a $3 million grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and a $225,000 grant from the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.

Both grants extend over three years.

Global Sisters Report at GlobalSistersReport.org was launched in 2014. The award-winning publication has focused its reporting on the lives and missions of Catholic sisters around the world.

This is the third grant to GSR from the Hilton Foundation and the first from the Leavey Foundation.

Established in 1944 by the man who started Hilton Hotels, this Hilton Foundation provides funds to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of individuals living in poverty and experiencing disadvantage throughout the world.

The Leavey Foundation was established in 1952 by the Farmers Insurance Group co-founder and has given more than $100 million to Catholic institutions and other charitable causes.

"We're thrilled and honored to accept these two significant grants," said Gail DeGeorge, GSR editor. "We at Global Sisters Report are pleased to do the work we do, and to receive financial support of this magnitude proves the value of sisters and their stories."

GSR will use the grants to continue its work as a top news source about women religious, providing comprehensive news and analysis. GSR brings together a worldwide network of editors and writers while cultivating a diverse group of sister-writers. The writers and editors produce stories from around the globe, including the multipart Seeking Refuge series published in 2018 about sisters who assist refugees and migrants, the changing landscape of religious life, sisters' reflections on ministry, social justice issues and spirituality.

Global Sisters Report celebrated its five-year anniversary in April. Thomas C. Fox, National Catholic Reporter CEO and president, remarked at the time: "With such great organizations and funds backing the website, I'm excited to see where the next five years takes GSR. Through this project, we've realized there's a hunger for the stories of Catholic sisters around the world."