The GIVEN Institute celebrates Catholic female leaders in innovation through its alignment with the OSV Institute for Catholic Innovation and their Innovation Challenge. Starting in 2022, 3 spots in the Challenge’s semi-final round are set aside for GIVEN cohort participants! We are so excited to stand alongside the OSV Institute to encourage and support innovation in the Church, especially by women.
GIVEN & OSV Challenge: A Natural Alignment
As the OSV Institute has looked for organizations to work with to amplify the Challenge’s goals of “Making it Real, Blazing New Trails, and Leaving a Legacy,” GIVEN’s track record with Forum Alumnae and their Action Plan projects was a natural fit. Samantha Kelley, 2016 GIVEN alumna, was one of last year’s Challenge finalists with her nonprofit FIERCE Athlete. And Anna Carter and Shannon Ochoa, 2016 and 2019 GIVEN alumnae, were one of the winners in the 2020 Challenge—earning $100,000 for their nonprofit Eden Invitation. GIVEN alumnae founded and led another $100,000 winner in the 2021 OSV Challenge: FemCatholic. All of these projects began as Action Plans at the GIVEN Forum.
2022 Honorees
Three 2021 Alumnae were chosen to enter the semifinals of the 2022 OSV Innovation Challenge, and their Action Plans were celebrated at the 2022 GIVEN Forum during the annual Catholic Female Leaders Celebration night. These women were first identified by their GIVEN mentors and then chosen by an independent review committee for their innovation, passion and embodiment of their gifts.
They will each receive $5,000 from GIVEN benefactors and continue to grow their idea through the OSV Challenge and the resources it offers, with the goal of having the chance to pitch their idea in the finals and the possibility of being awarded $100,000 in funding. We’re so pleased to have nourished them through the GIVEN Forum and the Art of Accompaniment Mentoring Year, and now we celebrate them and this next season in their journey of discovering the gift that only they can give.
ASTOUNDING GLORY
Hope Acquilano
Astounding Glory seeks to make the fullness of God’s healing accessible to survivors of sexual abuse by empowering those who are channels of God’s healing as well as providing resources and support for sexual abuse survivors. They believe the fullness of hope, healing, and freedom is found in Our Lord, through the treasures of The Church, and allows survivors to exclaim, like Saint Augustine, “In my deepest wound I saw Your Glory, and it astounded me!”
THE HILDEGARD COLLECTIVE
Cecilia Leskowicz The Hildegard Collective connects Catholic musicians both online and at in-person events, provides formation in applying the Catholic faith to their craft, and supports new musical endeavors across genres that glorify God, explicitly or implicitly.
BIOETHICS AND DIGNITY INITIATIVE
Clarissa Prisinzano This initiative is a curriculum that brings philosophy and bioethics to Catholic high schools. Once implemented into the classroom, schools are encouraged to foster “youth advocacy groups” and the possibility of a pro-life and pro-dignity sexual education curriculum. The goal is to equip students with resources rooted in proper Christian anthropology and instill the confidence to build up the Culture of Life to sanctify the world!
Stay tuned for more information! OSV Institute and GIVEN are committed to innovation for the good of the Church and the world, but also, as importantly, to illustrate collaboration between Catholic organizations to amplify resources to bring more people to Christ.
