Grants for Churches (2026) — Funding for Religious Organizations

Q: Can churches apply for federal grants?

Yes, but with restrictions. Federal grants generally cannot fund religious activities, worship, proselytizing, or core religious operations — but they can fund community service activities operated by churches such as food banks, after-school programs, homeless shelters, refugee assistance, disaster relief, and historic building preservation. Faith-based organizations have equal eligibility under the Charitable Choice provisions and the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives executive orders.

Q: What grants are available specifically for church building repairs?

For historic churches: the National Fund for Sacred Places (up to $250,000 for capital projects on historically significant religious properties) and the National Trust for Historic Preservation grants. For non-historic churches: denomination-specific building funds (United Methodist Foundation, Presbyterian Foundation, Lutheran Church Extension Fund), Lilly Endowment building grants, and local community foundation grants. State Historic Preservation Offices also offer grants for buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

Q: How can a small church apply for grants?

Start by obtaining 501(c)(3) status (most churches are automatically tax-exempt but explicit IRS recognition opens more grant doors), then register on Grants.gov and SAM.gov for federal opportunities. Apply to your denomination's grant programs, your local community foundation, and Lilly Endowment programs. Use Foundation Directory Online (free at most public libraries) to identify foundations in your geography and program area. Partner with established 501(c)(3) nonprofits if you lack capacity.

Q: Are there grants for church food banks and homeless ministries?

Yes — these are among the easiest church-led programs to fund. USDA Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), HUD Continuum of Care for homelessness, FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program, Walmart Community Grants, Kroger Community Rewards, the Lilly Endowment, denominational hunger funds (UMCOR, ELCA Hunger, Episcopal Relief), and state/county social services funding all support faith-based food and homeless ministries.

Q: Can churches apply for SBA loans or grants?

Churches generally cannot receive SBA loans because they are not "for-profit" small businesses, with one notable exception: the SBA Paycheck Protection Program during COVID specifically included religious organizations. For ongoing operations, churches typically rely on denominational lending arms (e.g., Lutheran Church Extension Fund, United Methodist Foundation, Episcopal Church Foundation), Christian Community Credit Union, and grant programs rather than SBA financing.

Churches and religious organizations occupy a unique position in the funding landscape. They serve as community anchors — running food banks, homeless shelters, after-school programs, and disaster relief — but their religious identity creates real and perceived barriers to grant funding. The truth is that churches have access to a substantial pool of grants from federal agencies, denominational foundations, private trusts, and historic preservation funds. This guide covers every major program available in 2026.

Federal Grants Available to Churches

Federal grants can fund church-operated community service programs (but not religious activities like worship or proselytizing). The Charitable Choice provisions and the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships ensure that faith-based organizations have equal access to federal funding for community programs.

USDA Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

Provides USDA commodities and funding to food banks and emergency feeding sites, including church-operated programs. Apply through your state TEFAP-administering agency.

HUD Continuum of Care (CoC)

Funds homelessness services including emergency shelters, transitional housing, and rapid re-housing. Many CoC-funded programs are operated by churches and faith-based nonprofits.

FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)

Federal funding distributed to local board-selected agencies (often including churches) for emergency food, shelter, rent/mortgage assistance, and utility assistance.

USDA Rural Community Development Initiative

Funds capacity building for rural community development, including church-led community programs in rural areas.

HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

Funds refugee resettlement services. Many faith-based organizations including Catholic Charities, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and Episcopal Migration Ministries are major federal grantees.

Department of Justice Faith-Based Programs

Funds prison reentry, mentoring, and victim services programs operated by faith-based organizations.

Foundations That Fund Churches and Religious Organizations

Lilly Endowment

One of the largest private funders of religious life in America. Programs include the Compelling Preaching Initiative, Thriving in Ministry, and the Religion in American Life initiative. Funds congregations, denominational bodies, seminaries, and faith-based community programs.

The Henry Luce Foundation

Funds theology, religious scholarship, and faith-based community programs.

The Pew Charitable Trusts

Funds religious research and faith-based civic engagement initiatives.

The Templeton Foundation

Funds projects exploring "the big questions" of human purpose, including theology and faith-based research.

Local and Regional Community Foundations

Most metro areas have community foundations that fund religious organizations' community service programs. Search "[your city] community foundation" for opportunities.

Denominational Grant Programs

Most major Christian denominations operate their own grant programs for congregations:

United Methodist Foundation — Building grants, ministry grants, and denominational program funding
Presbyterian Foundation — Mission grants, congregational vitality programs
Lutheran Church Extension Fund — Building loans and grants for ELCA and LCMS congregations
Episcopal Church Foundation — Capacity building grants for Episcopal parishes
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship — Mission and ministry grants
Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) — Anti-poverty grants for Catholic organizations
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) — Disaster response, hunger, and global ministry grants
ELCA World Hunger — Hunger relief and accompaniment grants
Episcopal Relief & Development — Global and domestic relief grants

If your church is part of a denomination, contact your conference, synod, diocese, or regional body — they almost certainly administer grant programs you can apply for.

Historic Church and Sacred Place Preservation Grants

National Fund for Sacred Places

Funded by the Lilly Endowment and administered by Partners for Sacred Places, this is the largest grant program for historic religious buildings.

Award: Up to $250,000 for capital projects on historically significant religious properties.
Eligibility: Historically significant religious buildings actively used by congregations.

National Trust for Historic Preservation

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors, the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns, and African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund all support historic religious buildings.

State Historic Preservation Offices

Every state has an SHPO that administers federal Historic Preservation Fund grants and state-specific historic preservation programs. Buildings on the National Register of Historic Places are eligible.

Save America's Treasures

Federal program providing grants for historic buildings of national significance, including churches.

Program-Specific Grants Churches Can Apply For

Walmart Community Grants — $250–$5,000

Walmart's local Community Grant program provides small grants to nonprofits including churches running community programs. Apply through your local Walmart Supercenter. See our complete Walmart Community Grants guide.

Kroger Community Rewards

Customers can designate their Kroger Plus card to support a participating church, generating ongoing donations.

Coca-Cola Foundation

Funds community programs including those operated by faith-based organizations.

Allstate Foundation

Funds youth empowerment and domestic violence prevention programs, often operated by faith-based organizations.

State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship Grants

Funds community development programs including those run by churches and religious nonprofits.

How to Position Your Church for Grant Funding

1. Establish or Confirm Your 501(c)(3) Status

Churches are automatically tax-exempt under section 508(c)(1)(A) without filing IRS Form 1023. However, many funders require explicit 501(c)(3) recognition. Filing Form 1023 (or the simplified Form 1023-EZ for smaller organizations) costs $275–$600 and provides documentation that opens more grant doors.

2. Separate Religious and Community Service Activities

Federal grants and many private foundations cannot fund worship, religious instruction, or proselytizing. Structure your community programs (food bank, after-school program, homeless ministry) so they are clearly distinct from religious activities, with separate accounting if necessary. This positions you to apply for grants without ineligibility issues.

3. Register on Grants.gov and SAM.gov

Required for any federal grant application. Registration is free but takes 2–4 weeks — start early.

4. Build Your Capacity

Many churches lack experienced grant writers and grant management infrastructure. Partner with established 501(c)(3) nonprofits, hire a part-time grant writer, or use SCORE volunteer mentors. A church with a strong grant management system will out-compete a larger church with weak infrastructure.

5. Document Outcomes

Funders want measurable impact. Track metrics: meals served, people sheltered, students tutored, addicts in recovery, etc. The more concrete your outcomes, the stronger every future grant application.

Grant Writing for Churches: Key Considerations

Standard grant writing principles apply, but with some church-specific nuances. See our general grant writing guide for the full framework. Church-specific tips:

Lead with community impact, not denominational identity, for secular funders
Lead with theological framing for denominational and religious funders
Demonstrate that funded activities serve all members of the community regardless of faith
Show partnerships with secular nonprofits, schools, or government agencies
Quantify volunteer labor as in-kind match (typical match: $30/hour for skilled volunteer labor)

Common Mistakes Churches Make

Applying for grants that explicitly exclude religious organizations. Read eligibility requirements carefully. Some private foundations have explicit exclusions; do not waste time on those.

Mixing religious and program activities in budgets. Federal grants will reject any budget item that funds worship or proselytizing. Keep clean separation.

Not tracking outcomes. If you cannot tell the funder how many people you served and what changed in their lives, you will not get funded.

Skipping local foundations. Local community foundations and family foundations are far less competitive than national programs and often actively support local churches' community programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can churches apply for federal grants?
Yes, for community service activities (not worship or proselytizing). Faith-based organizations have equal eligibility under federal law.

What grants are available specifically for church building repairs?
National Fund for Sacred Places, National Trust for Historic Preservation, denominational building funds, Lilly Endowment, State Historic Preservation Offices.

How can a small church apply for grants?
Confirm 501(c)(3) status, register on Grants.gov, apply to denominational programs, local community foundations, and Lilly Endowment opportunities.

Are there grants for church food banks and homeless ministries?
Yes — TEFAP, HUD Continuum of Care, FEMA EFSP, Walmart Community Grants, denominational hunger funds.

Can churches apply for SBA loans or grants?
Generally no, except for the COVID-era PPP. Churches typically use denominational lending arms and grants.

For more grant writing strategy, see our grant application guide. Browse our complete grant directory for additional opportunities.