Denominational grants are money a church body collects from its own people, through special offerings such as One Great Hour of Sharing, the United Thank Offering or Neighbors in Need, and sends back out to congregations and ministries. No federal rules come with it, so it can pay for evangelism, church planting, worship space and ministry training that government grants cannot touch. Most awards are modest: $1,000 to $10,000 is typical, Catholic anti-poverty grants run $25,000 to $75,000, and a few capital programs reach $150,000. Cycles are annual and follow the church calendar, with a fall or spring deadline and money arriving the next year. Most programs require membership or a formal tie to the denomination, but some fund outsiders, including the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the Presbyterian Women offerings and United Methodist youth grants. The most common mistake is skipping the gatekeeper. Many of these grants need a bishop's endorsement, a judicatory signature or a local sponsor, and that internal deadline usually falls weeks before the published one.
Catholic Church
Catholic Campaign for Human Development — Economic Development Grant Program
Catholic Church — Catholic Campaign for Human Development (USCCB)
$25,000–$75,000 a year with a 1:1 cash match; up to three years of funding
GrantEquity-freecommunity development & disaster
The catch: You need the 1:1 match raised or reasonably certain before the grant year (in-kind does not count), a business plan approved within the past two years and positive net assets; funding ends after three years, consecutive or not. The same Catholic-teaching compliance agreement, ban on partisan activity and bishop's endorsement apply as for Community Development grants.
Next deadline: Expected: May 2027 · Annual: Grant Eligibility and Inquiry Form April 1–May 1; invited full applications due June 15; grants usually approved in November
Applicant tip: Line up the match before you apply — the CCHD guide tells groups without it to wait for a later year. If the enterprise still sits inside a parent nonprofit, show that the parent's strategic plan includes it and that the enterprise can eventually stand alone.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Groups creating or expanding an economic development institution — a social enterprise, worker-owned cooperative, community land trust or alternative financial institution — with at least a third of the governing board and at least half the beneficiaries low-income. Groups without 501(c)(3) status may apply through a fiscal sponsor or parent nonprofit; individually owned for-profit businesses are not eligible.
- How to apply
- Through your Catholic diocese: submit the CCHD Grant Eligibility and Inquiry Form for the Economic Development program (April 1–May 1); invited applicants file a full application by June 15, and the local bishop must endorse the request before the bishops' subcommittee decides.
- Applicant fit
- faith-based nonprofit
- Equity taken
- None
Catholic Extension Society — Funding Requests from Extension Dioceses
Catholic Church — Catholic Extension Society
Varies — check official page (no published cap; funding types cover basic ministry operations, lay and ordained leader formation, church construction and renovation, youth ministry, capacity building and pastoral and social ministry)
GrantEquity-freebuildings & preservationministry & clergychildren & youth
The catch: Payments go to the diocesan bishop, restricted to the approved project, and an outcome report is due within a year; some awards are matching challenges paid only when benchmarks are met. The Society does not fund Catholic schools, debt on finished projects, Catholic Charities or diocesan social-service operations, or first-response disaster relief, and it will not give operating support to financially stable parishes.
Next deadline:
Expected: December 2026 · Twice a year: May 1 for dioceses on a January–December fiscal year; November 1 for dioceses on a July–June fiscal year; payments are made quarterly ·
Set an alert ↗Applicant tip: Talk with the Society's mission staff before filing — the FAQ says it is optional but speeds review — and include a plan to sustain the work after the grant, because reviewers ask why a previously funded parish still needs help.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Only Catholic dioceses and eparchies the Society's Board of Governors has approved as 'Extension dioceses' — under-resourced, mostly rural dioceses on its published list, including Puerto Rico and the Pacific territories. Parishes, ministries and religious orders inside those dioceses can receive funding, but the request must come through the diocese; Catholic schools and regional or national Catholic organizations cannot apply.
- How to apply
- Through your Extension diocese: a pastor or program manager may draft the online funding request, but the diocesan contact must review it and the bishop must endorse it before it is submitted.
- Applicant fit
- denomination or diocese, congregation
- Equity taken
- None
- Who wins
- Since 1905 the Society has distributed more than $650 million to communities across the United States (Catholic Extension funding guidelines).
Catholic Home Missions Appeal Grants
Catholic Church — USCCB Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions
No minimum; up to $125,000 per diocese or eparchy per year
GrantEquity-freeministry & clergy
The catch: Grants pay operating costs of pastoral programs — evangelization, religious education, ministry training and support of poor parishes — and ordinarily not capital expenses; there is no money for endowments or loans, and programs that provide only social services are directed elsewhere. Grants run one year; renewal is possible, but the Subcommittee can declare a grant non-renewable.
Next deadline: Apr 1, 2027 · Annual: online application opens in early January and is due April 1; decisions in October, notification by mid-November, payments twice a year starting in January
Applicant tip: If your parish runs catechesis, evangelization or lay-ministry training in a mission diocese, ask the diocesan grant coordinator early to write it into the April 1 application — the Subcommittee will not take a request from a parish directly, and late applications are refused without prior written notice.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- For now the Subcommittee approves grants only to (arch)dioceses and eparchies — chiefly home mission dioceses that cannot offer basic pastoral ministry of word, worship and service without outside help. Parishes and organizations ask their bishop to include them in the diocesan application.
- How to apply
- Through your (arch)diocese: the diocesan bishop signs the application and writes a separate endorsement letter; the online application opens in early January.
- Applicant fit
- denomination or diocese
- Equity taken
- None
- Who wins
- The Appeal is funding over $7 million in grants to more than 70 dioceses this year (USCCB Catholic Home Missions page).
Episcopal Church
United Thank Offering (UTO) Grants
Episcopal Church — United Thank Offering
$1,000–$55,000; up to $100,000 in cases of extreme need (separate Ida Soule application)
GrantEquity-freecommunity development & disasterministry & clergy
The catch: UTO does not fund operating budgets, deferred maintenance, capital campaigns, debt, websites, transportation of people, scholarships or emergency response, and the same project site cannot apply two years running. Dioceses with an overdue UTO report or unpaid assessment cannot apply, and recipients must spend as budgeted and file a final report within a year.
Next deadline: Dec 4, 2026 · Annual: proposal and audit to the bishop in early December; draft documents to UTO in early January; final packet in early February
Applicant tip: Find your diocese's internal deadline now — the Diocese of Los Angeles, for example, wanted proposal ideas by October 23 because each bishop can endorse only one project. UTO staff run 30-minute one-on-one office hours, and first-time grant writers are explicitly encouraged.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Episcopal institutions only — parishes, dioceses, provinces, schools, seminaries, monastic communities and other Episcopal-affiliated organizations — for start-up costs of a new ministry or a new project inside an existing one. Each Episcopal Church diocese forwards one application (plus one more if it receives General Convention budget support); non-Episcopal partners are welcome but cannot hold or manage the money.
- How to apply
- Through your bishop: U.S. applicants send the Grant Project Proposal form and an audit to the bishop by December 4, the diocese selects one project, drafts go to UTO by January 8, and the completed packet with the signed Bishop's Endorsement Form is due February 5 (all at 5 p.m. Eastern).
- Applicant fit
- congregation, denomination or diocese, faith-based nonprofit, religious school
- Equity taken
- None
- Who wins
- Nearly $1 million in UTO grants supported 25 mission and ministry projects in the last cycle; more than 5,400 grants totaling over $145 million since 1883 (Episcopal Church, September 3, 2026).
Vitality Grants (Experimental and Large Vitality Grants)
Episcopal Church — Diocese of Oklahoma
Experimental Grants up to $500; Large Vitality Grants $1,001–$5,000
GrantEquity-freeministry & clergycommunity development & disaster
The catch: Projects must take place outside Sunday morning, start within 60 days of the award and build a relationship with a named community partner; existing programs, sabbaticals and member-only events are excluded, and advertising must stay under 10% of costs. Large Grants require a congregational financial contribution and learning reports every six months, and more than $2,000 in capital costs makes a project ineligible.
Next deadline:
Expected: November 2027 · Annual: program opens February 1; applications accepted on a rolling basis through November 1 ·
Set an alert ↗Applicant tip: Start with a $500 Experimental Grant to test an idea, then build a Large Grant request on it — the diocese explicitly funds Large Grants that grow out of an earlier Experimental Grant. A congregation can hold only one Vitality Grant at a time, so rank simultaneous requests.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma that are current on the parochial, congregational, Safe Church and audit reports and on Mutual Ministry Support, and that have completed a Congregational Vitality Assessment within the last 24 months.
- How to apply
- Direct application: online form on the diocese's Vitality Grants page; Experimental Grants are usually reviewed in under two weeks, Large Grants in about six weeks, with final decisions by the bishop and canons.
- Applicant fit
- congregation
- Equity taken
- None
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
ELCA World Hunger Domestic Hunger Grants
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) — ELCA World Hunger
Up to $10,000 a year for a three-year cycle (up to $30,000), subject to annual evaluation and available funds
GrantEquity-freefood & hungerhousing & homelessnesscommunity development & disaster
The catch: Groups that discriminate, require participation in faith activities to receive services, or act as pass-throughs are not funded. Priority goes to work on root causes, leadership by people with lived experience, advocacy for systemic change and asset-based partnerships, so a stand-alone feeding program competes poorly.
Next deadline: Expected: July 2027 · Annual: letter-of-inquiry window opens in spring (mid-April to July 1 in the last cycle); accept/deny responses in late October; full applications October–December; awards in January; grants start March 1
Applicant tip: The full application is short-fused — invitations came October 30 in the last cycle with the full proposal due by December — so set up your ELCA GrantMaker account when you send the LOI and decide early whether you are asking for one year or three.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- 501(c)(3) nonprofits — ELCA congregations and ministries, or other groups — with an established tie to an ELCA congregation or ministry and to the local community, already doing the work they propose (food security, clean water, housing, job access, human rights or policy change).
- How to apply
- Letter of inquiry: submit the online LOI form during the spring window; invited applicants complete the full application in ELCA GrantMaker in the fall.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit
- Equity taken
- None
Mission Investment Fund Loans for ELCA Congregations and Ministries
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) — Mission Investment Fund
Loan: adjustable-rate (up to 25-year amortization) and fixed-rate (up to 10-year amortization) loans from $100,000; smaller-project loans with up to 10-year amortization
LoanEquity-freebuildings & preservation
The catch: This is a loan, not a grant: it is repaid with interest, adjustable rates reset at the end of a 1-, 3-, 5- or 7-year term, long-term loans carry a document preparation fee and the title company charges closing costs. MIF does not charge mortgage points.
Next deadline: Rolling · Rolling
Applicant tip: MIF combines the construction loan and the long-term loan into one, which saves a second closing. Its standard adjustable and fixed loans start at $100,000; for a smaller improvement, ask about the smaller-project loan.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- ELCA congregations, synods and ELCA-related ministries such as social ministry organizations, outdoor ministries, seminaries, colleges, universities and schools.
- How to apply
- Direct application: request a rate quote or begin the online loan application; a MIF representative responds within two business days.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, denomination or diocese, faith-based nonprofit, religious school
- Equity taken
- None (loan — repayable)
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Presbyterian Women Thank Offering Grants
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — Presbyterian Women
$5,000–$50,000, one-time; up to 15 projects a year
GrantEquity-freehealth & recoverycommunity development & disaster
The catch: No debt payments, revolving loans, endowments or ongoing operating costs including salaries, and the work must start within a year of funding. Recipients file an interim financial report six months after the first payment plus one- and two-year follow-up reports; at least 40% of the offering goes to health ministries.
Next deadline:
Expected: November 2027 · Annual: applications due November 1; decisions in March ·
Set an alert ↗Applicant tip: The PW endorsement has no exceptions — if your program has no Presbyterian Women connection, ask a local PC(USA) congregation to make the introduction before you write. Emailed applications must arrive as one PDF; multiple attachments are not considered.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Programs in the U.S. or abroad that meet human needs in line with PC(USA) mission policy, are less than three years old (or are existing projects moving in a new direction), and have not had a Thank or Birthday Offering grant in the past five years. Requests come from PC(USA) governing bodies, health agencies, community groups, educational institutions and church-related groups — Presbyterian membership is not required, but a PW endorsement is.
- How to apply
- Direct application: mail (postmarked) or email as a single PDF by November 1, with an endorsement from the moderator of a Presbyterian Women group in a PC(USA) congregation for U.S. projects.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit, denomination or diocese
- Equity taken
- None
Presbyterian Women Birthday Offering Grants
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — Presbyterian Women
$75,000–$150,000, one-time; up to five capital improvement projects a year
GrantEquity-freebuildings & preservationcommunity development & disaster
The catch: One-time capital money: it cannot pay current debt, create revolving loans or endowments, or cover operating costs including salaries, and work must start within a year. The grant comes in two payments — October of the decision year and the following May — and recipients file interim, one-year and two-year reports.
Next deadline: Jun 1, 2027 · Annual: applications due June 1; decisions in September
Applicant tip: Plan construction cash flow around the second payment, which arrives about a year after you apply. The application must show how the project serves women, children, youth, people of diverse races or ethnicities, or people with disabilities.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Capital improvement projects in the U.S. or abroad that meet human needs in line with PC(USA) mission policy, are less than three years old (or move an existing project in a new direction), and have not had a Thank or Birthday Offering grant in five years; the applicant need not be Presbyterian but U.S. projects need a Presbyterian Women endorsement.
- How to apply
- Direct application: submit the Birthday Offering application by June 1 with an endorsement from the moderator of a Presbyterian Women group in a PC(USA) congregation (U.S. projects).
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit, denomination or diocese
- Equity taken
- None
World Communion Offering (WCO) Grant Program
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — World Communion Offering
$500–$1,000; occasional awards up to $5,000 depending on project scope and funds available
GrantEquity-freeministry & clergycommunity development & disaster
The catch: Small grants tied to the five World Communion Offering focus areas; only PC(USA) congregations and mid councils are eligible.
Next deadline: Jan 15, 2027 · Annual: applications due January 15
Applicant tip: Size the request to the $500–$1,000 band; the PC(USA) reserves the occasional larger award (up to $5,000) for projects whose scope justifies it, when funds allow.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- PC(USA) congregations and mid councils (presbyteries and synods) engaged in ministries of reconciliation and witness: racial justice, gender justice, peacemaking, global witness, or ecumenical and interfaith relations.
- How to apply
- Direct application: through the PC(USA) Grant Application portal for congregations, mid councils and ministry partners.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, denomination or diocese
- Equity taken
- None
Native American Church Property Grants
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — Global Ecumenical Partnerships
Varies — check official page (amount set by the project proposal)
GrantEquity-freebuildings & preservation
The catch: Limited to repairs and improvements of Native American church property; the fund is held by the Presbyterian Foundation and awards depend on the proposal and available money.
Next deadline: Rolling · Rolling
Applicant tip: Requests go to a named person rather than a portal — the Rev. Irvin Porter, the PC(USA) Native American Church Consultant — so call or email before writing; there is no deadline.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Native American church properties of the PC(USA) that need repairs or improvements.
- How to apply
- Direct application: request the grant application from the PC(USA) Native American Church Consultant in Global Ecumenical Partnerships; the GEP grants team evaluates and awards.
- Applicant fit
- congregation
- Equity taken
- None
Presbytery of Middle Tennessee Hunger Grant Program
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — Presbytery of Middle Tennessee
Up to $4,000 per organization
GrantEquity-freefood & hunger
The catch: Funded from the Cents-Ability offering of the presbytery's congregations, so money is limited and the process is competitive. The application asks for proof of 501(c)(3) status, and the endorsing PC(USA) congregation must describe its members' involvement and giving.
Next deadline: Jan 1, 2027 · Two rounds a year: applications due January 1 (awarded February 28) and July 1 (awarded August 31)
Applicant tip: The endorsement form asks how the congregation's members take part, whether it gives money to the work and whether it joins the Cents-Ability offering, so recruit an endorsing church that is genuinely involved.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- An established church or 501(c)(3) organization working on hunger through direct food relief, development, public policy, lifestyle integrity or hunger education, with an endorsement from a local PC(USA) congregation.
- How to apply
- Direct application: email or mail the application with proof of 501(c)(3) status, a board or committee list, a budget summary and a PC(USA) congregation's endorsement to the presbytery.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit
- Equity taken
- None
United Methodist Church
UMCOR U.S. Disaster Response Grants (solidarity, preparedness and recovery)
United Methodist Church — United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
Varies — check official page (solidarity grants for immediate relief, preparedness grants and long-term recovery grants; 389 grants totaling $27.44 million worldwide in 2025)
GrantEquity-freecommunity development & disaster
The catch: Money goes to the conference, which directs it; UMCOR's partners choose beneficiaries by need and vulnerability, not religion. Volunteers deploy through UMCOR-trained Early Response Teams — UMCOR asks people not to self-deploy.
Next deadline: Rolling · Rolling: solidarity grants follow a disaster; preparedness and recovery grants as conferences request them
Applicant tip: Ask your conference whether it passes UMCOR preparedness money down to congregations — Upper New York turned part of its 2026 preparedness grant into micro-grants for local churches, launched in July 2026.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- United Methodist annual conferences in the U.S. responding to, preparing for or recovering from natural or human-caused disasters; local churches receive help through their conference's disaster response ministry, not directly from UMCOR.
- How to apply
- Through your annual conference: the conference disaster response coordinator and bishop request the grant from UMCOR; congregations work through the conference.
- Applicant fit
- denomination or diocese
- Equity taken
- None
- Who wins
- 2025: the New Mexico Conference received a $10,000 solidarity grant after July flooding in Doña Ana County colonias. 2026: the Upper New York Conference received a $46,000 Disaster Preparedness Grant, $20,000 of it for about 30 micro-grants to local churches.
Mustard Seed Migration Grants
United Methodist Church — UMCOR (Global Ministries)
Up to $2,000 per church project
GrantEquity-freecommunity development & disasterfamilies & seniors
The catch: No church renovation, clergy salaries or clergy time, Bibles or worship materials, travel or shipping outside the community, or pass-through to another organization, and no proselytizing; participants must be chosen apart from any relationship with the church. Funds may not be used to transport, house, conceal or employ undocumented immigrants or for any illegal activity.
Next deadline: Nov 15, 2026 · Rolling, first come first served, until the November 15 application deadline
Applicant tip: Apply early in the year — awards are first come, first served. Churches in the Michigan Conference apply through the United Methodist Foundation of Michigan under a 2026 pilot rather than directly to UMCOR.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Local United Methodist churches in the U.S. only, for a congregation-run, community-based service project with migrants and refugees in their own community, completed within six months.
- How to apply
- Direct application: email the signed application (project grant manager and senior pastor) to UMCOR; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis within about 30 days.
- Applicant fit
- congregation
- Equity taken
- None
CORR Action Fund (CAF) Grants — United States
United Methodist Church — General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR)
Up to $10,000 for up to 12 months
GrantEquity-freehealth & recovery
The catch: Projects must be trauma-informed, culturally appropriate and built on GCORR's Ministry Model, with the potential to be replicated in other churches, districts or conferences; the money must be used within the 12-month grant period.
Next deadline: Expected: May 2027 · Annual: U.S. applications due in mid-May; grants run September 1 through August 31
Applicant tip: Read the year's focus before drafting: the 2026 U.S. round funded only mental health access for underserved communities, and GCORR links its 2023 mental-health grantees as examples of what it funds.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- United Methodist and Methodist Church of Puerto Rico local churches, districts and conferences, UM-affiliated schools and educational institutions, other UM-affiliated entities and racial and ethnic caucuses in the U.S. The focus is set each year; the 2026 U.S. round funded mental health support for historically underserved communities.
- How to apply
- Direct application: email the completed application and required documents to the CORR Action Fund Committee.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, denomination or diocese, faith-based nonprofit, religious school
- Equity taken
- None
Church and Society Grants (Peace with Justice, Ethnic Local Church, Human Relations Day)
United Methodist Church — General Board of Church and Society (GBCS)
$2,000–$5,000 (2026 awards)
GrantEquity-freejustice & reentrycommunity development & disaster
The catch: Grants cannot pay for individual scholarships, salaries, equipment, purely administrative costs or the direct delivery of services — this is money for advocacy and community engagement. A letter from the resident bishop is required.
Next deadline: Expected: August 2027 · Annual: applications due in late August; award notifications in late October
Applicant tip: Request the bishop's letter as soon as the application opens — the 2026 window ran about a month (opened at the end of July, closed August 31) and an application without the letter is incomplete.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- United Methodist congregations and groups related to The United Methodist Church, in three categories: Peace with Justice, Ethnic Local Church (self-identified needs of ethnic local churches and persons) and Human Relations Day (advocacy and community engagement).
- How to apply
- Direct application: online application with a project summary, a statement of alignment with the Social Principles, a budget with at least two references, and a letter from your resident bishop.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit
- Equity taken
- None
Racial Ethnic Local Church Concerns (RELCC) Grants
United Methodist Church — Discipleship Ministries
Up to $10,000, one-time
GrantEquity-freeministry & clergy
The catch: One-time funding — previously funded projects are not eligible — and no salaries, equipment or building costs.
Next deadline: Expected: September 2027 · Annual: applications due in mid-September
Applicant tip: Show ongoing discipleship results, not an event: the program lists 'create ongoing impact (not just a one-time event)' and church-member involvement in planning and decisions among its requirements.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Projects connected to a U.S. United Methodist local church, district, conference or affiliated ministry that strengthen a racial ethnic congregation or community; the local church and the program's leadership must be predominantly non-white.
- How to apply
- Direct application: complete the application narrative and budget form, then submit them through the online RELCC form.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, denomination or diocese
- Equity taken
- None
Global Youth Service Fund (YSF) and Grants for Ministries With Young People (GMYP)
United Methodist Church — Young People's Ministries (Discipleship Ministries)
Up to $15,000 per grant from either fund
GrantEquity-freechildren & youth
The catch: At least 75% of the grant must go to program costs and no more than 25% to administration or salary, and grants do not cover deficits. Funding drops each consecutive year (YSF up to three years, GMYP up to five), and missing the final report bars the organization from future awards.
Next deadline: Apr 15, 2027 · Annual: Stage 1 due April 15; invited Stage 2 due June 15; awards notified August–December; money paid the following January
Applicant tip: Pick one fund: an application entered for both YSF and GMYP in the same year is automatically denied. For YSF, have young people write and design the application themselves — the guidelines ask that it come primarily from them.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- YSF: youth-led projects involving youth ages 12–18 in the U.S. (up to 24 abroad); United Methodist projects get preference, then other churches and interfaith efforts, then secular groups that meet the criteria. GMYP: anyone with an innovative ministry involving youth or young adults (12–30 in the U.S.), with United Methodist support recommended.
- How to apply
- Direct application: Stage 1 short form (opens in January, due April 15); invited applicants submit a Stage 2 full application with a detailed budget, a recommendation letter and five stakeholder prayer partners by June 15.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit, denomination or diocese
- Equity taken
- None
Native American Ministries Sunday Grants
United Methodist Church — Global Ministries
Up to $10,000
GrantEquity-freeministry & clergybuildings & preservationcommunity development & disaster
The catch: Funded by the Native American Ministries Sunday offering and limited to its uses: outreach and community ministry, revitalization and discipleship formation, salary supplements, and building repairs and expansions.
Next deadline: Rolling · Rolling
Applicant tip: Half of the Native American Ministries Sunday offering stays with the annual conference that collects it, so also ask your conference's Committee on Native American Ministries about its own grants.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Native American United Methodist congregations and annual conference Native American ministries, including the target cities of Global Ministries' Native American Ministry program.
- How to apply
- Direct application: to Global Ministries on a rolling basis (technical help at [email protected]).
- Applicant fit
- congregation, denomination or diocese
- Equity taken
- None
United Church of Christ
Neighbors in Need (NIN) Grants
United Church of Christ — Justice and Local Church Ministries
$1,000–$10,000: Direct Service $1,000–$3,000; Advocacy $3,001–$5,000; Grass Top $5,001–$10,000
GrantEquity-freecommunity development & disasterjustice & reentry
The catch: Projects must fall under a General Synod program area, and organizations outside UCC church standing must document their covenant relationship. The Grass Top tier is described as highly competitive and favors innovative programs other churches can replicate.
Next deadline: Sep 15, 2027 · Annual: portal opens June 15 and closes September 15; awards announced by the end of November, paid in December; projects begin after January 1
Applicant tip: Choose the tier by purpose, not size: Direct Service money meets immediate needs (food, clothing, utilities), Advocacy funds state or federal policy campaigns, and Grass Top is for replicable innovation.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- UCC local churches with standing in an Association, proposed congregations and new church starts, and organizations in a covenant relationship with a UCC Conference or the National Ministries, for U.S. justice and compassion work tied to General Synod actions on the rights and freedoms of all persons, environmental justice or economic justice.
- How to apply
- Direct application: UCC Program Grants portal, open June 15–September 15; covenant-partner organizations need their Conference Minister's endorsement.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit
- Equity taken
- None
- Who wins
- The Neighbors in Need offering supported 26 grant recipients in 2025 (ucc.org).
CASA New and Renewing Church Grants (Church Assessment, Support and Advancement)
United Church of Christ — Justice and Local Church Ministries
$25,000 a year in years one and two; up to $25,000 a year in years three and four, paid only against matching funds raised
GrantEquity-freeministry & clergy
The catch: Grantees reapply each year for up to four years; in years three and four they file quarterly financial statements and receive money only to the extent they have raised matching funds.
Next deadline: Sep 15, 2027 · Annual: portal opens June 15 and closes September 15; awards announced by the end of November, paid in December
Applicant tip: Continuing grantees use a different form from first-time applicants, and the application now scores against the Marks for Faithful and Vital Local Churches in the Manual on Local Church — read them before you draft.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- New and renewing ministries working to establish faith communities with Local Church standing in the UCC (including Schedule 4 new church starts), aligned with the purpose of the UCC National Ministries and the Marks for Faithful and Vital Local Churches.
- How to apply
- Direct application: UCC Program Grants portal (separate forms for new and continued funding), open June 15–September 15.
- Applicant fit
- congregation
- Equity taken
- None
Love of Church Rapid Response Grants
United Church of Christ — Justice and Local Church Ministries
$1,000–$5,000, depending on available funds
GrantEquity-freebuildings & preservationcommunity development & disaster
The catch: One-time help with unforeseen expenses, not ongoing support; funds are limited, and churches facing costs of caring for vulnerable people are prioritized.
Next deadline: Rolling · Rolling: reviewed monthly
Applicant tip: Submit before the first week of a month to make that month's review — decisions and payment come by month's end, which makes this one of the fastest denominational grants available.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- UCC local churches with standing in an Association or Conference facing an unexpected financial burden — critical infrastructure repair or replacement, or a sudden rent or operating-cost increase — or an urgent need in their outreach ministry.
- How to apply
- Direct application: online application through UCC Program Grants; applications are reviewed the first week of every month, with notification and payment by the end of that month.
- Applicant fit
- congregation
- Equity taken
- None
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Week of Compassion Grants for Congregations (domestic disaster and immigrant & refugee response)
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) — Week of Compassion
Varies — check official page (amounts not published; Congregational Solidarity Grants cover a percentage of estimated building-damage costs)
GrantEquity-freecommunity development & disasterbuildings & preservation
The catch: Only Disciples congregations and ministries qualify, and solidarity grants cover a share of costs rather than the whole bill; household grants are sent through church leadership to members.
Next deadline: Rolling · Rolling: as needs arise
Applicant tip: Beyond the immediate solidarity grants, ask about Community Support Grants for a congregation's relief work, Long-Term Recovery Grants for local housing recovery, and Disaster Volunteering Grants for mission teams serving at Week of Compassion sites.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Disciples of Christ congregations, regions and Disciples-affiliated ministries — and, through church leaders, Disciples households — after fires, floods, severe weather and other disasters, or when responding to immigrant and refugee needs in their communities.
- How to apply
- Direct application: a leader of the local church, region or Disciples ministry contacts Week of Compassion staff — the Disaster Response Manager for disaster grants, the Associate Director for Immigrant & Refugee Response for migration grants.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit
- Equity taken
- None
Unitarian Universalist Association
Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility
Unitarian Universalist Association — Unitarian Universalist Funding Program
Up to $20,000 (average $8,800); special Get Out The Vote grants up to $1,000
GrantEquity-freejustice & reentrycommunity development & disaster
The catch: No grants to individuals, for equipment, capital campaigns or endowments, for the ongoing work of UU institutions, or as a pass-through from a congregation to a local nonprofit. Matching or challenge grants are common, and congregations are judged partly on meeting their UUA Honor Congregation contribution.
Next deadline: Mar 31, 2027 · Twice a year: spring applications open March 1 and close March 31; fall applications open September 1 and close September 30; panels meet May–June and November–December
Applicant tip: For urgent work that cannot wait for a cycle, the fund's special Congregation-Based Community Organizing and Actions of Public Witness grants take rolling applications (until December 4 in the 2026 round). Grants for a specific event must be requested in a cycle at least six months ahead.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Unitarian Universalist congregations and organizations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, for service, advocacy or community organizing that increases UUs' direct involvement in justice work in the wider community. Non-UU community organizing groups apply instead to the program's Fund for a Just Society.
- How to apply
- Direct application: UUFP Funding Center (pass an eligibility quiz before the application opens).
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit
- Equity taken
- None
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
LWML Mission Grants
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod — Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML)
Varies — check official page (proposals in the 2025–2027 Mission Grant Bank ranged up to $100,000)
GrantEquity-freeministry & clergycommunity development & disaster
The catch: U.S. proposals need electronic sign-off from both the LWML district president and the LCMS district president, and the ministry must be able to carry out the project within the biennium it is voted on or the next and continue after the money is spent.
Next deadline: Expected: 2028 (the proposal form for the 2027–2029 biennium is closed; guidelines are posted in spring of even-numbered years) · Every two years: proposals collected in even-numbered years; delegates vote at the biennial convention in odd-numbered years
Applicant tip: If the national ballot is out of reach, ask your LWML district about its own mission grants and the national Mission Grant Bank, which districts use to build their ballots — the Missouri District, for example, takes applications through October 15, 2027.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Mission-focused, ongoing ministries in the U.S. or abroad that report to a governing unit — an LCMS district, partner church or LCMS Recognized Service Organization — share the Gospel and reflect LCMS mission priorities.
- How to apply
- Nomination: proposals are submitted electronically by LWML members, local groups, zones, districts or LCMS offices in even-numbered years; a selection committee builds the ballot and convention delegates vote.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit, denomination or diocese, religious school
- Equity taken
- None
- Who wins
- For 2025–2027 the selection committee received 112 proposals and placed 47 on the convention ballot (LWML, March 3, 2025).
Church of the Brethren
Global Food Initiative (GFI) Grants
Church of the Brethren — Global Food Initiative
Varies — check official page (direct food purchases capped at $2,500 for grants awarded in 2025)
GrantEquity-freefood & hungerhousing & homelessness
The catch: Only a limited share of GFI money supports direct food provision such as pantries and community meals; priority goes to sustainable, root-cause work like church gardens, nutrition and cooking education. Review takes two to six months and can slow when applications surge.
Next deadline: Rolling · Rolling
Applicant tip: Build the request around a garden, nutrition or cooking-skills component — the guidelines steer congregational applicants there and cap direct food purchases — and call the GFI manager first if you are unsure your ministry qualifies.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- In the U.S., Church of the Brethren congregations, camps and related ministries addressing domestic hunger and homelessness; churches cannot pass the money through to another organization, and partnerships need significant congregational involvement.
- How to apply
- Direct application: email the application to the GFI manager or submit the online web form; forms are available in English, Spanish, French and Haitian Creole.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, faith-based nonprofit
- Equity taken
- None
American Baptist Churches USA
Mission Initiative Fund Grants
American Baptist Churches USA — Office of the General Secretary
Varies — check official page (the fund receives 1% of gross United Mission giving each year)
GrantEquity-freeministry & clergycommunity development & disaster
The catch: Projects must be new and align with ABCUSA's mission and goals, with clear goals, a defined budget and an evaluation plan; funded projects file annual progress reports and final outcomes.
Next deadline: Expected: April 2027 · Two rounds a year: April 1 (notified by July 15) and September 1 (notified by December 1)
Applicant tip: A church that does not give through United Mission can still apply if a participating church or region sponsors it.
Eligibility, how to apply, past winners
- Eligibility
- Any participant in American Baptist United Mission giving — churches, regions and ministries — or a non-participating organization sponsored by a participant, for a new initiative beyond its normal operating budget: new or innovative ministries, denomination-wide mission projects, pilot programs, or emergency and unforeseen ministry needs.
- How to apply
- Direct application: submit the proposal form to the ABCUSA Office of the General Secretary by a round deadline.
- Applicant fit
- congregation, denomination or diocese, faith-based nonprofit
- Equity taken
- None
Evangelical Covenant Church