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Organizations that fund churches
Churches usually look to regular offerings and bequests for funding, along with the special seasons of giving that support building and mission projects. One area that often gets overlooked is grant funding. Grants are often considered when a big project is being planned, like building a new building, launching a school or doing something wonderful for the community.
Grants for capacity
One important category for grant funding is officially called “capacity building.” This became big back under the Faith-Based Initiative, and provides funding and resources for you guessed it: build capacity. Capacity building is the long-term ability for an organization, in this case your church, to function in a healthy and growing way. Having the skills and the leadership depth to stay the course, navigate new challenges, and develop new leaders to meet specific needs is what capacity building is all about.
Why would a church want to focus on capacity building?
The lifeblood of every church is found in its leadership. As churches navigate new waters in the culture and in the season of growth in the church, new capacity is needed. Sometimes that capacity comes from mentoring relationships with other churches, networks or denominational resources, but sometimes it is available from outside organizations, such as endowments and foundations.
While grant funding may feel foreign to church thinking, it can be a powerful way forward. One of the objections that churches and boards have is about the strings attached to a grant. Every grant has a purpose, and that purpose has to align with the ministry goals and culture in your church. That is something that you want to know about before you accept funds. In our experience in securing and managing millions of dollars in grant funding, the strings are usually far less ominous than you might think.
We’ve seen funds released for building projects, preschool playgrounds, sewer lines, community service projects, mentoring, and lots of other purposes. Those funds had requirements that didn’t interfere with the ministry or operation of the church, but they did help them step into new capacities and abilities. The old saying is “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” That’s actually bad advice - always ask about the requirements and stipulations that come with a grant.
A quick story about funding for outreach
One example of this approach is a grant that our team was able to secure from a local community development organization for children’s outreach. Our goal was to put airbrushed bread trucks in low-income neighborhoods for outreach to families and children. We were able to secure a grant that helped us reach more than 20,000 people over the course of a year. You’d see the very cool bread trucks parked in front of the church, and then almost every day they’d be found in the community, reaching hundreds of families with fun recreation and Bible stories.
Organizations that support Leadership Development and Capacity Building
Here's a list of foundations and funding sources that offer grants relevant to church capacity building:
-Lilly Endowment. One of the most significant funding partners a church can have. Their Religion Division pours millions annually into clergy renewal, pastoral health, and congregational leadership. Their National Clergy Renewal Program funds sabbaticals up to $50,000 so your pastor can return recharged and ready to lead. The Thriving Congregations Initiative exists to help churches like yours move from surviving to multiplying.
-Mustard Seed Foundation. Built for leaders who are hungry to see God move in their work. This foundation specifically invests in church leaders and young professionals who are activating their faith in the marketplace and the congregation.
-Foundation for Evangelism. If your church is in the Wesleyan tradition, this one is for you. Their Equipping the Local Church grants fund multi-year leadership training — from one-time events to fully endowed seminary positions. They're not just writing checks; they're building a movement of equipped, vocational leaders.
-Brotherhood Mutual Foundation — Kingdom Advancing Grant. This isn't a transactional grant. Alongside $20,000–$50,000 in funding, every recipient gets paired with a seasoned ministry leader for hands-on guidance. That's the kind of investment that creates momentum.
-We Raise Foundation — Emerging Leader Grants. Specifically designed for your next generation — leaders ages 20–35 inside Christian organizations who are building new programs at the intersection of poverty, faith, and community transformation. If you have a young leader ready to move, this grant is fuel for the fire.
-United Methodist Foundation. For United Methodist churches, this foundation directly targets leadership development, mission outreach, and community involvement. Your leaders don't just need training — they need a partner who believes in the mission.
-John Templeton Foundation. For churches ready to engage leaders at the intersection of faith and big ideas, Templeton funds programs that develop intellectually robust, culturally engaged ministry leaders.
-Duke Endowment. If your church is in North or South Carolina and part of the United Methodist tradition, the Duke Endowment is one of your most strategic partners for pastoral training and seminary partnerships.
-Your Network and Denomination. It is very common for the foundations listed above to fund groups of congregations through their network or denomination. There is also internal funding that is sometimes gendered through church loan funds and church planting activities.
A grant you can access today
Founder’s Table offers a grant to churches that want to create a place of belonging for business owners and entrepreneurs in their church. These leaders often report that they don’t feel that their gifts are recognized in their local church, resulting in lost opportunities for discipleship and marketplace ministry. The grant is set up to provide resources and coaching to help churches offer a small group for entrepreneurs. It also provides leadership development, a discipleship roadmap that is tailored to entrepreneurs in your church, the funds for a kick-off event, and printed materials for outreach and discipleship. A simple application (no long-form submission) and supportive coaching make this a great step for churches that want to reach their community in a new way.
