Grant money exists to help improve people’s individual situations as well as provide the assistance needed to build positive, healthy communities.
Churches — along with living out their primary role of sharing the gospel and making disciples — also typically nurture community members with hearts of compassion.
Why not request some of the grant money available from private foundations, corporations and community foundations to help build those wheelchair ramps or stock the supplies needed for free medical and dental clinics?
A grant is not a loan, and grants don’t have to be tied to the government.
Think about things in your church that are needed merely to continue serving the members as well as the community. Would it help if items such as playground equipment or updated kitchen essentials were covered outside the routine budget?
Also dream about what might be possible if extra funds were available.
Could your church offer after-school tutoring sessions or maybe youth music lessons with instruments provided for those participating?
How about apprenticeships in photography or car repairs or other skills for developing future career opportunities?
Funding from grants truly could be the answer to expanded outreach opportunities and a healthier church routine.
Churches and schools have a federal tax number. If they meet certain requirements, they are automatically considered tax-exempt and do not need to apply for 501(c)(3) status, which designates a tax exemption for nonprofits intended for religious, charitable, educational and other purposes.
Determine the gap
So the first thing to do is determine the gap between what you have and what you want to do, then launch an effort to discover what grants are available to a religious institution.
Start with the local businesses in your area and expand from there.
The business owners in your congregation will likely know how to organize a plan for researching and seeking out options.
Along with private companies, area banks, insurance agencies, restaurants, utility companies and hotels or motels, also consider nonprofits and Baptist organizations.
Some grantors release grants annually while others provide them quarterly, and information should be available regarding funding periods and deadlines and requirements for qualifying.
Determining the specifics of what a grantor supports will help narrow the options as well.
Once you have a list of options available, work through the online application process. Contact the proper people as needed to help guide you, and involve a top-level staff member from the grantor organization in the plan if possible.
Fill out the application as directed. Do not exceed the number of pages requested. If needed, additional information can be provided in an appendix, but the board is not required to read this optional material.
Include two or three digital images or renderings of the planned project (and even people involved) if possible. This is especially important for those requesting repeat funding.
Six key questions
Answers to the following six questions are typically required for most applications:
1. What do you plan to do, and what is the gap between what you have and what you need? How will extra funds help accomplish the goal?
2. How do you plan to launch the project? Will you appoint a committee, work with other churches in the community, etc.?
3. Whom do you plan to serve? Will it be school-age children in a tutoring program, migrants who need basic supplies, etc.?
4. What do you plan to accomplish? Will you meet a need and tell them about the love of Jesus, give out Bibles, etc.?
5. How will you spend the funds provided through the grant? You will need a detailed list of all items needed with current and credible estimates for the costs of the planned purchases. Always use the funds for what you stated in the application process.
6. How will you give a final report of the grant? Will you outline how and where all funds were used and provide detailed receipts?
Tips for communicating with grantors:
- Always write a thank-you note to the granting organization’s board chair, no matter the outcome. If you did not receive funding, express gratitude for being considered and note that you plan to apply again (if that is the case).
- Ask children in your church to draw illustrations or write a note to the CEO or manager of the organization that provided the grant.
- Invite a leader from the organization that awarded the funds to attend a service, and present them with a plaque or framed certificate from your church.
Securing grants for your church can provide funds for projects and programs not included in the regular church budget. Research shows millions of dollars in grants are missed out on each year. You may not always get selected, but the answer is most definitely “no” if you don’t ask.
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