Many non profit organizations do not consider the idea of using church grants as a viable way to fund their ministries. Some local parishes don’t accept monies from the government or other outside sources because they may be afraid there will be strings attached. At the same time, other churches may not be aware that this type of funding is available to them. There is a recent initiative designed to aid in expanding the role that churches and not for profit groups take in social problems that our nation faces.

Churches who apply for grants from the government should start whenever they decide to write a grant proposal, because, like anything dealing with the government, the application process tends to be drawn out and fraught with red tape. When some groups prepare to request church grants, it may take as long as six weeks to put together all the information they will need. Companies like Here-4 You Consulting have made it their mission to assist your parish or group in applying for grants that are available. They generally charge a fee that will equal a relatively small percentage of the monies your church or group might receive.

Many of the grants that your group applies for can’t be used to run the day to day operations of a church. These monies are not to be used to pay rentals on buildings, or utility bills. The free church grants that you may qualify for may be given to you only if you have a specific need. For example, if you are trying to start a new at-risk children’s ministry, the grants may be there to help you. The money can help you start up a program like this.

In the United States, the former president started a program for faith-based grants. These would offer federal funding to charitable and religious groups who need it. Some people view this as controversial, and possibly bridging the supposed gap between church and state, since churches are usually already tax-free.

Church grants can be quite helpful, as long as you handle them correctly. Some volunteers and church members may be a little too eager to spend new grant monies, especially if your group was cash-strapped before you received the grant. Make sure that your church members and employees understand that the grant money must be properly allocated, and only spent for the programs you specified when you wrote the grant proposal.