Federal Grants for Nonprofit Churches
- Nonprofit churches are eligible for certain federal grants.church. Entrance of a church image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
The federal government provides several grants to nonprofit churches. The churches must meet specific guidelines in order to receive public money from the government. Most federal grant organizations stipulate that the church must provide a social service to the local community it is located in. This can include housing provisions for the homeless, providing food for the hungry, or helping people with a drug abuse problem. - The Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is a grant-giving organization in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The organization directly communicates with nonprofit religious groups concerning grant opportunities. The goal of the centers is to foster strong community bonds between local religious groups and government organizations. Many of the grants that are given to religious groups and churches are designed to provide funds to aid the local community. For example, churches that help people in the community suffering from AIDS, homelessness, or substance abuse are high-priority grant recipients.
Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
202-358-3595
hhs.gov/fbci/ - The National Reentry Resource Center follows the guidelines of President George Walker Bush's community-based approach to help prisoners who are leaving jail. In his 2004 State of the Union address, Bush encouraged the federal government to create a grant distributing organization that would help prisoners re-entering society. Many of the grants are allocated to faith-based nonprofits and churches that help prisoners re-enter society.
National Reentry Resource Center
100 Wall St., 20th Floor
New York, NY 10005
646-383-5721
nationalreentryresourcecenter.org - The Hunger-Free Communities Grants are allocated by the United States Department of Agriculture. The federal grant program gives local groups and nonprofits, including religious and church organizations, funds to provide food for the needy. Church groups must meet certain criteria in order to receive the funds, and priority is given to churches associated with a food bank or that advocate for the hungry. Funds may also be given to a church if the church hires individuals from low-income communities to help find ways to alleviate hunger.
Hunger-Free Communities Grants
Department of Agriculture
3101 Park Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22302
703-305-2760
fns.usda.gov/fns/outreach/documents/hfc_rfa.pdf
