Best Faith-based Grants in Indiana

Indiana 501(c)(3) nonprofits seeking project-specific support for religious, educational, medical, or charitable programs may be eligible for this grant. Grants from Froderman Foundation help faith-based and community organizations in Indiana fund clearly defined initiatives rather than general operating budgets, with applications considered without reference to race, creed, or color.

Faith-based and other 501(c)(3) organizations in Indiana can seek support for religious, charitable, and educational projects through the Hayner Foundation, with awards of US $10,000 - US $25,000. Focused on religion and spirituality, it gives preference to institutions of higher learning for scholarships and scientific research, including research equipment, primarily in Allen County.

Indiana 501(c)(3) organizations seeking support for religious, faith-based, or other charitable programs can apply for grants of US $5,000 - US $10,000 from the Eric A. Baade and Mary C. Baade Charitable Purposes Trust. With a mission to support diverse charitable purposes, the trust primarily benefits Allen County but considers applicants across Indiana.

Indiana 501(c)(3) organizations seeking support for religious or other charitable programs can apply for grants from the Harold and Rachel McMillen Foundation. Grants of US $5,000 - US $15,000 primarily assist work in Allen County across religion, education, health, human services, arts, environment, and related community-focused initiatives.

Indiana 501(c)(3) organizations can seek funding for religious and other charitable programs, with awards from US $10,000 - US $20,000. Grants from Benjamin H. Smyser Foundation help faith-based and related nonprofits in areas like religion, human services, education, and more, with a strong preference for those serving Fort Wayne and Indiana residents.

Community Foundation of Noble County

At the Community Foundation of Noble County we are passionate about making Noble County an even better place to call home. Since 1991, area residents have been turning to the Community Foundation of Noble County to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible, as we see it as our mission to serve as a catalyst for positive change. The Community Foundation of Noble County is a public charity 501 (c) 3 entity.

Scholarships

The Community Foundation of Noble County offers a wide range of scholarships to support local students in achieving their academic and career aspirations. 

Kichler, Tony and Gertrude Scholarship Fund

For high school seniors or college students who reside in Green or Noble TOWNSHIPS (not county) in Noble County who are pursuing a college education in music, medicine or religion. One-time payment of $3,500. May reapply.

Indiana faith-based 501(c)(3) organizations, including those significantly supported by religious institutions, can seek US $10,000 - US $25,000 from the Harry Kramer Memorial Fund for health, social services, senior care, education, or Israel-focused welfare work. Grants support U.S. charities, with education funding limited to South Florida institutions.

Faith-based and other nonprofit organizations in Indiana can apply for approximately US $25,000 from the English Bonter Mitchell Foundation to support operating needs, programs, or multi-year capital campaigns. Groups serving communities in Northeast Indiana across religion, youth services, health, human services, arts, education, and community development may be eligible.

Indiana faith-based and other 501(c)(3) organizations can seek funding for religious, educational, health, human services, environmental, arts, and public benefit programs. Andrew Burgin Charitable Trust provides Indiana religion and spirituality groups with US $5,000 - US $20,000, with a practice of primarily supporting organizations in Alabama but no formal geographic restrictions.

Presbyterian women of color, clergywomen, college women, and other women in the U.S., including Indiana, can receive up to US $3,000 for leadership development events and college expenses. The Katie Cannon Scholarship from Presbyterian Mission Agency supports women’s spiritual growth, mission engagement, and leadership within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Adjunct humanities and social science faculty who are Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship alumni and U.S. citizens or permanent residents can receive up to US $10,000 to advance research and scholarship toward a tenure-track position. Institute for Citizens & Scholars provides Indiana religion and spirituality scholars with a six-month fellowship, mentorship, and conference support that may benefit faith-related academic work.

Doctoral candidates who are alumni of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship and nearing dissertation completion can receive up to US $30,000 to support a year of writing. Grants from Institute for Citizens & Scholars help U.S.-based scholars in humanities, social sciences, physical sciences, and religion and spirituality fields, including those studying or serving Indiana faith communities.

U.S. junior faculty in humanities and humanistic social sciences committed to advancing diverse perspectives and racial equity can receive sabbatical and research support through the Career Enhancement Fellowship. Institute for Citizens & Scholars provides Indiana and other U.S. scholars with up to US $35,000, plus research and travel funds, to deepen scholarship that can include religion and spirituality topics.

Indiana 501(c)(3) nonprofits running education, arts, community development, health, or human services programs can apply for funding that includes support for religious and spiritual purposes. Focused on community impact, Fifth Third Foundation invites eligible organizations in regions such as Evansville to seek grants that may also support faith-based and youth-serving initiatives.

Faith-based 501(c)(3) organizations serving communities in the Southern region can seek support for programs such as religious and spiritual endeavors, poverty relief, education, health, and services for children, families, and veterans. Focused on compassionate service, Robinson Foundation invites applicants with at least three years of activity; Indiana groups may be eligible if they serve areas below the Mason-Dixon line.

Indiana congregations with community-serving historic houses of worship can access funding through the National Fund for Sacred Places to undertake major capital preservation projects. Administered by Partners for Sacred Places with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, this U.S.-wide program offers US $50,000 - US $500,000 matching grants plus training, technical assistance, and planning support.

Faith-based and other nonprofit organizations in Indiana seeking support for religion and spirituality, arts, or education projects can apply for Chisholm Foundation funding, which is available across the U.S. Focused on new or demonstration projects, the foundation encourages applicants to pursue matching or challenge gifts, with typical deadlines around March 1 and September 1.

Media professionals and organizations creating secular content about religious issues, values, or themes can apply for the Wilbur Awards from Religion Communicators Council. Grants from Religion Communicators Council help Indiana religion and spirituality communicators gain national recognition across audio, audiovisual, image, and written categories for 2024-published or broadcast work in general-circulation outlets.

The James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Foundation focuses on enriching lives and making a positive impact in local communities. They prioritize funding for tax-exempt organizations that enhance education, health care, and support the under-served. The Foundation seeks to partner with those who demonstrate accountability and effective resource management, aligning with their mission for community enrichment and leadership development.

Indiana religion and spirituality scholars with doctorates can access funding through the American Philosophical Society for noncommercial research expenses such as travel to archives, fieldwork, or laboratory costs. Awards up to Up to US $6,500 support individual researchers, including independent scholars and faculty, with some eligibility for both U.S. residents and certain foreign nationals.

Innovation in Religion and Spirituality Seed Grants Call for Proposals

The Religion and the Public Sphere program at the Social Science Research Council aims to foster research on the wider implications of new forms of religious and spiritual life. This program is offered with the support of the Luce Foundation, the John Templeton Foundation, and the Templeton World Charity Foundation.

Overview

In recent years, scholars have noted that religious and spiritual life is being substantively reshaped. “Innovation” is one way of framing these changes, but it remains a partial and contested analytic lens, and is popularly associated with the sudden emergence of a “new” element introduced into an otherwise static tradition. Scholarship on religion and spirituality, however, points to a more complex set of processes. The essays in an ongoing forum for The Immanent Frame have set out some initial parameters of these dynamics: rather than invention ex nihilio, what we often see is the strategic recombination of existing elements within a broader context of social, political, and cultural change.

Research Themes

This request invites proposals that examine the dynamics of religious and spiritual change that fall within the frame of “innovation.” Possible topics include, but are not limited to: 

• Explorations of innovations within transnational or diasporic religious and/or spiritual communities within the United States, particularly related to the circulation of ideas and culture from or to the Global South.   
• Gendered knowledge of innovation. 
• Studies of the process by which an innovation attains—or does not attain—legitimacy, relevance, or authority within a given community or institution. 
• The relationship between contemporary economic conditions—poverty, economic insecurity, and competitive pressures for time and money—and innovations in religion and spirituality. 
• Historical studies of innovations in religion and spirituality; the creation, reception, transformation, and longevity of an innovation over time.  
• Civic participation and the social mobilization of new or innovative religious identities, as well as the reinterpretation of religious or spiritual traditions or ideas in the service of particular political or ideological projects.

Program Terms 

The program offers research support over a period of up to 6 months. The grant funds will be up to $10,000 per award.

Who We Are

Buiding a stronger, More Vibrant Community

For over 70 years, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served Northeastern Pennsylvania as a steward of charitable resources, a grantmaker, and a catalyst for positive change. Guided by our core values of collaboration, trust, integrity, innovation, and inclusivity, we work to ensure that our communities thrive with opportunities for all.

This scholarship is awarded to a student matriculating at a college, university, or business in the year of the scholarship.

Who We Are

Buiding a stronger, More Vibrant Community

For over 70 years, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served Northeastern Pennsylvania as a steward of charitable resources, a grantmaker, and a catalyst for positive change. Guided by our core values of collaboration, trust, integrity, innovation, and inclusivity, we work to ensure that our communities thrive with opportunities for all.

This scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from a high school in Lackawanna County who demonstrates academic excellence, good citizenship, participation in athletics, and who is active in a faith or religious-based organization.

Who We Are

Buiding a stronger, More Vibrant Community

For over 70 years, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served Northeastern Pennsylvania as a steward of charitable resources, a grantmaker, and a catalyst for positive change. Guided by our core values of collaboration, trust, integrity, innovation, and inclusivity, we work to ensure that our communities thrive with opportunities for all.

This scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from a high school in Luzerne County who demonstrates academic excellence, good citizenship, participation in athletics, and who is active in a faith or religious-based organization.

The American Bible Society (ABS) Research Grant invites Christian higher education scholars to explore ways to enhance Bible engagement among young adults aged 18-35. With $50,000 in funding, this grant encourages innovative proposals that promote meaningful interactions with Scripture, evaluate engagement strategies, and cater to diverse Christian traditions. Research teams or individual faculty members with expertise in spiritual formation and discipleship are encouraged to apply, aiming for scalable solutions that positively impact spiritual well-being.

The ACLS Graduate Internships on the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future program offers summer opportunities for current PhD students in the humanities and social sciences to engage with organizations addressing the evolving American religious landscape. This initiative aims to cultivate future leaders by providing practical experiences that demonstrate the value of doctoral training beyond academia. Supported by the Templeton Religion Trust, the internships encourage collaboration between fellows and community organizations, fostering a deeper understanding of spiritual infrastructures.

The Huston Foundation Grants support both Protestant Evangelical Christian and secular needs, emphasizing humanitarian efforts since 1957. Applicants must demonstrate evangelism and provide a doctrinal statement of faith for Christian grants, while secular projects must show unique community needs and measurable goals. All applicants must also possess 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. This dual-focus ensures diverse community support, fostering personal development and innovative solutions to pressing issues.