Best Faith-based Grants in North Carolina

Faith-based and community nonprofits in North Carolina can seek US $15,000 - US $25,000 to launch new, early-stage initiatives or capital projects that would not exist without this support. Chapel of the Cross supports imaginative, catalytic programs that address community needs and invite deeper parish and community engagement in service.

Faith-based and other 501(c)(3) organizations serving North Carolina and the broader Southern region can seek support for programs in religion and spirituality, poverty relief, education, health, families, veterans, disaster relief, animal welfare, and conservation. Focused on tangible, meaningful impact, Robinson Foundation favors fiscally responsible nonprofits with multiple funding sources and active operations of more than three years.

North Carolina faith-based and other 501(c)(3) organizations seeking capital improvements or education programs to boost graduation rates can apply for support from the David, Helen, and Marian Woodward Fund. Eligible nonprofits and governmental agencies in Georgia and neighboring states, including North Carolina, may benefit, with preference historically given to Georgia institutions and religiously affiliated education and charity efforts.

Faith-based and other 501(c)(3) public charities in North Carolina can seek funding for short-term or non-recurring projects in religion, arts, education, health, human services, environment, and related areas. Focused on North Carolina, especially Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, the John Wesley Hanes and Anna Hodgin Hanes Foundation prioritizes locally based programs.

Presbyterian presbyteries and congregations in North Carolina can seek support for specific mission projects that are jointly carried out by at least two presbyteries. Grants from Synod of the Mid-Atlantic help faith-based organizations develop collaborative initiatives, with applications due February 1 and August 1 each year through the Presbytery Initiative Committee.

North Carolina faith-based and other 501(c)(3) organizations can seek support for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, educational, child welfare, animal welfare, and community service programs. The DeLeon Carter Foundation particularly reflects concerns connected to Rocky Mount, Nashville, and Nash County, so faith and spirituality initiatives in these areas may be especially relevant.

PCUSA congregations in North Carolina can seek funding for new and small church home mission projects through the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic’s New and Small Church Grant Fund, with awards up to US $5,000. This program supports faith-based initiatives that advance education, evangelism, and social justice within the Synod’s bounds.

Faith-based organizations developing education, evangelism, or social justice programs in North Carolina can apply for support from the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic’s Visionary Fund. With a mission to foster racially inclusive and creative ministry, the Synod provides funding to launch or expand innovative, priority-aligned religious and spiritual initiatives.

The Community Foundation of Henderson County offers Field of Interest Grants to support 501(c)(3) nonprofits in fulfilling their missions and addressing community needs. These grants are awarded periodically based on emerging needs, allowing donors to focus on specific causes or program areas, such as arts or youth initiatives. Established in 1982, the foundation empowers donors to make lasting contributions through professionally managed charitable funds.

Journalists, media organizations, and content creators in North Carolina and beyond can receive recognition for work that thoughtfully covers religious issues, values, and themes in secular media. Grants from Religion Communicators Council help reward excellence across audio, audio-visual, image, and written categories for pieces first published or broadcast in 2024.

Faith-based and religious organizations in North Carolina seeking support for arts, education, or religion-focused projects can apply for grants from the Chisholm Foundation, which accepts applications from across the U.S. Focused on innovative or demonstration projects, it encourages applicants to pursue matching or challenge gifts to extend the impact of awarded funds.

North Carolina faith-based congregations with historic houses of worship can access funding through the National Fund for Sacred Places to support major capital preservation projects. Administered by Partners for Sacred Places, this U.S.-wide program offers US $50,000 - US $500,000 matching grants plus training and technical assistance for community-serving, fundraising-ready, and historically significant sacred sites.

U.S. junior humanities and humanistic social science faculty seeking sabbatical and research support can receive up to US $35,000, plus travel and research funding, through this fellowship program. Institute for Citizens & Scholars backs scholars committed to eradicating racial disparities, including those in religion and spirituality fields, which may include North Carolina faith-based academics.

Doctoral candidates who are Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship alumni nearing dissertation completion can receive up to US $30,000 to spend a year finishing their dissertation writing. Grants from Institute for Citizens & Scholars help scholars in eligible humanities, social science, and physical science fields, including religion and spirituality, which may benefit faith-focused academics in North Carolina.

Adjunct faculty who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, are Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship alumni, and teach in eligible humanities or social science fields can receive support for research and scholarship to pursue tenure-track positions. Institute for Citizens & Scholars provides U.S. fellows up to US $10,000, mentorship, and conference funding, which may benefit North Carolina faith-related scholars.

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

Faith-based and other 501(c)(3) organizations, public schools, and government entities in select North Carolina counties can seek funding for charitable, educational, health, human services, and related programs. Focused on community needs, Heritage Home Group Charitable Trust supports work in areas including religion and spirituality, especially in Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, and Randolph counties.

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

Faith-based and other 501(c)(3) organizations in North Carolina working in health, senior care, education, human services, or Israel-focused aid can apply for Harry Kramer Memorial Fund grants of US $10,000 - US $25,000. Funding supports U.S. charities, including those significantly backed by religious organizations, that advance general welfare, care for the sick or aged, or education in South Florida.

The Clarence W. Winter Charitable Trust, established from Mr. Winter's Will, provides annual grants of $3,000 to $5,000 to support tax-exempt organizations focused on charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational purposes. While there are no geographic restrictions, the Trust prioritizes organizations in Bucks County, PA. With a commitment to community betterment, Mr. Winter's legacy continues to support impactful initiatives for years to come.

High school seniors and college students pursuing studies in music, medicine, or religion who live in Green or Noble Townships in Noble County can apply for a one-time US $3,500 scholarship from Noble County Community Foundation. Faith-focused students in these townships may reapply in future years for continued support.

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.