Grants for Churches in Florida (2026 Data and Programs)

This guide is for: pastors, church administrators, safety teams, and pantry volunteers in Florida who want to know which foundations and state programs actually pay Florida congregations, what the Florida Constitution allows, and which deadlines are next.

Full answer: Florida churches get grant money from three main places: private foundations, the Florida Division of Emergency Management's security grants, and food programs run through food banks. According to Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records (mostly tax year 2023, the latest year most foundations have filed), 1,940 foundations reported 2,791 grants to churches and ministries in Florida, about $55.5 million in all, with a median grant of $5,000. Florida churches also won at least 22 of 79 FY2025 Nonprofit Security Grant Program awards in the state. Historic church buildings can apply for Special Category preservation grants, but only for exterior and structural work, and that program depends on yearly legislative funding. Florida's constitution still bans aid to churches, but the Attorney General said in April 2026 that he won't enforce it against religious applicants.

Data note: Foundation figures come from Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records (mostly tax year 2023, the latest year most foundations have filed), as of October 2026. A grant counts when the recipient's name says church, parish, ministry, or congregation, or the stated purpose names a church. Grantsights checked the Florida Constitution, AGO 2026-06, section 252.3712 of the Florida Statutes, the Division of Emergency Management's FY2025 NSGP award list, Division of Historical Resources grant pages and solicitations, FDACS TEFAP pages, the EFSP Phase 43 allocation list, and USAspending.gov obligations on October 15, 2026.

Last updated: October 15, 2026.

For the national picture, start with our grants for churches guide. This page covers what's specific to Florida. For Florida programs beyond churches, see the Florida grants guide and Florida nonprofit grants.

Foundation Grants to Florida Churches by the Numbers

Florida churches and ministries received 2,791 foundation grants from 1,940 foundations, according to Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records. Florida ranks fifth by grant count, behind New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and California. Its median, $5,000, matches the national median, but Florida has more small grants and fewer large ones than the national pattern.

The total includes one gift above $2.9 million, so the median is the better guide. Nearly half of Florida grants were under $5,000.

Florida funders are unusually tied to one church. According to our analysis, 1,530 of the 1,940 foundations (79%) gave to only one recipient in Florida, and 137 (7%) gave to three or more. That 79% is higher than in New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, California, or Georgia; in Texas, by comparison, 67% gave to one recipient and 15% to three or more. A one-church funder is often a family foundation giving to its own congregation, and a cold letter rarely changes that. The 137 Florida foundations that gave to several churches are the realistic first targets. (These counts are within Florida: a foundation that gave to churches in several states is counted once here.)

Where the grants went. Florida's church grants are spread across the Gulf Coast and the southeast coast, not concentrated in Miami:

Naples, Boca Raton, and Sarasota rank far above their population size. Those six cities account for 796 grants, about 29% of the state total, so most Florida church grants went to congregations in smaller cities and towns.

What they paid for. Of the 2,791 Florida grants, 76 had a purpose that named youth work, 43 named building, repair, or capital work, and 41 named food. Most of the rest read as general support or give no purpose. The limits: these figures cover only foundations in the Grantsights dataset, filings arrive a year or more late, and gifts recorded under other names are missed.

You can see how many foundations gave to churches in Florida for free, with one sample foundation shown in full. The $29 church funder list names every foundation that reported grants to Florida churches and ministries on its own IRS Form 990-PF filings, what it gave, to which church or ministry, for what, and links to its filings. It's one payment, no subscription, with a 30-day refund. Our guide to foundations that give grants to churches shows how to check a funder's 990-PF before you reach out.

What the Florida Constitution Says, and What the Attorney General Said in 2026

Florida's no-aid clause sits inside its religious freedom section. Article I, Section 3 of the Florida Constitution says: "No revenue of the state or any political subdivision or agency thereof shall ever be taken from the public treasury directly or indirectly in aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution." It covers cities and counties too, not just the state.

Florida courts have applied it. In Bush v. Holmes (2004), the First District Court of Appeal held the clause was consistent with the Free Exercise Clause, and in Council for Secular Humanism v. McNeil (2010), the same court applied it to state money for faith-based substance abuse transitional housing programs.

Three U.S. Supreme Court decisions since then limit how a clause like this can be used against religious applicants: Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer (2017, a church playground grant), Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020, Montana's no-aid clause and a scholarship program), and Carson v. Makin (2022, Maine's tuition program).

Florida's Attorney General acted on those cases in April 2026. In AGO 2026-06, issued April 2, 2026, he concluded that laws preventing religious individuals or organizations "from accessing otherwise generally available State benefits are presumptively unconstitutional," and that "to the extent article I, section 3 prohibits State funds from going to religious entities, it is also unconstitutional and will not be enforced by my office." The opinion calls Holmes and McNeil inconsistent with the later Supreme Court cases.

What that means for a Florida church:

1. The opinion changes enforcement, not the text. Article I, Section 3 is still in the constitution, and the appellate decisions haven't been overturned by a court. A city or county attorney may still read the clause cautiously.
2. Federal money brings federal rules. Security grants, TEFAP, and EFSP are federal programs. The ban on paying for worship, religious instruction, or proselytization with direct federal money still applies, as our government grants for churches guide explains.
3. State program rules still apply. The Special Category limit on religious properties (below) is a program rule, and it's still in the current guidelines.

Florida Security Grants: Where Churches Actually Win

Florida's Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) is the State Administrative Agency for FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), and its published award list shows churches competing well. Grantsights counted every award on FDEM's FY2025 NSGP awarded subrecipients list:

"Church-named" means the organization's name includes church, Baptist, Pentecostal, Catholic, Anglican, or Assembly of God, so the real count is likely a little higher. Two patterns stand out:

• Outside the four urban areas, churches won more than half the awards. Congregations in Bonifay, Melbourne, Gainesville, Fort Myers, and South Brevard were on the state-stream list. Specifically, First Baptist Bonifay appears three times, at $200,000 each, which reflects the rule that lets one organization apply for up to three sites in a stream. A church in a smaller Florida city shouldn't assume the program is only for big-city synagogues and schools.
• Most awards were the federal maximum. 55 of the 79 awards were $200,000. FDEM notes that the final amounts will be reduced for its 5% management and administration share.

According to USAspending data on USAspending.gov for Assistance Listing 97.008, NSGP obligations to Florida were $15.4 million in FY2025 and $16.6 million in FY2024. FDEM's NSGP page still showed FY2024 and National Security Supplemental materials when Grantsights checked; it didn't post FY2026 subapplicant dates. Watch that page and ask FDEM's grants unit for the next window. FDEM's 2024 application guide says IRS documentation of 501(c)(3) status is required only for organizations that aren't ideology-based, spiritual, or religious, so a church can apply without a determination letter.

Florida's own security grant. Section 252.3712 of the Florida Statutes creates a state Nonprofit Security Grant Program for nonprofits "including houses of worship" at high risk of violent attacks or hate crimes. It pays for security infrastructure, door hardening, cameras, fencing, bollards, window film, security personnel, and training, with awards of $10,000 to $150,000. The statute tells FDEM to prioritize houses of worship and facilities used daily by children. The Legislature put $20 million into it for 2023-24, and FDEM sent award letters on March 1, 2024. FDEM's instructions for that round had applicants register in MyFloridaMarketplace, submit a W-9, and apply through FDEM's DEMES system. The program runs only when the Legislature appropriates money, and the statute repeals January 1, 2028 unless it's reenacted. Grantsights didn't find a newer state round on FDEM's site as of October 15, 2026.

Our church security grants guide covers scoring, the vulnerability assessment, and what NSGP won't pay for.

Historic Preservation Grants for Florida Churches

Florida funds historic buildings through the Department of State's Division of Historical Resources, and churches are eligible with a limit that matters. The Special Category grants page says: "Development activities on historic Religious Properties shall be limited to building exterior envelope, excluding accessibility upgrades, and structural elements of the building." Roofs, walls, windows, and structure qualify. Interior finishes, ramps, and elevators don't.

The FY2028 terms from the Special Category solicitation:

• Applicants: public entities or active Florida nonprofits.
• Award: up to $1,000,000.
• Match: 50%, with a minimum cash match of 25%; reduced to 25% in REDI-designated rural counties.
• Window: June 1 to July 10, 2026 (closed).
• Funding: the Florida Historical Commission ranks applications, and the 2027 Legislature decides whether to fund them; money would be available after July 1, 2027.
• Covenant: development grants require a restrictive covenant recorded with the deed for 15 years.

The funding risk is real. The Division's FY2028 application presentation lists Special Category appropriations of $0 in FY2026, $8.4 million in FY2025, $8.4 million in FY2024, $21.5 million in FY2023, and $0 in FY2021 and FY2022. A church can rank well and still get nothing in a zero year. The Department of State's 2024-25 grant booklet shows how churches fit in: its Special Category list included Grace Episcopal Church, Inc. in Volusia County ($89,994 for chapel preservation) and Fellsmere Historical Church, Inc. in Indian River County ($65,400 for a bell tower and roof).

Small Matching grants can pay for the first step. The FY2028 Small Matching solicitation (April 1 to June 1, 2026, closed) offered up to $50,000 for survey, planning, and National Register nominations, and National Register nomination projects qualify for a match waiver. For a church whose building isn't listed yet, a nomination is often the step that unlocks everything else, including the federal 20% credit for income-producing space covered in our church building repair grants guide.

Food Programs: TEFAP, Food Banks, and EFSP in Florida

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) runs TEFAP, and it reaches church pantries through contracted Recipient Agencies. FDACS's TEFAP Recipient Agencies page says the program reaches all 67 counties through that network. Two details help a church:

• No IRS letter needed in some cases. FDACS says an organization must be public or tax-exempt, and a group without an IRS exemption letter may qualify if it's organized or operated exclusively for religious purposes.
• Florida's household limit is high. FDACS's eligibility page sets it at or below 300% of the federal poverty level, or current SNAP, TANF, SSI, or Medicaid, and soup kitchens don't means-test at all.

Feeding Florida says its member food banks support more than 2,400 partner agencies. Some networks have a waiting period: Farm Share says a pantry can apply for TEFAP after 90 days as a Farm Share starting agency in the counties it lists. Florida received $7.2 million in TEFAP administrative funds in FY2025, according to USAspending records for Assistance Listing 10.568 on USAspending.gov.

EFSP. The National Board's Phase 43 (FY2025) allocations gave Florida $7.17 million in all: awards to 56 local jurisdictions plus $98,328 for the Florida State Set-Aside Committee. The largest local awards went to Miami-Dade ($595,354), Hillsborough ($523,481), Orange ($508,902), and Duval ($352,383). A church pantry applies to its county's Local Board, usually through the local United Way. Our church food pantry grants guide covers the paperwork and the religious-activity rules.

Florida Community and Denominational Funders Grantsights Verified

Grantsights checked these on their own sites on October 15, 2026:

• Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Sarasota, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties, plus Boca Grande, Lakewood Ranch, and Longboat Key). Its grant guidelines say faith-based nonprofits are eligible for work that matches its priorities, but participation in religious activities must be voluntary and grant money can't pay for worship, instruction, or proselytization. The Winter Cycle of Community Grants is open October 15 to December 31, 2026, up to $25,000 per organization per fiscal year, with notifications in February 2027.
• Florida United Methodist Foundation. Its ministry grants go to ministries, agencies, and organizations rooted in the Wesleyan tradition, and the amount available changes each year because it comes from loan interest and fund fees. No deadline is posted; the application is submitted by email.

What Florida Church Grant Lists Don't Tell You

Grantsights compared the state records against how church grant lists usually describe Florida, and five gaps stand out.

1. Small-city churches win security grants. The FY2025 list shows churches took 12 of 22 state-stream awards. Lists that frame NSGP as an urban program steer the wrong churches away.
2. The preservation money may be zero. Special Category got nothing in FY2021, FY2022, and FY2026. Plan a repair so it can proceed without the grant, and treat an award as a bonus.
3. Religious-property work stops at the walls. Exterior envelope and structure only, no accessibility upgrades. A common mistake is budgeting an elevator or interior restoration into a Special Category request.
4. The no-aid clause is unenforced, not repealed. AGO 2026-06 is the Attorney General's position. Local governments that run their own grants may still be cautious, so ask how they read it.
5. Florida foundations are the most local. Nearly four in five gave to one recipient. Start with the 137 multi-church funders, and with funders in your own city.

A 90-Day Plan for a Florida Church

1. Weeks 1 to 2: Get a Unique Entity ID through SAM.gov, which the federal security grant requires, and set up a MyFloridaMarketplace vendor record in case the Legislature funds another state security round.
2. Weeks 2 to 6: Complete a site vulnerability assessment and draft the security Investment Justification so the church is ready when FDEM posts the next NSGP window.
3. Weeks 3 to 8: If the building is historic but unlisted, contact the Division of Historical Resources about a National Register nomination and watch for the next Small Matching solicitation in spring 2027.
4. Weeks 4 to 10: Ask the food bank that serves your county about becoming a TEFAP agency, and ask your United Way when the EFSP Local Board takes applications.
5. Weeks 6 to 12: List the foundations that gave to several churches in your area and request their guidelines. In Sarasota, Charlotte, or DeSoto, the Gulf Coast winter cycle closes December 31.

Use the free eligibility checker to see which open grants fit your congregation, and the church grant path index to compare routes by need. Churches in neighboring states can compare Georgia church grants and Texas church grants.

Sources Checked

All sources were checked on October 15, 2026:

• Florida Constitution, Article I, Section 3
• Florida Attorney General Opinion AGO 2026-06, Religious Discrimination (April 2, 2026)
• Section 252.3712, Florida Statutes and 2023 Special Session C bill appropriating $20 million
• Florida Division of Emergency Management: NSGP page, FY2025 NSGP awarded subrecipients, and March 1, 2024 state program award letter
• Florida Division of Historical Resources: Special Category grants, FY2028 Special Category solicitation, FY2028 Special Category presentation, FY2028 Small Matching solicitation, Small Matching grants, and 2024-25 grant booklet
• FDACS: TEFAP Recipient Agencies and TEFAP eligibility; Feeding Florida; Farm Share agency page
• EFSP Phase 43 (FY2025) allocations
• USAspending.gov obligations by recipient state for Assistance Listings 97.008 (FY2024, FY2025) and 10.568 (FY2025)
• U.S. Supreme Court: Trinity Lutheran, Espinoza, Carson
• Gulf Coast Community Foundation grant guidelines and application periods; Florida United Methodist Foundation ministry grants
• Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records, as of October 2026