Grants for Churches in Maryland (2026 Guide)

For the national picture, including federal rules on what churches can and can't fund, start with our grants for churches guide. This page covers Maryland. For programs beyond churches, see federal grants by state and Maryland nonprofit grants.

Foundation Grants to Maryland Churches by the Numbers

Maryland ranks 21st among states, with 2,367 foundation grants to churches and ministries, according to Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records. That's 1.7% of the 139,417 faith-related grants in the national dataset, and those grants reached 1,030 different recipients.

Maryland's median sits $500 below the national figure. According to the same filings, the typical Maryland church grant is $4,500, against $5,000 nationally. Virginia, across the Potomac, has a $3,000 median on 4,382 grants, so Maryland congregations do better per gift than their neighbors to the south.

One gift skews the average. The largest grant in the Maryland data, $2.74 million to a Bethesda-area congregation for education, is about 5% of the state's $55.7 million total on its own. Gifts that size pull the average far above what a typical congregation receives, so a Maryland church should budget around a few thousand dollars per foundation request.

Funders here give to few churches each. Per the same 990-PF records, Maryland foundations average 2.6 church grants each, against 4.4 nationally. Only 119 Maryland funders gave to three or more different churches in the data. That pattern favors congregations with a member who already knows a family foundation's trustees, and it's a red flag for any plan built on mass mailings.

Based on that data, you can see how many foundations gave to churches in Maryland for free, with two named and one shown in full. The Grantsights church funder list costs $39 and covers Maryland and every other state. It names each foundation that reported church or ministry grants on its own IRS filings, with what it gave, to whom, for what, and a link to those filings. It's a single payment rather than a subscription, with a 30-day refund window.

Where Maryland Church Grants Go

Eight ZIP areas hold 2,046 of Maryland's 2,367 church grants, 86%, according to Grantsights analysis of the same filings. The data groups recipients by the first three digits of their ZIP code, and each row is named for its best-known town.

Bethesda draws more money from half the grants. According to our analysis, the 208 area holds 355 grants to Baltimore's 690, yet its $14.0 million total is slightly larger. Baltimore's funders are more open, though: 97 of its 277 foundations, 35%, name an application route, against 29 of Bethesda's 178, 16%. A Montgomery County church is competing for gifts that mostly go to preselected recipients.

The Eastern Shore and Owings Mills pay half. Both carry a $2,500 median, half the figure in Baltimore or Annapolis. A small congregation in Easton or Cambridge should size its requests to match, and a $2,500 ask is worth it there when a $10,000 ask would read as out of scale.

Laurel's average is high. Its 145 grants total $7.3 million, about $50,000 per grant, the highest average of any Maryland area. A few large gifts drive that, so the $5,000 median is still the safer anchor. Hagerstown and Frederick share the 217 prefix and appear as one row here. Silver Spring (209) has only 67 grants from 42 foundations, a thin sample. Western Maryland outside the 217 area doesn't have enough grants to form its own area in the data.

By stated purpose, community work led with 146 grants, then missions (112), schools (52), youth (44), and building or repair (41). Most purpose lines are blank or "general support," so every bucket undercounts.

Working the $39 List in Maryland

The list covers all 895 Maryland foundations above. Three ways to use it here:

1. Start with the 238 that name an application route. In Baltimore that's 97 funders. In Bethesda it's 29. The rest give to organizations they pick.
2. Match your ZIP area. With 2.6 church grants per Maryland funder, a foundation that gave to a church in your county is worth more than a large one that gave once in Baltimore.
3. Read the purpose line. Community and missions lead the stated purposes. A funder whose filings say "outreach" or "food" is a better fit for a pantry request than for a roof.

Our guide to foundations that give grants to churches walks through reading a 990-PF and has a sample inquiry letter you can adapt for a Maryland funder.

What the Maryland Constitution Says About Public Money and Churches

Maryland's founding charter is unusual: it has no Blaine-style clause banning aid to religious organizations. Grantsights read Article 36 of the Declaration of Rights in the Maryland State Archives' copy of the constitution (opens in a new tab) on November 2, 2026. It says no person ought "to be compelled to frequent, or maintain, or contribute, unless on contract, to maintain, any place of worship, or any ministry," and a 1970 amendment adds that "Nothing in this article shall constitute an establishment of religion."

That text protects individual taxpayers from compelled support, but it doesn't forbid the state from paying a church for a public purpose. In practice, the General Assembly decides case by case. Bond bills that send capital money to religious grantees carry standard limits. For example, a 2002 Senate bill amending a Prince George's County loan, SB 400 (opens in a new tab), says no portion of the proceeds may be used for "sectarian religious instruction" or for "any building used or to be used as a place of sectarian religious worship or instruction," and lets the Board of Public Works demand proof.

What that means for a church. A Maryland congregation can receive state capital money for a community center, a pantry wing, or a historic exterior, but not for the sanctuary as a worship space. The Historical Trust's rules below follow the same line. Grantsights didn't find a pending Maryland case on grants to churches on November 2, 2026.

If a Maryland agency says no because you're a church. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer (opens in a new tab) (2017) held that a state can't exclude a church from a generally available grant solely because it's a church. Federal money that Maryland agencies pass through, including NSGP, TEFAP, and EFSP, still bars spending on worship, religious instruction, or proselytizing. Those federal limits are spelled out in our government grants for churches guide.

Maryland Security Grants for Churches

Maryland put $10 million of state money into hate crime security for fiscal 2027, and congregations can apply for it. The Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy's SFY 2027 Protecting Against Hate Crimes notice (opens in a new tab) anticipated $10,000,000 for nonprofit organizations, "including faith-based organizations," whose facilities could be targeted for hate crimes. On August 25, 2026, the governor's office announced (opens in a new tab) $10 million in awards to 116 organizations across 16 counties and Baltimore City, naming houses of worship among the recipients.

Grantsights compared the state, county, and federal security programs a Maryland church can use on November 2, 2026:

PAHC's cap follows your budget. Specifically, a congregation with an annual budget under $500,000 can ask for up to $50,000, which covers most camera, lighting, and door projects. The notice says faith-based applicants don't have to remove religious symbols, but grant money can't fund inherently religious activity. Grants run July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 and pay quarterly by reimbursement, so a small church needs cash to front the cost.

The federal route splits by county. The MDEM page says applicants in Montgomery or Prince George's County apply through the District of Columbia's program as part of the National Capital Region. The Baltimore Urban Area covers Anne Arundel, Baltimore County, Carroll, Harford, Howard, Annapolis, and Baltimore City, and the rest of the state applies on the state track. MDEM also says houses of worship, and only houses of worship, may complete a self-assessment for the vulnerability assessment. According to FEMA, the NSGP (opens in a new tab) has $300 million nationally for FY2026, split evenly between the urban-area and state tracks, which makes the federal route more competitive than PAHC for a small Maryland church.

The common mistake is assuming the Montgomery County grant covers hardware. Its FY27 notice bars equipment purchases other than new cameras and a police camera-sharing device, and bars facility upgrades. Use it for guards and training, and take door and fence work to PAHC. Our church security grants guide covers how to assemble the vulnerability assessment and quotes.

Historic Preservation: MHT Capital Grants and the African American Heritage Program

The Maryland Historical Trust's two capital programs can pay up to $100,000 and $250,000 for a church building's structure and exterior. Both use the same religious-property rule. According to the Trust's Historic Preservation Capital Grant page (opens in a new tab), "grants can generally only fund structural or exterior work, not work on interior worship spaces or elements bearing religious imagery."

Nonprofits skip the capital grant's match. The 1:1 cash match applies to "all applicants other than nonprofits," so an incorporated congregation or its building corporation doesn't need to raise matching cash. That's a reason to talk to Trust staff early.

The AAHPP is the bigger door for historic Black churches. The Speaker Adrienne A. Jones African American Heritage Preservation Program, run by the Trust with the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture, accepts requests up to $250,000 with no match. For a 19th-century AME or Baptist church, it's the largest church-eligible state grant Grantsights found in Maryland.

A red flag on easements. A capital grant comes with a historic preservation easement on the property, which binds future changes to the building. Talk to the vestry or trustees about that before the application, not after the award.

Two Maryland congregations won nationally. First and Franklin Presbyterian Church in Baltimore and St. Paul's By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Ocean City were among the 30 awardees, out of 466 applicants, in the National Fund for Sacred Places' October 2026 round (opens in a new tab), which offers capital grants up to $500,000. More national building funders are covered in our grants for historic churches guide.

Tax credits. The National Park Service says the 20% federal rehabilitation credit is available only to properties rehabilitated for income-producing purposes (opens in a new tab). A sanctuary used only for worship doesn't qualify.

Food: TEFAP at 185%, Two Sponsoring Food Banks, and EFSP

Maryland sets TEFAP household eligibility at 185% of the federal poverty guidelines, far below the 400% limit Washington uses. The Department of Human Services' FFY26 self-disclosure form (opens in a new tab) lists 2026 annual limits from $29,526 for one person to $103,082 for eight, plus $10,508 per additional member, and households on SNAP, Medical Assistance, TANF, unemployment, or energy assistance qualify without the income test.

How a church pantry joins. Per the FFY26 TEFAP state plan (opens in a new tab), the Maryland Food Bank and the Capital Area Food Bank are the sponsoring agencies. The Capital Area Food Bank serves Montgomery and Prince George's counties. The Maryland Food Bank serves the other 22 jurisdictions, through larger partner agencies in seven of them: Anne Arundel, Calvert, Cecil, Charles, Harford, Howard, and St. Mary's. A pantry seeking to join must have food beyond TEFAP, needs Department of Human Services approval, and doesn't have to become a member of a food bank. The plan also lets the department limit new recipient agencies in a jurisdiction that's already saturated, which is the friction point for a new church pantry in Baltimore City.

The plan's FFY26 food targets put Baltimore City at 20.84% of the state's TEFAP pounds, Prince George's at 14.61%, Baltimore County at 13.57%, and Montgomery at 12.37%.

EFSP. Maryland's Emergency Food and Shelter Program allocation for Phase 43 (FY2025) totals $1,999,114, according to the EFSP National Board's Phase 43 allocation table (opens in a new tab).

The State Set-Aside holds $98,383, about 5% of Maryland's total, for counties that don't qualify on their own. The smallest county awards are Kent ($5,923), Somerset ($6,850), and Garrett ($8,624). A church pantry on the upper Eastern Shore is competing for very little. Local boards, usually convened by the United Way, pick recipients. For the paperwork Maryland food banks and EFSP boards ask a church pantry to keep, see our church food pantry grants guide.

Denominational Funds and Foundations in Maryland

Two Maryland denominational programs have 2027 windows that open in February. Grantsights checked each Maryland funder's guidelines on its own site on November 2, 2026.

The Baltimore-Washington Conference says to submit at least 10 days before each deadline, and spring awards take effect in July. A United Methodist congregation with a failing roof should ask about a building loan rather than a grant, because the conference says grants generally go to renovations for new ministry.

Grantsights didn't verify Catholic, Presbyterian, or Baptist judicatory grants in Maryland, nor the religious-organization rules of individual Maryland community foundations. Many fund churches only for community programs open to everyone. Read each foundation's exclusions before writing a request.

What Maryland Church Grant Lists Don't Tell You

Most Maryland church grant lists stop at national foundations. Five things they miss:

1. The state pays for church security. PAHC put $10 million into 116 organizations for fiscal 2027, and a congregation with a budget under $500,000 can ask for up to $50,000.
2. Nonprofits don't match MHT capital grants. The 1:1 cash match applies only to applicants other than nonprofits.
3. The AAHPP has no match and a $250,000 ceiling. It's the largest church-eligible state preservation grant Grantsights found in Maryland.
4. Montgomery and Prince George's churches apply for NSGP through DC. The state page sends them to the District's program.
5. Bethesda's money is mostly closed. Only 16% of its church funders name an application route.

A 90-Day Plan for a Maryland Church

1. Now through December: documents. Gather IRS status evidence (a group exemption letter usually works), incorporation papers, a board list, and a financial statement, and confirm your annual budget figure, since it sets your PAHC cap. Find out whether your building is listed or eligible for listing.
2. January: security groundwork. Arrange a vulnerability assessment and get two quotes for the work, so you're ready when the PAHC notice comes out in March and when MDEM or DC posts the next NSGP window.
3. February to March: preservation and denominational. Talk to Historical Trust staff about the capital grant before the March deadline, and if your congregation has African American heritage ties, start the AAHPP application for July 1. Episcopal parishes should apply for Endowment Grants for Ministry before the end of March.
4. Ongoing: foundations and food. Use the funder list to find regional foundations that name an application route, and if you run a pantry, call the Maryland Food Bank or Capital Area Food Bank about partner status.

Not sure which route fits your project? The free eligibility checker matches an organization to open programs, and the church grant path index groups options by project. For small congregations, our grants for small churches guide and how to apply for church grants cover the paperwork.

Limits of This Data

Every foundation figure here is a floor. The counts cover only filers in the Grantsights dataset, 990-PF filings arrive a year or more after grants are paid, and name matching misses churches recorded under other names. ZIP areas follow the recipient's mailing address, which can be a diocesan or conference office, and the Baltimore row includes a 202 prefix. Grantsights couldn't confirm the PAHC SFY 2028 dates, the Historic Preservation Capital Grant's total funding or exact 2027 deadline, MDEM's FY2027 NSGP window, how the Historical Trust treats a mixed worship and community building beyond its stated rule, or the rules of individual Maryland community foundations.

Sources Checked

All Maryland sources were checked on November 2, 2026:

• Maryland Declaration of Rights, Article 36, on the Maryland State Archives (opens in a new tab); 2002 SB 400 (opens in a new tab) on the General Assembly's site; Trinity Lutheran (opens in a new tab)
• Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy: PAHC program page (opens in a new tab), SFY 2027 PAHC notice (opens in a new tab); governor's August 25, 2026 release (opens in a new tab); Maryland Department of Emergency Management NSGP page (opens in a new tab); Montgomery County FY27 Nonprofit Security Grant notice (opens in a new tab); FEMA NSGP page (opens in a new tab)
• Maryland Historical Trust: Historic Preservation Capital Grant (opens in a new tab), AAHPP capital grants (opens in a new tab); National Park Service tax credit eligibility (opens in a new tab); National Fund for Sacred Places 2026 awards (opens in a new tab)
• Department of Human Services FFY26 TEFAP state plan (opens in a new tab) and FFY26 self-disclosure form (opens in a new tab); EFSP National Board Phase 43 allocations (opens in a new tab)
• Funder pages: Episcopal Diocese of Maryland grants (opens in a new tab), Baltimore-Washington Conference congregational development grants (opens in a new tab), National Trust grants (opens in a new tab)
• Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records to Maryland churches and ministries, tax years 2021 to 2025, pulled October 29, 2026