Grants for Churches in Pennsylvania (2026 Guide)

This guide is for: pastors, councils, vestries, sessions, and church administrators in Pennsylvania who want to know which foundations, state programs, and regional funders actually reach congregations, and what rules come with the money.

Full answer: According to Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records, 2,138 foundations made 3,392 grants totaling $73.8 million to Pennsylvania churches, ministries, and congregations, with a median of $5,000. Pennsylvania's state programs are unusually open to churches: PHMC lists religious institutions as eligible for Keystone historic preservation grants (next deadline March 1, 2027), and PCCD's Nonprofit Security Grant Fund awarded more than $10 million to 191 organizations in its last completed round, including at least 27 churches and parishes. Food support comes through county lead agencies under TEFAP and the State Food Purchase Program. For historic buildings, Philadelphia-based Partners for Sacred Places runs 3 grant programs.

Data note: The Pennsylvania figures here are 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 purpose names a church, and the recipient is in Pennsylvania. Grantsights checked the Pennsylvania Constitution on palegis.us, PHMC's Keystone grant pages, DCED's tax credit page, PCCD's and PEMA's security pages, the Department of Agriculture's TEFAP and SFPP pages, EFSP allocation tables, and each funder's own site on October 15, 2026.

Last updated: October 15, 2026.

For the national picture, including federal programs and how church grants work in general, start with our grants for churches guide. This page goes deep on Pennsylvania.

Foundation Giving to Pennsylvania Churches, by the Numbers

According to Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records, Pennsylvania ranks third in the country for foundation grants to churches and ministries, behind New York and Texas. Its 3,392 grants came from 2,138 foundations and went to 2,106 recipients.

What the numbers say:

There are more funders than recipients. Pennsylvania has 2,138 foundations giving to 2,106 churches and ministries. In most large states, recipients outnumber funders. In Pennsylvania, many churches get gifts from more than one foundation, which often points to family and member foundations giving to the congregations they belong to. That's a red flag for a church hoping to cold-call its way in: the money is concentrated in existing relationships.

One-church funders dominate. 76% of the foundations gave to only one recipient in the state. Only 199 gave to 3 or more different churches or ministries, and those are the prospects worth researching first.

The typical gift fits a project, not a building. The median of $5,000 matches the national median. 83% of grants were under $25,000. The total includes one gift above $3 million, which pulls the average far above what a typical congregation will see. Purpose lines that named a category were rare: 70 named building, repair, or capital work, 61 named youth, and 53 named food.

See how many foundations gave to churches in Pennsylvania, with two of their names, in the free preview.

Where Pennsylvania Church Grants Go

Six cities account for 855 of the state's 3,392 church grants, about 25%, according to the same Grantsights analysis. That's a much flatter spread than New York, where six cities hold more than half.

Pittsburgh's 283 grants are close to Philadelphia's 333 even though Philadelphia has about four times the population. Three-quarters of Pennsylvania's church grants went outside these six cities, to boroughs and townships across the state. A church in a small town shouldn't assume foundation money is only an urban option.

How the $29 Church Funder List Works for Pennsylvania

The Grantsights church funder list draws on the foundations that reported grants to churches and ministries on their own IRS Form 990-PF filings, by state. For a Pennsylvania buyer, that means every one of the 2,138 foundations above: what each gave, to which church or ministry, for what, and a link to its filings. Every other state is included. It's a single $29 payment, not a subscription, and it carries a 30-day refund if it doesn't help.

Three ways to get more out of it in Pennsylvania:

1. Start with the 199. Funders that gave to 3 or more different recipients are more likely to consider a church they don't already know.
2. Match the county. Many Pennsylvania family foundations give inside one county. A Lancaster funder that gave to five Lancaster congregations is a better lead than a Pittsburgh funder with a statewide address.
3. Read Part XIV before writing. If the foundation checked the box saying it gives only to preselected organizations, don't send a proposal.

For a step-by-step walk through a 990-PF and a sample letter of inquiry, see our guide to foundations that give grants to churches.

The Pennsylvania Constitution and Public Money for Churches

Pennsylvania's Constitution has some of the most direct language in the country on appropriations to religious bodies. Grantsights read Article III on the official palegis.us site on October 15, 2026.

• Article III, section 29: "No appropriation shall be made for charitable, educational or benevolent purposes to any person or community nor to any denominational and sectarian institution, corporation or association," with exceptions for military pensions, certain public assistance, and higher education scholarships (but not for students at a theological seminary).
• Article III, section 15: "No money raised for the support of the public schools of the Commonwealth shall be appropriated to or used for the support of any sectarian school."
• Article III, section 30: an appropriation to any charitable or educational institution not under the state's control needs a two-thirds vote of the members elected to each House.

What happens in practice. State agencies do fund churches through competitive programs. PHMC lists "Religious institutions" among applicants who can apply for Keystone grants, and PCCD's security fund names places of worship as intended recipients. Section 29 is written about legislative appropriations, and these programs make competitive grants for a public purpose, such as preserving a historic building or protecting people at risk of hate crimes. Grantsights didn't find a Pennsylvania court decision or Attorney General opinion on how section 29 applies to these programs, so this guide won't predict the answer for a specific grant.

What the U.S. Supreme Court has added. Section 29 now has to be read alongside three federal cases. In Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer (2017), the Supreme Court held that excluding a church from a generally available grant because it's a church violates the Free Exercise Clause. Espinoza (2020) held that a state no-aid provision can't be applied to shut religious schools out of a program open to other private schools, and Carson v. Makin (2022) applied the same rule to a "nonsectarian" requirement. Those cases limit how a clause like section 29 could be used to exclude churches from a program open to other nonprofits. Trinity Lutheran's footnote also says the Court did "not address religious uses of funding," so program limits on religious use, like the Keystone planning grant's exclusion of projects that "serve a religious purpose," still matter.

For the federal rules, including the ban on funding worship with direct federal money, see our guide to government grants for churches.

Keystone Historic Preservation Grants for Churches

Keystone construction grants run from $5,000 to $100,000 and require a 50/50 cash match, according to PHMC's construction grant page. Religious institutions are listed as eligible applicants. The next deadline is March 1, 2027.

Per the PHMC guidelines, fundable construction work includes roofing, masonry repointing, windows and doors, structural repairs, plaster, and accessibility improvements. Not fundable: new construction and additions, routine maintenance on its own, and acquisition.

The public access rule is the real test. A construction grant property must be "open and accessible to the public on a regular basis, not less than 100 days per year." A church that's locked except for Sunday services won't meet that. A church that hosts a food pantry, recovery meetings, concerts, or a preschool several days a week may, if it documents the schedule. If it isn't open yet, PHMC accepts a detailed plan to open the property to the public as a result of the grant.

Three more conditions that catch churches:

• A preservation covenant of up to ten years is required, and the church must get PHMC approval before major work that could affect the building's historic status.
• No work before the agreement. Work can't start until the grant agreement is fully executed, around September 1, 2027 for the next round, and work done earlier isn't reimbursable.
• Prevailing wage may apply when project work exceeds $25,000 and uses public funds.

A common mistake is planning the match around volunteer labor. PHMC says in-kind contributions can't satisfy the match, so a $100,000 grant needs $100,000 in cash from the church, a foundation, or another grant.

The state tax credit won't help a church directly. DCED's Historic Preservation Tax Credit covers up to 25% of qualified expenditures, capped at $500,000 per taxpayer per year, but only for restoring a qualified historic structure into an income-producing property, and only for taxpayers that owe Pennsylvania business or income taxes. A church converting a former school building into rental housing with a developer partner is the kind of case where it can matter.

If the damage came from a declared disaster, or you need national preservation funders too, our church building repair grants guide covers both.

Partners for Sacred Places: Three Pennsylvania Programs

Partners for Sacred Places, founded in 1989 and based in Philadelphia, runs 3 grant programs that reach Pennsylvania churches. Grantsights checked each program page on October 15, 2026.

• National Fund for Sacred Places. A national program with Pennsylvania eligibility. According to its application page, the next application launches January 12, 2027, applications are due March 3, 2027, and decisions come in October 2027.
• Pennsylvania's Faithful Fund. For historic houses of worship in rural Pennsylvania towns under 7,500 people, outside USDA-designated urban areas, on or eligible for the National Register. On July 23, 2026, Partners announced its first 7 grantees, sharing $550,000 in grants of $50,000 to $100,000 for roofs, towers, structural repair, facades, windows, and code compliance. It's funded through a National Park Service Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grant. No new application window was posted on October 15, 2026.
• Philadelphia Fund for Black Sacred Places. A three-year project with the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia for Black-led congregations in Philadelphia with historic purpose-built buildings. It offers planning grants up to $10,000 and matching grants up to $250,000, at $2 granted for each $1 raised. Ask Partners about current openings before you plan around it.

Security Grants for Pennsylvania Churches

Pennsylvania has spent $35 million on its own nonprofit security fund since 2023, including $10 million in the 2026-27 budget, according to PCCD's program page. The fund is for places of worship, community centers, and other nonprofits that primarily serve people at heightened risk of hate crimes.

The 2026 round. PCCD's July 27, 2026 announcement offered awards from $5,000 to $150,000. Eligible uses listed in the announcement include planning, training, security purchases and technology, upgrades to existing structures, and vulnerability and threat assessments. Initial requests were due through an online form by September 10, 2026. Unlike the federal program, the state fund pays for the assessment itself.

The match. Per the PCCD match calculator, requests of $25,000 or less need no match, requests from $25,001 to $75,000 need a 33% non-state match, and requests from $75,001 to $150,000 need 50%.

Who won last time. The previous round, awarded in March 2026, recommended $10,871,285 for 191 organizations across 28 counties. Grantsights analysis of PCCD's published award list counted at least 27 recipients named as churches or parishes, sharing about $1.09 million, with a median of $25,000. Sixteen of those 27 asked for $25,000 or less, the no-match tier. A case in point: one Episcopal church in Chester County received the $150,000 maximum. Most church awards were small, and the no-match tier was the common choice.

The federal NSGP. PEMA is Pennsylvania's State Administrative Agency for FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program, and its NSGP page says the FY2026 application is closed. PEMA points applicants to county contacts and the regional intelligence centers for help with vulnerability assessments. According to USAspending.gov data for Assistance Listing 97.008, Pennsylvania's NSGP obligations were $7.6 million in FY2025 and $10.0 million in FY2024.

Our church security grants guide explains the federal program and how to prepare an Investment Justification.

Food: TEFAP, the State Food Purchase Program, and Food Banks

Pennsylvania's food banks serve all 67 counties and supply almost 3,000 agencies and pantries, according to Feeding Pennsylvania. For a church pantry, two state programs sit behind that network:

• TEFAP. The Department of Agriculture's TEFAP page says states provide USDA food to local agencies such as food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens. The state's TEFAP operational plan runs the program through agreements with counties, which can designate a lead agency, and it names faith-based organizations among eligible recipient agencies.
• State Food Purchase Program (SFPP). A state-funded program that gives cash grants to county commissioners to buy food at wholesale for low-income residents. Households at or below 185% of the federal poverty level qualify by self-declaration. Up to 8% of a county's allocation can go to transportation, storage, and administration. The SFPP page says Pennsylvania leads all states in this kind of food assistance.

The practical step is the same for both: call your county's lead agency, often the regional food bank, and ask about becoming a distribution site. USDA's faith-based rules apply to TEFAP food, so worship or prayer can't be part of the distribution. Our church food pantry grants guide covers the recordkeeping.

EFSP: Emergency Food and Shelter Money in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's Emergency Food and Shelter Program allocation for Phase 43 (FY2025) is $4,160,793, up from $3,806,471 in Phase 42, according to the EFSP National Board's Phase 43 allocation table. The largest local allocations are Philadelphia at $609,852 and Allegheny County at $373,553. Pennsylvania's State Set-Aside Committee gets $259,348 to distribute in areas that didn't qualify on their own.

Per the National Board's process, a Local Board in each qualifying county picks which nonprofits get the money, usually convened by the local United Way. A church pantry, shelter, or utility assistance ministry can apply to its Local Board when the phase opens. The National Board's latest news page said official Phase 43 awards and the spending period were still pending on October 15, 2026.

Community Foundations and Denominational Funds in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania community foundations vary widely on churches. Grantsights checked each funder's own site on October 15, 2026.

Lancaster's rule is worth a note. Churches aren't required to file Form 990, so a congregation will usually need a separately incorporated ministry that files one to meet that requirement. That's a common reason Pennsylvania churches set up a community nonprofit for their pantry or after-school program.

What Pennsylvania Church Grant Lists Don't Tell You

Most "grants for churches in Pennsylvania" lists repeat national foundations and closed programs. Five things they leave out:

1. The state is more open than the constitution reads. Article III, section 29's text sounds like a ban, but PHMC lists religious institutions as eligible Keystone applicants and PCCD funded at least 27 churches and parishes in one round.
2. The Keystone match is cash. Volunteer labor and staff time don't count. Underestimate that and a church can win a grant it can't use.
3. Public access decides Keystone eligibility. A building open fewer than 100 days a year won't qualify for a construction grant without a plan to open it.
4. The security fund's sweet spot is $25,000. Requests at or below it need no match, and that's where most church awards landed.
5. Funders outnumber recipients. With 2,138 foundations giving to 2,106 churches and ministries, Pennsylvania's money is concentrated in existing relationships. Target the 199 multi-church funders, not all 2,138.

Our view: the best first state grant for most Pennsylvania churches is the PCCD security fund at $25,000 or less, because it needs no match and pays for the assessment. For a historic building, prepare a Keystone application for March 1, 2027 and a National Fund application for March 3, 2027 together, but read each match rule first: the National Fund requires a 1:1 cash match and won't count money pledged before a congregation enters the program.

A 90-Day Plan for a Pennsylvania Church

1. Weeks 1 and 2: documents. Gather your IRS status evidence (a denominational group exemption letter often works), incorporation papers, board list, and a financial statement. Confirm whether your building is on or eligible for the National Register with the Pennsylvania SHPO.
2. Weeks 3 and 4: registrations. Get a UEI in SAM.gov, which federal pass-through programs require. Our SAM.gov registration guide covers it.
3. Weeks 5 to 8: pick 3 routes. For most churches: a list of multi-church foundations, one state program (Keystone, PCCD, or the food bank), and one regional or denominational fund.
4. Weeks 9 to 12: draft. Short letters of inquiry to foundations, a conditions assessment and contractor estimate for a building grant, or a vulnerability assessment for the next security round.

To see what else your organization may qualify for, try the free eligibility checker, or pick a route by project type on our church grant path index. For Pennsylvania programs beyond churches, see our Pennsylvania grants guide and Pennsylvania nonprofit grants guide.

Pennsylvania congregations near a state line can compare our church grant guides for New York, California, Texas, Florida, and Georgia, built on the same foundation data.

Limits of This Data

Pennsylvania's counts include only the foundations in our dataset, and 990-PF filings arrive a year or more after the grants are paid. Purpose lines are often vague, and name-based matching misses churches recorded under another name. Our count of church awards in PCCD's list relies on names, so congregations named "Temple," "Assembly," or a saint's name alone may be missing from the 27.

Sources Checked

All sources were checked on October 15, 2026:

• Pennsylvania Constitution, Article III, sections 15, 29, and 30
• PHMC: Keystone construction grants and Keystone planning grants; DCED Historic Preservation Tax Credit
• PCCD: Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program, including the 2025-26 award list and match calculator; July 27, 2026 announcement
• PEMA Nonprofit Security Grant Program; USAspending.gov, Assistance Listing 97.008 by state, FY2024 and FY2025
• Department of Agriculture: TEFAP, TEFAP operational plan, and State Food Purchase Program; Feeding Pennsylvania
• EFSP National Board: Phase 43 allocations, Phase 42 allocations, and latest news
• Partners for Sacred Places: grant opportunities, Pennsylvania's Faithful Fund, Philadelphia Fund for Black Sacred Places; National Fund for Sacred Places application page
• Supreme Court opinions: Trinity Lutheran, Espinoza, Carson
• Funder guidelines on their own sites: The Pittsburgh Foundation, Lancaster County Community Foundation, Berks County Community Foundation, ELCA Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod
• Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records, as of October 2026