Grants for Churches in Texas (2026 Data and Programs)

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

Full answer: Texas churches get most of their grant money from private foundations, and Texas is the biggest state for it outside New York. According to Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records (mostly tax year 2023, the latest year most foundations have filed), 2,204 foundations reported 3,982 grants to churches and ministries in Texas, about $132.4 million in all, with a median grant of $7,220. The state side is smaller but real: the Texas Preservation Trust Fund and the 25% Texas Historic Preservation Tax Credit both accept churches, the Governor's Public Safety Office runs the Nonprofit Security Grant Program on a January to March calendar, and church pantries get USDA food through 20 food banks. Texas's constitutional ban on aid to religious societies is still in the text, but the Attorney General has called it unenforceable against religious applicants to neutral programs.

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 Texas Constitution, Attorney General Opinion KP-0439, Texas Historical Commission program pages, the Governor's eGrants funding archive, Texas Department of Agriculture 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 of church funding, start with our grants for churches guide. This page covers what's specific to Texas. For Texas programs beyond churches, see the Texas grants guide and Texas nonprofit grants.

Foundation Grants to Texas Churches by the Numbers

Texas churches and ministries received 3,982 foundation grants from 2,204 foundations, according to Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records. That's about 7.5% of the roughly 53,000 church and ministry grants in the national dataset, second only to New York. The Texas median of $7,220 is also well above the national median of $5,000.

Texas grants run larger than the national pattern at every level. A quarter of Texas grants were $25,000 or more, compared with less than a fifth nationally. The total is pulled up by a few very large gifts, including one gift above $7 million, so the median is the better guide to what a typical congregation should expect.

Most Texas funders give to one church. According to our analysis, of the 2,204 foundations, 1,487 (67%) gave to only one recipient in Texas, and 320 (15%) gave to three or more. A one-church funder is often a family foundation giving to its own congregation, and it's rarely worth a cold approach. The 320 multi-church funders are the realistic first targets. (These counts are within Texas: a foundation that gave to churches in several states is counted once here.)

Where the grants went. Six cities account for about 45% of Texas grants:

What they paid for. Purpose lines on 990-PF filings are short and often vague. Of the 3,982 Texas grants, 203 had a purpose that named youth work, 113 named building, repair, or capital work, and 92 named food. That's a noticeably high youth count: Texas has more youth-purpose church grants than New York, which has about 940 more grants overall. Most of the rest read as general support or give no purpose, which usually means the money is unrestricted.

The limits. These figures cover only foundations in the Grantsights dataset, and filings arrive a year or more late. Gifts to churches recorded under other names are missed.

You can see how many foundations gave to churches in Texas for free, with a sample foundation shown in full. Grantsights sells the full list for $29: every foundation that reported grants to churches and ministries in Texas on its own IRS Form 990-PF filings, with what it gave, to which church or ministry, for what, and a link to its filings. It's a one-time payment with a 30-day refund. Our guide to foundations that give grants to churches explains how to read a 990-PF before you call.

What the Texas Constitution Says About Public Money and Churches

Texas has one of the plainest no-aid clauses in the country, and it's still in the text. Article I, Section 7 of the Texas Constitution, dated February 15, 1876, reads: "No money shall be appropriated, or drawn from the Treasury for the benefit of any sect, or religious society, theological or religious seminary; nor shall property belonging to the State be appropriated for any such purposes."

Three U.S. Supreme Court decisions changed how a clause like that can be used:

• Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer (2017): Missouri couldn't deny a church preschool a playground resurfacing grant solely because it was a church.
• Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020): Montana's no-aid clause couldn't be applied to shut religious schools out of a scholarship program.
• Carson v. Makin (2022): Maine couldn't exclude religious schools from tuition payments because of how they'd use the money.

The Texas Attorney General has applied those cases to Section 7. In Opinion KP-0439, issued March 20, 2023 on a school-choice question, the Attorney General concluded that Article I, Section 7 and Article VII, Section 5(c) "violate the First Amendment and are unenforceable," and that any state action that excludes religious schools from otherwise available public benefits "based solely on religious affiliation violates the Free Exercise Clause." The opinion was written about schools, but it rests on the same cases, including Trinity Lutheran, which was a church grant case.

The Attorney General has also sued a state agency over religious-activity rules. On November 24, 2025, the office announced a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs over rules that bar religious activities in programs it funds for homeless and low-income Texans. Grantsights didn't find a ruling in that case as of October 15, 2026.

What this means for a Texas church in practice:

1. An attorney general opinion isn't a court decision. It tells you how the state's lawyer reads the law. It doesn't erase Section 7.
2. Federal pass-through money keeps federal rules. Most of what Texas agencies pass to churches (security grants, food programs, EFSP) is federal. The federal ban on paying for worship, religious instruction, or proselytization still applies, as our government grants for churches guide explains.
3. A "no churches" line in a state program is a red flag, not a final answer. If a Texas program open to nonprofits excludes churches only for being churches, cite KP-0439 and ask the agency to explain, and talk to a lawyer.

Texas Historic Preservation Money a Church Can Use

Texas is friendlier to historic church buildings than most states, and both of its main preservation tools accept congregations. Grantsights checked each on the Texas Historical Commission site on October 15, 2026.

Texas Preservation Trust Fund (TPTF). According to the FY2027 TPTF grant guide, the fund awards competitive matching grants, typically $10,000 to $50,000, paid as reimbursement. The FY2027 guide says the program "is open to all types of entities," but the property must have a National Register, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, State Antiquities Landmark, or Held-in-Trust designation. Terms that matter for a church:

• Match: at least $1 of the applicant's own cash for every grant dollar; up to half the match can be in-kind if the THC agrees.
• Money: $330,000 was available statewide for FY2027, so it's small and competitive.
• Status: the FY2027 cycle is closed. The THC received 41 applications by February 2, 2026 and expects final awards in October 2026. The FY2028 cycle is expected to open in early December 2026.
• Easement: development grants require a preservation easement, 10 years for grants under $10,000 and up to 30 years above $50,000. Check with your lender and denomination before applying.

Churches do win these, though rarely. The THC's awarded projects list for FY2020 to FY2026 shows 80 awards, and 7 of them were for projects at missions, churches, cathedrals, or a historic temple. Specifically, the list shows $50,000 for Old Socorro Mission (FY2026), $30,000 for Ruidosa Church (FY2025), $30,000 for San Agustin Cathedral (FY2020), and $12,000 for Reedy Chapel AME Church in Galveston (FY2020).

Texas Historic Preservation Tax Credit. This is the bigger tool for a church with a large repair bill. The state credit equals 25% of qualified rehabilitation expenses, and it's open to nonprofit-use buildings. The THC's state tax credits for nonprofits page lists religious organizations by name and explains that a tax-exempt owner sells the credit to a corporation that pays the Texas franchise or insurance premium tax, which turns it into cash. The requirements:

• The church must own the building or hold a lease of at least 39 years.
• The building needs a state or federal historic designation, or a determination that it's eligible.
• At least $5,000 must be spent on architectural work that meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards.
• Part A and Part B applications should go in before construction starts; work that fails the Standards can lose the credit.

As a hypothetical: a church that spends $400,000 on qualifying roof, masonry, and mechanical work would earn $100,000 in credits, which it could then sell. The sale price depends on the market, and the THC doesn't give financial advice. Our church building repair grants guide covers the federal 20% credit and national preservation funds.

Texas Security Grants for Churches: Apply in January

Texas runs the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) through the Office of the Governor's Public Safety Office, and its calendar catches churches off guard. The FY2026 Texas NSGP funding announcement opened in eGrants on January 12, 2026 and closed March 12, 2026, months before FEMA posted the federal notice in June. The FY2024 and FY2025 rounds ran January 15 to March 14, 2024 and January 13 to March 13, 2025.

The FY2026 announcement listed a maximum of $200,000 per site with no match requirement.

Texas-specific requirements from the FY2026 announcement and the Public Safety Office's NSGP pre-application guide:

• A governing-body resolution authorizing the application and naming the authorized official and financial officer.
• Full SAM.gov registration, not just a Unique Entity ID. The guide says Texas law requires a full registration for the life of the grant.
• A 9-digit State Payee Identification Number to start the eGrants application, plus a direct deposit form and W-9.
• A mission statement, a site vulnerability assessment, and an Investment Justification for each site.
• Churches don't need an IRS letter. The guide says faith-based organizations may be exempted from proving 501(c)(3) status, since churches aren't required to file for exemption.
• Older buildings take longer. Buildings 45 years or older can expect added environmental and historic preservation review, which can take months.

The FY2026 project period runs September 1, 2026 to February 28, 2029. According to USAspending data on USAspending.gov for Assistance Listing 97.008, NSGP obligations to Texas were $30.9 million in FY2025 and $30.6 million in FY2024. Grantsights didn't find a separate state-funded security grant round on the Governor's eGrants funding list as of October 15, 2026. If the January pattern holds, the next window is about three months away, so the assessment and SAM registration should start now. Our church security grants guide covers scoring, which gives houses of worship a 3x multiplier.

Food Programs: TEFAP, the Food Bank Network, and EFSP

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) runs TEFAP, and a church pantry reaches it through a food bank, not the state. TDA's state plan says TDA contracts with food banks whose service areas cover every Texas county, and it delegates to food banks the authority to sign written agreements with "subagencies," the pantries and soup kitchens that hand out food. Feeding Texas lists 20 food banks serving all 254 counties.

According to USAspending data for Assistance Listing 10.568 on USAspending.gov, TEFAP administrative funds obligated to Texas were $7.9 million in FY2025. Part of that is passed down to food banks for storage and distribution, which is why a food bank may ask its pantries to keep records and attend training.

Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). EFSP is the closest thing to a federal cash grant a church pantry can get. The National Board's Phase 43 (FY2025) allocations gave Texas $10.15 million in all: awards to 118 local jurisdictions plus $458,858 for the Texas State Set-Aside Committee. The largest local awards went to Houston/Fort Bend/Harris ($2.03 million), Dallas/Collin/Denton ($1.62 million), Austin/Travis/Williamson ($759,374), Tarrant County ($712,658), and Bexar County ($632,454). A church in one of those areas applies to its Local Board, usually convened by the local United Way. A church in a county with no award can ask about the State Set-Aside Committee.

The rules on religious activity are the same as everywhere: no worship, religious instruction, or proselytization paid for with the federal money, and participation in anything religious has to be voluntary. Our church food pantry grants guide covers TEFAP paperwork and summer meals.

Texas Denominational and Regional Funders Grantsights Verified

Grantsights checked these on their own sites on October 15, 2026. Both are useful, and both have limits a church should know before applying.

• Texas Methodist Foundation (TMF). TMF's grant page funds faith-based social impact programs and services for people living in poverty in Texas and New Mexico. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations, and TMF generally won't fund capital expenditures, endowments, annual fund campaigns, or debt. The 2026 cycle is closed; the 2027 application window runs April 15 to May 31, 2027, with awards in November 2027. TMF also makes loans to churches.
• Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF). EHF funds health work in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas service area, but its guidelines exclude "grants for religious purposes or congregational ministries," and applicants need an IRS determination letter. A church-sponsored clinic or health nonprofit with its own 501(c)(3) is the realistic applicant. The 2027 Cycle 1 letter of inquiry window opens November 9, 2026 and closes November 30, 2026.

What Texas Church Grant Lists Don't Tell You

Grantsights compared the state program rules and the 990-PF records against how church grant lists usually describe Texas, and five gaps stand out.

1. The Texas security deadline comes first. Lists point to FEMA's summer notice. In Texas, the state's own window has closed by March, so a church that waits for FEMA misses the round.
2. Section 7 still reads like a ban. It isn't being enforced against religious applicants to neutral programs, according to the Attorney General, but a cautious agency employee may still quote it. Know KP-0439 before you call.
3. Historic designation is the real gate. TPTF and the state tax credit both need a National Register or Texas landmark designation, or a determination of eligibility. A church without one should start the designation process before anything else; it can take longer than the grant cycle.
4. The tax credit pays only after the work. Credits are certified after completion and then sold, so the church has to finance the project first. TPTF also pays as reimbursement.
5. Most Texas foundation money is local and tied to relationships. Two-thirds of the 2,204 funders gave to one recipient. A common mistake is mailing a general letter to every foundation on a list. Start with the multi-church funders in your own metro.

A 90-Day Plan for a Texas Church

1. Weeks 1 to 2: Register in SAM.gov (full registration, not just a UEI) and get a Texas Payee ID. Both are needed for the January security window and most state pass-through money.
2. Weeks 2 to 6: Complete a site vulnerability assessment and draft a board resolution for the NSGP application. CISA's free self-assessment is a starting point.
3. Weeks 3 to 8: If the building is 50 years old or more, ask the THC's National Register staff whether it's listed or eligible, and get repair estimates. Note the early December TPTF opening.
4. Weeks 4 to 10: Call the food bank that serves your county about becoming a TEFAP subagency, and ask your local United Way when the EFSP Local Board meets.
5. Weeks 6 to 12: Build a short list of foundations that gave to several churches in your metro and request their current guidelines.

Use the free eligibility checker to see which open grants fit your congregation, and the church grant path index to compare security, food, youth, and building routes. Churches in other Southern states can compare Florida church grants and Georgia church grants.

Sources Checked

All sources were checked on October 15, 2026:

• Texas Constitution, Article I (Sections 6, 6-a, and 7)
• Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-0439 (March 20, 2023) and the November 24, 2025 release on the TDHCA lawsuit
• Texas Historical Commission: Texas Preservation Trust Fund, FY2027 grant guide, TPTF awards FY2020 to FY2026, state tax credits for nonprofits, and tax credit FAQ
• Office of the Governor eGrants: FY2026 NSGP announcement, funding archive, and NSGP pre-application guide
• Texas Department of Agriculture: TEFAP program page and TEFAP state plan; Feeding Texas
• 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
• Texas Methodist Foundation grants; Episcopal Health Foundation grant opportunities
• Grantsights analysis of Form 990-PF grant records, as of October 2026