| Drawing on the immense amount of data available | | | | Christian Ministries and Churches. |
| at The Foundation Center, Foundation Search, | | | | The other contention seems to be: How many of |
| Guidestar, and others, one can answer this | | | | these foundations are accepting applications? |
| question. It seems as though there is a | | | | In general, about 54% of all foundations are |
| misconception in the faith community about the | | | | accepting applications at any given moment. |
| number of foundations that state an interest in | | | | Regarding foundations focused on Religion, the |
| religious organizations and are accepting | | | | amount is actually significantly higher with about |
| applications. There are approximately 100,000 | | | | 63% of foundations accepting applications at any |
| foundations in the United States with almost $1 | | | | given moment. |
| trillion in assets. The total number of foundations | | | | This means there are about 40,000 foundations in |
| funding all forms of religious organizations is just | | | | the United States which target Christian Ministries |
| over 50,000. | | | | and Churches. Of these, about 25,000 are actually |
| Of course, this does not tell the entire story for | | | | accepting applications at any given moment. |
| Christian organizations and churches. If we exclude | | | | What is meant by "accepting applications at any |
| foundations funding Atheism (2), Scientology (13), | | | | given moment"? |
| Judaism (7,646), Muslim/Islam (237), Hinduism (2), | | | | Just because a foundation is not accepting |
| Buddhism (322), and Mormonism (323), this | | | | applications today does not mean they will not |
| removes 10,543 foundations. | | | | start funding new applicants tomorrow. |
| Where are the other 40,000 foundations | | | | Foundations periodically stop accepting applications |
| interested in funding religious programs? They | | | | to focus on existing grantees, due to a decrease |
| clearly state an interest in funding Christian | | | | in available funding, or to conduct an internal |
| organizations and churches and many of them | | | | evaluation of their priorities. The 15,000 |
| focus on specific areas of ministry within the | | | | foundations not accepting applications today will |
| Christian community. Let me highlight some of the | | | | not be the same 15,000 foundations not accepting |
| areas in which significant numbers of foundations | | | | applications next month. |
| state a funding interest. | | | | To be totally forthright, there are between 5,000 |
| Funding Area/Number of Supporting Foundations | | | | and 10,000 foundations in the United States that |
| - Christian Schools 1,050 | | | | are consistent in their support of Christian |
| - Religious Colleges and Universities 748 | | | | Ministries and Churches. These are the foundations |
| - Seminaries 2,402 | | | | Here-4-You Consulting focuses on in our daily |
| - Salvation Army 7,002 | | | | work with clients around the world. |
| - Catholic Churches, Schools, Programs 9,040 | | | | How do we know all this? Because this is what |
| - Prison Ministries 137 | | | | we do and where we have been called to serve |
| - Christian Churches (general) 6,986 | | | | in the Kingdom. Some people called to ministry |
| There are 10,000-15,000 additional foundations | | | | serve as missionaries, teach at a Christian School, |
| focused on specific denominations (Presbyterian, | | | | pastor a church, evangelize unreached people, |
| Methodist, Lutheran, etc), evangelical programs | | | | work with the homeless, and engage in many |
| and evangelism, specific countries, or particular | | | | other duties that honor Christ. |
| types of programs and services (homeless, | | | | I feel called to serve Christ by helping all of these |
| feeding, children, discipleship, etc.). | | | | other organizations find the funding and support to |
| So, as you can see, there are HUGE numbers of | | | | continue their ministry and to serve God. |
| foundations interested in funding programs for | | | | |