Grants for Spiritual Work

Grant funding is available for spiritual work, including ministry, community programs and support, if the applicant meets the program criteria of the presenting foundation. A grant is money given to an individual or group to be used for specific purpose. It does not have to be repaid. Some grants are for specific religions only, while others serve a broader range of causes.

The M.J. Murdock Trust, based in Vancouver, Washington, provides grants to spiritual organizations that work in the Pacific Northwest area. The amount and length of the grants vary by program and recipient. The Council for Christian Colleges & Universes was a recipient of a $248,000 grant from the trust in 2009 -- payable in installments over three years-- for the development of a spiritual leadership program.

The Nathan Cummings Foundation in New York provides a different grant opportunity each year under the Jewish Life and Values Program. The money is for groups and organizations performing Jewish spiritual or social work within the theme for the specific grant. Grant amounts depend on the scope of the project; priority is given to associations trying to reach the younger members of the Jewish community.

The Maclellan Family Foundation gives various grants to groups seeking to support Christian spiritual causes in the U.S. and foreign countries. The foundation is comprised of the Maclellan Foundation, Inc., the Christian Education Charitable Trust and the Robert L. and Kathrina H. Maclellan Foundation. Requests for grants from all three associations must be made through the Maclellan Family Foundation; which group ultimately funds the request and the amount is decided by the foundation itself.

The Alavi Foundation based in New York provides grants to non-profit corporations that wish to build Islamic centers to meet the educational and spiritual needs of Muslim community members. The grants and loans available are specifically for the construction or purchase of a center location, and the applying group must raise at least one-third of the total funding needed from community members. Individuals and charity groups who cannot afford to purchase Muslim spiritual literature can apply to the foundation to receive the books for free.