Guide
Is your church website grant-ready? A checklist
Grant reviewers often look up an applicant's website to understand the ministry and confirm it is active and accountable. Use this checklist to make sure yours answers their questions quickly.
This reflects common funder practice, not any single funder's rules. Always follow each funder's own application instructions.
The checklist
Clear mission statement
Say who you serve, where, and why in a sentence or two on the homepage or About page. Funders want to see that your mission matches their priorities.
Leadership and board
List your pastor or executive leader and your board, elders or governing body, with roles. Many foundations ask about governance, and a public list shows accountability.
Financial transparency
Publish a recent annual report, a summary budget, or a giving and spending overview. Many funders ask for financial statements, and showing them openly builds trust.
Programs and impact
Describe your ministries and outreach with concrete facts you can stand behind: who takes part, how often, and what changed. Photos and short stories help.
Nonprofit or church status
State your legal status plainly, such as your denomination or affiliation, and 501(c)(3) status if you have it. Eligibility rules often depend on it.
Contact information
Show a physical address, phone number and a monitored email address. Funders and reviewers need a way to reach a real person.
Up to date
Remove old events and dead links, and keep staff and service times current. An outdated site can make a ministry look inactive.
Mobile friendly and accessible
Make sure the site reads well on a phone, has readable text and contrast, and uses alt text on images. The W3C's WCAG guidelines are the common standard.
Secure and professional
Use HTTPS, a custom domain and an email address on that domain where possible, and clear, consistent branding.
Common questions
- Do funders look at a church's website?
- Often, yes. Reviewers commonly check an applicant's website to confirm its mission, leadership, programs and legitimacy. Practices vary by funder, so always follow each funder's own instructions.
- Does a better website guarantee a grant?
- No. Funders decide based on fit, eligibility and the application itself. A clear, current website simply makes it easier for reviewers to understand and trust your ministry.
- What should we fix first?
- Start with what reviewers check quickly: your mission statement, leadership list, contact details and a summary of your programs.
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