Churches and faith communities in New Zealand deliver significant social services alongside their spiritual and community functions. Food banks, social housing support, family violence services, community meals, youth programmes, and addiction recovery support are commonly provided by faith communities — often reaching people that mainstream services don't. Accessing grant funding requires understanding the landscape of funders, how faith communities relate to charitable registration, and what funders support.
Churches and faith communities in New Zealand can register as charities under the Charities Act 2005 — and most that receive grants are registered. Charitable registration provides:
The distinction between religious and community purposes
Some funder's narrow their eligibility criteria to exclude "religious purposes" while still funding "community purposes." Faith communities that deliver significant social services typically apply to funders for their community work — food banks, social services, youth programmes — rather than their religious activities. This distinction matters for grant applications: focus on community impact, not religious mission, in applications to non-faith-specific funders.
Gaming trusts — Lion Foundation, Pub Charity, Grassroots Trust, The True Colours Trust, Four Winds Foundation, and others — are major funders of church and faith community work in New Zealand, particularly for social services and community facilities.
What gaming trusts typically fund
Application considerations
Gaming trust applications require demonstrating that the programme serves the broader community, not just church members. A food bank that serves anyone in need regardless of faith is more fundable than an internal church programme. Be specific about community beneficiaries and outcomes.
Regional community trusts — Foundation North, Wellington Community Trust, Canterbury Community Trust, Otago Community Trust, and others — fund faith community work across their regions.
What community trusts fund
Community trusts fund faith community work when it delivers clear community benefits:
- Social services to disadvantaged communities
- Community spaces and facilities used by the broader public
- Health and wellbeing programmes
- Youth development
- Multicultural community initiatives
Most community trusts want to see a clear community needs assessment, evidence of community benefit beyond the congregation, and evidence of organisational capacity to deliver.
Several government funding streams can fund faith community work:
Ministry for Social Development (MSD) contracts
MSD funds social services delivered by community organisations — including faith communities that deliver housing support, food security, family violence services, addiction recovery, and other social services. These are often contracts for specific service delivery rather than open grants.
Lottery Grants Board
Lottery Community is one of the largest grant funders in New Zealand. Faith communities delivering community activities can apply through the Lottery Community fund. The fund is managed by the Department of Internal Affairs. Funded activities must have community benefit beyond the congregation.
Te Ara Manaaki and Neighbourhood Support
Community resilience and neighbourhood support programmes sometimes have funding that faith communities can access to run community events, volunteer coordination, and neighbourhood connection programmes.
Community benefit, not religious mission: funders who support faith communities are funding their community work. Lead applications with the community need you're addressing, who you serve, and the impact you achieve — not with your theological principles.
Inclusive service delivery: demonstrating that your food bank, social service, or programme serves anyone in need — regardless of faith, ethnicity, or affiliation — is critical for many funders.
Track record of community delivery: evidence that you've delivered community programmes reliably, with good financial management, strengthens applications. Testimonials from community members and partner agencies are valuable.
Financial sustainability: funders want to see that faith community organisations have sound financial management and that the programme can continue beyond the grant period (through congregation support, continued fundraising, or other grants).
Partnership with secular services: faith communities that work in partnership with community agencies, councils, and government services demonstrate effective integration with the broader social services system.
Some funders specifically invest in faith community and interfaith work:
Christian philanthropy: several New Zealand foundations have Christian motivations — Tindall Foundation, Laidlaw Research grants, and others provide funding that is particularly open to faith-based applicants.
Islamic philanthropy: New Zealand's Muslim community has growing philanthropic infrastructure, including the Benevolent Foundation Aotearoa and Islamic financial giving channels (zakat, sadaqa).
Jewish community philanthropy: the Wellington and Auckland Jewish communities have small community foundations supporting both Jewish community work and broader social justice work.
Interfaith initiatives: some funders specifically support interfaith dialogue, understanding, and cooperation — including community events and dialogue programmes.
Grant funding is one stream among several for churches. Effective faith community fundraising typically combines:
- Congregational giving (the primary revenue base)
- Events and appeals
- Bequests and legacies (particularly for larger capital projects)
- Government contracts for service delivery
- Grants from community trusts, gaming trusts, and other funders
- Partnerships with local businesses and service clubs
For larger capital projects — building works, significant equipment — churches often run dedicated capital campaigns alongside grant applications, with congregational pledging alongside community and gaming trust grants.
Tahua's grants management platform supports faith-based organisations and community funders working with faith communities — with grant application tracking, compliance management, outcome reporting, and the tools that help faith community organisations manage their funding relationships effectively.