Plain-language grant guidance
Can churches get government grants in Australia?
Often yes—but eligibility usually belongs to a legal entity and a defined public-benefit project, not to ‘a church’ in the abstract.
Check the applicant, project, location and excluded activities separately. A church can be an eligible not-for-profit while worship, proselytising or routine operating costs remain ineligible.
What funders usually test
Government programs commonly ask whether the applicant is incorporated, has an ABN, operates in the target area and can enter an agreement.
- Correct legal entity
- Eligible project location
- Public or community benefit
- No excluded religious activity in the funded scope
How to describe mixed-use projects
Be direct about religious and community use. Separate costs and outcomes instead of relabelling worship activity as community activity.
- State who can access the project
- Separate eligible and ineligible costs
- Explain governance and safeguards
- Ask the funder when the boundary is unclear
Official sources and how to use them
This checklist is editorial guidance. The sources below explain specific concepts or program examples; they do not make every church or project eligible.
- ACNC: legal structure
Explains legal identity, decision-making and the relationship between a governing document and the entity recorded against an ABN.
- NSW Government: Community Building Partnership 2026 FAQs
A specific program example covering the applicant, project, owner consent, planning approvals and funding contributions. Use it to understand the questions, then check your chosen program’s own rules. This is not an open-round recommendation.
Background links checked 17 September 2026. Each grant record has its own source verification date.
Important boundary
Guidance, not a determination
These patterns help you ask better questions. The current program guidelines and the funder’s decision control.