The 2025 Competitive Grant Cycle is an initiative by the First Baptist Church of Phoenix Foundation, aiming to fulfill its missionary legacy by supporting church planting and related activities. The foundation is focused on helping to convert non-believers by providing funding for various initiatives including planting new churches, educating and training pastors, supporting mission and outreach projects, and assisting new churches in need. The overall purpose of the grant is to advance the work of these missions in alignment with the foundation’s vision to foster spiritual growth and community transformation through the expansion of faith-based activities.

The funding scope varies depending on the type of support requested. For new church plants, grants can reach up to $60,000 over a two-year period, with funding approved only for a 12-month period at a time. This means that reapplications must be submitted annually for subsequent funding. Funding for the education and training of planting pastors ranges from $1,000 to $5,000 for individuals, and up to $10,000 for organizations that offer such services. Mission and outreach projects can receive between $10,000 and $20,000 to support activities that align with the foundation’s mission, while grants for supporting new churches in need can range from $10,000 to $30,000, specifically for churches that are under four years old and are not yet financially self-sufficient.

Eligibility for the grant is focused on bona fide churches within the United States or organizations recognized as 501(c)(3) public charities by the IRS. Applicants must be requesting funding in one of the designated focus areas. Furthermore, if applying for funding in more than one area or for multiple projects, separate applications must be submitted. In addition to meeting these criteria, applicants are required to demonstrate funding commitments from other sources that match or exceed the amount being requested.

The grant cycle opens on January 1, 2025, and the deadline for applications is 5:00 PM on March 28, 2025. There will be no exceptions to this deadline. Applications will be reviewed by the Foundation’s Grant Panel in April 2025, and applicants will be notified of award decisions or declines by May 31, 2025. Quarterly progress reports are due for funded projects, with submission dates set for June 30, 2025, September 30, 2025, December 31, 2025, and March 31, 2026.

Applications must be submitted online through the Arizona Community Foundation’s (ACF) website. For churches and organizations without a registered ACF profile, they must first create an account. ACF encourages applicants to complete their profile and submit the application well in advance of the deadline to avoid potential delays. Specific instructions and tips are provided for navigating the online system, including recommendations to prepare application materials offline and to avoid errors.

The review and evaluation process involves a thorough examination by the Foundation’s Grant Committee, who will assess the applications and provide recommendations to the Board of Directors for final approval. The committee will also rely on the applicants’ organizational profiles on the ACF website for additional information about their capacity and history. Final decisions on grants will be communicated by the end of May 2025.