Spring 2027 Letter of Inquiry window: October 26–December 4, 2026. The Siebert Lutheran Foundation’s Spring 2027 Grant Cycle supports qualified Lutheran churches, ministries, schools, and Lutheran-affiliated community organizations serving eligible locations in Wisconsin and, for one priority area, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This is a charitable funding program for eligible organizations, not procurement. The LOI deadline is December 4, 2026. Applicants who are invited to submit a full application must do so by January 19, 2027. The official site does not publish a specific submission hour or time zone for either deadline.
Funding amount for an individual applicant: No universal award minimum, maximum, or fixed award range is published for the Spring 2027 competitive cycle. Grant requests may cover qualifying programs and operations, and building-related capital requests are considered in both cycles; the capital amount requested must not exceed 10% of the total project budget. That 10% restriction applies to the capital request relative to project budget, not a universal required cash match. The Foundation does not disclose an across-the-board matching percentage or reimbursement arrangement; grant-specific agreements control payment and reporting. General annual giving totals are not individual award limits.
Geography and program restrictions vary by funding priority. Under Growing the Body of Christ (Lutheran leaders, ministries, innovation and congregations), eligible applications can come from Wisconsin or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Under Educating While Sharing the Gospel (Lutheran schools and youth education) and Serving as the Hands and Feet of Christ (Lutheran-affiliated food assistance, health and wellness, youth development, workforce and community services), applications are restricted to Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine and Kenosha counties, Wisconsin. Ordinary non-Lutheran applicants are not eligible; rare exceptions may be considered for projects directly enabling Lutheran ministries.
Applicant and project requirements: Confirm the organization’s denominational relationship with the ELCA, LCMS, or WELS, geographic eligibility and alignment to one of the three priorities through the new Foundant grant portal’s eligibility quiz before opening the LOI. Organizations may hold only one active Siebert grant during a calendar year except for special exceptions approved by staff. Required follow-up reports on existing grants must be current. Proposals are screened for fit, feasible outcomes and organizational capacity; staff may request additional questions or a visit, and the board makes final awards. Awardees must sign the grant agreement and submit outcomes reports.
How to apply: Access the official application instructions and new Foundant grant portal. Existing account holders should check their account rather than create duplicate organizational profiles. Complete the eligibility quiz and submit the LOI by December 4, 2026. Foundation staff normally communicate the LOI decision approximately five business days after the deadline; invited applicants then submit the full application by January 19, 2027. Board decisions are expected by the end of April, with payouts around mid-May subject to individual agreement terms. Contact grants@siebertfoundation.org for grant portal assistance or uncertain eligibility.