How to Apply for a Grant from Siebert Lutheran Foundation

Siebert Lutheran Foundation accepts grant applications through an online process, with instructions and forms available on its website under "Apply for a Grant." Before you apply, confirm that your project fits one of the foundation's three funding priorities — Growing, Educating, and Serving — since the foundation states it supports Lutheran ministries and nonprofits working to Grow the Body of Christ, Educate While Sharing the Gospel, and Serve as the Hands and Feet of Christ. If your work aligns with those priorities and you serve the Lutheran community (with a stated focus on Wisconsin, especially Greater Milwaukee), the steps below walk you through applying.

Step 1: Check Whether Your Project Is a Good Fit

The foundation organizes its funding around three priorities, each with its own initiatives and desired short-, intermediate-, and long-term outcomes. Its site frames this as the question "Is your project a good fit?" — a self-assessment you should complete before starting an application.

• Growing — support for ministries that grow the Body of Christ.
• Educating — work that educates while sharing the Gospel.
• Serving — organizations acting as the hands and feet of Christ, including food pantries and similar community ministries.

The foundation describes its principles as guiding its funding decisions, so read that section before drafting anything. If your project doesn't map to one of the three priorities, applying is unlikely to be productive.

Step 2: Go to the Application Entry Point

On the foundation's website, the "Apply for a Grant" section contains the instructions and forms to apply online. This is the official entry point — the foundation directs applicants there rather than to a downloadable paper packet.

Step 3: Prepare Your Materials

The site does not publish a detailed checklist of required documents in the material available here, so the reliable approach is to open the online instructions first and let them define what you submit. Based on how the foundation describes its process, expect to provide:

• A description of your organization and its Lutheran affiliation or connection.
• The project or program you're seeking funding for, tied explicitly to one of the three priorities.
• The outcomes you expect, since the foundation states it evaluates short-, intermediate-, and long-term outcomes.
• Reporting commitments, because the foundation notes follow-up reporting and outcomes evaluation as part of how it assesses impact.

Step 4: Use the Foundation's Introductory Resources

The foundation offers a "Get the 101 on Siebert's Grant Process!" resource — a starting point for first-time applicants who want the process explained before submitting. It also publishes a Community Impact Report and grantee impact stories, which are useful for understanding the scale and type of work it funds (the 2025 report highlights $4.5M in grants and over $600,000 raised through Siebert Serves). Reading a few grantee stories is one of the fastest ways to calibrate whether your project resembles what gets funded.

Step 5: Submit and Expect Follow-Up

After submitting through the online forms, the foundation's described process includes due diligence and post-award reporting. Plan for a relationship rather than a one-time transaction: you should be prepared to report on outcomes after receiving a grant.

If You're a Donor Rather Than a Grantee

Siebert Serves is a separate track. For the first time in its nearly 45-year history, the foundation accepts funds from donors and foundations aligned with its priorities. Options include unrestricted current or planned gifts and named endowed funds, as well as customized philanthropy solutions for individuals, families, and foundations. This is not a grant application — it's a giving partnership — so don't route a grant request through it.

Common Stumbling Points

• Applying outside the three priorities. The foundation is explicit that its principles guide funding decisions; a strong project that doesn't fit Growing, Educating, or Serving is a mismatch.
• Skipping the fit self-assessment. The "Is your project a good fit?" step exists to save you the effort of a full application that won't proceed.
• Assuming national scope. The foundation's stated expertise centers on the Lutheran community in Wisconsin, especially Greater Milwaukee. If you're outside that geography, verify eligibility before investing time.
• Overlooking the 101 resource. First-time applicants who go straight to the form often miss the process explanation the foundation provides for exactly this purpose.

For current forms, deadlines, and any eligibility details not covered here, work from the "Apply for a Grant" page directly, since that is where the foundation maintains its official instructions.