Griffin Church Loans makes church loans starting at $50,000. We define a small church loan as a request between $50,000 and $500,000. Approval is based on your church's finances and the value of the property used as collateral — not on the size of your congregation. We have closed more than 2,000 church loans since 1999, including loans of $75,000, $80,000, and $84,000 to small congregations.
Small churches are often told they are too small to borrow. That is usually a statement about the lender, not about the church. Most banks apply a minimum loan size that puts smaller requests below the threshold where the loan is worth their underwriting time. Griffin was built specifically for church lending, and small loans are a normal part of what we do.
What is the smallest church loan Griffin will make?
$50,000. That is our published minimum. Loans at the lower end of our range are most commonly used for repairs, renovations, and refinancing an existing note — situations where a church needs a specific, contained amount rather than a major expansion.
Our full lending range runs from $50,000 to $35,000,000. The largest single loan we have closed for one church is $35,000,000. Both ends of that range are real, and the churches at the small end are underwritten with the same attention as the churches at the large end.
What counts as a small church loan?
We define a small church loan as a request of $50,000 to $500,000.
We define it by loan size rather than by congregation size on purpose. A church of 80 members with a paid-off building and steady giving may be a stronger borrower than a church of 400 with an existing mortgage and inconsistent income. The number of people in the pews is not what determines the answer. What the church can support in monthly payments is.
Can a small church qualify for a loan?
Yes. The requirements are the same as for any church loan, and there are three of them.
- The church must own real estate to use as collateral. This is not optional. Every Griffin church loan is secured by property. A church that rents its space cannot borrow from us against that space.
- The church must show enough income to cover the payment. This is measured, not estimated. The arithmetic is below.
- The church must have an operating history. Length of time in operation and prior payment history are both part of the review.
Qualification is based on the church's financial position, not on the personal credit scores of the pastor or board members. Churches with damaged credit, missed payments, or a bank that has already declined them are still worth a conversation — we have loan products written specifically for those situations.
How much can a small church afford to borrow?
Lenders answer this with a measure called debt service coverage. It compares the money your church has left over each year after operating expenses against the annual loan payment. A ratio of 1.00 means the church covers the payment exactly, with nothing to spare. Most church loan programs look for something in the range of 1.20 to 1.35.
Here is a worked example. A church brings in $180,000 a year and spends $150,000 a year running the ministry. That leaves $30,000 available to service debt. On a $250,000 loan at 7.5% interest over a 20-year amortization, the payment is about $2,014 a month, or $24,168 a year.
$30,000 ÷ $24,168 = 1.24. That church qualifies on coverage.
What annual surplus does each loan size require?
The table below shows the payment on each loan size and the annual surplus a church would need to reach a 1.20 coverage ratio. You can compare your own numbers against it before you call us.
| Loan amount | Monthly payment | Annual payment | Annual surplus needed (1.20 coverage) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $403 | $4,834 | $5,800 |
| $100,000 | $806 | $9,667 | $11,601 |
| $150,000 | $1,208 | $14,501 | $17,401 |
| $250,000 | $2,014 | $24,168 | $29,001 |
| $350,000 | $2,820 | $33,835 | $40,602 |
| $500,000 | $4,028 | $48,336 | $58,003 |
If your church falls short of these figures, it does not automatically mean no. Coverage is one factor among several, and the amount you request can be adjusted. It does mean the conversation is worth having early rather than after a contract is signed.
What can a small church loan be used for?
Purchase
buying a sanctuary, building, or land
Refinance
replacing an existing mortgage, or paying off a balloon note that is coming due
Renovation
roof, HVAC, security, accessibility, sanctuary improvements
Construction
additions and new facilities
Refinancing is the most common reason a small church comes to us. Balloon payments are the usual trigger: a church took a five-year note, the balloon is due, and the original bank is not renewing.
What does a closed small church loan look like?
A small church in Charlotte, North Carolina came to us to purchase its sanctuary. Griffin closed a $103,200 loan for the purchase.
These are actual closed loans, not projections. We publish loan amounts rather than testimonials because the amount tells you something a testimonial cannot.
Other closings in this range include La Primera Iglesia at $75,000, Dutchman Creek Baptist Church at $75,000, Heart of America at $80,000, Valleyford at $80,000, Full Armour at $80,000, and Voice of Last Day at $84,000.
What if a bank has already turned our church down?
This is common and it is not usually a judgment about your church. Banks apply commercial underwriting standards that assume predictable revenue. Church income is donation-based, seasonal, and does not fit the model. A church can be financially healthy and still fail a bank's screen.
Small loan sizes make this worse. A $75,000 request costs a bank roughly the same to underwrite as a $2,000,000 request and returns a fraction as much. Many banks solve that by setting a floor. The church is not declined on merit; it is declined on size.
We lend only to churches, so a small church loan is not an exception to our business. It is our business.
Is the loan made to the church or to the pastor?
To the church. Griffin makes loans to churches as organizations, secured by church-owned real estate. We do not make personal loans to pastors, and a pastor cannot apply on their own behalf for a personal loan through us.
If your church is considering financing, the application comes from the church, and the property pledged as collateral must be owned by the church.
Does Griffin lend to churches of every denomination?
Yes. We work with non-denominational churches and with nearly all major denominations. Denomination is not a factor in approval. What we look at is the church's financial position, its property, and its operating history.
We have representatives who speak English, Spanish, and Korean.
What happens after we apply?
You share basic church information and recent financials. There is no fee to have your request analyzed.
We present loan terms in writing at no cost or obligation. A proposal is not a commitment to fund.
A commitment can be issued once the loan has been fully underwritten and approved.
Usually includes an appraisal and title work. Closing takes place at a location convenient to the church.
Most churches receive an initial response within one business day. There are no upfront fees to have a request reviewed or a proposal issued.
Talk to us about a small church loan
If your church needs between $50,000 and $500,000, we would like to hear from you — including if you are early in the process and not ready to apply. We would rather start the conversation now than meet you the week a balloon payment is due.
Fredericksburg, VA 22408