Without the benefit of tax dollars, private Christian elementary schools must look elsewhere for funding. Administrators at Christian elementary schools can use grant money to fill the void. Grant money can pay for classroom materials, school facilities, sports programs and other attributes of Christian education, and schools don't need to repay grants. Many nonprofit organizations, businesses and private associations offer grant money to Christian elementary schools, and these schools can apply for government grant money, too.

NCEA Grants

The National Catholic Education Association administers multiple grants designed for Christian elementary schools. The NCEA Social Justice Education Grant provides up to $750 for teachers in a Catholic elementary school for social justice education.

The Michael J. McGivney Memorial Fund grant program provides $12,000 to $25,000 grants to Christian schools, for projects that stimulate research. Only schools in the United States and Canada qualify for the grants. In 2008, the fund awarded six grants totaling $100,000. The Knights of Columbus established the fund in 1980 in memory of its founder.

Regional Grants

Many nonprofit organizations in the United States support regional Christian schools. The Lilly Endowment focuses on education in Indiana’s Christian schools. The endowment provides grant funds to K-12 schools to strengthen the institutions and their educational and research programs. The endowment also seeks to influence teachers by encouraging them and helping them be more effective in the classroom. An ultimate goal of the Endowment involves preparing the next generation of Christian pastors by fostering their education. Schools can earn similar grants from the Bonner Foundation, which provides education grants for Christian schools in central New Jersey, and from the Baptist Christian Ministries, which focuses on the greater New Orleans, La. area. The Asbury-Warren Foundation, established by Josephine Warren Asbury, awards grants for educational and religious organizations in Appalachia. The average grant ranges from $5,000 to $15,000. The annual application deadline is July 31. The grant applications are reviewed, and grants are awarded, during the foundation’s annual award meeting. SunTrust Bank serves as the fund's trustee.

Zimmer Family Foundation

Based in Sarasota, Fla., the Zimmer Family Foundation supports religious and educational programs. The foundation focuses on grants that provide short-term funding for pilot projects, defined as projects that are limited to one or two years. In reviewing proposals, the grant committee looks for applications that show a compelling, verifiable need, a sense of urgency, credibility and the potential to provide an example for similar projects at other schools. The foundation does not provide funding for land or buildings except in special circumstances. The foundation reviews and approves grants twice each year and only supports nonprofit schools.

DEW Foundation

Based in Illinois, this nonprofit charitable organization awards grant money to educational institutions across the United States. DEW follows the principles of Christian teachings and favors schools that follow the same principles. DEW only awards grants to nonprofit Christian schools. Therefore, a school must have 501(c)3 status to qualify for a DEW Foundation grant. Schools must submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) and a proposal to the DEW Foundation to receive consideration. The foundation accepts LOIs sent by email, faxed or mailed. The foundation narrows the applicants based on the LOIs and asks those still in consideration to submit their proposals.

Eustace Foundation

The Eustace Foundation provides grant funding to religious and educational organizations affiliated with the Catholic Church. The foundation focuses its grant awards on the northeastern United States. Cabrini Asset Management, based in King of Prussia, Pa. serves as the administrator for the trust.