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Here is something that stops a lot of small churches before they even start.
You have an idea. You see a need. You feel the pull to do something. But then you think about money. You do not have a budget for this. You do not have extra funds sitting around to fund your ministry. So, you tell yourself maybe someday, when you have more.
I know a church that took a different approach. Pastor Ruth and her congregation did not wait until they had money. They looked at what they already had. And they found resources in places they never expected.
Start With What You Already Have
Ruth’s church started their free marketplace with almost nothing. They had a space that was not being used. They had leftovers from a garage sale. They had tables and shelves already in the building.
They did not go out and buy anything. They did not raise money first. They just looked at what was already there and asked, “What can we do with this?”
That is the first lesson. Funding does not always mean cash. Sometimes it means looking at what you already have and seeing it with fresh eyes.
But as the ministry grew, they needed more. They needed a shed for storage. They needed shelving. They needed totes to organize donations. They needed money for things they did not have.
That is when they discovered something else. I call them relational assets. It is not just about what you have in terms of tangible assets right in front of you. It is about what you have in terms of relationships. Who do you know? Who is part of your church? What connections exist that you have not thought about?
Here are five ways to put those relational assets to work.
5 Ways To Fund Your Ministry Without A Big Budget
1. Look For Grants Your People Can Access
For this church, one of those relational assets turned out to be Thrivent. If you are not familiar, Thrivent is a nonprofit insurance company. A lot of people in their congregation have policies with them.
Thrivent takes all the profits they make and gives them back to the community through their members. Members can apply for action grants. Two a year, actually.
So the church started looking at their people. Who has Thrivent? Who could apply for a grant on behalf of the marketplace?
They used those grants to get things they needed. Shelving. Totes. Money to pay for an ad. Things that made the ministry work better.
It was not about writing a big grant proposal to a foundation. It was about looking at the relationships already in the room and asking, “What could we do with this?”
Your church might have similar connections. Ask your people where they work. Some companies match donations. Some credit unions give back. Some local businesses have grant programs. You will not know until you ask.
2. Do A Simple Fundraiser For One Specific Need
Here is what they did. They did a shoe drive to raise money for a small shed. Just a 10 by 10 plastic shed. They thought that would be plenty of storage for the few things they kept outside.
But God had other plans.
They said, “God has blessed us so richly that last weekend, we had to clean out one of our storage garages that had all of our lawn equipment. The lawn equipment is now in the small shed, and the large storage garage is now for the marketplace.”
They asked for a little. They got more than they expected. And they had to pivot and adjust because the blessing was bigger than the plan.
The key here is they did not try to raise money for everything at once. They identified one specific need and went after it. That made it manageable. That made it something people could get behind.
3. Welcome Volunteers As A Form Of Funding
The grants were not the only way. There were also the volunteers who showed up from the community. Those are relational assets too.
When community members offered to help, the church said yes. Those volunteers brought skills and time and energy. That is a form of funding too. It is not cash, but it is resources.
Think about what it would cost to pay someone to do what volunteers do for free. Sorting donations. Organizing shelves. Greeting people. Cleaning up. That adds up.
There were also older folks in the congregation who said, “We cannot do anything. We are old.” And the church said, “Can you give me an hour a month and simply fold clothes?”
That hour a month is a resource. It is a gift. It is part of funding the ministry.
4. Build Partnerships With Local Organizations
Here is something else. They worked with their local high school. The school has a young adult special needs education section. They do internships.
So now a young man comes over from the high school twice a week. He grows his life skills by sorting and folding clothes for the marketplace.
That is a relational asset. The church had a relationship with the school. They had a heart for including people of all abilities. And that connection became a resource for everyone.
The young man gets to learn and grow. The church gets help. The community gets stronger.
What local organizations might welcome a partnership? Schools. Scouts. Senior centers. Colleges. Nonprofits. You never know who might say yes.
5. Start With What You Already Have
This is where it all begins. Before you ask for anything, look around.
Ruth’s church started with a space that was not being used. They had leftovers from garage sales. They had tables and shelves already in the building.
They did not go out and buy anything. They did not raise money first. They just looked at what was already there and asked, “What can we do with this?”
That question changed everything.
What space is sitting empty in your building? What stuff is gathering dust in storage? What skills are hiding in your congregation? Start there.
What This Means For Your Church
You might be reading this and thinking, “We do not have anyone with Thrivent. We do not have a high school down the street. What do we do?”
Start with the same question. What relational assets do you already have?
Who is in your congregation? Where do they work? What companies match donations? What organizations do they belong to? What connections do they have that you have never thought to ask about?
It might be a member who works at a hardware store and can get a discount on shelving. It might be someone who knows someone at a local foundation. It might be a retired person who has hours to give.
Relational assets are everywhere. You just have to start looking.
A Few Things To Keep In Mind
Start With What You Have
Before you ask for money, look around. What space is not being used? What leftovers are sitting in storage? What do you already have that you can put to work?
Know Your People
Take time to learn about the people in your congregation. Where do they work? What skills do they have? What organizations are they part of? You might be sitting on resources you do not even know about.
Ask About Grants
Find out if your members belong to organizations that give back. Thrivent is one example. But there are others. Credit unions. Local businesses. Family foundations. Someone in your church might have a connection.
Say Yes To Help
When people offer to help, even in small ways, say yes. That hour a month adds up. That volunteer becomes part of the community. You never know what might come from it.
Keep Your Eyes Open
The high school internship came because someone noticed an opportunity. The shed got outgrown because God blessed them more than they expected. Pay attention. You never know what might be next.
What This Looked Like For Ruth’s Church
Let me pull this together so you can see the whole picture.
Ruth’s church started with nothing. Just a space and some leftover stuff.
They looked at what they had and asked, “What can we do with this?”
They noticed their members had relationships with Thrivent. They applied for grants. They got shelving and totes and money for ads.
They did a shoe drive for a shed. God blessed it so much they had to turn the lawn equipment shed into a storage garage for the marketplace.
They welcomed community volunteers. Those volunteers became part of the ministry.
They connected with the high school. A young man with special needs now comes twice a week to learn and help.
None of this required a big budget. None of this required a fundraising campaign. It just required paying attention to the relational assets already in the room.
Your Turn
So here is my question. What relational assets are sitting right in front of you?
Who is in your congregation? What connections do they have? What skills are waiting to be used? What organizations might be willing to help?
You might be surprised by what you find when you start looking.
And if you try it, I would love to hear about it. That is what this community is for. Sharing what is working and encouraging each other to keep going.
One of the things that stands out about Ruth’s church is that they did not try to figure everything out on their own. They paid attention. They asked questions. They learned from others along the way.
That is what this community is for. If you are not already in our Small Church Ministry Facebook group, come join us. It is a place where small church leaders and volunteers can be honest about the struggles and celebrate the wins together. You will find other people who are asking the same questions about funding their ministries and using what they already have.
We would love to have you.
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