MTF FUND is a religion-focused private funder that concentrates almost exclusively on supporting local congregations and denominational ministries for clergy development. Their grants are targeted to church partners—particularly evangelical, Anglican, and Presbyterian congregations—for pastor training, education, and capacity-building rather than general community services. Funding is national in scope but consistently directed to parish-level ministries and leadership formation. Repeat awards to the same churches suggest a long‑term, relationship-driven approach to strengthening pastoral leadership.
Concentrated, relationship-based giving: mid-sized grants (roughly $50k–$200k) often repeated to the same congregations and church networks nationwide, focused almost entirely on religious leadership formation rather than diversified programmatic funding.
Mtf Fund’s largest recent grant in the provided data went to Trinity West Seattle for training and education for pastors, a clear sign that clergy development sits at the center of its grantmaking. Across the recent grants list, the funder repeatedly backs congregations and church networks that are building pastoral capacity rather than broad community programs. The recipients include evangelical, Anglican, and Presbyterian churches, with awards tied to pastor training, continuing education, and ministry formation. The pattern is relationship-based and institutional. Christ Church Sierra Madre appears multiple times across 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Orlando Grace also returns in more than one year, showing that the foundation supports organizations over time rather than through isolated gifts. Other awards reach churches in Seattle, Fort Myers, Chicago, Falls Church, and Washington, DC, reflecting a national portfolio of parish-level ministry support. The foundation’s giving is substantial enough to fund both large and mid-sized church grants, with individual awards often designed to support leadership development inside local congregations. That emphasis makes Mtf Fund a religion-focused private funder with a consistent focus on pastoral formation and church capacity.
Pastoral training is the foundation’s most visible focus. It gave $153,264 to Four Oaks Church for training and education for pastors, and $107,000 to The Summit Church for the same purpose. Anglican and Presbyterian congregations also appear in the recent grants list. Mtf Fund awarded $92,280 to Church of the Ascension (pa) for training and education for pastors, and $71,150 to Ponce Presbyterian Church for the same category of support. The foundation also backs continuing education and leadership formation within local churches. In Chicago, it gave $106,048 to Holy Trinity for pastor training, and in Alexandria, it awarded $78,250 to Christ the King Anglican for the same purpose. These grants point to a narrow, ministry-specific funding strategy centered on clergy development. Repeat support for churches in Florida and California suggests that the funder follows congregations over time as they build leadership capacity.
Typical grants fall in a middle-to-upper operating range, with a p25 of $25,000, a median of $40,350, and a p75 of $70,488. The recent awards show both larger leadership-development grants and smaller follow-on gifts, but the center of gravity remains in church-based training support. The pattern is recurring rather than one-off. Christ Church Sierra Madre, Orlando Grace, Church of the Ascension (pa), and Four Oaks each appear more than once across the recent grants list, indicating ongoing relationships with recipient congregations. The funder is a private foundation led by Matt Rusten. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$2.8M
$29.2M
$599K
$7.3M
Most grants fall between $25K and $70K, with a median of $40K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$40K
75th Percentile
$70K
About 2% of grants go to recipients in FL.
MATT RUSTEN
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Notable grantees: Christ Church Sierra (Christ Church - Sierra Madre), Trinity West Seattle, Orlando Grace / New City Orlando, Church of the Ascension (PA), Church of the Redeemer
Grantmaking is national, and all recent grants in the provided data went to U.S. recipients. Washington, DC stands out as the top state by grant count, but Kansas recipients account for only 2% of grants. Recent awards cluster in several cities, including Seattle, Tallahassee, Sierra Madre, Fort Myers, Chicago, Falls Church, Orlando, and Washington, DC. California and Florida show repeated activity through multiple church recipients, while the list also reaches Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Arizona, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Illinois.
Mtf Fund mainly supports pastor training, continuing clergy education, and church leadership development. Recent grants repeatedly name the purpose as "training and education for pastors," with support going to local congregations such as Trinity West Seattle, Four Oaks Church, and Holy Trinity.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to several churches across multiple years, including Christ Church Sierra Madre, Orlando Grace, Church of the Ascension (pa), and Four Oaks. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated grants.
Typical grant sizes cluster around $40,350 at the median, with a p25 of $25,000 and a p75 of $70,488. The recent grants list also includes larger awards such as $170,078 to Trinity West Seattle and $153,264 to Four Oaks Church.
The recent grants show support going to faith-based congregations and church staff serving pastors and clergy. Recipients include evangelical, Anglican, and Presbyterian churches such as Church of the Ascension (pa), Christ the King Anglican, and Ponce Presbyterian Church.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRINITY WEST SEATTLE | SEATTLE, WA | $117,354 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| REALITY SF | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $116,500 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| FOUR OAKS CHURCH | TALLAHASEE, FL | $99,288 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| RENEWAL CHURCH OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $95,380 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| HOPE BIBLE CHURCH | PHOENIX AZ, AZ | $88,800 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| MOUNTAIN VIEW CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE | TUMWATER, WA | $83,174 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| VINTAGE CHURCH PASADENA | PASADENA, CA | $81,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS | CROZET, VA | $80,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| LIVING FAITH BIBLE FELLOWSHIP | TAMPA, FL | $78,912 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| SEATTLE NEW LIFE FELLOWSHIP | KIRKLAND, WA | $78,520 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| PONCE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | ATLANTA, GA | $69,155 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| THE ABBEY AT PAWLEY'S ISLAND | PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC | $68,250 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| REDEEMER BIBLE CHURCH | GREENWOOD, IN | $68,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| CHURCH OF THE CROSS | BOSTON, MA | $66,364 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| FAITH EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH | ACTON, MA | $65,905 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $65,536 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| CHRIST CHURCH MADISON | FITCHBURG, WI | $65,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| CHRIST THE KING ANGLICAN | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $61,970 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| CITYLINE BIBLE CHURCH | NILES, IL | $61,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| ST ANDREW'S ANGLICAN CHURCH | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $58,300 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| LIFESPRING E-FREE CHURCH | SPRING GROVE, IL | $57,500 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| HILLCREST BIBLE CHURCH | OREGON, WI | $57,360 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| NEWCITY ORLANDO | ORLANDO, FL | $57,052 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| RENEW CHURCH OC | BREA, CA | $56,300 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| TRINITY CHURCH LAKE NONA | ORLANDO, FL | $55,300 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| REDEEMER ANGLICAN CHURCH | RICHMOND, VA | $54,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| OVIEDO CITY CHURCH | OVIEDO, FL | $52,950 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| THE KING'S CHURCH | LAKELAND, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| ST BARTHOLOMEW'S CHURCH | DALLAS, TX | $48,700 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| CHRIST THE KING ANGLICAN CHURCH - MARIETTA GA | MARIETTA, GA | $48,700 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| NEW SONG COMMUNITY CHURCH | BALTIMORE, MD | $47,914 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| HOLY TRINITY CHURCH | CHICAGO, IL | $44,168 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| GRACE BIBLE CHURCH OF OXFORD | OXFORD, MS | $42,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| ST JOHN'S ANGLICAN CHURCH | SOUTHHAMPTON, PA | $41,565 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| GRACEPEACE CHURCH | OOLTEWAH, TN | $40,684 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| GREENBRIAR CHURCH | ALBANY, GA | $40,050 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| CHRIST CHURCH - SIERRA MADRE | SIERRA MADRE, CA | $39,612 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| NAMPA COLLEGE CHURCH | NAMPA, ID | $39,500 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| LIFEPOINT CHURCH - HOUSTON TX | LEAGUE CITY, TX | $34,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| ALL SAINTS ANGLICAN CHURCH (NEWPORT) | NEWPORT, NC | $33,500 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| THE LOCAL CHURCH - GRAND RAPIDS | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $32,378 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| LOFT CITY CHURCH | RICHARDSON, TX | $28,500 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $27,787 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| ORLANDO GRACE CHURCH | ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| ALL SAINTS ANGLICAN CHURCH (DURHAM) | DURHAM, NC | $24,300 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| FIRST BAPTIST MANSFIELD | MANSFIELD, TX | $20,440 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| NEW CITY CHURCH | LAWRENCEVILLE, GA | $16,016 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| TRINITY EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH | WINDSOR, VT | $13,200 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| FIVE OAKS CHURCH | WOODBURY, MN | $12,188 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
| THE GROVE CHURCH | CLERMONT, FL | $10,948 | 2026 | TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS |
TRINITY WEST SEATTLE
$117,354TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
REALITY SF
$116,500TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
FOUR OAKS CHURCH
$99,288TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
RENEWAL CHURCH OF CHICAGO
$95,380TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
HOPE BIBLE CHURCH
$88,800TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
MOUNTAIN VIEW CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
$83,174TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
VINTAGE CHURCH PASADENA
$81,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS
$80,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
LIVING FAITH BIBLE FELLOWSHIP
$78,912TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
SEATTLE NEW LIFE FELLOWSHIP
$78,520TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
PONCE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$69,155TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
THE ABBEY AT PAWLEY'S ISLAND
$68,250TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
REDEEMER BIBLE CHURCH
$68,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
CHURCH OF THE CROSS
$66,364TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
FAITH EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH
$65,905TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION
$65,536TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
CHRIST CHURCH MADISON
$65,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
CHRIST THE KING ANGLICAN
$61,970TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
CITYLINE BIBLE CHURCH
$61,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
ST ANDREW'S ANGLICAN CHURCH
$58,300TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
LIFESPRING E-FREE CHURCH
$57,500TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
HILLCREST BIBLE CHURCH
$57,360TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
NEWCITY ORLANDO
$57,052TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
RENEW CHURCH OC
$56,300TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
TRINITY CHURCH LAKE NONA
$55,300TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
REDEEMER ANGLICAN CHURCH
$54,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
OVIEDO CITY CHURCH
$52,950TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
THE KING'S CHURCH
$50,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
ST BARTHOLOMEW'S CHURCH
$48,700TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
CHRIST THE KING ANGLICAN CHURCH - MARIETTA GA
$48,700TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
NEW SONG COMMUNITY CHURCH
$47,914TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH
$44,168TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
GRACE BIBLE CHURCH OF OXFORD
$42,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
ST JOHN'S ANGLICAN CHURCH
$41,565TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
GRACEPEACE CHURCH
$40,684TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
GREENBRIAR CHURCH
$40,050TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
CHRIST CHURCH - SIERRA MADRE
$39,612TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
NAMPA COLLEGE CHURCH
$39,500TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
LIFEPOINT CHURCH - HOUSTON TX
$34,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
ALL SAINTS ANGLICAN CHURCH (NEWPORT)
$33,500TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
THE LOCAL CHURCH - GRAND RAPIDS
$32,378TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
LOFT CITY CHURCH
$28,500TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION
$27,787TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
ORLANDO GRACE CHURCH
$25,000TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
ALL SAINTS ANGLICAN CHURCH (DURHAM)
$24,300TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
FIRST BAPTIST MANSFIELD
$20,440TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
NEW CITY CHURCH
$16,016TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
TRINITY EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH
$13,200TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
FIVE OAKS CHURCH
$12,188TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
THE GROVE CHURCH
$10,948TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR PASTORS