Over the next decade, an estimated 100,000 churches across the country are expected to close. Without planning and community investment, many properties risk vacancy or sale away from community use. With the right vision, partners, and investments, church properties can remain community assets.
Last month, Austin Community Foundation partnered with RootedGood, Texas Methodist Foundation, and Wesleyan Impact Partners to host a statewide convening, Faith & Philanthropy: New Possibilities on Church Grounds. This convening invited funders and faith leaders from across the state to explore how philanthropy can partner with faith communities to sustain and expand mission-aligned services on church properties.
Why is this important?
Church properties have long served as neighborhood anchors, hosting not only worship but also food pantries, voting centers, child care and countless community gatherings. A study from Partners for Sacred Places found that, in a rural community in North Carolina, 91% of visits to church properties were for something other than worship.
With more churches closing each year than opening, the question is no longer if these spaces will change, but how will they evolve to meet community needs. One of our convening partners, Rooted Good, has helped thousands of congregations across the country to reimagine what comes next—transforming properties into food co-ops, child care centers, affordable housing, health clinics or community arts venues.
In Central Texas, rapid growth has created both new opportunities and growing challenges. As the region expands, the demand for affordable housing, quality childcare, and accessible community spaces continues to rise. At the same time, many congregations are beginning to navigate transitions as church property closures become more common. This presents an opportunity for collaboration and creative planning to help address Central Texas’ evolving needs.
Where Vision Meets Community Need
We were lucky to host last month’s convening at the 04 Center, a prime example of reimagining a church property for community good. In 2018, Faith United Methodist Church sold and became home to the 04 Center, a thriving music venue in South Austin and shared space for Austin New Church. When the property transitioned, leaders asked a simple question: “What does this block of South Austin need?” The answer led to investment in sound, lighting, and local expertise to create a respected venue that serves both artists and neighbors.
Throughout the afternoon, local funders heard from speakers who shared real-world examples of transformation. One highlight was the story of the Parker Lane United Methodist Church in Austin. When faced with the decision to sell, church leaders worked with Foundation Communities to find a mission-aligned path forward. The result was Parker Lane Apartments, an affordable housing development that includes office space for the church. In addition to 135 new units of affordable housing, the property now hosts free after-school child care, adult education classes, regular community meals, and holiday events.
Panel discussions during the event highlighted the importance of philanthropy as a partner and catalyst in this work. Funders can help by providing predevelopment dollars for visioning, supporting community engagement, and lending concessionary capital for redevelopment projects. These early investments are critical in helping a project move forward and preserving these sites for long-term community benefit.
For Austin Community Foundation, this work looks like bringing leaders together across the Central Texas community and investing in organizations who are doing work that advances housing affordability and economic mobility.
What’s next?
Faith and philanthropy have been doing good in their communities for generations, often on parallel paths. The potential closings of thousands of churches in Central Texas presents an opportunity to work together—to help church properties remain places where communities gather, learn, and thrive.
We invite you to look at the assets already in your community and ask: what could they become; who in my community would be ready to partner; what role can I play?
