Samaritan’s Purse Turns Down $300 Million State Department Grant, Citing Reliance on God and Donors

A major Christian humanitarian organization has stepped away from a proposed $300 million State Department macro grant, saying it intends to continue relying primarily on God and private donors while remaining open to working with the U.S. government during emergencies.

FACT

On August 6, 2026, the U.S. State Department announced nearly $2 billion in planned global health and humanitarian partnerships with faith-based and community organizations. The initiative included roughly $1.4 billion for health programs and $538 million for humanitarian response.

Samaritan’s Purse had been invited to participate in a $300 million, two-year macro grant for disaster response and assistance in prolonged emergencies. In a statement released in late August, Franklin Graham said the organization withdrew after “prayer and discussion.”

Graham said Samaritan’s Purse has historically relied on God and its donors rather than government funding. He also said the ministry remains grateful for its working relationship with the State Department and will continue to be available to partner with the U.S. government in emergency responses, just not through this macro-grant program.

The State Department’s broader initiative is designed to route more U.S. foreign assistance through faith-based and community organizations with established local networks. The announced health component is intended to support more than 2,500 hospitals and clinics and tens of thousands of community health workers.

ANALYSIS

The decision highlights a recurring question for Christian relief organizations: how to cooperate with government when useful while preserving institutional independence, donor trust and a clearly defined religious mission. Samaritan’s Purse is not rejecting all government cooperation; its statement draws a narrower line around this particular large-scale funding arrangement.

The episode also complicates implementation of the State Department’s new faith-based aid model. The department had publicly identified Samaritan’s Purse as a major participant, so the withdrawal leaves an open question about how the money originally intended for the organization will be reassigned.

LATSP COMMENTARY

For readers watching the intersection of Christianity, charity and American public life, this story is about more than a dollar figure. It is a useful case study in how a prominent Christian ministry defines the relationship between its mission, its donors and government partnership.

SPECULATION

It remains unclear how the State Department will reallocate the portion of the humanitarian funding that had been intended for Samaritan’s Purse. Until the department announces a replacement structure, claims about where that money will go would be speculation.

VERIFICATION STATUS — GREEN

The central claims were cross-checked against CBN News, independent reporting from Deseret News and Religion News Service, and the State Department’s August 6 announcement describing the broader faith-based assistance initiative. The article does not infer motives beyond the reasons Samaritan’s Purse publicly gave.

Sources

CBN News — “State Department Turns to Faith-Based Groups in Major Shift on US Foreign Aid,” August 31, 2026.

Deseret News — “U.S. government awarded $300 million to this faith organization. It declined,” September 1, 2026.

Religion News Service — “Samaritan’s Purse turns down $300M from State Department for humanitarian relief,” August 31, 2026.

U.S. Department of State — August 6, 2026 announcement of nearly $2 billion in health and humanitarian assistance to faith-based organizations.