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Trust & transparency

How ChurchLend may earn money, and what we'll never let it change.

Plain English. No fine print. This page explains every way we may earn revenue, the editorial outputs we keep locked off from that revenue, and what to look for when something on the site IS paid.

The short version
  • ChurchLend is not a lender. We do not originate, fund, service, or guarantee loans.
  • We may earn referral fees, partnership fees, or run ads on non-editorial surfaces.
  • Compensation does not change our rankings, ratings, calculators, or scoring.
  • Paid placements are always labeled. If you spot one that isn’t, tell us.
Last updated 2026-05-11. Reviewed at least annually and immediately when our compensation arrangements materially change.
The setup

What ChurchLend is, and what it isn't.

What we are

An independent platform that helps congregations evaluate loan readiness and connects them with vetted financing partners. We build calculators, a readiness assessment, a lender directory, a grants database, and editorial guides.

What we are not

Not a lender. We do not originate, fund, service, or guarantee loans, hold deposits, broker loans, or provide financial, legal, or tax advice. Content here is educational. Actual loan terms depend on a lender's underwriting of your specific church.

Money flows

The three ways we may earn money.

Any one, none, or all of these may be active for a given lender or partner at any time. The presence or absence of a paid relationship is not a quality signal.

Affiliate / referral fees

When a church we connect with a lender completes a loan, that lender may pay ChurchLend a referral fee. The fee does not change the rate, fees, or terms the church receives. It is paid out of the lender’s own acquisition budget.

Partnership / listing fees

Certain lenders may pay to be highlighted as partners or to appear in featured placements. Where this is the case, the placement is labeled. Whether a lender pays does not determine whether they appear in the directory or their editorial rating.

Advertising on adjacent products

We may run ads or sponsored content on non-editorial surfaces such as the newsletter or future paid products. Sponsored content is always labeled as such.

What stays locked

Compensation cannot change these four things.

Editorial output is determined independently of any compensation we may receive. This is the line we hold.

Rankings and ratings

Lender ratings, rankings, and verdicts are computed against the same published methodology for every lender. Compensation status is not an input.

Calculator results

Every calculator runs the same math regardless of which lender a user might eventually contact. Affordability, DSCR, LTV, and break-even reflect your inputs, full stop.

Assessment scoring

The readiness score reflects the seven factors lenders weight, applied uniformly. No lender pays to influence scoring weights.

Editorial coverage

Articles, state guides, and lender reviews are written by our editorial team. Compensation does not determine which lenders we write about or how favorably we cover them.

If we ever find ourselves in a position where a compensation arrangement could reasonably appear to influence a piece of editorial output, we disclose it at the top of the affected page, above the content.

Definitions

What "vetted partner" actually means.

Lenders described as ChurchLend partners have been reviewed against our methodology and have agreed to a basic standard of conduct with churches we refer: responding to inquiries within a reasonable window, not engaging in bait-and-switch pricing, and honoring the loan ranges and terms they list publicly.

Partner status reflects a working relationship. It is not a guarantee of approval, rate, or fit for your specific church. We can introduce you; we cannot underwrite for the lender.

Labeling

How to spot a paid placement on this site.

Look for these three signals. If you see content that should carry one of them and doesn't, tell our editorial team.

Partner
Partner badge

On lender directory listings where ChurchLend has an active partnership with the lender.

Sponsored
Sponsored content

On articles, sections, or surfaces that are sponsored rather than independent editorial.

Disclosure
Page-top disclosure bar

On any editorial page where a paid relationship could reasonably appear to influence the content.

Your call

Your choice of lender is yours.

ChurchLend can introduce, educate, and compare. We can show you what the seven factors lenders weight look like for your church and run the math on what a loan would cost. We cannot make the borrowing decision for you, and we will never push you toward a specific lender for revenue reasons.

You are free to take an introduction from us and go elsewhere. You are free to ignore our rankings. You are free to contact any lender directly without going through ChurchLend at all.

Questions or concerns?

This disclosure is reviewed and updated at least annually, and immediately when our compensation arrangements materially change. If you believe a piece of content on ChurchLend fails the standards described here, write to us at our contact page and we will investigate.

For our broader editorial standards and the math behind our ratings, see our methodology.