Religious Organizations

Businesses and organizations in the Religious Organizations industry (NAICS code 8131, part of the Other Services (except Public Administration) sector) received 122,665 PPP loans totaling $9.25B during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The average loan for this industry was $75,427 — above the national PPP average of approximately $67,000. This reflects the small business character of most participants in this industry, typically sole proprietors and micro-businesses with modest payroll obligations.

97.9% of loans in this industry were forgiven — totaling $9.09B. To qualify for forgiveness, borrowers had to demonstrate that they maintained headcount and compensation levels and used at least 60% of loan proceeds for payroll expenses.

Notable recipients in this industry include THE SALVATION ARMY of WEST NYACK, NY ($10,000,000); DIOCESE OF COVINGTON of COVINGTON, KY ($10,000,000); and LUTHERAN SERVICES FLORIDA, INC of TAMPA, FL ($10,000,000).

The loan amount distribution for this industry shows a more even spread across loan sizes, suggesting a mix of small and mid-sized businesses. Because borrower names are withheld for loans under $150,000, a substantial portion of recipients in this industry may not appear by name in this dataset.

As part of the broader Other Services (except Public Administration) sector — repair and maintenance, personal, religious, grantmaking, civic, and similar organizations. — businesses in NAICS 8131 were particularly reliant on PPP assistance to bridge the gap between declining revenues and fixed overhead obligations during the shutdown period.