Billboards for Churches and Nonprofits: Reaching Communities Where They Are

For churches and nonprofits, the mission is clear: connect with people, build trust, and inspire action. Billboards remain one of the most effective and affordable ways to do exactly that. Whether you want to increase attendance, promote an event, or drive donations, outdoor advertising puts your message in front of thousands of people in your local community every day.

Why Billboards Work for Faith and Nonprofit Organizations

• Trusted and visible
Billboards are seen daily by commuters, families, and neighbors. They provide credibility and visibility that social media ads alone cannot match.
• Proven to drive action
National research shows that 3 in 4 adults take an action after seeing an out of home ad, such as visiting a website, calling, or donating. (OAAA/Morning Consult)
• A recognized spend category
According to the OAAA, Religious, Charitable & Humanitarian Organizations rank among the Top 25 billboard-spending categories in the United States, alongside Legal Services, Healthcare, and Quick Service Restaurants. That repeat investment is evidence that it works. (OAAA Facts & Figures 2024)
• Affordable for local groups
Campaigns can start at $500 to $1,500 per month for static boards in smaller cities, or even less for digital slots purchased by the week or day. (Dash Two)

Evidence It Works

• Eastpoint Community Church (Delaware) combined a billboard with website and local outreach, resulting in a 277 percent increase in Sunday attendance over its campaign. The growth was so significant they had to move into a larger space. (MarketingSherpa)
• United Methodist Church (Illinois) recently invested $2,100 for four months of billboard space to spread a community message: “Hate Divides… Love Unites.” Their leaders said the visibility was worth far more than the cost for raising awareness in the community. (NPR Illinois)
• “He Gets Us” Campaign is one of the largest faith-based advertising initiatives in U.S. history. With hundreds of millions invested, billboards have been a central part of reaching unchurched and younger audiences. The campaign has generated millions of website visits, thousands of prayer interactions, and national media coverage. (Wikipedia)

These examples, from small local congregations to national campaigns, all demonstrate the same truth: billboards raise awareness and drive people to act.

How Churches and Nonprofits Can Use Billboards

• Promote weekly services: Post service times and locations with a simple invitation.
• Seasonal outreach: Easter, Christmas, Ramadan, or year-end donation drives are ideal for short billboard bursts.
• Special events: Promote concerts, youth nights, conferences, and community outreach days.
• Fundraising and awareness: Share your mission and direct people to a donation link with a QR code or short URL.

Measuring Success

You do not need to guess whether a billboard worked.
• Add a unique QR code or short URL to track web visits and donations.
• Use a dedicated phone number for billboard calls.
• Compare attendance or donations during the campaign against your usual baseline.

With these simple tools, you can measure impact as clearly as you would with digital ads.