Churches

Churches are an outstanding feature of our historic, cultural and religious landscape, yet maintaining the fabric, restoration and repair work for churches is costly. There are, however, several sources of grant funding available and you may want to advance your own research by following the links listed below.

Heritage Lottery Repair Grants for Places of Worship:  The scheme is for urgent repairs to the fabric of the building only and is open to all listed places of worship which are in regular use as public places of worship. £10,000 to £250,000 grants. http://www.hlf.org.uk/HowToApply/programmes/Pages/RGPW_England.aspx

Community Churches  The Church and Community Fund (CCF) has grants of up to £15,000 available for projects that take churches out into the community and strengthen the relationship between the church and community. Projects supported by the CCF may include: employing a youth worker, renovating an old church hall for use as a community centre or providing hot meals for the homeless in a church room. The projects must be run by parish churches, deaneries, dioceses and other bodies connected to or working in partnership with the Church of England. Applications are considered at quarterly trustees’ meetings.  For more information: http://www.churchandcommunityfund.org.uk/ or phone 0207 898 1767

Christian Charities  The Anchor Foundation has funding of between £500 and £10,000 a year available to Christian Charities that encourage social inclusion through ministries of healing and the arts. Funding can be awarded for up to 3 years, and can be capital (e.g. chairs, repairs) or revenue funding (e.g. running costs, salaries). For more information: www.theanchorfoundation.org.uk

Church care  You can find a comprehensive guide to funders who support churches by making grants and information on funding for bells, organs and significant tombs in churchyards and churchyard furnishings at: www.churchcare.co.uk/funding.php

The Funds for Historic Buildings  You can also search the Funds for Historic buildings database  by entering your basic details on the use of your religious building (regularly used for worship or changing to different uses). This searchable database search includes grantmaking trusts who may support churches. You can find full details at: www.fundsforhistoricbuildings.org.uk

Heritage link  You can also search on heritage link which is a comprehensive database including sections on historic churches and other buildings, plus churchyards and cemeteries www.heritagelink.org.uk/fundingdirectory/main/search.php

The National Churches Trust  Church repairs are costly with the average bill at around £128,000 according to The Historic Churches Preservation Trust. The National Churches Trust makes grants and you can find out more at:: http://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/

Money for churches  The Leonard Laity Stoate charity has grants of up to £2,000 available to provide support for Methodist churches and organisations and other charities. It supports medical and disability, disadvantage, youth and children, methodism, other churches, community projects and environmental projects. For more information:  www.stoate-charity.org.uk

Church Bells  The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers have grants available for bell restoration. For more information: www.cccbr.org.uk or phone 01403 269743

Racial and social welfare  The Rowntree Charitable Trust has grants available for promoting racial justice and social welfare. They are also particularly interested in funding the work of Quakers (Society of Friends). However, they do tend to fund on a national level. For more information: www.jrct.org.uk

The St Andrew’s Conservation Trust has funding available for the conservation, preservation and restoration of sculptures, monuments and other historic artefacts which are on or attached to a church, or owned by a charity and to which the public has access. For more information write to: S R V Pomeroy, Chair, St Andrew’s Conservation Trust, Duddle Farm, Nr Bockhampton, Dorchester DT2 8QL

The William and Jane Morris Fund has grants of up to £1,000 available for churches, chapels and places of workship built before 1896. The grants are generally for work concerned with decorative features. For more information visit:  www.sal.org.uk or phone 020 7479 7080

Further advice and assistance
If you need further assistance or advice, please contact: Jamie Buckley, Engagement and Funding Officer, East Devon District Council, Tel no: 01395 517569  email: jbuckley@eastdevon.gov.uk

Page last updated on 20 January 2011