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Last updated 20th November 2023

Grants and Funding

Grants for churches are available from many organisations and the list on this page contains details for some of the more well known ones.  The links will give you details of eligibility and the application process.  Before making any applications ensure that you check the deadlines for applications and read the relevant guidelines as well as advice on the relevant pages.

Resources for Funding Help and Advice

 

Grants and fundraising advice to help churches achieve Carbon Net Zero

See below for various grants and fundraising advice to help churches reach Net Zero

  • Electric Vehicle Charging Scheme for Charities - this government grant offers up to 75% of the cost of installing an electric vehicle charging point at your church. More information here.
  • The Church Building Council has a set of webinars on how to fundraise for environmental projects here and a list of funders for eco-friendly works here.
  • Community Energy England has a long list of grants here. Not all are available or relevent to churches.
  • The Diocese now offers an interest free Eco-loan for capital works that bring a church building closer to Net Zero here.

Listed Places of Worship VAT reclaimation scheme

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme gives grants covering the VAT on repairs of over £1,000 to listed buildings used as places of worship. Click here for more details and to apply.

Churches that are not listed do not qualify for this grant but could apply for VAT relief for any works which improve accessibility for people with disabilities. Click here for more details.

National Lottery Grants

The National Lottery Heritage Fund offer grants from £3,000 to £5 million to listed church buildings. Applications must have a strong community focus and align with the 10 year heritage strategy which can be viewed here.

 

The National Lottery Community Fund has two funding streams, one for under £10,000 and one for over £10,000. They offer grants to churches for community based projects which can include refurbishing community facilities.

Parish Vision Fund

Parishes can apply to the Diocese of Blackburn's Parish Vision Fund for grants to help parishes with work related to Vision 2026.  You can find more information including criteria for applications and the application form here 

The Church Buildings Council

 The Church Buildings Council offers grants for several types of works to churches. These include:

The Benefact Trust (formally All Churches Trust)

The Benefact Trust has three grants which may be of interest to churches.

  • The Building Improvement Grant offers grants for repairs and improvements to church buildings.
  • The Community Impact Grant offers grants to Christian organisations for projects that will make a positive and transformative impact on lives and communities. 
  • The Roof Alarm Grant offer grants towards the installation of a roof alarm system to protect, prevent and minimise the theft of lead on church roofs. Churches can apply for 50% of the cost of an alarm, up to £2,500. 

The National Churches Trust

National Churches Trust Grant programme supports a wide variety of projects to help churches, people and local communities from repairing a roof to helping to install an accessible toilet.  There are 3 grant programmes but to be eligible for any of them you must have the necessary permission and 50% of the required funding in place (which can include any VAT you are eligible to reclaim through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme). 

 Please contact grants@nationalchurchstrust.org or call 020 7227 1933 to speak to the grants team if you have any questions regarding grant programmes.

  • Large Grants are between £10,000 and £50,000 towards the cost of major urgent structural repair projects costed at more than £100,000 including VAT.
  • Medium Grants are between £3,000 and £10,000 towards project development and investigative work up to RIBA planning stage 1, to support churches preparing for a major project, and in developing their project to the point at which they can approach a major grant funder. Grants will never exceed 50% of the project costs for this phase.
  •  Small Grants are between £500 and £3,000 towards urgent maintenance works and small repairs identified as high priority within a recent Quinquennial Inspection or Survey Report. Also, small investigative works and surveys. Project costs should not exceed £10,000

Garfield Weston Foundation

Garfield Weston Foundation provides funds towards simple but practical projects that enable religious buildings to be used for an inclusive range of charitable purposes by their local communities.  Capital grants include funds towards the instillation of basic amenities such as lavatories and kitchen facilities and for restoration works to historic church buildings.

 

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