Church Funders
The following list has been put together by Wendy Coombey, Community Partnership and Funding Officer from the Diocese of Hereford. Wendy offers an advisory service to church groups in Herefordshire only. However many of the funding opportunities below apply to both Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
For church church groups in Herefordshire Wendy's contact details are;
The Palace, Hereford HR4 9BL, 01432 373313
www.hereford.anglican.org
w.coombey@hereford.anglican.org
Allchurches Trust Ltd
Give small grants for preservation of historic church buildings, but the success rate of applications is good. An application for is available and can be downloaded from the website.01452 528533
Web: www.ecclesiastical.co.uk
Email: atc@eigmail.com
Church and Community Fund (formerly the Central Church Fund)
The fund does not specifically deal with church repairs but if it is part of a scheme to make better use of a building then it is worth approaching the fund. The change of name indicates the way the fund is thinking.020 7898 1541/1767
Web: www.centralchurchfund.org.uk
Email: ccf@c-of-e.org.uk
English Heritage/Heritage Lottery Fund
Repair Grants for Places of Worship - Applications from 1st April each year; Grade 1/2* (by end of June) and Grade 2 (by end of September). Projects between £10,000 and £200,000. Repair work must be identified by recent survey - priority for high level repairs. Also project development grants - 75% up to £25,000. Do not fund alterations and improvements, maintenance and minor repairs, conservation work on fixtures and fittings, building services, reinstatement and reconstruction - but consult guidelines.0121 6256820
Web: www.english-heritage.org.uk
Email: westmidlands@english-heritage.org.uk
G C Gibson Charitable Trust
Grants are generally not above £5000. Applications by October each year - grants are make in following January.029 2048 1111
Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust
Small grants are available for maintenance, repair, and improvement of historic church buildings, but not for lighting, heating, decoration or furnishings. Applications by 15th March or 15th September each year.Mrs Sarah de Rohan, Birley Court, Birley Leominster HR4 8ET
Awards for All.
For anything that you can show to have a community value or significance - £300 to £10,000Web: http://www.awardsforall.org.uk/
Your Heritage.
For heritage items, bells, memorials, pictures etc, but need to be a community project which can be demonstrated to make heritage more accessible (leaflets, meetings etc) - £10,000 to £50,000.0121 6166870
Web: www.hlf.org.uk
West Midlands Office, Bank House, 8 Cherry Street, Birmingham, B2 5AL
Historic Churches Preservation Trust (with the Incorporated Church Building Society)
Church building must be over 100 years old. Criteria include quality of building, scale of challenge to community, and urgency. Grants usually begin at £1000 and only exceed £5000 in exceptional circumstances. Will also give loans.020 7600 6090
Web: www.historicchurches.org.uk
Email: director@historicchurches.org.uk
Jill Franklin Charitable Trust
Grants are typically £500 to £1000 for the restoration (not improvement) of churches of architectural importance (half a page in Pevsner). The church should be open to visitors daily. Apply in writing, or by email giving a contact telephone number.apply@jill-franklyn-trust.org.uk
Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
Entrust - churches can be funded under certain elements of the scheme. Discuss your application directly.0161 972 0044
Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
An interim grant scheme which returns, in grant aid, the difference between 5% and the actual amount spent on VAT on eligible repairs to listed places of worship. The Scheme is currently due to continue until the end of March 2011.0845 6015945
The Alan Evans Memorial Trust
Grants to promote permanent preservation of tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest. Two thirds of grants were for around £2000 though higher grants are made. Apply in writing stating why fund are required, what funds have been promised from other sources (eg English Heritage) and amount outstanding. Photographs relating to the work are encouraged. Trustees meet four times a year, though in urgent cases decisions can be made between meetings.020 7753 1000
The Clive Richards Charity Ltd
Grants for churches in the Herefordshire area so its is worth trying. Apply in writing though it does say that the charity's resources are almost fully committed.01432 820557
The Council for the Care of Churches
Small grants are available for conservation of items such as clocks, bells, textiles, wall paintings, historic churchyard monuments etc. You should discuss your particular needs.020 7898 1885
Web: www.churchcare.co.uk
Email: at enquiries@ccc.c-of-e.org.uk
The Dulverton Trust
Though exclusions do include individual churches, an exception is offered for limited support under the preservation category or for heritage projects. Applications should be made in writing. Trustees meet in January, May, July and October (though decisions on small grants can be made more rapidly). Initial enquiries by telephone are welcomed. Applications should be restricted to a letter and maximum of two sheets of paper, and should include the applicant’s registered charity number, a brief description of the background, aims and objectives of the charity, details of the specific appeal for which funding is sought together with the funding target, and the balance of funding outstanding at the time of application. Applications should always include a copy of the previous year’s annual report and accounts. The selection procedure can take between three to six months, so applicants are advised to apply in plenty of time if funding is required by a certain date.020 7629 9121The Garfield Weston Foundation
Religion accounts for the largest number of grants, mostly for less than £10,000. Many churches around the country receive grants for reordering in order to give greater flexibility of use, including assistance with disabled access and creating kitchen and toilet facilities. Applications are considered on an individual basis monthly. It normally takes 3 or 4 months for an application to be processed.020 7399 6565
Web: www.garfieldweston.org
Email: fhare@wittington-investments.co.uk
The Helen Isabella McMorran Charitable Foundation
A small fund which makes grants to Christian activities. Apply in writing. The closing date for applications is February each year.01273 545035
The Idlewild Trust
This trust supports work concerned with the encouragement of excellence in the performing and fine arts and the preservation for the benefit of the public of buildings and items of historical interest or national importance. Applications by post - the website has guidelines. Closing date is March 2007.020 8772 3155 (10am to 4pm on Tuesdays or Wednesdays)
Email: idlewildtrust@lineone.net
The Kathleen Hannay Memorial Charity, and the Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust.
Grants for Christian activities are supported but there are no specific criteria available. Grants are usually between £200 and £30,000. Apply in writing. Applications need to be received by February as trustees meet in March.202 7409 5685
The Kirby Laing Foundation
Grants are made for the support of the Christian Religion. Part of the Laing Family Trusts so an application here is considered for them all. Some of the constituent trusts specifically exclude churches. Applications should say what the money is for, how much is needed, how much has already been found, and where the rest is to come from. They prefer new works not repairs.020 8238 8890
The LankellyChase Charity
Grade 1 listed rural churches in villages with populations of less than 1000 people are considered for grant funding. Evidence of local support is essential. Maximum capital grants are to a maximum of £5000. Applications can be made at any time, but are considered twice yearly - realistically you should allow 6 months. Consult the website.O1235 820044
Web: www.lankellychase.org.uk
The Manifold Trust
Grants given for historic buildings but does not support church improvements. Has a particular interest in bells. They favour 'humble causes'. Apply in writing. Application considered twice a month.01628 820159
The Millichope Foundation
A general funder with a preference for Shropshire. Apply in writing.01584 841234
The Owen Family Trust
Grants to churches with a preference for the West Midlands. Applications in writing. The trustees meet quarterly.0121 526 3131
The Pilgrim Trust
Grants are given through the Historic Churches Preservation Trust and the Council for the Care of Churches.020 7222 4723
Web: www.thepilgrimtrust.org.uk
Email: georgina.naylor@thepilgrimtrust.org.uk
The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts
There are 18 separate trusts within the group which consider different areas of work. The instruction suggests 'write briefly and say what is being done or planned, on the assumption that, if one or more of the trusts is indeed interested in that area of work, they will want to know about what you are doing. A telephone call to do the same is fine. Staff are polite, but wary of people seeking to talk about money rather than issues.020 7410 0330
Web: info@sfct.co.uk
The T B H Brunner Settlement
Grants support heritage and the arts. Apply in writing.0207 727 6277
The Wolfson Foundation
Trustees meet twice a year - appraisal criteria include value and quality, standing of leading participants, aesthetics, financial viability and adequate provision for ongoing costs and maintenance. Grants for churches are made under 'Arts and humanities' - the majority of grants for Anglican churches are made through the Council for the Care of Churches, but that is not reason to try a direct approach. Before submitting an application, write to enquire whether the project is eligible.020 7323 5730
Web: www.wolfson.org.uk
The Worshipful Company of Glaziers & Painters of Glass
Grants towards the preservation and restoration of most medieval stained and painted glass, and post-Reformation glass to the end of the 19th century (later glass must have artistic or historical significance). An application form is available. Applications must be accompanied by a full report and estimate from a glazier (UKIC accredited or equivalent). Applications by begining of February, June,or October (Trust meetings are in March, July and November).020 7403 6652
Web: www.worshipfulglaziers.com
William A Cadbury Charitable Trust
Grants for places of religious worship and associated social projects; conservation of the environment including preservation of listed buildings and monuments. Small grants not exceeding £1000 are awarded monthly, major grants (value unspecified) are awarded twice annually (May and November). An application form is available.0121 472 1464 (am only)
Web: www.wa-cadbury.org.uk
Email: info@wa-cadbury.org.uk