List of major grant funders
There are a great many grants available for work to church buildings.
Some only fund very specific activities, or support buildings in specific geographic areas. But, there are some who offer grants for general projects to churches across the UK. These also tend to be the major grant givers, those who can give the largest amounts.
This page lists the major grant givers for churches, chapels and meeting houses in the UK.
To generate a full list of potential funders, or for details of specific or local grant givers please search our list of support organisations.
Repair
Heritage Lottery Fund
The HLF has a variety of programmes which might suit your project, if it has a heritage angle. It has recently been announced that the Grants for Places of Worship scheme will close, with the last round in August 2017. Find out more here. Going forward, projects under £100,000 should apply to the Our Heritage programme, and projects over £100,000 consider the Heritage Grants programme, though other programmes may be of interest too. Although heritage is the key aspect of their projects, they do want to see good community involvement and that you are open for use for local people and visitors. We suggest contacting your local office for a chat: www.hlf.org.uk/inyourarea
Garfield Weston Foundation
Gives 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.
Church and Community Fund
Offers funding which helps with imaginative and innovative projects that involve greater outreach into the community.
AllChurches Trust
Has a general fund which responds to requests for financial assistance from Anglican churches, churches of other denominations and the Christian community. The Trust supports appeals from churches for building and restoration projects, repair of church fabric, church community initiatives, religious charities, charities preserving the UK heritage and other charitable causes.
Community
Big Lottery Fund
Has a variety of programmes which might suit your project, if it has a community angle. Get in touch with your local office and have a chat with them.
Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
Gives grants for helping established projects which work in the fields of community support, arts, education & heritage, disability & health.
Dulverton Trust
Provides money to UK registered charities and to organisations with charitable status. Supports a wide range of activities in the following categories: youth and education; general welfare; conservation; preservation, peace and humanitarian support, and Africa.
Heating and lighting
Windows and stained glass
Glaziers' Trust
Gives grants for the restoration and conservation of historic and important stained glass.
William and Jane Morris Fund
Gives grants for the conservation of decorative features.
Churchcare
Grants for the conservation of stained glass and historic plain glazing.
Pilgrim Trust
The trust makes an annual block grant to the Council for the Care of Churches for the conservation of historic contents (organs, bells, glass, monuments etc.) and important structures and monuments in churchyards for places of worship of all denominations.
Organs and music
Arts Council Arts Lottery Fund
Organ appeals in connection with concert and other performances should approach the Arts Lottery Fund. The Heritage Lottery Fund Your Heritage scheme may also be appropriate for major works to historic instruments.
On Organ Fund
Offers grants for the provision and restoration of pipe organs in the British Isles.
Ouseley Trust
Where there is an active choral tradition, this Trust offers grants to promote and maintain a high standard of choral services.
Bells
Sharpe Trust
Grants for the maintenance, repair, and restoration of church bells in England and Wales.
Central Council of Church Bell Ringers
Administers two funds for bell restoration, the Central Council's Bell Restoration Fund and the Fred E Dukes International Bell Fund (for bell restorations outside the British Isles). When funds are available, applications for the Bell Restoration Fund are invited by notices in The Ringing World and on the CCCBR website.
