Major grant funders for church buildings

Run by Historic England, this new UK Government capital grant scheme supports urgent repairs and essential improvements to listed places of worship in England. Grants ranging from £10,000 to £1,000,000 will be awarded for capital works that keep buildings safe, open and in public use. Any listed place of worship in England can apply, of any faith or denomination, provided it is an active place of worship. Priority will be given to projects in areas of England with the greatest need for investment, and those that bring most community benefit.

The Heritage Fund has a variety of programmes which might suit your project if it has a heritage and community angle. Check their website for what they can fund and details on how to submit an expression of interest, or contact your local fund office for a chat

This foundation gives grants for reordering church buildings in order to give greater flexibility of use, including assistance with disabled access. It also helps fund creating kitchen and toilet facilities and sometimes repairs. Applications are considered on an individual basis monthly. It normally takes three or four months for an application to be processed.

The Benefact Trust supports all Christian denominations across the UK. They have three funding streams 'Community Impact Grants', 'Building Grants' and 'Methodist Grants'. Through the 'Building Grants' programme they can provide capital funding for repair, restoration and improvement projects.

Since 1996, Landfill Operators can choose to re-direct part of their tax bill to local communities near landfill sites rather than paying it to the Treasury. The funds are distributed through Environmental Bodies, which can choose to support the repair and wider community use of historic places of worship. Check postcode eligibility on each individual distributor’s website, or search funds available.

Historic England provides grants for those managing historic sites in England including repairs to historic churches and war memorials. They also provide advice for those looking after historic churches

Cadw’s Historic Buildings Grant programmes can help owners, custodians and communities care for and maintain Wales’ historic buildings; they have programmes for Maintenance and repair and Capital Grants for buildings at risk

Historic Scotland supports projects focused on many aspects of Scotland’s historic environment including churches. Projects include repair and consolidation works, outreach and learning, and interpretation.

The Department for Communities run the Historic Environment Fund for Northern Ireland. There are several streams that may be relevant to your church under the categories of Repair, Regeneration, Research and Revival.

Many local Churches Trusts have grants they can award to help with repairs, but they can also offer valuable support and advice, so we recommend you make contact with them.

The National Lottery Community Fund has a variety of programmes which support projects that benefit community, health and the environment. If your church will be used by a variety of groups, and will be made more useful or more frequently used by the installation of facilities, you may qualify Get in touch with your local office and have a chat with them.

Formerly the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation, they give grants to help established projects which work in the fields of community support, arts, education and heritage, disability and health.

The Benefact Trust supports all Christian denominations across the UK. They have three funding streams 'Community Impact Grants', 'Building Grants' and 'Methodist Grants'. Through the 'Building Grants' programme they can support projects that include new facilities. Their Community Impact Grants support projects that address social challenges, growing congregations and provide outreach.

Grants are provided for the adaptation or improvement of church properties (including new build and the purchase of buildings) with a view to providing improved facilities for use by the church and its work in the community in which it is based.

The Bernard Sunley Foundation is a family grant making foundation that funds projects that enhance lives and provide greater opportunities. Their Community funding can support churches if their improvements benefit the wider community.

Funds capital building projects in England and Wales including demolition and rebuilding of churches, church extensions and upgrades, purchasing buildings to convert to churches, and Christian charities in their local area.

Funds for repair and facilities projects at URC and Congregational denominations, as well as others in the Protestant tradition.

Churches in Wales may be able to access funding for community-developed facilities projects.

This is an umbrella network for a range of social outreach and action projects and often has micro grants available to set up new initiatives.

Heritage action zones are set up by Historic England and work to make historic places, including churches, be more attractive to residents, business, tourists and investors.

Big Local is a programme established by the National Lottery Community Fund that supports resident-led community projects that churches may be a part of.

This fund is available to applications from all Christian denominations and the wider Christian community too. Funding is available for roof alarms to help prevent metal theft, up to 50% of costs, with a maximum of £3,000.

Idlewild supports the conservation of important objects and works of art, including those found in churches.

These are grants for items such as statues, sculpture, murals, paintings, Paschal candlesticks, vestments, Commandment Boards, stained glass, altars and altar frontals. Grants are usually made for new works of art, or occasionally salvaged items.

The Church of England can offer grants for conservation of a wide variety of artworks and objects within Anglican parish churches

The William and Jane Morris grant and Linda Parry grants are both available to churches conserving decorative features, monuments and textiles

Their Heritage Conservation Grants fund works of art and architectural decoration from before 1837

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has a variety of programmes which might suit your project if it has a heritage and community angle. Check their website for what they can fund and details on how to submit an expression of interest, or contact your local fund office for a chat.

This fund, awarded by the Society of Antiquities, provides grants for the conservation of decorative features including stained glass.

The trust makes an annual block grant to the Church of England 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. Applications should go via the Church of England and not the Pilgrim Trust.

Organ appeals in connection with concerts and other performances should approach the Arts Lottery Fund.

Grants for the conservation of organs and organ cases.

Where there is an active choral tradition, this Trust offers grants to promote and maintain a high standard of choral services.

This fund offers grants for the provision and restoration of pipe organs in the British Isles.

The Heritage Fund has a variety of programmes which might suit your project if it has a heritage and community angle. Check their website for what they can fund and details on how to submit an expression of interest, or contact your local fund office for a chat.

Grants for the maintenance, repair, and restoration of church bells in England and Wales.

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.

Grants for the conservation of bells and bell frames in Anglican Parish Churches.

The Heritage Fund has a variety of programmes which might suit your project if it has a heritage and community angle. Check their website for what they can fund and details on how to submit an expression of interest, or contact your local fund office for a chat.

The National Lottery Community Fund supports a wide variety of projects including the installation of sustainable lighting and heating.

Since 1996, Landfill Operators can choose to re-direct part of their tax bill to local communities near landfill sites rather than paying it to the Treasury. The funds are distributed through Environmental Bodies, which can choose to support the repair and wider community use of historic places of worship. Check postcode eligibility on each individual distributor’s website, or search funds available.

Grants for improving rural community buildings including church halls improving their building and energy efficiency and working towards Net Zero.

Provides a blended funding package of 60% loan and 40% grant for charities and social enterprises in England.

Up to £45,000 to support churches and church halls replacing gas boilers with a low carbon heating system

The Benefact Trust has a Building Improvement grant programme open to applications from churches, cathedrals, denominational bodies and Christian charities, which will consider funding energy efficiency/renewable energy measures.

The Aviva Community Fund provides match funding of up to £25,000 for eligible projects in their funding areas of Climate Action and Financial Wellbeing, as well as a range of resources and CrowdFunder webinars

Formerly the Community Energy Fund, this Government program helps community projects to do feasibility and development checks. They also have regional Net Zero Hubs to provide advice.

The Heritage Funding Directory is managed by the Heritage Alliance. The Directory is a free, easy to use guide to potential sources of support, financial and otherwise, for anyone seeking to undertake projects related to the heritage of the United Kingdom. As well as detailing sources of grants from trusts and foundations, the Directory also lists organisations offering loan finance, awards, scholarships and other “in kind” resources.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations has a database of grant funding and social investment sources. This service is available to organisations with an annual income below £1m and is free for organisations under £30,000.

View the news pages of Grants Online or sign up to their free newsletter. They also sometimes offer a free trial, just make sure you check everything you want to whilst you have access to it for free.

Church Grants is the only online grant database specifically for churches and Christian organisations. The price for a one-year subscription is £49.

If you are a Church of England Church, there is also a Church of England database accessible only with a Church of England email account.