Grants and Funding
Through offering grants and loans, the Synod seeks to support local churches to develop and maintain their life and witness. On behalf of every local church the Synod examines each request under the oversight of the Trust. To facilitate this process representatives of the Synod will come alongside a local church to explore their project and support the detailed completion of the appropriate application form. This may take a short or a long time, depending on circumstances.
Grants may be related to property, quinquennial surveys, mission, children’s and youth work, employed personnel, ongoing ministerial training, lay preaching or discipleship development. We have also provided some information about additional sources of funding. Feel free to browse them, or click on the blue links in the previous sentence to skip to the right one for you.
We also offer loans.
All grants are dependent on evidence of the ongoing mission life of the church.
For an overview of the process for Mission and Property Grants, click here.
Many grants can be used towards employing someone. The Elders meeting takes on responsibility for that employment, and all that entails. As a Synod we want to ensure that any employment by a local church is done properly, effectively, and simply.
Contact the Children’s and Youth Development Officer, here, to discuss the project.
Find employment guidance here.
Small Grants
It is recognised that on occasion a local church would benefit hugely from a small amount of money to enable an activity to occur which otherwise couldn’t.
Small grants are for sums less than £500 and are for one-off needs, activities or events, and will not be awarded when a Mission or Property grant would be more appropriate or when local church funds could easily meet the costs.
Mission
The first step in applying for a mission grant is always to contact the Mission and Training Officer, here, to discuss the project. The form available via the link below will then need to be completed.
Guidance on where to begin, conversations to have, ideas, and the process, is available here.
Following a visit or conversation with one of the Synod Officers who has then agreed that an application should proceed the Grant Application will need to be completed and submitted for approval by the Mission Committee and potentially the Resources Committee too depending on the size of the grant. (Both committees meet four times a year).
Grants are available for a wide range of mission activities and projects. The scope of these is limited only by the vision of the church!
Children’s and Youth Work
The first step in applying for a mission grant for Children’s and Youth Work, or any employment, is always to contact the Children’s and Youth Development Officer, here, to discuss the project. The form available via the link below will then need to be completed.
Guidance on where to begin, conversations to have, ideas, and the process, is available here.
Following a visit or conversation with one of the Synod Officers who has then agreed that an application should proceed the Grant Application will need to be completed and submitted for approval by the Mission Committee and potentially the Resources Committee too depending on the size of the grant. (Both committees meet four times a year).
Grants are available for one-off events, ongoing projects and employment of staff.
Property
The first step is always to contact the Synod Resources Officer, here. to discuss a potential property grant. The form is available via the link below will then need to be completed.
Following a visit or conversation with one of the Synod Officers who has then agreed that an application should proceed the Grant Application will need to be completed and submitted for approval by the Resources Committee (who meet four times a year).
We have guidance and templates to prepare plans for Missional and Sustainable buildings. Both seek to support us as look afresh at our buildings as we seek to engage in mission and with our environmental responsibilities. Click here to find them.
Grants are available for work arising from a quinquennial survey, enhancement of buildings and eco projects. All applications concerning building works need to provide evidence of obtaining, at least, three competitive quotations. The standard of building quality should be appropriate for a church and a building used by the public, and should reflect current good practice with regard to energy saving and environmental issues. Approved grants will be paid on receipt of invoices from contractors/suppliers.
Quinquennial Surveys
A grant of 50% of the cost of a full survey is available upon presentation of a professional survey report to the Resources Officer. The report shall cover all of the properties of the Church and needs be in the format of the Synod Building Report Form that is available from resources@urceastern.org.uk.
Continuing Ministerial Education
Grants are available for ordained Ministers of Word and Sacrament and Church Related Community Workers to cover the cost of resources, training and residentials as well as sabbaticals. Annual grants are limited to £350 for EM2, £700 for EM3 and £1,200 for sabbaticals.
An application should first be discussed with the Synod Mission and Training Officer, here.
Lay Preachers
Grants are available for Lay Preachers to assist with the cost of resources and ongoing training. Annual grants are limited to £300 for Assembly Accredited Lay Preachers and £100 for Synod Recognised Lay Preachers and Locally Recognised Worship Leaders.
Applications should be submitted to the Finance Officer, here.
Discipleship Development Fund
Small grants up to £200/year are available for lay people to support learning and £5,000/year is available to recognised groups within the URC to enhance discipleship development. https://urceastern.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Eastern-Discipleship-Development-Fund-Form.docx
Churches Building Fund
Disabled Facilities Grants
Grants may be available to churches that wish to provide facilities for the disabled. Grants for disabled facilities will be limited to 50% of the cost and will be subject to a maximum grant of £5,000. Where the disabled facilities form part of a larger scheme, these costs will need to be identified separately. No work on the provision of such facilities should commence until the grant has been approved. Grants will not be payable where the facilities provided cost less than £1,000, nor are they payable for VAT.
Feasibility Study Grants
Grants may be available to churches that wish to employ professional consultants to prepare a Feasibility Study of the present and future use of their sites and premises. The Brief for such a consultant must first be approved by the Resources Officer. Such grants will be limited to 50% of the cost of the study and be subject to a maximum grant of £1,000. The Feasibility Study must not commence until the grant has been approved. Grants will only be considered where there is a clearly identified mission opportunity.
For more information on either of these grants contact the Resources Officer, resources@urceastern.org.uk
Additional Grants
AT Jay Trust (Grants for Ministers)
The AT Jay Trust, founded in 1916 by Alfred Thomas Jay, exists to offer financial support to ministers who are in active service. The remit of the Trust is to offer grants to Free Church Ministers, being Ministers who require or desire a temporary rest from active work due to ill health or for the enhancement of their ministry. The Trust typically offers grants of up to £500 to applicants who can show how their situation meets the criteria above. The Trustees meet twice a year to consider applications. The deadlines for applications are: April (to be considered in May) and September (to be considered in October)
If you feel you might qualify for a grant, please compose an application with the following information:
- Your name and details of your ministry situation
- Why you are asking for funding and how that fulfils the above criteria
- Total cost of your project, how much you have already raised, and how much you are asking for from the Trust.
Please send applications by email to atjaytrust@gmail.com
Following successful applications, the Trustees may ask you to give some feedback as to how the grant assisted you.
National Churches Trust
Grants are available to any Christian place of worship in the UK that is open for regular worship. Grants are awarded to help keep church buildings in good repair, open for worship and community activities, and allow them to continue to serve people, communities and visitors in all sorts of ways. Whether you are looking to repair a roof, install a kitchen or accessible toilets, clear asbestos or simply need help undertaking regular essential maintenance to your building, a range of grants is on offer to suit the size and needs of your project.
Click here to find out more.
The Listed Places of Worship (LPW) Grant Scheme
The Listed Places of Worship (LPW) Grant Scheme gives grants covering the VAT on repairs of over £1,000 to listed buildings used as places of worship. You can also submit one claim in any 12-month period that is less than £1,000, but more than £500. The Scheme is run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and managed by East Midland Business Ltd. It is funded until 31 March 2025.
Click here to find out more.
Congregational and General Charitable Trust
The Congregational and General Charitable Trust is an independent grant-making charity. Its aim is to support churches, particularly those of the United Reformed and Congregational denominations, in the provision and repair of suitable buildings. In 2019, the Trust awarded 66 grants and the overall value of the grants was £692,000. The Trust’s objectives are to: make grants for the overall care, upkeep and extension of churches; make grants towards the capital costs of church community projects; and to promote the Christian religion and, in particular, the United Reformed and Congregational denominations, and other churches of the Protestant tradition.
Click here to find out more.
Loans
Synod can offer loans to churches who need of money to fund building projects and the like. Such loans are available for a period not normally exceeding five years. The amount of each loan depends mostly upon the resources available for repaying the loan. The rate of interest charged is that which would have been received by the Synod on its Epworth Cash Plus Deposit Fund. It is expected that the interest charged and a portion of the capital is repaid each year. Loan applications are considered and approved by the Resources Committee who meet for times a year.
For more information contact the Resources Officer, resources@urceastern.org.uk
Synod can offer loans to churches who need of money to fund building projects and the like. Such loans are available for a period not normally exceeding five years. The amount of each loan depends mostly upon the resources available for repaying the loan. The rate of interest charged is that which would have been received by the Synod on its Epworth Cash Plus Deposit Fund. It is expected that the interest charged and a portion of the capital is repaid each year. Loan applications are considered and approved by the Resources Committee who meet for times a year.
For more information contact the Resources Officer, resources@urceastern.org.uk