Resources

Toilet and Kitchen Projects Advice

Thinking of creating new toilet and kitchen facilities in your church but don't know whare to start? This article from Historic Churches magazine helpfully sets out some of the considerations needed when planning works for toilets and kitchen. You can also ask your Inspecting Architect, Archdeacon and friendly DAC officer for advice too.

 

 

Empowering Design Practices (EDP): Explore Design: Community Buildings
Drawing on their work with historic places of worship, as well as other community projects across the UK, EDP have developed a highly visual website that can help anyone new to design approach community buildings through a design lens. Through ten design themes, you can explore and understand the design of community buildings including the adaptation of places of worship. The themes include access, context, delight, security and maintenance.  ​

You will learn about the power of design to provide innovative solutions and create delightful, welcoming spaces through real-life examples from community spaces across the UK. http://explore-design.empoweringdesign.net/
You can also find out more about other projects that EDP has been working on with places of worship by visiting their website here https://www.empoweringdesign.net/

 

MaintenanceBooker

Maintenance Booker is the National Churches Trust’s online maintenance service for churches, is now available to churches with a new look website. Churches can register now for the service now at www.maintenancebooker.org.uk/register. Registration is free.

MaintenanceBooker will enable you to request and receive no-obligation quotes for essential maintenance services including:

• Gutter Clearance and Follow on Repairs

• Lightning Protection System Inspections

• Tree Surveys and Surgery

• Asbestos Management Services * (new for Yorkshire)

You can find out more by watching the MaintenanceBooker promotional video - just click https://vimeo.com/nationalchurchestrust/mb.

Churches may also be eligible for grant for up to 50% off gutter clearance if they book through the MaintenanceBooker site. Click here for more information on how to apply for this grant.

 

Crossing the Threshold

Crossing the threshold is a resource for PCCs who are thinking of developing their church building for community use. It has been developed by the Historic Religious Buildings Alliance and the Diocese of Hereford. The practical toolkit includes a step-by-step guide which takes PCCs from the early beginnings of a project through to completion. The tool kit is available free from the website of the Diocese of Hereford here.

 

Church Building Projects - Purpose, Planning, Procurement

All the resources for the Church Building Project workshop, run by the National Stewardship Team can be found on the Parish Resources website here. The course covers all aspects of planning and preparing for a large building project in a church.

 

Grants and Funding

Grants and funding are available to help churches meet the costs of repairs to church buildings. The Leeds Diocesan Stewardship Team run frequent training events on obtaining and applying for funding. Please see the Stewardship pages of the website.

 

To download a booklet on Charitable Grants for Churches please click here or see below for a list of available grants:

 

National Lottery Heritage Fund grants over £5m

The Heritage Fund has announced its first scheme for grants over £5m under its new strategic framework. Expressions of interest are invited by 11 October 2019. The strategic priorities for the scheme are landscape and nature, and heritage at risk. Churches are able to apply, although the scheme is not for all expressions of heritage. Information here.

 

For churches seeking funding between £250,000 and £5m there is more information here.

 

 

Grants for roof alarms
Grants of £1,000 are available to churches for roof alarms from Allchurches Trust. This has been provided to county historic churches trusts and dioceses on the basis of a £1,000 grant per church. To see if you are in an eligible area click here. Roof alarms are an effective deterrent, especially when a group of churches in an area is fitted with them.

 

Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN) - FCC Community Action Fund

Grants for environmental and community-based projects in areas of England within 10 miles of a Waste Recycling Group landfill sites.  Projects must provide, maintain or improve a public park or other public amenity.

Maximum Value: £ 100,000; Minimum Value: £ 2,000

The windows for application are:

• 26 September 2018 to 12 December 2018 (5pm).
• 26 December 2018 to 13 March 2019 (5pm).
• 27 March 2019 to 12 June 2019 (5pm).

Churches are eligible.

https://fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk/funds/fcc-community-action-fund

 

New innovation fund for places of worship run by the Heritage Lottery Fund in partnership with other funding bodies

A new strategic partnership to help secure the future of places of worship called Places of Worship: Inspiring Ideas has been offered by the HLF working with other funding bodies such as The Pilgrim Trust and National Churches Trust. It’s a funding initiative that welcomes applications from projects looking to explore innovative ideas and test new approaches to managing, caring for, and funding historic places of worship, of all faiths and denominations. The aim of the fund is to help churches to understand the marketability of their heritage and create ways to increase their income, so they are safeguarded for future generations. It will fund projects which aim to help churches attract more visitors or to ensure that their heritage is preserved and documented. Please click here for more information and to check eligibility for the fund.

 

Calor launches £50k rural grant scheme

Off-grid energy supplier Calor has announced a fund for 21 individual prize pots to support rural communities throughout the UK. Launched in 2017, past submissions included funding for community centres, village halls and sporting venues, as well as the installation of fibre broadband into an off-grid village. For more information, please go to: https://www.calor.co.uk/communityfund

 

Grants for conservation reports

With thanks to the Pilgrim Trust for their generous support, ChurchCare has a fund of £35,000 towards costs for initial investigations (conservation reports, environmental  / building performance surveys, technical analyses) to determine appropriate conservation works for items of historic, artistic or archaeological significance in churches. Conservation reports are an essential first step in projects involving the repair and conservation of artworks and historic furnishings in churches. They are also a key document to support faculty and grant applications. Applications are encouraged for items that are in urgent need of conservation. More information here.

 

Tesco Bags of Help Grants Programme. The money raised from the 5p bag charge in Tesco stores in England, Wales and Scotland is being used to support community participation in the development and use of open spaces. Church yard improvements have been funded in previous rounds. From December each Tesco region will give away around £8,000 per month, spread over three projects. Applications should be made up to and around £5,000. No deadline. For support contact Mark on mark.buxton [at] groundwork.org.uk Apply at: www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme

 

National Churches Trust Grants

The National Churches Trust support a wide variety of projects through their grant programmes. From repairing a roof to helping to install an accessible toilet - and many other projects - their grants help people to continue to serve, and to serve better, their local communities. To find out more about applying for a grant, please go to the following website: http://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/our-grants.

 

For further advice on funding please also see the Church of England website.