Church grants are a great way to access financial support for UK churches and religious organisations. Whether you need to fund an ongoing project, purchase new equipment or facilities, UK church grants can help your organisation reach its aims.
If you’re looking to apply for UK church grants, here is what you need to know:
1. Identify the type of UK church grant you need: UK church grants are available for a variety of purposes, from ongoing projects to facility and equipment purchases. Identify the type of UK church grant that best meets your needs and research potential organisations or charities offering this kind of financial support.
2. Get organised: UK church grants are often competitive, meaning you will need to stand out from the crowd. As such, it’s important to get organised and create a convincing application. Have all your supporting documents ready and make sure you have filled in all necessary forms correctly.
3. Make contact: Organisations or charities offering UK church grants will likely have contact information listed on their website. Contact the UK church grant provider and enquire about any application requirements or timelines. This is a simple step, but without it, you may overlook something obvious. Plus, grant makers often prefer to award grants to those who have reached out right from the beginning.
4. Prepare your application: UK church grants typically require a written application, accompanied by supporting documents that demonstrate why you need financial assistance. Even if the application process is fully online, put together your application carefully and make sure it is well-written and polished. UK church grants tend to be competitive, so if your application stands out in the right way, you may increase your chances of success.
5. Follow up: UK church grant providers receive many applications, which can take time to process and assess. However, don’t just wait for a response. Follow up your UK church grant application by email or phone, and be polite but persistent in asking about the outcome of your application.
Applying for UK church grants can seem daunting at first, but with proper preparation and research, you have a good chance of success. You can find out more about the process of applying and the types of grants that might be available on our Church Tech Grants page.
Church Grant Resources
A simple search for “UK church grant for…” or simply “UK grant for…” can often bring up a useful page of results, but there are other ways to discover grant funding opportunities.
Below are some sites that might be of use when you’re looking for a grant for your church or charity.
Grant Databases
Grants Online (https://www.grantsonline.org.uk/) – offers a free monthly e-Newsletter with the latest funding opportunities.
GrantFinder (https://www.grantfinder.co.uk/) – simplifying access to funding for business, local communities and charitable organisations
Funding For All (http://www.fundingforall.org.uk/available-funds/) – funding database and mentoring.
Brevio (https://news.brevio.org/) – Brevio uses smart data to match grant-makers to eligible recipients.
Government and Local Authority Grants
Local authorities often have a range of grant schemes available to charities, churches, and other non-profits. To find out more about local grants in your area, contact your local authority or visit the UK government’s website.
Community project funding: https://www.gov.uk/apply-funding-community-project
Search for government grants: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/
You can find your local council at https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council, including links to their website. You will be able to find any local funding opportunities on each council site.
Charitable Foundations
Charitable foundations are private organisations that provide financial support to UK charities, churches, and other non-profits. Examples of UK charitable foundations include:
The Wolfson Foundation (https://www.wolfson.org.uk/) – an independent grant-making charity funding UK registered charities in areas of healthcare, education, the humanities and sciences, culture and sport.
Garfield Weston Foundation (https://garfieldweston.org/) – a UK-based family-founded grant-making charity which gives to a wide range of UK charities.
The UK Community Foundations (https://www.ukcommunityfoundations.org/) – a UK-wide network of community foundations giving grants to UK charities and local projects.
These organisations typically have their own application criteria which you will need to satisfy in order to be considered for funding from them.
These are just a few examples of UK charitable foundations, but there are many more that provide UK church grants and other types of funding for UK non-profits. You can search online for UK charitable foundations or contact your local council for more information about UK grants.
If you apply for a UK church grant and are successful, make sure to thank the funder and keep them updated on your progress – this will help build relationships with UK funders, and could ensure you’re notified when new opportunities arise.