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Funding Opportunities

Some funding opportunities for Church Related Community Development Work

The programmes and definitions below refer to England unless otherwise stated.

Securing funding for community initiatives is an on going challenge (or headache) for all voluntary sector organisations including church groups. From the inception of a project, time and human resources have to be invested in finding appropriate sources of finance, writing applications, writing progress reports and at times hosting visits from funders who want to see how their money is being used.

A Few Golden Rules

• Be prepared to invest time to make a good funding application.

• Make sure your application fits with funder’s criteria or priorities. Many trusts and funders will give pre-application advice on the phone and via their web sites.

• Have a steering / management committee that is representative of the community that the project is going to benefit. Most funders like to see a representative committee in terms of race, gender, age and dis /ability.

• Have audited accounts of the organisation promoting the project.

• Write in clear language and avoid jargon.

• Be clear about project activities (outputs) and how the project will change lives (outcomes).

• Don’t give up if one funder turns down your application. If your project is well thought out and it has the potential to improve lives then it will eventually get funded.

• Local libraries nearly always stock a guide to trust funds that gives the current list of funding organisations. A good starting point is to see if there is a local trust fund or charity whose mandate is to support projects only in your area.

• Projects that are different, innovative and demonstrate value for money often attract funding. Many funders like to think that they are supporting cutting edge and ground breaking work.

• Many funders, although not averse to supporting church promoted community projects, are often worried that they will be supporting proselytising. It is always important to emphasis that the beneficiaries are the wider community not just church members. Funding organisations have much to learn about the social mission of the church!

Some Useful Funding Organisations

A very useful web site that you can consult is at www.funderfinder.org.uk that provides a list of funders. (often also available from local Council for Voluntary Services) But you may find the following contacts useful:

Age Concern England awards more than £3 million each year to voluntary organisations under three types of grant schemes: small service support grants, small grants to clubs and opportunities for volunteering schemes. www.ageconcern.org.uk Tel. 020 8765 7738.

Allchurches Trust Limited supports churches and other organisations involved in promoting the Christian religion. Grants vary from a few hundred pounds to a maximum of £5,000. www.ecclesiastical.org.uk Tel. 01452 528533.

Awards for All is a lottery grant scheme aimed at local communities. It awards grants between £500 and £5,000 in a simple straightforward way. It funds projects that enable people to take part in sport, heritage and community activities, as well as projects that promote education, the environment and health. The aims of Awards for All are to: extend access and participation, increase skill and creativity. improve the quality of life. Examples of Awards for All projects or activities are: putting on an event, providing training courses, setting up a pilot project, running a conference or seminar, improvements to community facilities and transport costs. Information is www.awardsforall.org.uk Tel. 0845 275 000.

Baring Foundation provides grants for voluntary sector capacity building, not for service provision. www.baringfoundation.org.uk

Biffa has introduced two new grants under the Biffaward scheme. Funding is available to support community groups which promote sustainable communities, including improving quality of life and open spaces. Grants between £250 and £5,000 are available for projects within a 10-mile radius of a Biffa site. www.biffaward.org

Community Fund distributes money raised by the National Lottery to charities and to voluntary and community groups. The Community Fund is being merged with the New Opportunities Fund (see below). The Community Fund is a large source of independent funding for voluntary and community organisations that are: working with disadvantaged groups and improving the quality of life in the community. The Community Fund awards two types of grants: medium grants up to £60,000 which requires a shorter and easier application; large grants up to £250,000 but the average size is usually about £100,000 over three years. The application form is longer and usually the Community Fund will visit your project.

The Community Fund has twelve regional offices and applications have to go through the appropriate regional offices. Office and application details can be found on the Community Fund web site at www.community-fund.org.uk Each region has local funding priorities which include: people from black and minority ethnic groups, refugees and asylum seekers, older and frail people, children and young people, disabled people and their carers and people in areas disadvantaged by social and economic change. Outstanding projects that fall outside priority areas are also considered for funding. For a printed information pack ‘phone 0845 791 9191.

Upside of the Community Fund:

It is a large source of funding available to voluntary and community groups who are working to alleviate disadvantage.

The staff at the Community Fund are very helpful and their material is easy to understand.

Funds are allocated month by month so funds are allocated throughout the year.

If not successful you can always apply again after taking on board community fund comments.

It provides funds for both revenue and capital expenditure, so it can enable church buildings to be modified, repaired and improved.

Downside of Community Fund:

It is a distributor of the National Lottery. Some Christian and Muslim organisations are reluctant to apply for funds that have been gained as a result of gambling. But many faith groups have benefited from the Community Fund, understanding that people from disadvantaged backgrounds should benefit.

The project has to be part of a fully constituted body and present a full set of audited accounts.

Church of England’s website www.england.anglican.org offers useful information on fundraising sources and tips specifically for churches with a bias towards buildings maintenance. Also see www.churchcare.co.uk

Church Urban Fund has an annual grant-making budget of £3m. Grants are awarded to projects tackling poverty and marginalisation in the urban areas of England. The fund aims to benefit people who are socially, culturally, spiritually, environmentally and financially disadvantaged. The Fund has its roots in the Christian faith but welcomes applications from ethnic minority groups and from other faith groups. Grants vary from £2,000 for small initiatives to up to £30,000 for larger projects. All applications must be made through the local Anglican Diocese. Applicants should read the guidance notes and contact the CUF co-ordinator in their local Diocese. www.cuf.org.uk Tel. 0845 275 0000.

Community Training and Enabling Grants up to £5 million are available for innovative resident involvement projects in England. Housing Associations and their residents groups can apply for funding directly or through agents, who could be the association or another organisation. www.ctegrants.org.uk

Countryside Agency periodically runs grant programmes. Designed to help rural communities help themselves, grants are awarded: to support planning and consultation activities to understand community needs, tackle dwindling services and; support small transport projects. www.countryside.org.uk Tel. 0870 333 0170.

Derwent Trust has its roots in the Roman Catholic Church and is a response to poverty and inequality. Projects in the fields of education provision and support for disadvantaged young people and families are a priority. Capital funding is rarely supported.

Tel. 0207 402 5500. jwleek@clara.co.uk

Esmee Fairbairn has two programmes: small grants programme below £5,000 and main grants programme up to £30,000. Preference is given to innovative projects that demonstrate active local participation and support self-help. Particular attention is given to the needs of disabled people. www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk Tel. 0207 227 5400.

Fair Share Trust will support schemes to improve local environments, boost skills and employment opportunities and help communities secure future funding. Only available for 70 disadvantaged areas until 2013. www.communityfoundations.org.uk

Garfield Weston Foundation awards sizeable grants to community projects, including those focusing on youth, arts, welfare and health. This includes a small grants scheme for up to £5,000. You must be a registered charity to apply. www.westonfoundation.org.uk

Tel. 020 7589 6363.

Government Funding for the voluntary and community sectors. A useful government web site that provides information about funding available to the voluntary and community sector from all government departments. The Neighbourhood Renewal Unit is to streamline its current Community Empowerment Fund, Community Chests and Community Learning Chests.

www.governmentfunding.org.uk

Also see www.volcomgrants.gov.uk

Help the Aged has small grants available under its Speaking Up for our Age programme, which gives older people the chance to make their voice heard on the things that matter to them. For details, contact 01258 458 406 or send a brief outline of the project to Regional Distributions Department, Help the Aged, 207-221 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UZ.

New Opportunities Fund (NOF) is a Lottery Distributor created to award grants to education, health and environmental projects throughout the UK. Many of NOF’s grant programmes focus on those in society who are most disadvantaged. But unlike the Community Fund, NOF’s programme direction is specified by Government priorities and it can only fund within the framework of those directions. NOF has funded projects like healthy living centres, out of school clubs for children, childcare clubs, computers in public libraries and improving local green spaces. www.nof.org.uk

Scottish Churches Community Trust is an ecumenical trust fund to support the visions coming from local churches and communities. www.scct.org.uk Tel. 0141 336 3766.

Scottish Community Action Research Fund (SCARF) gives money and support to community groups in Scotland to carry out their own research. www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk

Shell Better Britain Campaign offers funds for environmental community initiatives.

www.sbbc.co.uk Tel. 0121 248 5900.

Servite Sisters’ Charitable Trust Fund is a small trust fund that allocates grants of up to £2,000 to projects that benefit women, refugees and asylum seekers. For further information contact Michael Ward. Tel. 01306 875756. m@servite.demon.co.uk

Sure Start. Resources for work with under 5 year olds. Sure Start directory of funding for early years education and childcare. www.surestart.gov.uk Tel. 0845 602 2260

Tudor Trust updates its funding priorities every six months and is committed to funding projects in areas affected by deprivation. Current priorities include youth, older people, community relationships, mental health, substance misuse, learning, financial security and criminal justice. They suggest potential applicants ‘phone to discuss proposals before submission. www.tudortrust.org.uk Tel. 020 7727 8522.

Westhill Endowment Trustees are willing to consider grants of £2- £3000 towards church related community projects. Further information from j.walmsley@bham.ac.uk Tel. 0121 415 8451, although enquiries are best made via the United Reformed Church CRCW Office. crcw@urc.org.uk Tel. 0207 916 8653.

Zurich Community Trust gives grants to assist disadvantaged people move from dependence to independence. www.zurich.org.uk