Grants
Diocesan Grants
Before considering any work on your church or churchyard you should consult your archdeacon, who may steer you towards help available.
Any proposal for repairs or modifications in churches or churchyards requires a faculty. Further information is available on the DAC page.
General Grants
Grants of up to £3000 are available to LMAs, churches and individuals to support projects that encourage mission. and promote growth in numbers, growth in spirituality and outreach to local communities. These grants are not for building, restoration or improvement works.
Applications must have the support of the Archdeacon and the LMA Council. All grants must be claimed within 12 months of the project start date.
Applications are considered throughout the year on a quarterly basis. Applications must be submitted at least ten days before the next Grants Committee meeting.
In 2025, these are:
- January 30th
- April 1st
- November 12th
Read the Grant Criteria in full
Church repair grants
The diocese has taken over responsibility for Church Repair Grants previously administered by the Representative Body of the Church in Wales.
Up to £7,500 is available for:
- Repairs to the fabric of a church excluding stained glass or decoration unless such works represent less than 10% of a major repair project.
- Works to improve safety and accessibility
- Extensions or major reordering
- New churches
NB> The maximum amount will only be awarded where it can be shown that the works will help the church towards reaching a net zero target.
Local Ministry Area Initiative Fund
LMAs are eligible for a one-off £800 grant towards a range of different development projects. These include:
- Team building courses
- Away Days and Retreats
- Leadership training
- Website set-up costs
- Application Form (Word)
Children, Youth and Family Grants
The grant is open to all LMAs, Centres of Mission, Plant Dewi projects and Church Schools.
2 How much is the grant?
Grants are restricted to a maximum of £1000.
3 What sort of Initiatives/Projects can be funded with this grant?
What can be funded:
- New initiatives such as Messy Church, Café Praise, Toddler Groups, Youth Groups
- Existing CYF Projects requiring continued funding
- Initiatives/Projects which encourage Ecumenism
- Training for those leading/facilitating e.g. Godly Play, Open the Book
- Training & equipping young new leaders
- Any other project falling within the listed ones above, but not directly may be considered but it is not a non-exhaustive list.
What can’t be funded:
- Employment of Staff
- Fabric of a building e.g. a creating Children’s corner in a church or building work
4 What criteria will be assessed in making a grant?
- Fulfilling a local need – trying not to duplicate existing work
- Clear vision for the project/initiative
- Projects that allow Children and Young People to use their voices and contribute to the wider community or church
- Projects that will make a difference to Children Young people or Families
- Future sustainability
- Appropriate Safeguarding practice in place
- Other statutory requirements depending on the nature of the work: e.g. Food Hygiene
5 Do I need to speak to anyone before applying?
Yes, you need to speak to the CYF Missioner in order to ensure that the work you are proposing is in line with the Diocesan Criteria. Please do not send any application forms to the CYF Missioner for checking as it is not her responsibility for this. It is sensible to speak to your LMAC or Trustee/Governing Body as the Chair’s signature will be required.
General Grants
Heritage in Need: Places of Worship
The Heritage Lottery Fund is investing £100m to support places of worship over the next three years. Grants ranging from £10,000 to £10m are available towards large projects that can ensure places of worship can be sustainable community assets for generations to come.
https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/news/how-well-help-secure-future-uks-places-worship
Criteria and Application Pathways
Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme
![CCTV [Unsplash]](https://stdavids.contentfiles.net/media/images/CCTV_Unsplash.width-500.jpg)
This scheme provides funding for places of worship and associated faith community centres that are vulnerable to hate crime and aim to reduce hate crime so that people can feel safe to attend worship and practise their religion freely.
Vulnerable places of worship can apply for physical protective security measures, such as CCTV, secure fencing, and intruder alarms. You can apply if you have experienced hate crime at your place of worship, or if you feel that your place of worship is vulnerable to hate crime. Please see the link below for more information and guidance on how to apply to either of these schemes.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/places-of-worship-security-funding-scheme
Repairs and Maintenance
Historic Building Maintenance and Repair Capital Grant Programme 2022-23
Cadw is inviting applications for the Historic Building Maintenance and Repair Capital Grant Programme 2022-23.
Details are on Cadw’s website at Historic buildings grant | Cadw (gov.wales)
Community assets that are listed for their special architectural or historic interest have an important part to play in the well-being and vitality of communities across Wales. Their viability and resilience as we face the challenges of climate change is underpinned by routine repair and maintenance. Therefore, the Historic Buildings Maintenance and Repair Capital Grant Programme 2022/23 is intended to offer financial assistance towards the maintenance and repair of historic community assets, such as village and community halls, institutes, libraries, war memorials and places of worship that are open for wider community use.
A grant of 75% of grant eligible works up to a maximum of £25,000 per property is available for a range of small scale maintenance and repairs which are necessary to keep community assets in good order, such as:
- clearing rainwater gutters, valleys and downpipes;
- repairing or replacing sections of damaged rainwater goods, minor roof repairs, slipped slates/tiles/ridges etc;
- leadwork/flashing repair/renewal;
- small-scale rebuilding works eg. chimney stacks/parapets;
- localised masonry repairs or re-pointing;
- joinery repairs and redecoration;
- glazing repairs;
- plasterwork repairs;
- boundary wall and railing repairs.
The work should be undertaken by a contractor with conservation skills / experience of historic buildings, and depending on the complexity of the works, should be specified by a conservation accredited architect or chartered surveyor.
Grants for Clergy and their Families
There are many charitable organisations that offer financial support to clergy, their families and to ordinands.
Click on the links below to find details in the respective subject areas:
Turn 2 us
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Get-Support
Turn2us is a national charity that helps people in financial hardship to gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services. The website has a search engine to look for grants and assistance.
The Listed Places of Worship (LPW) Grant Scheme gives grants that cover the VAT incurred in making repairs to listed buildings in use as places of worship. The scheme covers repairs to the fabric of the building, along with associated professional fees, plus repairs to turret clocks, pews, bells and pipe organs