The National Churches Trust (NCT) now offer three different programmes for churches to apply to for funding for building work, depending on circumstances, each with various deadlines in coming months.
A significant step forward which could help parishes facing repairs is the Gateway grant programme which will enable churches to apply for repairs grants for projects between £10-100k.
Several churches in our diocese have been successful in being awarded funds from other grants from the NCT recently, bringing welcome support for much-needed work:
· St Mary’s Church, Willoughby Waterleys secured a Foundation Grant of £6,462 towards re-roofing the south side of the nave roof with terne-coated stainless steel following metal theft
· St Andrew’s Church, North Kilworth have been awarded a Cornerstone Grant of £15,000 towards the installation of a kitchen and toilets and to improve the churches heating system in order to make the church a hub for the local community
· St Mary’s Church, Thorpe Arnold received a £15,000 Cornerstone Grant to help to fund urgently needed roof repairs following two lead thefts from the church
The National Churches Trust offers three main grant programmes:
The Foundation Grant Programme
The Foundation Grant Programme offers grants of between £500 and £5,000 towards urgent maintenance works and small repairs identified as high priority within a recent Quinquennial Inspection or Survey Report. Also, small investigative works and surveys. Project costs should be up to £10,000 excl. VAT and awards will never exceed 50% of the costs. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis from the start of 2020.
Applications for Foundation will be considered on a rolling basis. The final opportunity to submit an application will be 30 October 2020.
The Gateway Grant Programme
The Gateway Grant Programme offers grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 towards project development and investigative work up to RIBA planning stage 1, to support churches preparing for a major project, and in developing their project to the point at which they can approach a major grant funder. Grants will never exceed 50% of the net project costs for this phase.
The Gateway Grant Programme also now offers grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 for urgent and essential maintenance and repair projects costing between £10,000 and £100,000. Grants will never exceed 50% of the net project costs.
The next deadline for the Gateway Grant Programme is the 14 May 2020 (for a decision in July).
The Cornerstone Grant Programme
The Cornerstone Grant Programme offers grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 towards the cost of major urgent structural repair projects costed at more than £100,000 including VAT.
The NCT will also consider projects that introduce kitchens and accessible toilets to enable increased community use, costed at more than £30,000 including VAT. Grants will never exceed 50% of the project cost.
The next deadline for the Cornerstone Grant programme is: 2 March 2020 (for a decision in July 2020).
More information, including videos and how to apply can be found on the website. https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/choosetherightgrant
The Diocesan Funding Directory 2020 may also be of assistance in finding grants. A copy can be obtained by contacting Gill Elliott, our Buildings Development Enabler on 0116 261 5353 or gill.elliott@leccofe.org
Picture caption: ST mary's Church, Thorpe Arnold.
