Applications for grants to fund the conservation of special objects such as stained glass, paintings, bells, organs and clocks in churches are open from today as part of an expanded £5 million scheme administered by the Church of England.
Parishes are being encouraged to apply for grants towards the conservation of historical and cultural heritage through the Church of England’s conservation grants scheme which is supported by a £4.68million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The much-enlarged scheme, to be administered over the next five years, will also make grants to parish churches towards building repairs of up to £25,000 that are linked to the conservation of an object, such as mending guttering or an area of roof if a leak is affecting wall paintings.
Bids for specialist surveys and help for existing recipients’ conservation projects to reach completion will be considered for funding as well.
Emily Gee, the Church of England’s Director for Cathedral and Church Buildings, said:
“We are delighted to announce open applications for the first stage of the enlarged conservation grant scheme, that supports the work of parishes in caring for their church buildings. I am deeply grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for this award and also for the dedicated work of all our volunteers across the country who do so much to ensure that this cherished heritage is secure and fit for mission as well as the joyful appreciation of all who encounter it.”
Details of new features of the scheme will be announced later in the year to include partnerships with training institutions to allow churches to act as training sites for skilled crafts in areas such as stained glass, monuments and wall paintings.
It will also fund specialist research projects in overlooked areas of church heritage, such as later 19th- and 20th-century stained glass, and churchyard structures.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund award builds on a long-running Church of England conservation grants programme which annually awards around £250,000 in grants to parishes for conservation of historical and cultural heritage. The programme has long been supported by Pilgrim Trust and The Radcliffe Trust.
The award from The National Lottery Heritage Fund was the first to be made through its new targeted initiative for places of worship, announced in August 2024.
Through the initiative at least £15 million will be invested for strategic projects at a national and regional level to address sector-wide issues and funding gaps facing the UK’s places of worship.
A further £85 million is expected to be awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund over the next three years, with any place of worship in the UK, of any religion or denomination, encouraged to apply.
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“We are delighted to support the Church of England’s conservation grants scheme which will conserve and protect beloved heritage treasures in some of our most historic buildings and equip a new generation with the skills they need to continue to care for our heritage. This scheme is the first we have supported through our £15m planned investment in strategic projects to address funding gaps and sector-wide issues facing the UK’s places of worship. Through projects such as this, and through our wider investment in places of worship, we are committed to working with organisations and denominations across the UK to ensure that they are valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.”
How to apply and further information
Applications can be made online here.
For further enquiries please contact conservationgrants@churchofengland.org.
You can read the details of the Church of England’s Conservation Grants Programme annual report and stories below of parishes that have received grants.