ENGLISH HERITAGE AND THE HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND

Few parishes can raise enough money to meet the cost of a major repair without help from grant-making bodies. The major source in England is now likely to be the Repair Grants for Places of Worship in England scheme run by English Heritage (EH) and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and funded in equal proportion by both bodies.

The Scheme may make a grant provided:

i) The building is listed at Grade I, II* or II. If you need to know if your church is listed contact your District Council Planning Department, or the Diocesan Office.

ii) The church is used for public worship on at least six days a year and is open to the public outside the normal hours of worship.

iii) The grant will be used to pay for high-level structural repairs (e.g. repair of roofs, tower, spire, rainwater disposal system or high-level masonry) identified in a recent condition survey as being necessary within the next two years.

iv) The work will cost more than £10,000 and less than £200,000 and can be carried out under one contract.

Grants are never made retrospectively for work started before the application has been approved.

Although grant offers will be made from the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage, the day-to-day administration of the scheme is carried out by English Heritage regional offices on behalf of both organisations. Full details of the scheme and an application pack can be obtained from the English Heritage web site www.english-heritage.org.uk or by contacting English Heritage Customer Services department on 0870 333 1181, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

English Heritage
23 Savile Row
London W1X 1AB

Phone 020 7973 3267
Fax: 020 7973 3001
www.english-heritage.org.uk 

There is an address specifically for Yorkshire churches:

Yorkshire Region
37 Tanner Row
York
YO1 6WP
Tel: 01904 601901

The Heritage Lottery Fund
7 Holbein Place
London SW1W 8NR

Phone: 020 7591 6000
Fax: 020 7591 6001
www.hlf.org.uk

You may also find the following scheme particularly helpful.

HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND 'YOUR HERITAGE' SCHEME

The Heritage Lottery Fund 'Your Heritage' scheme can consider applications for the conservation of historic furnishings and works of art in places of worship. This programme offers grants to organisations which aim to look after and enhance the UK's heritage, to increase involvement in heritage activities and to improve access to and enjoyment of heritage. Under the Your Heritage scheme grants of £5,000 to £50,000 can be awarded, although the total project cost can exceed £50,000. The scheme aims to achieve a twelve-week turnaround of grant applications. Projects must be able to demonstrate educational and community benefits and applicants must ensure that their premises are accessible to visitors. At the CCC's initiative, the HLF have agreed to include conservation projects in churches relating to bells, clocks, organs, paintings on canvas & wood, wall paintings, monuments, timberwork, ornamental plasterwork, metalwork, books & manuscripts, textiles as well as historic structures and other conservation projects in churchyards.

Contact:
Head Office
Heritage Lottery Fund
7 Holbein Place
London SW1W 8NR
Tel: 020 7591 6042

www.hlf.org.uk


Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)
Heritage Lottery Fund runs a range of different schemes which meet different needs.
Other schemes which may be relevant are:


These are the descriptions which HLF gives to those schemes:

Awards For All (£500 to £5,000)

If you are a local group and you need between £500 and £5,000 then Awards for All may be able to help you.
In partnership with other National Lottery distributors, we make grants through Awards for All to involve people in their local community and bring them together to take part in a wide range of activities.

Awards for All grants are made to small community groups, parish/town councils, schools and health bodies.
Through Awards for All we want to widen the appreciation and understanding of heritage and extend experiences of different types of heritage. We also want to encourage local communities to participate in heritage activities.


Local Heritage Initiative (£3,000 to £25,000)

The Countryside Agency runs the Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) for the Heritage Lottery Fund, supporting a wide range of local heritage projects with grants of between £3,000 and £25,000.

Local Heritage Initiative helps local groups to investigate, explain and care for their local landscape, landmarks, traditions and culture. LHI is available in England only.
Your Heritage (£5,000 to £50,000)

Your Heritage provides grants of between £5,000 and £50,000 to support community-focused heritage projects.

To qualify for a grant, projects should conserve and enhance our diverse heritage or encourage communities to identify, look after and celebrate their heritage or both. Projects should also ensure that everyone can learn about, have access to, and enjoy their heritage.

These can include caring for the natural landscape, conserving historic buildings, places and objects, involving people in exploring local cultures, traditions, languages and ways of life.


Public Parks Initiative (£50,000 plus)

This initiative helps with the restoration and regeneration of historic parks and gardens, wherever they are, including urban squares and cemeteries.

Projects should also enhance public access and may involve improving facilities. We will continue to make applications which serve socially and economically deprived communities a priority.

Young Roots (£5,000 to £25,000)

Young Roots offers grants of between £5,000 and £25,000. The scheme aims to involve 13-20 year-olds (up to 25 for those with special needs) in finding out about their heritage, developing skills, building confidence and promoting community involvement.

Young Roots projects stem directly from young peoples' interests and ideas, harnessing their creativity and energy and helping them work with others in their local community.

You can now reclaim the VAT which is levied on eligible work on churches, under the following scheme.

LISTED PLACES OF WORSHIP GRANT SCHEME

With effect from April 2004, listed places of worship throughout the UK have been able to claim the full amount of VAT paid on eligible works carried out on and after 1 April 2004.

Claims for eligible works carried out between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2004 will continue to receive the difference between 5% and the actual amount of VAT paid.

Applications can only be made:

 

For full details of this scheme and an application form visit www.lpwscheme.org.uk, phone 0845 601 5945 or write to:

Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
PO Box 609
Newport
NP10 8QD

FUNDS FOR HISTORIC CHURCHES

There is also a comprehensive guide to funding for historic buildings, including churches, on the Funds for Historic Buildings website at www.ffhb.org.uk. You can search for funders which are particularly relevant to your church. There is also a useful list one the website www.churchcare.co.uk, which also includes much other useful information baout fund-raising.

Those listed include:

ALLCHURCHES TRUST
Grants in support of churches and charities preserving UK heritage.


LORD BARNBY'S FOUNDATION
The Foundation will consider giving grants for the preservation of buildings, both religious and secular, of historic or architectural interest.


THE BEAVERBROOK FOUNDATION -
The Foundation has in the past offered grants for the preservation of religious buildings of historic or architectural interest.


THE WOODROFFE BENTON FOUNDATION
The Foundation will consider giving grants for the preservation of buildings, both religious and secular, of national historic or architectural interest. Grants are not normally made for projects of local interest only.


THE CHASE CHARITY
The Trustees of the Charity have three broad areas of interest, one of which includes historic buildings.


THE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION - PARISH PUMPS PRIMING AWARDS
The Conservation Foundation was founded in 1982 to provide a means for people in public, private and not-for-profit sectors to collaborate on environmental causes. Parish Pump Priming Awards was launched in 2002 by the Foundation in response to requests to fund the initial stage of local environmental projects.


THE COUNCIL FOR THE CARE OF CHURCHES -
The Council's primary task is to assist Church of England parishes in their task of maintaining their church buildings, contents and churchyards. Grants are available for the conservation of historic church furnishings and fittings and for significant churchyard monuments.


THE ALAN EVANS MEMORIAL TRUST
The Trust will consider giving grants to promote the permanent preservation for the benefit of the nation of lands and tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest and as regards land, the preservation (so far as practicable) of the natural features and animal and plant life.


JILL FRANKLIN TRUST -
The trust makes grants towards the restoration of churches (and occasionally other buildings) of architectural importance which are favoured by the Trust.


FUNDRAISING FROM INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES
This entry does not relate to a formal funding programme in the accepted sense, but to a variety of measures for effective fundraising from individuals and corporations, and for how to encourage tax efficient giving.


G C GIBSON TRUST
The Trust will consider giving grants for the preservation of religious buildings of historic or architectural interest.


THE GLAZIERS' TRUST
Financial assistance for the preservation of important examples of stained and painted glass of particular historic significance or exceptional artistic merit.



HISTORIC CHURCHES PRESERVATION TRUST - GRANTS AND INTEREST FREE LOANS
The Trust's purpose is to assist churches which cannot fund the total cost of essential repairs, by providing grants and/or interest free loans. Its declared objective is to target its limited funds to those Christian places of worship where they will do the most good, in line with its priorities, and where the award of a grant will give the community heart and encourage it to proceed with the project.


THE HULL AND EAST RIDING CHARITABLE TRUST
Grants may be available for the maintenance of significant religious buildings in Hull and former East Riding of Yorkshire area.


IDLEWILD TRUST
The Trust will consider giving grants for the preservation of religious and secular buildings and items of historic or architectural interest or national importance, for the benefit of the public.


INCORPORATED CHURCH BUILDING SOCIETY - GRANTS AND INTEREST FREE LOANS
The Incorporated Church Building Society's (ICBS) purpose is to assist Anglican churches of any age with the costs of fabric repairs, through grants and interest free loans. Loans are also available for the building of new Anglican churches. The Society is administered by the Historic Churches Preservation Trust (HCPT) (see separate entry) and all applications to the HCPT or ICBS are automatically considered by both organisations.


LOCAL AUTHORITIES - Historic Buildings Grants
Many local authorities operate a small fund to encourage and assist the repair and renovation of historic buildings in their area.


THE MANIFOLD CHARITABLE TRUST -
The Trust will consider grant-aiding the preservation of any building of historic or architectural interest.


MERCERS' CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The Trust will consider giving grants for the preservation of buildings of historic or architectural interest.


MOBILE TELEPHONE AERIAL INSTALLERS -
In principle, depending on their location, parish churches may be in a position to earn a rental income for allowing their towers to be used as locations for mobile telephone aerials.


THE OPEN CHURCHES TRUST
The purpose of the Trust is to encourage the opening of places of worship of special architectural merit which otherwise would have to be kept locked for fear of vandalism and theft.


THE PILGRIM TRUST -
Within its very much broader range of charitable interests, the Trust awards grants towards the preservation of particular features on historic buildings or the conservation of individual monuments or structures that are of importance to the surrounding environment, including buildings designed for public performance.


SAINSBURY FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTS
Some of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts support projects involving the repair and rehabilitation of historic buildings.


THE BERNARD SUNLEY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION -
The Foundation gives grants to many causes across a broad range of charitable activities, including the preservation of religious and secular buildings of historic or architectural interest.


GARFIELD WESTON FOUNDATION
Among its broad range of charitable interests, the Foundation will consider giving grants for the preservation of religious and secular buildings of historic or architectural interest.


THE WOLFSON FOUNDATION
Within a very much broader range of charitable interests (science and medicine, health, education, the arts and humanities) the Foundation's stated charitable priorities include the preservation and renovation of listed buildings of historic or architectural interest, both religious and secular.


WORLD MONUMENTS FUND IN BRITAIN - JEWISH HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAMME
With lead sponsorship provided by the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, the Jewish Heritage Grant Programme addresses the urgent conservation needs of historic synagogues at risk of losing their architectural integrity. Founded in 1988, it is believed to be the only international, private, non-profit initiative to address the urgent preservation needs of historic synagogue architecture and art by means of an annual cycle of grants.



WORLD MONUMENTS FUND IN BRITAIN - THE KRESS FOUNDATION EUROPEAN PRESERVATION PROGRAM
Grants are awarded for the conservation of buildings, groups of buildings, and works of art of recognized artistic quality in an architectural context.