Churches Conservation

Charity Number: 1150968

Annual Expenditure: £0.8M
Geographic Focus: Throughout England

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Approximately £815,791 (charitable expenditure 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Applications reviewed at next available trustee meeting (specific timeline not disclosed)
  • Grant Range: £250 - £2,000
  • Geographic Focus: England only

Contact Details

Address: St. Peters Street, Northampton, NN1 1FH

Email: foundation@thecct.org.uk

Phone: 0845 3032760

Website: www.churchesconservation.org

Overview

Churches Conservation was registered as a charity in February 2013 (charity number 1150968, company number 08372099) with a mission to conserve churches and chapels of historic and archaeological importance or architectural quality in England. The charity operates as a charitable company with total income of £1,553,622 in the 2024 financial year, primarily from charitable activities (£1,480,000). With total charitable expenditure of £815,791, the organization focuses on providing grants for specialized conservation projects that benefit local communities and the wider public. The charity also offers a Travel Award programme supporting young craftspeople in religious heritage conservation. Churches Conservation operates with a small trustee board and maintains robust governance policies covering financial reserves, internal controls, investment management, and conflict of interest procedures.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Programme: £250 - £2,000

  • Grants normally range from 10% to 75% of total project cost
  • Applications submitted via email to foundation@thecct.org.uk
  • Rolling basis - reviewed by trustees at next available meeting following receipt
  • Note: Grant applications are currently suspended

Travel Award: £500 - £1,000

  • Two awards granted annually in February
  • For young craftspeople (under 30 years old)
  • Fixed deadline: January 31st each year

Priority Areas

Churches Conservation funds special conservation projects to the fabric and contents of historic listed churches and chapels in England that would not normally be undertaken in regular repair and maintenance cycles, including:

  • Conservation work to listed headstones and tombs
  • Monuments
  • Wall paintings
  • Rood screens
  • Fonts
  • Carved stonework
  • Stained glass
  • Altar cloths
  • Church archives

What They Don't Fund

  • Routine repair and maintenance work
  • Projects outside England
  • Organizations with income exceeding £5 million
  • Unlisted buildings
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (4 members)

  • Stephen Chater - Chair (appointed January 2021)
  • Alice Ullathorne (appointed July 2020)
  • Colin Shearer (appointed July 2019)
  • Humphrey Welfare (appointed July 2018)
  • Inayat Omarji (date not specified)

The charity maintains strong governance practices with no trustee remuneration, no trading subsidiaries, and established policies for financial management and conflicts of interest.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Small Grants Programme:

  1. Download the small grants brief, standard terms & conditions document, and application form from www.churchesconservation.org
  2. Complete all required documentation
  3. Email application to foundation@thecct.org.uk
  4. Applications are considered by trustees at their next available meeting following receipt

Travel Award:

  1. Download and read the criteria document
  2. Complete the application form
  3. Submit by January 31st deadline to foundation@thecct.org.uk
  4. Decisions made in February

Decision Timeline

Applications for Small Grants are reviewed at the next available trustee meeting following receipt. Specific timeframes between meetings are not publicly disclosed, but applicants can expect decisions to be made on a regular rolling basis throughout the year.

Travel Award decisions are made in February for applications submitted by the January 31st deadline.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available for Churches Conservation's Small Grants Programme.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy or restrictions are publicly disclosed. Applicants should contact the charity directly for guidance on unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

  • Be a formally constituted group (Friends group, Preservation Trust, Parochial Church Council, or similar)
  • Have legal responsibility for a listed church, chapel, or churchyard
  • Have an income of £5 million or less
  • Be located in England
  • Propose work on a listed building

Project Types Most Likely to Succeed

The charity specifically supports “special conservation projects” that are:

  • Beyond routine maintenance cycles
  • Focused on historic fabric and contents of significance
  • Directed at specific heritage features (monuments, wall paintings, stained glass, carved stonework, etc.)
  • Beneficial to local communities and the wider public

Strategic Considerations

While the charity does not publicly share extensive guidance, successful applications likely demonstrate:

  • Clear historic or architectural significance of the feature requiring conservation
  • Professional conservation approach appropriate to the heritage asset
  • Community benefit and public access considerations
  • Realistic budgeting with appropriate conservation specialist input
  • Multiple funding sources (given the maximum 75% contribution)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Small organization with modest grants: With grants of £250-£2,000 covering 10-75% of costs, this is best suited for smaller, targeted conservation projects rather than major restoration schemes
  • Specialized conservation focus: Applications must clearly demonstrate work goes beyond routine maintenance to address heritage features requiring specialist conservation treatment
  • Currently suspended: The Small Grants Programme is currently not accepting applications - monitor the website for reopening
  • Simple application process: When open, the rolling application process with email submission offers flexibility compared to fixed deadlines
  • England-only: Geographic restriction to England and requirement for listed buildings limits eligible applicants
  • Income cap matters: Organizations with income over £5 million are ineligible, suggesting focus on supporting smaller community groups
  • Alternative opportunity: The Travel Award offers a different route for young craftspeople to engage with religious heritage conservation

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