Community Of The Holy Cross

Charity Number: 223807

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Quick Stats

  • Charity Number: 223807
  • Annual Income: £384,505 (2024)
  • Annual Expenditure: £625,596 (2024)
  • Application Process: No public application process (discretionary grants)
  • Geographic Focus: United Kingdom and abroad
  • Founded: 1857

Contact Details

Address: Holy Cross Convent, Highfields, Nottingham Road, Costock, Loughborough LE12 6XE

Phone: 01509 852761

Email: admin@holycrosschc.org.uk

Website: https://holycrosschc.org.uk

Overview

The Community of the Holy Cross is an Anglican Benedictine religious community founded in 1857 by Elizabeth Neale, sister of the hymnographer John Mason Neale. Originally established for mission work in the London Docks, the Community transitioned to a more contemplative life, adopting the Benedictine Rule in the mid-20th century. In 1978, the Sisters moved to their current purpose-built convent in Costock, Nottinghamshire, where they live on 27 acres of farmland. While their primary work is the worship of God through daily Eucharist and the seven-fold liturgical Office, the Community also makes grants to various institutions for the promotion of religion, medical purposes, and relief of poverty, both in the United Kingdom and abroad. The Community operates with 6 trustees and 3 volunteers, with total annual expenditure of £625,596 (2024).

Funding Priorities

Grant-Making Activities

The Community of the Holy Cross makes discretionary grants to institutions in the following areas:

  • Promotion of Religion: Supporting religious institutions and Christian mission work
  • Medical Purposes: Funding medical initiatives and healthcare-related projects
  • Relief of Poverty: Grants to organizations working to alleviate poverty
  • Support for Disabled People: Funding projects that benefit people with disabilities

Primary Charitable Activities

Beyond grant-making, the Community's charitable work includes:

  • Providing accommodation, food, and rest for those in mental, physical, or spiritual distress
  • Offering hospitality through retreats and quiet days
  • Maintaining a ministry of prayer and contemplation
  • Conservation management of their farmland

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are documented, though their grant-making appears focused on religious, medical, and poverty relief purposes aligned with their Anglican Benedictine mission.

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Governance and Leadership

The charity is governed by 6 trustees and supported by 3 volunteers. No trustees receive remuneration for their services. The Community operates as an Anglican Benedictine religious order under the Rule of St Benedict, with the Sisters' daily worship and contemplative life forming the foundation of all their activities.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Community of the Holy Cross makes grants on a discretionary basis determined by the trustees. There is no application form, online portal, or published guidelines for external organizations seeking funding.

Grant decisions appear to be made internally by the trustees based on the Community's charitable objectives and their connections within the Anglican communion and broader charitable sector.

Decision Timeline

No information is available regarding decision timelines, as grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees rather than through a formal application cycle.

Application Success Factors

Given the absence of a public application process, the following factors appear relevant:

Alignment with Mission: Organizations aligned with Anglican religious life, medical care, poverty relief, or support for disabled people would be most likely to receive consideration, based on the Community's stated charitable objects.

Connection to Anglican Communion: As an Anglican Benedictine community, grants are likely to favor projects within the Anglican tradition or ecumenical Christian initiatives.

Geographic Reach: While the Community is based in the East Midlands, their charitable objects extend to supporting institutions “both in the United Kingdom and abroad,” suggesting international reach in their grant-making.

Contemplative Values: Given the Community's commitment to Benedictine values of prayer, work, and hospitality, projects that reflect these contemplative and service-oriented values may be favored.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • The Community of the Holy Cross does make grants but operates entirely on a discretionary basis without public applications
  • Grant-making focuses on promotion of religion, medical purposes, relief of poverty, and support for disabled people
  • The Community is an Anglican Benedictine religious order, suggesting grants likely favor Anglican or broadly Christian initiatives
  • With annual expenditure of £625,596, a portion is directed to external grant-making, though specific amounts are not publicly disclosed
  • There is no pathway for unsolicited applications; grants appear to be awarded through existing relationships and trustee discretion
  • Organizations seeking funding would need to establish a relationship with the Community or be identified by trustees as aligned with their charitable mission
  • The Community's primary work remains contemplative prayer and hospitality rather than active grant-making administration

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