The Durham Diocesan Board of Finance
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The funder's stated focus is the Diocese of Durham, and its grants go to parish councils (PCCs) and other charitable projects that appeal to the Board for support for its objectives.
- A parish can apply once a year to MICROGRANTS for Energising Growth for up to £1,000 for a new mission initiative with a clear evangelistic element, a long-term plan, a costed breakdown, backing from the church or PCC, and an evaluation plan.
- Church Building Grants are capped at £5,000 and set as a percentage of costs by deprivation index, and the Church Building Panel can also offer loans of up to £15,000 for urgent repairs.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and parishes wanting a microgrant should ask the diocesan office administrator for the form.
- Existing projects seeking follow-on money, parishes that have already applied that year, and projects without costings or evaluation plans should not apply to the microgrant programme.
Overview
The Durham Diocesan Board of Finance is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 248287).
The Durham Diocesan Board of Finance manages the financial affairs and holds legal title to the assets of the Diocese of Durham, supporting the mission and ministry of the Church of England across the Diocese. It runs MICROGRANTS for Energising Growth, which provides seed-funding for mission initiatives in parishes and benefices, and Church Building Grants, which are administered by its Church Building Panel. Its annual report puts annual giving at £611,000, of which £466,000 went to individuals.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Durham Diocesan Board of Finance supports the work and purposes of the Church of England in the Diocese of Durham. It makes formula grants to the National Church towards a proportion of central costs and ministry training, and pays grants to PCCs and other charitable projects that appeal for support for its objectives. The Diocese’s published programmes include seed funding for new parish and benefice mission initiatives intended to grow reach and influence in communities, and Church Building Grants for building work. Mission initiatives are expected to have a clear evangelistic element, long-term plans and fit the wider church strategy; applications should include costed plans, parish or PCC backing and evaluation arrangements.
Themes
- Church of England work
- Ministry training
- Mission initiatives
- Church building work
Geographic Focus
Diocese of Durham.
What they don't fund
- MICROGRANTS for Energising Growth only:
- follow-on grants for existing projects or activities
- projects without a clear evangelistic element
- projects without clear aspirations, intentions and plans for the long-term, including ongoing engagement in mission and evangelism with the people you feel called to work with
- initiatives that do not fit into the wider mission strategy of the church / benefice / deanery or diocese
- projects that have not been properly costed
- initiatives that the church / PCC do not support or resource financially in some way
- projects without plans in place to evaluate the project, in terms of numbers and its potential impact
- more than one application per parish in a year
How to apply
For Mission Microgrants, parish applicants can contact the Diocesan office Administrator to request an application form.
What to send:
- Church Building Grants: A Church Building Grant Application Form.
- Church Building Panel loans: Relevant supporting documents.
- Mission Microgrants: A breakdown of your projected costs.
Applying again: Mission Microgrants: Each parish can apply once a year.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- A Microgrant initiative must be new and mission-focused.
- It should have a clear evangelistic element and build relationships that can introduce people to Christian faith.
- It should set out long-term plans for ongoing engagement in mission and evangelism.
- The initiative should fit the wider mission strategy of the church, benefice, deanery or diocese.
- It should have a clear cost breakdown.
- The church or PCC should support the initiative and contribute financially.
- Applicants should have plans to evaluate the project’s impact.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Durham Diocesan Board of Finance.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- Contributions to Archbishops' Council£456,000year to 31 December 2025
- PCCs£31,000year to 31 December 2025
- NECAT£8,000year to 31 December 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts. Not included above: 2 grants to individuals; 4 with no named recipient; 1 whose recipient could not be identified.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £12,763,319 | £12,011,975 | £943,017 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £12,633,613 | £13,084,537 | £1,042,772 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £12,398,038 | £12,997,034 | £906,531 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £12,907,000 | £13,092,000 | £518,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £12,474,000 | £12,772,000 | £611,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2023; year to 31 December 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- durhamdiocese.org/transformation/mission-support/mission-microgrants · read on 31 October 2026
- durhamdiocese.org/parish-support/church-buildings/grant-funding · read on 31 October 2026
- durhamdiocese.org/support-for-parishes/grant-funding · read on 31 October 2026
- durhamdiocese.org · read on 31 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 31 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Durham Diocesan Board of Finance?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01388 604515source
- diocesan.office@durham.anglican.orgsource
- Cuthbert House, Stonebridge, Durham, DH1 3RYsource
- durhamdiocese.org
Applying to The Durham Diocesan Board of Finance?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01388 604515source
- diocesan.office@durham.anglican.orgsource
- Cuthbert House, Stonebridge, Durham, DH1 3RYsource
- durhamdiocese.org