The Archbishop Of Canterbury's Anglican Communion Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £571,729 (2023)
• Total Income: £610,364 (2023)
• Geographic Focus: International (165 countries across 41 Anglican provinces)
• Target Beneficiaries: Anglican Communion churches, particularly in the Global South
• Established: November 3, 1999

Contact Details

Address: Anglican Communion Fund, Lambeth Palace, London, England, SE1 7JU

Phone: +44 20 7898 1235 / +44 20 7898 1536 (Personal Emergencies Fund)

Email: safiya.nyirongo@lambethpalace.org.uk / acf@lambethpalace.org.uk

Website: https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/about/archbishop-canterburys-anglican-communion-fund

For Grant Enquiries: Contact acf@lambethpalace.org.uk

Overview

The Archbishop of Canterbury's Anglican Communion Fund (ACF) was established on November 3, 1999, and is a registered charity (number 1078032) that raises funds to support the churches and provinces of the Anglican Communion and the international ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury. With annual charitable expenditure of £571,729 (2023), the Fund serves 85 million Anglicans across 41 provinces spanning 165 countries, with 85% from the Global South. The Fund's mission focuses on supporting churches in the poorest and most threatened parts of the world, where the Anglican church is often the only stable, functioning organization. The ACF supports communities throughout the Anglican Communion in their mission to live and share Christ's love, addressing diverse areas including economic empowerment, theological education, peace and reconciliation, and women's empowerment.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The ACF operates three main grant streams:

Strategic Initiatives: Multi-year capacity-building grants, often delivered through strategic partnerships with provinces at the Primate level. These are higher-level funding agreements that enable provinces to plan with greater certainty and strengthen provincial churches.

Representation Grants: Support for Anglican representatives whose advocacy roles have a global reach, funding Anglican influence in international forums and global decision-making bodies.

Emergency Grants: Rapid-response funding to support the Church in times of crisis, including natural disasters, conflicts, and pandemics. During COVID-19, the Fund allocated over 50 grants totalling £280,000 across the Communion.

Personal Emergencies Fund (PEF): A specialized program established in 1979 by Archbishop Donald Coggan, providing grants to clergy, church workers, and their immediate families for critical emergency medical treatment. Administered by a committee of 9 members.

Priority Areas

• Economic empowerment and community development
• Theological education and training for local church leaders
• Peace and reconciliation initiatives in conflict zones
• Women's empowerment and leadership development
• Emergency humanitarian response
• Climate action and environmental sustainability
• Healthcare access for church workers and their families
• Church infrastructure rebuilding after disasters

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations or projects outside the Anglican Communion
• Entities not in full communion with the Anglican Communion
• Non-emergency medical needs beyond critical care (for PEF)
• Projects where medical treatment cannot be provided in the applicant's own country (preference given to local treatment)

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Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive Officer: Safiya Nyirongo (appointed April 3, 2018) - Brings extensive international development and social enterprise experience from roles at Oxfam GB, Oxfam America, and USAID-funded projects in Australia, post-tsunami South Asia, and South Sudan. Holds an MBA and Master of Education from Stanford University, a Bachelor's in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University, and a Diploma in Biblical and Theological Studies from Oxford University's Wycliffe Hall.

Chairman of Friends of ACF: Lord Stephen Green

Quote from Archbishop Justin Welby: “The Anglican Communion Fund exists to serve, facilitate and supplement many local initiatives across the Anglican Communion family worldwide.”

Quote from Safiya Nyirongo: “I am thrilled to be joining the Anglican Communion Fund at this exciting time of its growth and development.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Fund does not appear to operate through open public applications. Recipients must be members of a province of the Anglican Communion or of one of the Extra Provincial churches in full communion with the Anglican Communion. Strategic initiatives are often developed through partnerships at the provincial or Primate level.

For grant enquiries, contact: acf@lambethpalace.org.uk

Personal Emergencies Fund: Full application guidelines are available for download from the ACF website. Applications are reviewed by a committee of 9 members.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Emergency grants appear to be processed more rapidly given their urgent nature, as evidenced by the COVID-19 response grants.

Application Method

Direct contact with the Anglican Communion Fund team is required. The organization appears to work proactively with Anglican provinces and churches rather than operating through competitive open calls.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly specified. Contact the Fund directly for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

While the ACF does not publish detailed application success criteria, the following factors emerge from their funded projects and stated priorities:

Geographic Focus: Strong emphasis on supporting the Global South, where 85% of Anglican Communion members reside and where churches operate in the poorest and most threatened regions.

Alignment with Strategic Priorities: Projects that build capacity, enhance representation in global forums, or address genuine emergencies are prioritized.

Church-Centered Approach: The Fund supports work where the Anglican church plays a central role in community stability and development, particularly in areas where it is the primary functioning organization.

Examples of Recently Funded Projects:

• Diocese of Maridi, South Sudan: COVID-19 response providing food items, soaps, seeds to over 200 pastors and lay-readers, plus virus prevention training and equipment for remote outreach
• Kagera, Tanzania: Church and Community Mobilization Program including tree nursery establishment, demonstration farming, and entrepreneurship training
• Multiple locations: Theological education programs in Burundi, Sudan, Upper Egypt, and Namibia
• Women on the Frontline Program: Retreats for bishops' wives and peace/reconciliation training using art and creativity

Language and Approach: The Fund emphasizes partnership language, working “together with provinces” and focusing on enabling churches to “plan with greater certainty” through multi-year commitments.

Medical Emergencies (PEF): Applications should demonstrate genuine financial need for critical emergency medical treatment that will enable the recipient to return to ministry service. Priority given to treatment in the applicant's own country where possible.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is not a typical open-application grant fund: The ACF works primarily through relationships with Anglican provinces and church leadership at the provincial level. Organizations seeking support should work through their Anglican denominational structures.

• Relationship-building is essential: Strategic initiatives are developed through partnerships with Primates and provincial leadership, suggesting that sustained engagement is necessary.

• Emergency response capacity: The Fund has demonstrated ability to mobilize quickly for crises (e.g., COVID-19 response, natural disasters), making it a potential source for rapid Anglican humanitarian response.

• Focus on Global South: With 85% of beneficiaries from the Global South, projects from these regions are strongly aligned with the Fund's mission.

• Capacity building over one-time support: Multi-year strategic partnerships indicate preference for sustainable capacity-building approaches rather than short-term interventions.

• Multi-faceted approach: The Fund supports diverse areas from theological education to economic empowerment, suggesting openness to various project types that strengthen Anglican churches.

• Medical emergencies for church workers: The Personal Emergencies Fund provides a specific pathway for clergy and church workers facing medical crises.

References

1. The Archbishop of Canterbury's Anglican Communion Fund official page - https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/about/archbishop-canterburys-anglican-communion-fund -

1. UK Charity Commission Register - The Archbishop of Canterbury's Anglican Communion Fund (Charity No. 1078032) - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1078032&subid=0 - Financial year ending December 31, 2023 -

1. Projects supported by the Anglican Communion Fund - https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/about/anglican-communion-fund/projects-supported-anglican-communion-fund -

1. Personal Emergencies Fund - https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/about/anglican-communion-fund/personal-emergencies-fund -

1. Archbishop's Anglican Communion Fund appoints Chief Executive Officer - https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/archbishops-anglican-communion-fund-appoints-chief-executive-officer - March 2018 -

1. Working together through strategic partnerships - https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/about/anglican-communion-fund/working-together-through-strategic-partnerships -

1. Anglican Communion Fund Annual Review 2023-24 - https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/sites/abc/files/2025-07/acf-annualreview-2023_24-v6_web.pdf - Referenced but file size exceeded access limits -