The Belfrey
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Don't spend time on an approach; the similar funders below support the same kind of work.
Key takeaways
- The Belfrey's stated priority is church planting and mission projects in the North of England, so a charity working outside that area or theme is unlikely to fit.
- The annual report's typical grants fall between £850 and £30,000, with a median of £2,000, so a request in the low thousands sits within what it usually gives.
- The Sequoia Seed Fund is open to church plants and partner churches and offers up to £2,500 for core costs or equipment for new events, activities or missional communities.
- The Belfrey's stated application method is by invitation only and it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered.
- Organisations that are not church plants or partner churches should not apply to the Sequoia Seed Fund.
Overview
The Belfrey is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1130866).
The Belfrey is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, existing to promote, in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church. Its most recent annual report records annual giving of £571,935. Its programmes are the Northern Church Planting Fund, overseen and administered by the Northern Church Planting Group to support church planting in the North of England, and the Sequoia Seed Fund, which offers church plants and partner churches up to £2,500 for a new project.
What they fund
Profile based on the charity's Charity Commission register entry and annual report (year to 31 December 2024) only. Every statement is checked against them. Sources read on 30 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Belfrey’s grant-making is directed principally towards church planting in the North of England. The Northern Church Planting Group oversees and administers the Northern Church Planting Fund, which provides financial and other support to enable and encourage church planting there. The Fund supports church plants, while the Sequoia Seed Fund gives church plants and other partner churches an opportunity to apply for small seed grants for new projects. Those grants are intended specifically to help cover core costs or equipment for church-plant events, activities or missional communities. Its grants support church plants and partner churches through larger church-planting grants and smaller mission-project grants.
Themes
- Church planting
- Mission projects
Geographic Focus
Priority: The North of England.
How to apply
Church plants and other partner churches can apply to the Sequoia Seed Fund for support for a new project. Grants are intended to help cover core costs or equipment for church-plant events, activities or missional communities.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Belfrey.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 8 grants in year to 31 December 2024 by size
Median £2,095 (year to 31 December 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- Grant to Restore£30,000year to 31 December 2024
- CAP contribution£5,400year to 31 December 2024
- Riding Lights£3,000year to 31 December 2024
- Alpha£2,190year to 31 December 2024
- Friends International£2,000year to 31 December 2024
- Paul Myers Mission£2,000year to 31 December 2024
- Restore£1,000year to 31 December 2024
- Acts 435£850year to 31 December 2024
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts. Not included above: 2 grants to individuals; 20 with no named recipient; 5 whose recipient could not be identified.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2020 | £9,247,848 | £1,225,695 | £10,936 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2020 |
| year to 31 December 2021 | £903,056 | £1,154,479 | £23,917 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £894,550 | £1,694,801 | £200,761 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £1,465,176 | £1,765,271 | £221,837 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £1,686,862 | £2,900,287 | £571,935 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
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 2020; year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2023: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2024: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.
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
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2024)
This profile rests on the charity’s filed accounts and register entry only, so check with the funder directly before applying.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Belfrey?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- belfrey.org
- Charity Commission register entryContact details as held by the Charity Commission
Applying to The Belfrey?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- belfrey.org
- Charity Commission register entryContact details as held by the Charity Commission