The South London Church Fund and Southwark Diocesan Board of Finance
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Its stated focus is churches and parishes within the Diocese of Southwark, so a group outside that area or not linked to a parish is unlikely to fit.
- For a modest request, the clearest entry points are the Fresh Expressions of Church grants, which run from £500 to £1,000 for small grants and £1,000 to £5,000 for larger ones.
- Innovation Grants of up to £250,000 are available, but the funder expects an innovative, creative missional idea with clear evidence of why it will work, and the typical grants reported in the annual report run from £13,000 to £1,850,000, with a median of about £180,000, so a small group should not assume it will receive that scale.
- Children and Youth grants go to eligible parishes, who download the form and send it to mission@southwark.anglican.org, with parish applications considered monthly; the Croydon Area mission grants close on 6 April, the Woolwich Area mission grants on 30 April, 30 June and 31 October, and the Women's Ministry Grant (Gilmore Fund) on 9 November, so check which window applies before you write.
- The annual report does not say how competitive the awards are.
Overview
The South London Church Fund and Southwark Diocesan Board of Finance is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 249678).
The South London Church Fund and Southwark Diocesan Board of Finance is a charity registered in England and Wales (charity number 249678) whose purpose is to assist, promote and further religious and other charitable work, including educational work, within the Diocese of Southwark and qualifying successor dioceses. It makes grants from budgets set aside for specific purposes, subject to authorisation policies and criteria. Its parish programmes fund mission and ministry, including work with children, young people and families, Fresh Expressions of Church, and innovative missional ideas. Its annual giving is £2,619,000.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The foundation’s grant activity supports churches and parishes in the Diocese. Its parish programmes fund mission and ministry, including work with children, young people and families; Fresh Expressions of Church; and innovative, creative missional ideas intended to strengthen mission. Parish micro-grants also support social or environmental action. Its governing objects extend to religious and other charitable work, including education. The organisation sets grant budgets for specific purposes and subjects awards to authorisation policies and criteria. Its reported grant giving includes national Church responsibilities, diocesan education and parish mission, showing support across church-wide, educational and local parish activity.
Themes
- Religious work
- Educational work
- Children and youth ministry
- Fresh Expressions of Church
- Social and environmental action
- Innovative mission
Geographic Focus
Diocese of Southwark.
How to apply
For Children and Youth grants, eligible parishes download and complete the application form, then send it to mission@southwark.anglican.org. Parish applications are considered monthly, and applicants are advised of the outcome.
Application windows:
- Croydon Area mission grants: Applications are open, closing on 6 April
- Woolwich Area mission grants
- Applications received by 30 April
- Applications received by 30 June
- Applications received by 31 October
- Women's Ministry Grant (Gilmore Fund): Deadline for applications is 9 November
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- It expects an innovative, creative missional idea with potential to create a step change in missional growth, supported by clear evidence of why it will work.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- Greater London
- Surrey
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The South London Church Fund and Southwark Diocesan Board of Finance.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 6 grants in year to 31 December 2025 by size
Median £192k (year to 31 December 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- Contributions to Archbishops’ Council · National Church responsibilities£1,828,000year to 31 December 2025
- Southwark Diocesan Board of Education£376,000year to 31 December 2025
- Parishes for mission£205,000year to 31 December 2025
- Southwark Diocesan Welcare£179,000year to 31 December 2025
- Southwark Cathedral£18,000year to 31 December 2025
- Other institutions for mission£13,000year to 31 December 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts. Not included above: 5 grants to individuals.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £29,011,000 | £24,381,000 | £2,514,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £26,120,000 | £25,907,000 | £1,742,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £23,811,000 | £26,765,000 | £2,628,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £28,536,000 | £28,159,000 | £2,571,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £30,144,000 | £30,971,000 | £2,619,000 | 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: 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
- southwark.anglican.org
- southwark.anglican.org/support/grants · read on 31 October 2026
- southwark.anglican.org/contact · 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
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Contact
- 020 7939 9400source
- trinity@southwark.anglican.orgsource
- ChurchBuildingGrants@southwark.anglican.orgsource
- mission@southwark.anglican.orgsource
- susan.jones@southwark.anglican.orgsource
- Southwark Diocesan Office Trinity House 4 Chapel Court Borough High Street London, SE1 1HWsource
- southwark.anglican.org
- Contact form
Stay Updated
Get updates on The South London Church Fund and Southwark Diocesan Board of Finance and other funders
SubscribeApplying to The South London Church Fund and Southwark Diocesan Board of Finance?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 020 7939 9400source
- trinity@southwark.anglican.orgsource
- ChurchBuildingGrants@southwark.anglican.orgsource
- mission@southwark.anglican.orgsource
- susan.jones@southwark.anglican.orgsource
- Southwark Diocesan Office Trinity House 4 Chapel Court Borough High Street London, SE1 1HWsource
- southwark.anglican.org
- Contact form