The Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Development Fund, which funds projects developed by parishes, benefices and deaneries, is for church bodies, so groups outside the Church of England should not apply to it.
- Its stated ceilings are up to £80,000 for the Development Fund, up to £2,500 for Tier 1, from £2,500 for Tier 2 and up to £50,000 for buildings-related projects, so a modest request fits most of its programmes.
- The Fund gives priority to parishes that have not yet received Development Funding, and it may look less favourably on work where other grant sources are available or where the applicant has income beyond essential costs.
- The annual report does not publish a process, so read the general criteria and support guidance and consult the relevant diocesan teams early, before one of the four deadlines each year: 31 January, 30 April, 31 July or 31 October.
- Tier 2 projects are expected to secure match funding, so arrange that before applying.
Overview
The Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 247954).
The Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance is a charity registered in England and Wales, and it exists to benefit the public by promoting and assisting the mission and other work of the Church of England in and beyond the Diocese of Oxford. It makes grants to the National Church towards a proportion of its central costs and to cover the cost of training for ministry, and it also pays other connected charities and projects that further its charitable objectives. Its programmes include the Development Fund, which supports mission projects developed by parishes, benefices and deaneries. In the latest annual report it awarded £1,557,000.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance promotes and assists the mission and other work of the Church of England in and beyond the Diocese of Oxford. Its grants contribute to the National Church’s central costs and ministry training, and go to connected charities and other projects in furtherance of its charitable objectives. Through the Development Fund, it funds projects developed by parishes, benefices and deaneries for mission development in their local contexts. The Fund supports a wide range of missional activity and is particularly helpful to parishes with limited resources after Parish Share and other essential costs. Tier 2 projects are expected to secure match funding.
Themes
- Mission development
Geographic Focus
Diocese of Oxford: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire counties in United Kingdom.
How to apply
Applicants should read the general criteria and support guidance and consult relevant diocesan teams early to develop their project, then follow the specific guidance for the application type through the application forms.
Deadlines: There are four application deadlines each year: 31 January, 30 April, 31 July and 31 October.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The Fund looks for projects that help a church become more Christ-like for the sake of God’s world.
- Applications should show discernment, including what has led the parish to believe it is called to the activity and what it is doing differently by listening to God.
- The Fund values a thought-through, innovative approach with expected positive missional outcomes.
- Applications should offer a good opportunity for those involved to learn from the activity.
- It encourages sustainable projects with realistic costs, timescales, resources and expected outcomes, supported by careful planning.
- Priority goes to parishes that have not yet received Development Funding.
- The Fund aims to be particularly helpful to parishes with very limited financial resources after Parish Share and other essential costs.
- For Tier 2 applications, the Fund expects match-funding.
- The Fund may look less favourably on work where other grant sources are available or the applicant has income beyond essential costs.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- Contributions to Archbishops’ Council (note 7)£2,003,000year to 31 December 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £25,352,000 | £30,803,000 | £4,548,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £27,355,000 | £30,940,000 | £3,428,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £28,414,000 | £30,719,000 | £3,521,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £27,968,000 | £34,121,000 | £4,326,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £24,862,000 | £33,845,000 | £1,557,000 | 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
- oxford.anglican.org/parish-support/parish-finance/development-fund · read on 31 October 2026
- oxford.anglican.org/parish-support/parish-finance/development-fund/are-we-eligible · read on 31 October 2026
- oxford.anglican.org/parish-support/parish-finance/development-fund/prepare-an-application · read on 31 October 2026
- oxford.anglican.org/contact-us · read on 31 October 2026
- oxford.anglican.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.
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01865 208 200source
- Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance, Church House Oxford, Langford Locks, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1GFsource
- oxford.anglican.org
Applying to The Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01865 208 200source
- Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance, Church House Oxford, Langford Locks, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1GFsource
- oxford.anglican.org