The Oxford Good Stewards Trust

Charity Number: 1193525

Annual Expenditure: £0.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £6,000 (approx., based on 2022 accounts)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not specified - rolling basis
  • Grant Range: Not publicly specified
  • Geographic Focus: Diocese of Oxford and other approved areas
  • Established: February 2021

Contact Details

General Enquiries:

For Grant Enquiries:

  • Contact the Secretary, Mike Clark, via info@ogst.org
  • Alternative: Contact the incumbent at one of the founder churches or a trustee directly

Overview

The Oxford Good Stewards Trust is a relatively new grant-making charity established on 15 February 2021 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). Founded by four evangelical Anglican churches in the Oxford Diocese—St Ebbe's Oxford, St Mary's Maidenhead, St Paul's Banbury, and Arborfield & Barkham Benefice—the Trust operates as an independent funding vehicle to support gospel-centered ministry within the Church of England. The Trust's mission is to “support churches and individuals in the Oxford diocese and other areas as approved by the Trust in their work of preaching and disseminating the Christian gospel, and building up followers of Jesus Christ.” With a clear evangelical theological foundation based on the Church of England Evangelical Council's statement of faith, the Trust aims to help build healthy local churches by strategically deploying ministers and supporting church plants. The organisation had total income of £6,006 and expenditure of £5,932 in the 2022 financial year.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates a rolling grant program with no fixed deadlines. Applications can be submitted at any time for consideration by the trustees.

Primary Grant Focus:

  • Minister Support: Deployment of ministers and lay workers aligned with the Trust's Statement of Faith (primary priority)
  • Church Planting: Provision and maintenance of facilities for public worship, especially for new church plants
  • Outreach and Evangelism: Projects focused on gospel outreach and evangelistic activity

Grant Structure:

  • Grants are normally paid quarterly
  • Multi-year grants are accepted and encouraged
  • Payment frequency can be varied on request
  • Progress reports typically required every 6 months

Priority Areas

The Trust specifically supports:

  1. Ministry Personnel: Funding for ministers, curates, church planters, youth workers, and other ministry staff who subscribe to the Trust's evangelical Statement of Faith
  2. Worship Facilities: Building or maintaining spaces for public worship, particularly for church plants
  3. Outreach Projects: Gospel-centered evangelistic initiatives and pastoral care programs
  4. Last-Resort Funding: Priority given to churches that have exhausted all other funding sources
  5. Doctrine Promotion: Activities promoting understanding of Church of England doctrine consistent with evangelical theology

Theological Requirements:

Both applicants and beneficiaries must commit to the Trust's Statement of Faith, which is based on the Church of England Evangelical Council's basis of faith. This includes affirmation of biblical authority, salvation through Christ alone, traditional Christian sexual ethics, and evangelical doctrines.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the Trust's focus on evangelical ministry within the Diocese of Oxford suggests they do not fund:

  • Projects outside the Church of England
  • Ministry not aligned with their evangelical Statement of Faith
  • General operational costs where other funding is available
  • Projects with adequate existing funding sources
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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees (5 members):

  • Trevor Rayment - Chair (Oxford, St Ebbe's Oxford)
  • Mike Clark - Secretary (Duns Tew, St Paul's Banbury)
  • Michael Byrne - Treasurer (Wokingham, Arborfield & Barkham Family of Churches)
  • Megan Carter - Trustee (Near Chipping Norton, St Mary's Chipping Norton)
  • Ralph Hewins - Trustee (Maidenhead, St Mary's Maidenhead)

The trustees represent the founding churches and bring experience from established evangelical parishes in the Oxford Diocese. The Trust's governance structure reflects its origins as a collaborative initiative between four like-minded churches seeking to work together financially to support gospel advancement across the diocese.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Download and complete the Grant Application Form (Word document) from the Trust's website
  2. Submit the completed form to the OGST Secretary at info@ogst.org
  3. Applications may be made at any time on a rolling basis

Application Requirements:

Statement of Need must include:

  • Assessment of current situation
  • Reasoned action plan with hoped-for outcomes
  • Detailed time-scale
  • Comprehensive budget breakdown

Declarations Required:

  • Both applicant and beneficiary must sign commitment to the Trust's Statement of Faith
  • Confirmation that other funding sources have been exhausted (for priority consideration)

Decision Timeline

  • Applications reviewed on a rolling basis by trustees
  • No specific decision timeline published
  • “Applications may be made at any time to be considered by the Trustees whose decision is final”
  • Successful applicants typically begin receiving quarterly payments once approved

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. As a small, new charity with limited annual giving (approximately £6,000 in 2022), the Trust appears to make selective grants focused on strategic ministry deployment.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is stated. Given the rolling application process and the Trust's openness to multi-year grants, unsuccessful applicants should likely contact the trustees directly to discuss whether reapplication is appropriate.

Application Success Factors

Key Success Factors:

  1. Theological Alignment: Complete adherence to the Trust's evangelical Statement of Faith is non-negotiable. Both applicant organizations and beneficiary individuals must sign declarations of commitment.
  1. Financial Need: Priority is explicitly given to “churches that have made every effort to secure other finance, but have been unable to do so.” Demonstrate exhausted alternatives.
  1. Gospel-Centered Ministry: Projects must clearly focus on “preaching and disseminating the Christian gospel, and building up followers of Jesus Christ.”
  1. Ministry Deployment: The Trust's primary aim is "supporting the deployment of ministers and others who are in agreement with the Trust's Statement of Faith." Applications for personnel funding appear most aligned with core mission.
  1. Clear Outcomes: The required “reasoned action plan with hoped-for outcomes” suggests trustees want measurable ministry impact, not just ongoing operational support.
  1. Church Planting Priority: Facilities grants are “especially” welcomed for church plants, indicating this is a strategic priority.
  1. Diocese Connection: While the Trust can support work “elsewhere as approved by the trustees,” the primary geographic focus is the Oxford Diocese.

Currently Funded Projects:

The Trust lists several active projects on their website including church plants and ministry initiatives in:

  • Marcham
  • Bracknell (Nick Algeo)
  • St Mary's Chipping Norton
  • SMG Church High Wycombe
  • Grace Church Cowley/Blackbird Leys
  • Grace Church Windsor

Completed projects include work in Theale and St Paul's Slough.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Evangelical theology is essential: Do not apply unless your organization fully subscribes to the Trust's evangelical Statement of Faith, including traditional positions on biblical authority and sexual ethics. Both organizational and individual declarations are required.
  1. Think long-term, multi-year: The Trust explicitly welcomes applications for grants “to be made over a number of years,” suggesting they're interested in sustained ministry investment rather than one-off projects.
  1. Emphasize last-resort need: Demonstrate you've pursued all other funding avenues first. The Trust sees itself as filling gaps where mainstream funding is unavailable.
  1. Focus on people, not just projects: The primary mission is “deployment of ministers.” Applications for staff funding (ministers, church planters, youth workers) appear most aligned with the Trust's core purpose.
  1. Small but strategic: With annual giving around £6,000, this is a small trust making selective grants. Expect modest funding amounts and highly competitive selection.
  1. Rolling deadlines favor early contact: With no fixed deadlines, consider reaching out informally to trustees or founder church clergy to discuss project fit before formal application.
  1. Be prepared for accountability: Six-monthly progress reports and quarterly payment structures suggest the Trust maintains active oversight of funded projects.

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