The Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £100,000
• Grant Range: £250 - £15,000
• Average Grant: £4,200 (last 5 years)
• Decision Time: 6-8 weeks (from deadline to meeting)
• Geographic Focus: Yorkshire (pre-1974 boundaries)
• Total Distributed: Nearly £3,000,000 since 1988
• Churches Supported: Over 800

Contact Details

• Website: www.yhct.org.uk
• Email: grants@yhct.org.uk or generalenquiries@yhct.org.uk
• Phone: 01904 643943
• Grants Secretary: Jonathan Stamp - 07594 578665

For pre-application advice, applicants are encouraged to contact Jonathan Stamp to discuss their project before submitting an application.

Overview

Founded in 1988, The Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (YHCT) is a non-denominational charity dedicated to preserving Yorkshire's historic churches, chapels, and meeting houses of all Christian denominations. With an annual giving capacity of approximately £100,000, the Trust has distributed nearly £3 million in grants to over 800 places of worship across Yorkshire's pre-1974 county boundaries. The Trust operates with 8 trustees and 12 volunteers, supported by professional architects and conservation specialists who assess grant applications. Under the leadership of Chairman Tom Ramsden and Grants Committee Chair Sylvia Johnson, YHCT focuses exclusively on fabric repairs and conservation, providing essential support to churches nearing completion of their fundraising campaigns. The Trust emphasizes active mission and care for buildings, supporting churches that demonstrate genuine community engagement and worship activity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Main Grant Programme: £250 - £15,000

• Two annual funding rounds (March and October deadlines)
• Average grant: £4,200
• Applications submitted via email to grants@yhct.org.uk
• Site visits conducted for all applications by grant assessors
• Final decisions made by the full Board of Trustees

Investigatory Work Grants: Variable amounts

• Rolling basis - applications accepted year-round
• For assessment work requiring equipment (e.g., cherry pickers to inspect roofs)
• Helps churches understand the scope of repairs needed

Priority Areas

The Trust funds repairs and conservation work on:

• Church fabric: walls, roofs, floors, towers, bell frames, windows
• Stonework: repointing and masonry repairs
• Rainwater goods: gutters and drainage systems
• Fixtures and fittings: monuments, furniture, stained glass
• Mechanical elements: bells, clocks, and organs
• Investigatory work: surveys and assessments requiring specialist equipment

What They Don't Fund

• Heating installations
• Electrical upgrades
• New improvements or extensions
• Reordering projects
• Buildings outside Yorkshire's pre-1974 boundaries
• Buildings not actively used for worship or not publicly accessible
• Churches planning to cease operating as places of worship

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

• Tom Ramsden - Chairman
• Richard Bailey - Honorary Treasurer
• Sylvia Johnson - Grants Committee Chair
• Kate Giles - Trustee
• Joel Brookfield - Trustee
• Rory Wardroper - Trustee
• Michael Wildblood - Trustee (retired architect, joined 2018)
• Clive Lloyd - Trustee

Assessment Panel

The grants assessment panel includes: Charles Anelay, Andrew Boyce, Richard Carr-Archer, Peter Johnson, Jane Crease, and Moira Fulton.

Grants Secretary

Jonathan Stamp - Primary contact for grant enquiries (grants@yhct.org.uk / 07594 578665)

Key Quote

Grants Committee Chair Sylvia Johnson emphasizes: “It is vital that financial assistance is available to maintain these centres of communities for worship.”

The Trust operates with no paid staff and no trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits. According to their latest accounts, they have 8 trustees and 12 volunteers supporting their work.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. Download grant guidance notes from www.yhct.org.uk/grants to understand requirements
2. Contact Jonathan Stamp (grants@yhct.org.uk / 07594 578665) to discuss your project before applying
3. Complete the application form (described as “short and simple” with “relevant straightforward questions”)
4. Submit by email to grants@yhct.org.uk before the deadline
5. Site visit: Grant assessors will visit your church to view proposed work and discuss the project in detail
6. Committee review: Applications considered at grants committee meeting
7. Board approval: Final decisions made by full Board of Trustees

Application Deadlines

The Trust operates two annual funding rounds:

• February deadline - Meeting: March 27, 2026
• August deadline - Meeting: October 9, 2026

Investigatory work grants can be applied for at any time throughout the year.

Decision Timeline

• Applications submitted by deadline
• Site visits conducted between deadline and committee meeting
• Committee meets 6-8 weeks after deadline (April or October)
• Applicants notified following committee meeting and Board approval

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly available. However:

• The Trust distributes approximately £100,000 annually across 12-18 churches per funding round
• Recent rounds have awarded grants to 9-18 places of worship per meeting
• In one round, 18 places of worship received over £95,000
• In another round, 9 churches received over £46,000

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is documented publicly. Applicants should contact Jonathan Stamp to discuss unsuccessful applications and advice on reapplying.

Application Success Factors

The Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust has documented specific criteria that strengthen applications:

Fundraising Progress is Critical

The Grant Committee specifically looks at “how much the total project is and how much effort has gone into fund raising locally, and which other funders have been approached or confirmed their grants.” According to YHCT, “The YHCT ideally like to be able to help a church or chapel who have neared the end of their fund-raising and only have a shortfall of say £10 - £15,000 to be able to start their project.”

Essential Requirements

• Active worship: Building must be an active place of worship
• Public access: Church must be publicly accessible
• Continuing use: No plans to cease operating as a place of worship
• Genuine shortfall: Demonstrate a genuine funding gap
• Professional planning: Schemes must be prepared by a qualified architect or surveyor
• Active fundraising: Must be actively raising funds with “reasonable prospect of being able to raise any financial shortfall”
• Mission focus: Demonstrate “a focus of mission and care for their building”

Recent Successful Projects

Examples of funded projects that illustrate YHCT's priorities:

• St Joseph's, Bradford - £8,000 for roof and stonework repairs
• Our Lady of Lourdes and St William's, Bradford - £3,000 for West End repairs following dry rot
• St Edward's, Clifford - £8,000 for fabric repairs
• St Wilfrid's, Ripon - £4,000 for altar repairs

Building Age Flexibility

One churchwarden noted that “the YHCT have no restrictions on the age of a building” - their modern 1961 church was accepted, showing the Trust considers all historic churches across eras.

Pre-Application Engagement

Contact Jonathan Stamp before applying to discuss your project. This preliminary conversation can help ensure your application aligns with YHCT priorities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Apply late in your fundraising journey: YHCT positions itself as the funder who helps you “over the line” - ideally when you have a shortfall of £10,000-£15,000 remaining
• Demonstrate comprehensive fundraising efforts: Show which other funders you've approached and what grants have been confirmed
• Use qualified professionals: All schemes must be prepared by qualified architects or surveyors
• Emphasize active worship and mission: The Trust wants to see your building is central to community worship, not just a heritage asset
• Focus on fabric and conservation: Stick to repair and conservation projects - don't include heating, electrical, or reordering elements
• Geographic eligibility matters: Ensure your church falls within pre-1974 Yorkshire boundaries
• Engage early: Contact Jonathan Stamp before applying to discuss your project and ensure fit
• Keep applications simple: The form is described as “short and simple” - be clear and straightforward in your responses

References

1. Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust official website - Grants page: https://www.yhct.org.uk/grants/
2. Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust - Who We Are: https://www.yhct.org.uk/who-we-are/
3. The Charity Commission - The Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (Charity No. 1175099): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5110208
4. Diocese of Leeds - Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust have grants for our churches: https://www.leeds.anglican.org/yorkshire-historic-churches-trust-have-grants-for-our-churches.php
5. National Churches Trust - Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/get-support/support-organisations/yorkshire-historic-churches-trust
6. Yorkshire Post - Yorkshire Churches celebrate funding success: https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/community/yorkshire-churches-celebrate-funding-success-5152645
7. Diocese of Leeds - Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust – Supporting Our Heritage: https://www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk/yorkshire-historic-churches-trust-supporting-our-heritage/