United Reformed Church Trust

United Reformed Church Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1133373).

The United Reformed Church Trust exists to advance the Christian religion for the public benefit, in line with the doctrines, principles and usages and the Scheme of Union of the United Reformed Church. As part of the Church universal, it aims to proclaim the love of God in Jesus Christ in word and deed. Its Legacy Fund, fed by unrestricted legacies, backs imaginative and innovative projects that may struggle to find other support, and its Discipleship Development Fund includes large grants as well as small individual grants of up to £200 per annum run by Synods. Its annual giving is £632,000.

Priority Areas

The foundation offers grants to churches, community groups, organisations and individuals. Its grants for organisations support local church building projects, including energy-reduction work, and mission projects by churches and synods. It supports projects addressing global justice, climate change, gender equality, and economic and social justice, as well as activities and experiences for children and young people and training for children’s and youth workers. Its Legacy Fund backs imaginative and innovative short-term projects or one-off events that may struggle to secure alternative support. The Inter Faith Fund promotes contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities. Some programmes are for recognised groups within the URC, local churches, synods or wider mission organisations, while other funds support individual learning and ministry.

Themes

• Global justice
• Climate change
• Gender equality
• Economic and social justice
• Children and youth work
• Interfaith relations
• Church energy efficiency

For Commitment for Life grants, download and complete the application form, then email it to commitmentforlife@urc.org.uk or post it to the address on the page.

Deadlines: Discipleship Development Fund Large Grant applications have quarterly deadlines: 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December.

Who can apply:

• Commitment for Life grants: Churches or organisations supporting projects that cover the issues of global justice, climate change, gender equality, economic and social justice
• Discipleship Development Fund: Large Grant: Any recognised group can apply, but if the group applying is not an Assembly Committee or a Synod, it will need to gain approval for its application from their Assembly Committee or Synod.
• Church Buildings Fund: The CBF grants and loans are applicable to all church buildings ‘owned’ by a church/congregation. However, if the buildings are not held in trust by the Synod please check if the Synod is allowed to invest in them.
• Inter Faith Fund
  • Individual churches seeking to promote contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities in their own local community
  • Ministers of Word and Sacraments, Church Related Community Workers, and others in leadership of local URC churches who are seeking support for personal study and reflection that will facilitate the promotion of contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities, particularly in their local area.
  • Organisations that have links to United Reformed Churches working in their local communities to promote contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities, in ways consonant with the beliefs and practices of the United Reformed Church.
  • National organisations where the United Reformed Church has representation and which are seeking to promote contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities, in ways consonant with the beliefs and practices of the United Reformed Church.
  • Exceptionally, consideration will be given to applications received from global or regional Christian organisations on which the United Reformed Church has representation.

What to send:

• Church Buildings Fund
  • Relevant plans and cost estimates, together with the latest accounts giving both income/expense and balance sheet statements
  • Relevant Synod approval
  • An estimate of work to be undertaken
  • A copy of the church’s accounts for the most recent financial year, or a statement of assets
  • New grant applications will need to estimate payback periods
• Discipleship Development Fund: Large Grant: The application will need to identify the source of the other funds

Applying again: The Continuing Studies Fund: Repeat requests are allowed, throughout the duration of study, and approval in principle for the entire duration of study is given before the study is started.

What the charity says:

• Commitment for Life gives preference to organisations with an established link with it or the United Reformed Church.
• Church Buildings Fund grants require a Synod-approved and jointly funded scheme.
• Churches should liaise with their Synod before applying to establish the support it would make available.
• Discipleship Development Fund applicants should clearly demonstrate how the grant will develop discipleship and lifelong learning within the URC.
• Inter Faith Fund projects should promote contact, understanding and respect among faith communities in ways consonant with United Reformed Church beliefs and practices.