Earlier this year, the Diocesan Board of Finance purchased a joint subscription so that all churches in the diocese can access this grant searching platform for free.

This gives every PCC the opportunity to search a maintained list of local and national grant funders and trusts.

All you need to start looking for that vital funding is your 6 figure parish reference code 120### and the name of your church building.

If you don't know your parish reference code email the Church Buildings Support Officer or you can find it on the Church Heritage Record portal.

Here is the link to the Diocese of Derby Church Grants site

Apply now for a grant to help you kickstart a net zero project in your church

If you are looking to reduce your carbon emissions you can now apply for a Quick Wins grant to help launch a small project.

Grants of up to £5,000* can be applied for to help fund small scale decarbonisation projects such as new LED lighting, pew heaters, insulation or updating electricity supplies.

The Quick Wins grant scheme is part of The Church of England’s ambitious Net Zero Carbon by 2030 programme, which aims to equip, resource and support all parts of the Church to reduce carbon emissions from the energy used in its buildings, schools and through work-related transport by 2030.

Download the eligibility and guidance [Word Doc]

Contact the Church Buildings Support Officer if you have any further questions.

The application dealine for this second round is 10th January 2025

Before making an application to the fund the following activity should be carried out:

• Complete your Energy Footprint Tool on the Parish Retuns Portal data for the church buildings.
  We’ve even created a simple guide for you.
• Download and complete the Practical Pathway to Net Zero Carbon to generate a carbon reduction plan. This is especially useful if you do not already have a church decarbonisation plan.

*The award panel may choose to restrict the maximum grant available where the funding round is oversubscribed, and parishes in areas of higher deprivation will receive a higher ratio of funding to total project costs.

The Church Commissioners have made a small fund available for minor repairs and improvements, which the Church Buildings Support Officer will be administering through a process of funding rounds.

£50,000 has been awarded over the first two rounds leaving over £90,000 still available in rounds 3 and 4.

Do you have an outstanding minor repair that has been highlighted in a recent QI that:

• Needs attention within the QI period, and;
• Will save potential more costly repair in the future?

Has your church Architect identified improvement work in connection with:

• Building design defects or obsolescence
• The improvement of physical access

Has the PCC identified improvements relating to:

• Heating, lighting, wiring, kitchens, WCs
• Digital connectivity
• Bat mitigation measures

If yes, then you may have qualifying work.

Carefully read the Eligibility Criteria before contacting the Church Buildings Support Officer for any clarification or to request a visit.

It is the PCC’s responsibility to ensure that the appropriate faculty process for all repairs and improvements to parish buildings are followed and evidenced, before MRI grants are released.

The DAC Secretary is always happy to advise.

Capable buildings enable discipleship, mission and ministry.

Buildings are a positive asset when they are fit for purpose, but conversely, can feel like an anchor, stopping a PCC and congregation from fully embodying it’s discipleship, mission and ministry.

When buildings are fit for purpose…

• They play a key role in Transforming Lives, by acting as the stage for people’s major life events.
• They play a major role in Growing Church by providing a sanctuary of peace, a space to worship God, and a place to teach and inspire.
• They play many roles in Building Community - meeting place, polling station, community hub, food bank, spiritual resource centre, to name just a few.

A sustainable and relevant church building will potentially look very different from parish to parish, but working towards a Local Building Development Plan will give the PCC an opportunity to consider all the options and in turn, help reset or strengthen the connection between:

• The church building and the vision of the PCC and congregation.
• The church community and wider parish community

Creating a Local Building Development Plan is one way that can help you:

• Identify or reaffirm the core vision and ministries of the PCC and congregation in relation to your local context.
• Assess the current attributes and elements of the building.
• Determine what the building needs, to support your vision & enable discipleship, mission and ministry within your local community.
• Prioritize the changes needed and identify the resources required.

The very simple 4 step toolkit is something a PCC can use on its own or in concert with other resources.  However, it should always involve the wider parish community beyond the four walls.  Rmember, a church building is not a clubhouse, but a parish’s place of gathering, worship and sanctuary.

Here is the link to the Local Building Development Plan Tool

This fund offers parishes an exciting opportunity to develop their local church or hall premises, making them more community and mission shaped, and accessible to people of all ages and abilities.

Your project needs to meet outcomes which achieve and support mission, community or growth. A preference will be given to applications from parishes in deprived areas of the Diocese. The maximum grant available will be £25,000 and requires match funding. Parishes will be required to take up grants within two years of a successful application. 

The fund is not available for maintenance or repair and cannot be applied for retrospectively.

To dowbload the fund criteria and general information click here

To download an an application form click here

Applications will be assessed by the Business Committee at their regular meetings.

Remaining deadline for 2024:

Monday 4th November - signed application and supporting documents scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 28th November

For any further information about applying for the Raymond Ross Large Grants, email: gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org or call on 01332 338690 (Mondays/Tuesdays)

This fund is aimed at supporting local congregations to act with a generous faith, through engaging with and embracing the communities they seek to serve. The Diocesan Vision encourages us to be outward facing, rooted in and connected to our communities.

There is an expectation that parishes will work in partnership and create networks for the common good, with particular care for the marginalised and vulnerable. The projects this fund is seeking to support are those which see the church proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom in word and action. The church needs to be good news for all, and this means projects that look to include and/or partner with, other groups or individuals in the host community, demonstrating meaningful and open engagement with those who have had little or no contact with the congregation.

The Diocese wishes to particularly encourage churches to reach out to those who have not considered the church community as a group to which they can relate. Projects that build on the notion of tolerance, reconciliation and friendship will be of particular interest, as will projects that clearly demonstrate the key characteristic of outward-facing generosity, impacting the world for good​.

You can apply for up to £2000 without match funding required. Further information, criteria and application forms can be downloaded here or requested from the Community Project Development Officer, Gareth Greenwood by email at gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org

Remaining deadlines for 2024 are as follows:

Monday 4th November - signed application and supporting documents scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 28th November

For any further information about applying for the Building Community Fund, email: gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org or call on 01332338690 (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays)(

You can download the application form and criteria here

Do you have a small church project that could have a big impact?

Are you looking for a relatively small grant that requires no match funding?

If so, this could be just right for you; £5,000 to fund small but not insignificant capital projects that will generate outcomes which achieve and support mission, community or growth.

There are always good ideas on the boil to enhance welcome, improve accessibility, or perhaps to make small but much needed changes to internal areas. So now is the time to make a significant impact through a small change.

Details, including a full list of criteria and downloadable application form, are available below.

If you are successful, you will be expected to draw on the grant within 12 months.

Applications will be considered by Business Committee at their regular meetings.

Remaining deadline for 2024

Monday 4th November - signed application and supporting documents scanned in and emailed to gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org) Business Committee consider application on Thursday 28th November

For any further information about applying for the Raymond Ross Large Grants email: gareth.greenwood@derby.anglican.org or call on 01332338690 (Mondays/Tuesdays)

Download information and criteria here

Download Application Form here

If you are unsure as to the cicumstances in which you can apply for an interest free loan under this scheme, or have any other questions about the terms, don't hesitate to contact the Head of Finance

EITHER download 'fill in by hand' application to fill out in your own hand, OR

download this 'form field' application, fill in on screen, save and print off, sign and date.

The completed applications must be with the Diocesan Secretary a full month before the Business Committee meeting