Coventry Diocese has been awarded £110,000 by the Church Commissioners to give as grants towards small-scale repairs and improvements to churches in the diocese before the end of 2025. The primary focus will be essential fabric repair projects. The grant fund has been offered by the Archbishop's Council under the national Buildings for Mission project, made possible with Church Commissioner's funding.
How do I apply?
Easy! Submit an application form for either urgent repairs or minor improvements in time for one of the following deadlines:
1st March 2024
1st May 2024
1st October 2024
(Deadlines for 2025 will be announced later in the year)
How will my application be assessed?
Applications will be reviewed by representatives of the Church Buildings Team, and authorised by the Archdeacon Pastor. Applicants will be notified whether their application is successful within four weeks of the deadline. Grants of up to £10,000 can be made towards projects with total costs of up to £10,000 (or £12,000 if the VAT is not eligible under the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme) at a rate of 50% and 90% (or more in exceptional circumstances) of the project costs, depending on the deprivation profile of the parish.
What kind of work is eligible for this grant?
The grant is focused on urgent small-scale repairs and minor improvement projects, with a total cost of no more than £10,000 (or £12,000 if the VAT is not reclaimable, as outline above). Full details are included on the applications forms, so please read them carefully before applying.
Eligible works include:
Urgent repairs:
- Repair of building fabric (external): roof coverings, roof structure, walls, parapets, pinnacles and other architectural features, towers, spires, windows, doors, rainwater disposal system including below-ground drainage
- Repair of building fabric (internal): ceilings, floors, doors, walls and wall linings (plaster/panelling but not wall paintings, mosaics etc)
- Repair of building service installation where essential for health and safety and/or continuity of worship and mission use
- Emergency repairs or holding works, e.g. propping, covering, protection etc.
- Professional fees to design, specify, inspect and certify the repair work
- Ecologist's fees to prepare a bat management plan
- VAT (for unlisted churches and work to listed churches , which falls outside the eligibility of the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme). It will be assumed that PCCs will apply to the LPW grant scheme whereever possible
To be eligible, any such work must be recommended in the most recent QI report (or a subsequent professional report or condition survey etc). Work classified as urgent (either categor 1 - Urgent, requiring immediate attention; 2 - Requires attention within 12 months; or 3 - Requires attention within the next 12-24 months) should take priority but any work required within the quinquennium is eligible. Works of differing urgency within that definition may be undertaken for the sake of efficiency and economy, especially where 'stitch in time' repairs can save money in the long term.
Please click here for an Urgent Repairs application form.
Minor Improvements:
- Additions, alterations or adaptations specifically to overcome building design defects or obsolescence (e.g. undersized hoppers or drainpipes) or to improve access for maintenance
- Additions, alterations or adaptations to building services installations where essential to sustain worship and mission use, such as improvements to heating, lighting, wiring, kitchens, WCs. Where necessary, this might include the installation or upgrading of pipework or cabling to the perimeter of the churcyard or curtilage
- New installations or improvements to exisiting installations for digital connectivity, whether through a wired connection or 4G/5G mobile Wi-Fi, where essential to sustain worship and mission use
- Bat mitigation measures, including relevant ecologist's fees and production of a bat management plan, where the impact of bats is a barrier to worship and mission use. A one-off deep clean can be an eligible cost as part of a mitigation plan
- Professional fees to design, specify, inspect and certify the improvement work
- Ecologist's fees to prepare a bat management plan to allow works other than bat mitigation measures
- VAT (for unlisted churches and work to listed churches, which falls outside the eligibility of the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme). It will be assumed that PCCs will apply to the LPW grant scheme wherever possible.
Please click here for a Minor Improvements application form.
Can I still apply for other Diocesan Grants if I apply to this one?
Yes, you certainly can. Applying for this grant does not preclude you from applying to other Diocesan grants (e.g. Church Fabric Fund, and Church Improvement Fund).
I'm a bit stuck. Where can I find help with this?
If you have any questions about the grant scheme, or require help with the application process, please email Claire Strachan, Church Buildings Development Officer, or telephone 02476 521353