Grant Case Studies

Here are some examples of Mission Fund projects that have received funding towards:

Costs of setting up new initiatives such as:
Lego Church
Chocolate Church
Playgroup
Children’s section of a church choir
Prayer Stations to use across churches and schools in a benefice
JAM Club
Messy Church 
Breakfast Church
Bereavement Journey
Alpha
Collective
Youth Group

Equipment that will enhance initiatives such as:
Coffee machines and other cooking equipment for Café Church, Breakfast Church and community cafes
Gardening equipment for community growing projects in churchyards
Soft Play, tables and toys for a Toddler Groups
TV screen for a Seekers Group
Cooking equipment for Food Hubs

Advertising and associated costs of new outreach activities such as:
A coffee van that sets up at key locations around the parish 
Student Lounge
Mothering Sunday outreach
Performance by a Christian Theatre Group
iSingPop Summer Praise!
Engaging Youth & Young Adults
Social Media to Catalyse Pioneering Student Ministry
Community Fun Days
Growing Ministry with Black Women and Youth and Children’s Ministry

Funding towards the set up and salary for a new:
Family Link Worker
Administrator
Youth Worker
Community Engagement Officer

If your aim is to make new disciples, the Mission Fund could help…
 

The most common project type that applies for funding from the Building Fund is repairs, most likely as a result of a QI report!

Here are some examples of Building Fund projects that have received funding towards projects that are not repairs but improvements to a church building:

Installation of: 
Servery
Kitchen
Toilets 
Electrics
Water
Sound system
Audio-Visual System
Ramp to access church

These installations would most likely now be covered by the Net Zero Fund grant:
Heating system
Lighting
Double glazing
Solar panels
Heated pews

And even:
Removal of pews
Removal of a wall to make a large meeting room
Reordering the layout of the church
Modernising the kitchenette
A feasibility study for large building project

If you are needing to repair or improve your church building to make it fit for 21st century mission and ministry the Building Fund could help…
 

Here are some examples of Net Zero Fund projects that have received funding towards:
Air to Air Heat Pumps
Cavity Wall Insulation
Upgrading to LED Lighting and associated fittings
Solar Panels
Upgrading to double glazing

And Net Zero Quick Wins:
Secondary Double Glazing
Blankets to use while planning how to replace the failed system heating with a net zero option
LED lighting

Full case studies can be found on our Net Zero pages.

Here are some examples of OHSCF projects that have received funding towards:
Bite-Sized Christianity Pilot - App development
Development of a multipurpose reflective/retreat garden with community outreach.
Community Quiet Garden
Artwork to emphasise Christian ethos of a school
New Worshipping Community development
Prayer Room development
School Peace Garden
 

If your project aim is to achieve one or more of the OHSCF values, the OHSCF could help…

Family/Youth Worker Projects

“A small number of our older congregation faithfully support the FLW work, but the majority of our older people prefer to volunteer with projects for the elderly.  Gaining a commitment from the older congregation to wholeheartedly support the project from the outset, and having a small group of supporters who meet and pray regularly with the FLW would be very helpful.”

“We have found it has taken a lot longer for parents who enjoy coming to our events to embark on a deepening journey of faith for themselves.  Someone said to me that they think the Messy Church movement is the modern day equivalent of the Sunday School movement – and that we can expect to see its fruits much later in the lives of children who, when grown, will have familiarity with Christian teaching and practice.”

“Make friends and build relationships. Don’t be afraid of being the guest rather than the host at times – joining in with what matters to other people (e.g. their drama club) might open a way for you to bless. Trust that God is already at work ahead of you creating opportunities and openings. Pray lots. Have fun – in a struggling world, genuine joy and community are hugely attractive things!”

“Get some prayer teams behind the work you are doing. Be prepared to try and fail (there are a few things that we’ve had some big rethinks on) and rethink what you’re doing and try again. Have a plan for how you are going to develop links and friendships with parents of the children you’re working with”

Setting up new groups

“There needs to be a lot of preparation work and prayer for discernment to catch the vision of The Collective.  The team is important, sharing their gifts and skills.  The church congregation need to be encouraged to come onboard.  It can be challenging but don’t be frightened to take the leap together.” The Collective at a local pub

“Regardless of the religions or beliefs of the families attending, we welcome them, and they join in singing the Christian songs and when we bought advent calendar sticker books for all the children everyone took one for their children. We have free play for the first hour while the families arrive, get biscuits or cake (most important feature for many of the children when they arrive!), socialise and play. We then meet for a story (on theme days tying in with the theme) and singing with songs selected by the children from our song bag (see below). This is the part where we mention any notices if we have them. After every child has had a chance to pick a song from the bag, we move back to free play. The families who attend really engage in singing, listening to the stories and socialising together. The soft play was the initial draw, but the freshly brewed coffee, cakes and friendliness of the leaders and everyone who comes, helps new parents and kids returning. We’ve also found that the aisles, pulpit, and spaces around the church are lots of fun for the children to run, play, roam and explore (under parent supervision).
Song Bag - After having the same songs for a whole month, we introduced a Song Bag to help keep the song time fresh. This contains about 30 cardboard discs with pictures on it that relate to different songs (so it reduces repeating the same nursery rhymes and Christian songs every week).” Playgroup

“I have learnt that parents really appreciate not having to book a number of week in advance. Many baby groups/playgroups have to be pre-booked and then often families cannot attend, and lose money, due to a variety of reasons. We have recently introduced a ‘prayer box’ which is another way for families to engage with prayer in a more subtle way, especially if just starting out in their Christian journey, or wishing to seek prayer anonymously.” Playgroup

“Use iSingWorship to make it easy to have contemporary worship. Have someone sing at the front (even if not amplified). Invite to breakfast and coffee as soon as people walk in – have pastries and gluten free too.
Let people know what to expect.” Breakfast Church

“Start with the dream first, hone it and only then start thinking about funding it.” Using iSingPop to launch new youth groups.

Equipment purchases

“When running a toddler group, it’s essential to have a flexible space which is easy to set up and clear up at the end.”

“We bought a study guide, written to accompany the series but found that we did not use it at all, as it was less seeker-focussed than we had understood. 
What was more effective was the leader picking up words and phrases that were resonating while the programme was being shown and then beginning conversations using those themes or words.” Resources for Seekers Group – watching The Chosen

Outreach

“If things are difficult to begin with, and if there is a steep learning curve (as it was with us), patience and perseverance will bear fruit in the end.” Coffee Van Project

“Go with what God shows you in prayer (we had a day of prayer and God spoke to people encouraging us to take the steps of starting these outreach events.) Trust God to open doors.”

“We learned that with the DAC it was necessary to be clear and concise regarding materials, size, positioning etc. There was discussion and changes required before the project was finally accepted.” Psalm 23 Plaques in the churchyard

“We could have perhaps made more use of social media, but the leaflet drop reached people who might otherwise not have known about the event as they are not online. The Mayor has highlighted how non-online lonely people are a significant concern for the council at present, I think this event has shown that they can still be reached and included in community events” Community Day
 

• Research workmen - visit to see examples of their work
• Add contingency into you budget for unexpected changes
• Pray for good weather!
• Respond to the repair need as quickly as possible
• Maintain good relationships with the contractor
• Don’t underestimate the importance of creating a good impression when entering the building
• Plan a contingency in terms of cost and timeframe when planning renovation works. 
• Create a fundraising plan – certain grant providers asked for a percentage of the total fundraising costs to be raised, i.e. 30%, before we could apply. This meant we had to create a fundraising plan to enable us to secure a number of smaller grants, i.e. up to £5,000 to enable us to access the larger grants, i.e. £10,000 and over. This also proved valuable as evidence to the grant providers that the required percentage of funding had been secured. 
• Congregation and community support is vital to project success. Our congregation and local community were as excited as we were to upgrade this space and this was confirmation to both us, and the grant providers, that this project was needed to support the mission and ministry.
• Have a clear vision of the project.
• Be prepared to have a working party running alongside the professionals to reduce costs.
• Investigate whether the project coats are VAT exempt.
• Investigate the availability of grants.
• Use a local builder who may offer a cheaper construction price.
   

• Do your research and look at various different options to achieve your objective.
• Look at all types of heating available to your church.
• Look at other churches to see what they have done, and ask lots of questions before you decide.
• Set up an energy sub group.
• Research the effects of climate change and build a passion to do your bit to tackle it. Measure your footprint today and identify the biggest culprits.  
• Identify an individual or small team to take on the task of reducing emissions. Focus on cost effective solutions and you will probably find that the solutions that we found can be adapted to work for you.
• Calculate the long-term savings that will be made and the environmental impact. This will help in fundraising and keeping your community involved.
• Dream dreams with God about how your church building can enhance worship and increase footfall. Consult with the DAC - they give great advice.
• Get advice from cavity wall installers on the suitability of cavity wall insulation to your building, as not all buildings have cavity walls. 
• Get three quotes from reputable companies. 
• Ensure you ‘supervise’ the work to ensure no short cuts are taken by the installers.
• Encourage people to write in support of the project during planning consultation.

Full case studies can be found on our Net Zero pages.

• It is important that new projects are willing to adapt “I had started out with an idea that required planning permission and it had to change when planning permission wasn’t granted. I hadn’t started out with a new worshipping community in mind but this was introduced when I realised that the people I was reaching might not attend a service in a church. I had started out with some ideas of how to generate an income but this has adapted and changed as the project has developed.”
• It is important to engage the local community early on. “The support of the local community when planning permission was refused was crucial in putting the garden on people’s radar and gave them a heart for it from the get-go. Allowing people from the local to contribute to the project through donating items and serving the project has created a wider sense of ownership."
• Sharing the project "It has been important to invite people to be on the volunteering team for the garden -  I am dependent upon their skills that I often don’t have. Hosting a coffee morning every week has enabled volunteering to gather momentum and has given my volunteers a regular predictable rhythm that they can work with.”
• Allow a sufficient contingency to cover unforeseen extra costs/inflationary increases.
• Allow time for things to settle and plants to bed in, and not for things to look their best straight away.
   

 “One of the dads who comes to church very occasionally did the Alpha Course and got a lot out of it – and is continuing to pray and read the Bible.”

“An older couple who have just had their first baby started coming to church within a couple of weeks of the birth and have found a very warm welcome.  The baby was baptised, and they continue to come regularly, sitting right at the front or in the Pray and Play area.” Family Link Worker project

“There is now a buzz among our congregations and a new hopefulness/confidence about our work with children and families.” Family Link Worker project

“We have seen three people come to Church due to this mission and outreach project, one of whom desires to be Confirmed.” Coffee Van Project (when operating less than one year)

“We continue to have a core regular group of about 20 children (plus their parents/carers) attending every session, very few of these are connected with the church in other ways and we consider our group to be a ‘fresh expression’ of church itself.” Equipment for Toddler Group

“We applied for a grant to buy some new tables for our baby and toddler group, Seashells. We were able to use the whole grant plus some money saved from our entrance fee to buy 6 toddler size go-pak tables. These are much lighter to move and store for our volunteers, and allow for a more flexible use of the space. Without a doubt the new tables have enhanced the experience of Seashells for both our volunteer team and those who attend the group. We are able to use the space more creatively – this has meant that our craft area (based on the Bible story) is more accessible and visible and has therefore been used more by the children. We are able to provide a safer space for the snacks and refreshments too.” Equipment for Toddler Group

“A recently bereaved gentleman who has never attended church, has come along to several discussions and we have had good, far-reaching conversations with him.  
A couple who have expressed their antagonism towards the established church come along regularly and engage fully in conversations and relationships are being built.
New friendships have been established, between people who would not otherwise have met, and a mutual respect is developing.  The Christian perspective on many important subjects has been sensitively introduced.   We would like to dream that the people who have engaged with The Collective would be prompted by the Spirit to delve deeper for themselves and ultimately come to have a Christian faith for themselves.” The Collective held at a local pub

“A number of young people (20s to 30s) with mental health issues who used to come to church a few years ago attended the events. Three of these young people have separately been to prayer group, small group Bible Study, one asked for Deliverance ministry.  Some older people who sued to come to church have now started to attend our Senior Social and also attend church on Sundays every other week.” Community Day

“Parents frequently mention how their children are asking to come to church on Wednesdays to go to Simply Play, and one parent mentioned that Arky Arky was their son’s favourite song, and he was teaching it to his dad!” Equipment for playgroup

“Loads of new contacts and friendships being built with parents and grandparents. Our two enquirers courses this year had at total of 10 guests on them, including one mum for the soft play and another from Lego church.
A whole new group of younger adults has contact with the church, are serving and volunteering, are joining us on church events and activities and are taking steps on their faith journey. The many children we have contact with see church as a fun place that’s at the heart of community and they are growing and learning more about what it means to follow Jesus.” Family Link Worker

“Quite a few people attended the day that had either not been to the church building in some time, or were entirely new. This included people who have little contact with anyone else, so it’s good that they are making connections in the community. The turn-out of volunteers showed that [the church] is committed to outreach and doing things for the local community” Community Day

“Despite gloom we read in the news about falling church attendance, we have seen a hunger in young people to learn about Jesus and get involved with church. COVID hit our young adults ministry hard. The investment in this work over this past year is bearing much fruit and providing a strong foundation for the future. We are learning the importance of sticking in there and consistency. As we do this God is honouring our faithfulness.”

“The weekend took a number of adults and children who were on the fringes of faith and has helped them to see faith and church as central to their family life. At least five families have made significant steps in their journey of faith, and the weekend has been an important part of that journey” Weekend Away

“Several parents with young children, who were not regular church goers, have started attending our Junior Church on a Sunday morning, with numbers on a Sunday often reaching above 20 children. Because of Stay, Play, Pray (and other factors), we have also seen an increase in the amount of baptisms that are taking place.” Funding to help set up a playgroup

“A new generation of leaders has come forward to lead prayer walking, prayer ministry, craft and discussion group. The tech needed to run the service has also given opportunity for young adults to have a role. We regularly have double the congregation attending than our other services, and they are younger and more likely to be families.” Breakfast Church
 

“Start with the dream first, hone it and only then start thinking about funding it.” Funding a visit from iSingPop to launch new youth groups.

“Now that the repairs have been completed, we have a safe and welcoming physical environment to all those entering the building and which contributes to supporting our mission and ministry. The repairs will also prevent any further damage caused by damp in the future.”

“Food and community is vital to the work we do and we were meeting up to 400 people each week to provide a free food provision. With the support of the Church Improvement Fund, we have been able to upgrade our kitchen facilities into a fully functioning commercial kitchen.” 

“The Church has always been proactive in organising community events. The larger room has enabled us to extend these events and also allowed the room to be hired. The Church started a knit and natter group which became so successful that the group had to be split using a local pub as an overflow. Now they can all be housed in the meeting room. This has resulted in some members becoming actively involved in other Church activities and events.” Removing a wall to make the meeting room larger.

“We now have a warmer and more inviting Church to encourage more people to attend. This will use less electricity. We are saving 4,900 Kwh, 1.4 tonnes of CO2 e per annum” Under Pew Heaters

“Church is now net zero, footprint reduced by ~7 tonnes and energy costs reduced by ~£700 per year” Air to Air Heat Pumps

“It has also reduced the need for replacing light bulbs with all the complexities of scaffolding.” Changing to LED lights
“The results of these works is a ‘cosier feel’ to the building which has been commented on by many users of the church centre. It has not been possible to measure with accuracy the reduction in heating oil use in the church centre as there is no measurement equipment installed however; we estimate that we used about 20% less heating oil in 2024 than in 2022 (the last full year without cavity wall insulation) This amounted to about 600 litres of heating oil which is about 1.6 tonnes of CO2 each year.” Cavity Wall Insulation

“During the summer I met a lady who had seen the signs for The Garden of Hope and decided to wonder in. She turned up (accidentally) on a Monday coffee morning where people turn up and garden.  She explained that she had come the previous day and had found it to be a safe place. She explained how she was having a difficult time with her mental health but had connected with God whilst in The Garden of Hope. During that morning she was able to meet other members of the team and become a part of the group. Over the last few months, we have had opportunities to pray together, she regularly comes to the coffee mornings and has starting coming to church and joining in with weekly groups. She believes in God and is moving towards faith and has found a home within the church and gardening community” 
The Garden of Hope has gathered momentum each year and now has consistent visitors to the garden. Along with the local popularity of the project which see visitors each year in every season, the garden has also evolved and become a place where diverse events have happened and new ideas started.”
In September 2024 we launched a new worshipping community in The Garden of Hope called The Garden of Hope Community Church. This was planted with a group of people from St John’s Church who felt a call to it. We gather around a fire most Sundays when it’s dry, or under a shelter when it rains. The emphasis is on connecting to God through nature.
The Garden of Hope hosted another bonfire night in November 2024. This saw around 500-600 people from the local community in attendance. We used this event to promote the Christmas events at The Bridge and some people came to the Christmas events on the back of this.”
The Garden of Hope

“On numerous occasions it has been wonderful to see the space being both used, and maintained, by local residents who have felt welcome to come onto the church site and get involved without the need to ask permission. It is increasingly being used as a community resource and families often pause to allow their children to play in space on the way home from school which has provided another opportunity for some great conversations with families we have not previously had contact with. 
Our teenagers and young people have taken to using the garden as a safe place to ‘chill’ and spend time chatting before and after our youth sessions, and we have had some really encouraging conversations about faith and baptism in the space. It has also provided a useful visible ‘safe space’ for quiet conversations which need to be in view of other leaders.
As part of the wider increased presence and openness of church and the space we have seen a number of new people join the church, mostly in their 20s and 30s, and the combined daytime sense of ‘this space is open come and join us’/welcome has drawn in a number of people who have then joined us for alpha, and some of whom have either been recently confirmed and/or are considering baptism.” 
Church Community Quite Garden