The Diocese of Leeds is pleased to announce that the third round of our Church Buildings Grants scheme is now open.
Additional new funding is now available to help churches reach net zero carbon, increasing the capacity of the scheme to support churches in a variety of ways.
In order to support mission across the diocese, we launched our Church Buildings Grants scheme in 2021, which currently is providing £80,000 of grants per year for a minimum of five years.
The scheme now also allocates funds from two additional sources.
Early in 2024 the Diocese of Leeds received additional “Buildings for Mission“ grant funding totalling £272,000 from the Church of England’s 2023 -25 Triennium funding round, providing important investment for the future sustainability of our church buildings.
This additional funding has significantly increased our total grant fund and allowed us to broaden the range of projects that can now be supported.
In the summer of 2024, the diocese received some £69,000 from the Church of England’s Net Zero Carbon Quick Wins Grants for 2024-25, allowing us to expand our scheme even further.
Our Net Zero Carbon Quick Wins grants will be given to churches to support new energy, heating and lighting projects, including new insulation, solar panels, smart meters and more.
To help with this work, the diocese has employed a new Net Zero Carbon Fundraising Officer, Fran Taylor, who is supporting parishes in getting funding for this kind of work.
Fran said: “As Net Zero Carbon Fundraising Officer, I am pleased to be able to support parishes in our diocese in their plans to achieve net zero, by accessing funding.
“I am delighted that I am able to support churches in their own environmental projects, and the new Net Zero Carbon Quick Wins grants are a fantastic opportunity to kick start a huge variety of projects.
“I am really enjoying being able to connect with parishes and help with their projects; I love hearing about all the amazing ways churches are making their buildings fit for future worship and real beacons to their communities.
“So if you are planning a Net Zero Carbon project; maybe you are looking at LED Lighting, underpew heating or a complete reordering of your building with sustainability and future-proofing at its heart, please do get in touch with me for support in finding and applying for funding opportunities.”
Christ Church, Mount Pellon applied for a grant in our last round, and Pam Bonner, Treasurer at the church, said: "Christ Church were delighted to receive this award, which means we can move forward with our project to install new, cost-efficient lighting in our building.
“Applying was straightforward and we were surprised to receive the outcome so quickly."
St Thomas’ Greetland also received a grant, and Sue Thornton, PCC member, said: “St Thomas' has been struggling to raise the money to repair our west window which was damaged in a storm.
“We were advised to apply for a Church Buildings Grant.
“The form was quite straightforward and we only had to wait a few weeks to hear that we have been awarded a grant to help with the cost of the work.”
The Ven Dr Andy Jolley, Archdeacon of Bradford, sits on the panel that considers grant applications, and said: “I’m really delighted that we can offer this kind of concrete support to parishes across the diocese, helping churches get their buildings fit for the future.
“The new Net Zero Carbon Quick Wins grants are a great addition to our existing scheme, allowing us to support an even greater range of projects than before.
“I would encourage all parishes thinking about these things to get in touch, have a conversation with one of the team and apply.
“We really want to help and support you!”
The deadline for applications is Thursday, October 31, and more information, the application form and supporting documentation can be found here.
If your parish is interested in making an application for a grant, we encourage parishes to have conversations early in the process with Alena-Rose Douglas, Church Buildings Support Officer; Janet Edmond, Senior Stewardship Officer; or, for projects specifically relating to works to help your church reach net zero, Fran Taylor, Net Zero Carbon Fundraising Officer.