National assistance for the dioceses
Allocations
The dioceses with the least resources receive national funding
to assist with their stipends bill; the money is therefore used to
fund the clergy in the parishes. This money was designated as
Section 67 Funds in the 1840 Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act and
is distributed through the "Darlow Formula". It is administered by
the Archbishops' Council drawing on funds provided by the Church
Commissioners. The amount an individual diocese receives is
dependent upon a number of factors, which include:
- The annual income from the historic assets of the Diocese and
parishes within it;
- The number of Church members within the diocese;
- The potential contribution of the members;
- The notional clergy strength (clergy share) within the
diocese.
In 2011 the total amount to be distributed to the dioceses is
£31.8 million. Not all dioceses will receive assistance as
the funds are designed to assist those dioceses "where such
assistance is most required"; in 2011 29 of the 43 English dioceses
will receive assistance.
Parish Ministry and Mission Fund
This scheme began in 2002 and since then £38.6 million has been
made available to the dioceses. This money was initially for
a 3-year period but now will continue into at least 2013. The
dioceses can choose how this money is spent within the options of
stipend support or parish mission initiatives. It is hoped
that the funds will enable the dioceses to fund mission either
through direct initiatives or through the stipends bill.
Enquiries about the Parish Mission Fund should be addressed to the
relevant diocesan office.