A new funding focus to support bridge building church community projects has been approved by the Church and Community Fund (CCF) for an initial three years starting today. The new focus will direct funding towards projects concerned with neighbourhood renewal, community projects with church growth at their core and to support replication of successful community projects that can easily be copied and rolled out elsewhere.  

The CCF has given away £3 million in grants across the country in the past six years and its new focus will ensure future grant making is more effective by funding those projects with the greatest need and opportunity.  Grants between £10,000 and £20,000 can be applied for online through the CCF website with larger grants of more than £20,000 being offered for replicating successful community engagement.

In a Church of England podcast podcast the Ven.George Howe chief of staff for the Bishop of Carlisle and chair of the CCF tells the story of Holy Trinity, Swiss Cottage that recently received a grant for a youth project aimed at challenging gang culture. He says the Fund is keen to support similar projects that act as bridge builders between the church and the local community.

"We are very keen that parishes take a look at the new criteria on the website and start to consider now their applications for 2012," he added.

The new focus, based on the Archbishop of Canterbury's strategic goals to the new General Synod in 2010, particularly emphasise:

• · Developing the Church's engagement with the whole community through supporting innovative use of resources;
• · Helping to transform areas of greatest need and opportunity and;
• · Encouraging the church to grow spiritually and numerically.

The website also contains advice on how to apply online for a grant, a new set of funding guidelines that include detailed information on whether your project is eligible for funding and how to donate to the Fund.

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Notes The CCF was established in 1915 originally to support the central workings of the church. In 1985 it broadened its distribution policy to include "local projects proposed by parishes, deaneries, or dioceses connected with the work of the Church of England". Formerly known as the 'Central Church Fund', it changed its name to 'The Church and Community Fund' in June 2006 and is now under the trusteeship of the Archbishops' Council (registered charity number 1074857).