People and Partnerships Funding

Background

The aim of Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment (SMMI) is to enable the strategic priorities and the bold outcomes of the Church of England’s Vision and Strategy for the 2020s to become a reality in local parishes and communities across the country.

This funding was created to address key gaps the Church as a whole is facing, alongside national funding to support dioceses and funding to develop leaders.

In 2023-25, a spend of £13m has been recommended for partnerships and for national infrastructure and research, learning and innovation over the next three years. These grants form the People and Partnerships Funding (PPF).

The funding recognises that some specific priorities which support the Vision and Strategy’s bold outcomes are best addressed through national investment. The funds are part of the investment in the Vision and Strategy at a national level, alongside national funding to support dioceses and funding to develop leaders.

On a national level, there are opportunities to address gaps by funding partners and networks to scale up or innovate so that they can support local churches in delivering the bold outcomes.

Using research and evaluation to share learning will further enable the Church’s Vision and Strategy to become a reality in local parishes and communities.

This approach builds on lessons learned from Innovation Funding pilots and from investments made through Strategic Development Funding (SDF) which have invested in the capacity of non-diocesan partners (e.g. HeartEdge, The Society), and funding for data infrastructure (lay ministry survey, Church Development Tool).

Funding Strategy

Partnerships funding element - The specific purpose of this funding is to address a gap or barrier that currently inhibits delivery of the Church’s Vision and Strategy. This funding will expand, scale, or replicate an approach already developed successfully (Partnership).

Research, Innovation and Learning element – The specific purpose of this funding is to support experimentation and learning in overcoming critical missional challenges that inhibit the delivery of the bold outcomes. This funding will try a new approach, based on a clear methodology explaining how the inputs and activities will lead to the proposed outcomes (Innovation).