The conservation grants programme supports parishes in conserving ecclesiastical furnishings and artworks of historical and artistic significance. These grants are targeted at the main categories of objects and materials found in Anglican parish churches: bells, books and manuscripts, clocks, decorative plasterwork, metalwork and church plate, monuments, organs, paintings on canvas and wood, stained glass, textiles, timberwork, wall paintings and historic structures in churchyards.
This programme aims to support the care and conservation of church buildings and their contents, balancing them with the needs of worship and mission. In addition to the conservation works, our grants also help with costs associated with preliminary surveys and the preparation of conservation reports. These grants aim to allow for the detailed study of the condition of objects and analyse the causes of their deterioration to establish an informed conservation strategy. The assessment of applications is carried out by seven committees that draw together 58 professionals who are experts in their particular fields and ensure that grants promote the best conservation practice.
Each year, we provide an overview of our grant awards for conservation and fabric repairs. These are not the statutory accounts for the grants programme. ChurchCare’s operating and staff costs are funded by the Archbishops’ Council. However, the conservation grants programme is financially independent and does not receive any central church funds. It relies on donations from external charitable bodies and individuals. Grant-related funds administered by the division are audited and reported in The Archbishops’ Council Annual Report and Financial Statements.
Below are the available annual reports, including the total amounts awarded to each church, our conservation committee members, and the total amounts awarded through our generous funding partners.