Grants for historic church interiors and churchyard structures

We fund the conservation of bells and bell frames of artistic, historic, archaeological or architectural significance. They may be:

• Listed by the Church Buildings Council
• Cast before 1700
• Significant bells and bell frames of a later date

Find out if your church bells are listed on the Church Heritage Record

Projects must:

• Include the conservation treatment of bells or bell frames (e.g. removal of cast-in crownstaples, turning bells, welding cracked bells)
• Follow the Church Buildings Council’s code of practice

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us by email or at 020 7898 1872.

• Projects involving the tuning of listed bells
• Routine maintenance (e.g. replacing ropes)
• Bells or bell frames of low significance

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• Appropriateness of the proposal(s)

Your application should address the relationship of the bell or bell frame with the building (e.g. the effect of conditions in the belltower on the bell or bell frame)

In the last round, there were eight applications of which five grants were awarded and three were rejected. There is one application round per year.

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years of award

Apply online

Include the following:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC Bells Adviser and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

We fund the conservation of books and manuscripts of historical or artistic significance.

We also fund the treatment and preventive conservation works for parochial libraries still in the church building.

Your application should address the relationship of the book, manuscript or library with the building fabric (e.g. whether damp conditions in the building are causing deterioration)

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us by email or at 020 7898 1872.

• The conservation of modern printed books
•  Works of a cosmetic nature only (e.g. cleaning)
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• Appropriateness of the proposal(s)
• We have a strong preference for the use of conservators accredited by ICON, the Institute of Conservation. To find an accredited conservator, please use the Conservation Register: https://www.conservationregister.com

In the last round, there were two applications, and both were awarded grants. There are two application rounds per year.

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision.
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years of award

Apply online 

Include the following:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us online or at 020 7898 1872.

• The churchyard must be under the responsibility of the Parochial Church Council
• The structure must be listed separately from the church building

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us by email or at 020 7898 1872.

• Structures in closed churchyards that are the responsibility of the local authority
• Works of a cosmetic nature only (e.g. cleaning)
• Soft landscaping
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• The appropriateness of the proposal(s)
• We have a strong preference for the use of conservators accredited by ICON, the Institute of Conservation. To find an accredited conservator, please use the Conservation Register: https://www.conservationregister.com

In the last round, there were six applications of which five grants were awarded and one was rejected. There are two application rounds per year.

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years of award

Apply online

Include the following:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

We fund the conservation of mechanical clocks, including early electro-mechanical clocks with artistic, historic, archaeological or architectural significance.

 Projects must:

• Include the conservation of the movement and, or the dial motion work
• Follow the Turret Clock Forum’s Code of Practice

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us by email or at 020 7898 1872.

• The conservation of dials, where no other work is involved (unless of high significance)
• The installation of auto-winding or pendulum regulators where no other work is involved (unless replacing an old system that is potentially damaging to the movement)
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• The appropriateness of the proposal(s)

Your application should address the relationship of the clock with the building fabric (e.g. the effect of conditions in the tower on the clock mechanism)

In the last round, there were fifteen applications of which eleven grants were awarded, one was deferred, and three were rejected. There is one application round per year.       

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years of award

Apply online 

Include the following:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC Clock Adviser and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

We fund the conservation of:

• Decorative metalwork of historic, artistic, or archaeological significance
• Monumental brasses of historic, artistic  or archaeological significance
• And the re-mounting of monumental brasses according to our guidelines (when the original slab is missing) 

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us online or at 020 7898 1872.

• Works of a cosmetic nature only (e.g. cleaning)
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• The appropriateness of the proposal(s)
• We have a strong preference for the use of conservators accredited by ICON, the Institute of Conservation. To find an accredited conservator, please use the Conservation Register: https://www.conservationregister.com

Your application should address the relationship of the metalwork with the building fabric (e.g. example is there moisture ingress causing corrosion of the metalwork)

In the last round, we did not receive any applications. There is one application round per year.       

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years

Apply online

Include the following:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Statements of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

We fund the conservation of monuments of historical, artistic, architectural, or archaeological significance

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us by email or at 020 7898 1872.

• Works of a cosmetic nature (e.g. cleaning)
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• The appropriateness of the proposal(s)
• We have a strong preference for the use of conservators accredited by ICON, the Institute of Conservation. To find an accredited conservator, please use the Conservation Register: https://www.conservationregister.com

Your application should address the relationship of the monument with the building fabric (e.g are there moisture ingress issues with the building fabric that need to be addressed before the monument can be conserved?)

In the last round, there were nine applications, of which four grants were awarded, four were deferred, and one was rejected. There are two application rounds per year.

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years

Apply online

Include the following:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Brief summary of the quinquennial inspection’s recommendations that have been completed, are in progress or about to be put in hand
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

We fund the conservation of:

• Organs over 70 years old or significant instruments of a later date with historic, artistic or archaeological significance
• Organs that retain the character of the original organ and its builder, with a minimum of alteration

Projects must:

• Conserve the organ in its present state or
• Restore the organ to a clearly established earlier historic state

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us by email or at 020 7898 1872.

• Works of a cosmetic nature only (e.g. cleaning)
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance
• Schemes introducing changes to the original design
• Works which take an organ further from its original tonal scheme, mechanism or wind system
• Works which replace earlier parts with non-traditional materials (e.g. conversion of pneumatic action to electropneumatic action)

Contractors are expected to:

• Avoid the use of modern synthetic materials
• Avoid the use of components inappropriate to the organ’s original design
• Refrain from gratuitous revoicing, alterations to pitch or replacement of pipework
• Respect historic finishes

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• The appropriateness of the proposals

Your application should address the relationship of the organ with the building fabric (e.g is working of the organ being affected by conditions in the church building, and vice versa?)

We expect the conservation to be done by appropriately qualified organ builders

In the last round, there were ten applications of which six grants were awarded and four were rejected. There is one application round per year.       

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years of award

Apply online

Include the following documents:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC Organs Adviser and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

We fund the conservation of paintings and wall paintings of artistic, historic or archaeological significance.

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us online or at 020 7898 1872.

• Works of a cosmetic nature only (e.g. cleaning)
• The uncovering of wall paintings
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance

We fund paintings and wall paintings based on:

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• The appropriateness of the proposal(s)
• We have a strong preference for the use of conservators accredited by ICON, the Institute of Conservation. To find an accredited conservator, please use the Conservation Register: https://www.conservationregister.com

Your application should address the relationship of the painting with the building fabric (e.g are there moisture ingress issues with the building fabric that are affecting the painting or wall painting and need to be addressed before conservation?)

In the last round, there were seventeen applications of which eleven grants were awarded, and six were deferred. There is one application round per year.       

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years

Apply online

Include the following documents:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

We fund the conservation of stained and painted glass of historic and artistic significance.

We may also consider funding the conservation of plain glazing of historic, architectural, archaeological or artistic significance.

We also fund environmental protective glazing if it is part of a coherent conservation scheme.

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us online or at 020 7898 1872.

• Architectural frames or protective grilles
• Works of a cosmetic nature only (e.g. cleaning)
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• The appropriateness of the proposal(s)
• We have a strong preference for the use of conservators accredited by ICON, the Institute of Conservation. To find an accredited conservator, please use the Conservation Register: https://www.conservationregister.com

Your application should address the relationship of the glazing with the building fabric (e.g do issues with the surrounding stonework need to be addressed before / during conservation of the glazing?)

In the last round, there were twelve applications of which five grants were awarded and seven were rejected. There is one application round per year.       

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years

Apply online

Include the following documents:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

We fund the conservation of textiles of historic, architectural, archaeological or artistic significance.

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us online or at 020 7898 1872.

• Works of a cosmetic nature only (e.g. cleaning)
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• The appropriateness of the proposal(s)
• We have a strong preference for the use of conservators accredited by ICON, the Institute of Conservation. To find an accredited conservator, please use the Conservation Register: https://www.conservationregister.com

Your application should address the relationship of the textiles with the building fabric (e.g are there moisture ingress issues with the building fabric that are affecting the textile and need to be addressed before conservation?)

In the last round, we did not receive any applications. There are two application rounds per year.

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years

Apply online

Include the following documents:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Brief summary of the quinquennial inspection’s recommendations that have been completed, are in progress or about to be put in hand
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken

We fund the conservation of woodwork and wooden objects of artistic, historic, archeological or architectural significance.

If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your project, contact us online or at 020 7898 1872.

• Works of a cosmetic nature only (e.g. cleaning)
• Speculative work
• Routine maintenance

We fund works based on:

• Significance
• Conservation need and urgency
• The appropriateness of the proposals
• We have a strong preference for the use of conservators accredited by ICON, the Institute of Conservation. To find an accredited conservator, please use the Conservation Register: https://www.conservationregister.com

Your application should address the relationship of the woodwork with the building fabric (e.g are there moisture ingress issues with the building fabric that are affecting the wood and need to be addressed before conservation?)

In the last round, there were five applications of which three grants were awarded, one was deferred, and one was rejected. There are two application rounds per year.

For details of previous awards, please view our Grants awarded page and our Annual reports page.

• You must not have started the work before we notify you of our decision
• You must obtain the relevant permissions before starting work (e.g. faculty). It also helps if you have them before you apply (but not required). Most work we fund needs a faculty
• You must claim the grant within two years

Apply online

Include the following documents:

• Conservation report
• Images of the object (if not already in conservation report)
• Advice from your DAC and any other advice on the project
• Statements of significance and needs (include the object’s significance)
• Latest quinquennial inspection report
• Statement of your church’s most recent annual audited accounts
• Letter from your Archdeacon in support of the project. We want to know:
  • Are there any other plans?
  • Is the project worthwhile and of high priority for the parish?
  • Are there plans for closure?
  • Is your project viable?

You must claim the grant within two years of award

To claim your award, send us:

• Copies of your contractor’s invoices
• A copy of the post-conservation report including images of the work undertaken