GrantRadar

Diocese of Oxford

Development Fund

The Diocese of Oxford's Development Fund gives grants to parishes, benefices, deaneries and chaplaincies in the Diocese of Oxford for 'missionally creative' projects that are a new development for them, such as Messy Church, community gardens, village hubs or employing a youth worker. Tier 1 grants are up to £2,500 and Tier 2 grants are over £2,500 (or any grant involving employment), normally no more than £80,000 in a single grant. It aims to be particularly helpful to parishes with very limited resources after paying Parish Share; up to £1m a year is awarded in total across the diocese. There are four deadlines a year.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £80,000
Closes in
13 days left
31 October
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Any parish, benefice, deanery or chaplaincy in the Diocese of Oxford (Church of England in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire)
  • Applications linked to schools must come through the relevant parish or deanery
  • Applications must be endorsed by two senior office-holders (e.g. incumbent and a churchwarden; area dean and lay chair) and grants are normally paid to a PCC or deanery account
  • Priority goes to parishes that have not yet received Development Funding
  • Normally only one Tier 2 application per 12 months; a successful applicant may not reapply for at least two years after the last successful deadline
  • The panel may look less favourably on applicants with other grant sources or income beyond essential running costs

What it funds

  • New developments in mission for a parish, benefice, deanery or chaplaincy, defined by the Anglican Five Marks of Mission (including responding to human need by loving service, transforming unjust structures and caring for creation)
  • Adapting an existing idea to a local community counts
  • Examples: Messy Church, community gardens, village hubs, food hubs and holiday lunch clubs, employing youth, children's and families workers or chaplains, feasibility studies for building projects
  • Tier 1 (up to £2,500) for short-term, one-off grants to kick-start a new initiative; Tier 2 (over £2,500 or involving employment) for larger, longer-term programmes, normally match-funded
  • Grants will not normally exceed £80k in a single grant or £200k over a maximum five years; buildings-related projects normally no more than £50k
  • Continuation funding only in very exceptional circumstances

What it will not fund

  • Building maintenance and repairs
  • Regular running costs (utility bills, insurance, Parish Share, etc.)
  • Retrospective funding (spending that has already taken place)
  • Activity already funded by current financial arrangements
  • Further fundraising activity

How to apply

  1. Read the online guidelines ('Are we eligible?', 'Prepare an application', 'Complete and submit')
  2. Consult the relevant diocesan team early (required for Tier 2): Parish Development Adviser; Discipleship Enabler for children's/youth roles; HR for any employment; Church Buildings Team for building projects
  3. Download and complete the Tier 1 or Tier 2 application form (Word or PDF; a separate Tier 2 form for children and youth minister posts)
  4. Get the form endorsed by two senior office-holders (signature or confirming email)
  5. Email the form and supporting documents to commonvision@oxford.anglican.org, or post to Church House Oxford, Langford Locks, Kidlington, OX5 1GF, by midnight on 31 January, 30 April, 31 July or 31 October

Building projects need the necessary permissions (e.g. faculty) before applying.

Grants come with expectations: an End of Project Report, six-monthly monitoring for longer projects, sharing learning, and recording the grant as restricted income.

Have ready

  • Completed Tier 1 or Tier 2 application form, endorsed by two senior office-holders
  • Tier 1: cost list or quotation for items to be purchased
  • Tier 1 buildings: quotation from chosen professional (conservation-accredited if the building pre-dates 1900) and draft statement of need
  • Tier 2: latest annual PCC accounts
  • Tier 2: statement of current financial position (if needed for a more up-to-date picture)
  • Tier 2: budgetary statement / fundraising plan for the project
  • Tier 2 employment: job/role description
  • Tier 2 buildings: quotation or costed schedule of works, permissions (e.g. faculty), and statement of need where a faculty is required

Supporting documents accepted as email attachments in Word, Excel, PDF or JPG.

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