GrantRadar

Church of England (ChurchCare, Cathedral and Church Buildings Division)

Conservation report and groundwork grants

Grants of up to £5,000 from the Church of England's ChurchCare team towards conservation reports for objects of artistic, historical or archaeological significance in Anglican parish churches in England, and groundwork grants of up to £5,000 for related specialist investigations such as environmental surveys, structural engineers' reports and paint, mortar or salt analysis. Offered in partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Gunnis Fund, it is rolling with a decision two weeks after application. In 2025, 85 of 95 applications succeeded, with an average grant of £1,152.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£200 – £5,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Anglican parish churches in England (in practice the parish, through its parochial church council), for objects in the church that are of historical, artistic, architectural or archaeological significance and have a perceived conservation need
  • No income limit or other applicant criteria are published
  • Applicants are expected to have sought advice from their Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) and to use a conservator accredited by ICON (mandatory for most object types)
  • Eligibility can be discussed with the team by email or on 020 7898 1872

What it funds

  • Conservation reports for objects of historical, artistic, architectural or archaeological significance in Anglican parish churches in England (a conservation report is usually required for faculty and grant applications)
  • Groundwork grants for specialist investigations related to the conservation of objects, including building performance surveys, environmental surveys or monitoring, reports by structural engineers, and technical analyses such as paint or pigment, mortar and salt analysis

Applications are assessed on significance, perceived conservation need and urgency, and the appropriateness of the report proposal.

The Church strongly prefers ICON-accredited conservators, and for reports on books and manuscripts, monumental brasses and decorative metalwork, monuments, paintings and wall paintings, stained glass, textiles and wooden objects the conservator must be ICON-accredited.

The related FAQs say ChurchCare usually provides around 60-70% of the costs of preliminary investigations.

What it will not fund

  • Reports for objects where there is no perceived need of conservation
  • Routine maintenance reports
  • Work started before the decision is notified
  • Reports on books and manuscripts, monumental brasses and decorative metalwork, monuments, paintings and wall paintings, stained glass, textiles or wooden objects by conservators not accredited by ICON
  • Objects or churches that are not in Anglican parish churches in England

How to apply

  1. Commission a written estimate for the report or survey from a suitable (preferably ICON-accredited) conservator or specialist
  2. Email the application documents to John Webster, Conservation Grants Manager (john.webster@churchofengland.org)
  3. The decision is notified within two weeks of application
  4. If awarded, claim the grant within 6 months by emailing a copy of the contractor's invoice and a copy of the completed conservation or survey report

Applications are accepted all year round. Do not start the work before you are notified of the decision.

The report should follow ChurchCare's conservation report guidelines (2025).

Have ready

  • Images of the object
  • Statement of significance and needs (including the object's significance)
  • Any advice from your DAC and any other advice received
  • Written estimate of the cost of the report or survey

To claim the grant (within 6 months of award) you send the contractor's invoice and a copy of the report.

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