GrantRadar

Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust

Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust Grants

Repair grants for Christian churches and chapels of any denomination, listed or unlisted, that are used for public worship within the pre-1974 county of Yorkshire. It funds repairs to the church fabric and the conservation of fixtures and fittings, aiming to help churches near the end of fundraising with a shortfall; common grants are about £2,000 to £10,000. Schemes must be prepared or approved by an architect or conservation-accredited surveyor, and every applicant gets a site visit from a member of the Grants Committee.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £15,000
Deadline
138 days left
5 March
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Christian churches and chapels of any denomination or age, listed or unlisted, in Yorkshire as it existed before local government reorganisation in 1974 (the three historic Ridings; the trust publishes a map)
  • The building must be used for public worship at least twelve times a year (exceptionally less, if of particular architectural merit and used for community purposes), be accessible to the public and not expected to close as a place of worship
  • Applicants must show a genuine funding shortfall and be actively fundraising with a reasonable prospect of meeting the shortfall, and must demonstrate a focus of mission and care for their building
  • Denominations named include the Church of England, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, United Reformed and Quaker chapels
  • The historic county covers today's North, West and South Yorkshire councils, York, the East Riding and Hull, the Tees Valley south of the Tees, and fringe areas now in County Durham, Westmorland and Furness, Lancashire and Oldham (e.g. Sedbergh, Bowland, Barnoldswick, Saddleworth)

What it funds

  • Repairs to the church fabric, e.g. walls, roofs, floors, tower, bell frames, windows, stonework, repointing, rainwater goods
  • Conservation of fixtures and fittings, e.g. monuments, furniture, stained glass
  • Investigatory work recommended by your architect or surveyor (can be applied for at any time of year)

Repairs to bells, clocks and organs are low priority. All works must be authorised by faculty or equivalent before any grant is paid.

What it will not fund

  • New work, e.g. re-ordering and extensions
  • All heating and electrical installations, including upgrading
  • Work started or completed before the application form was submitted
  • Repairs to church halls, parsonage houses and other associated and ancillary buildings
  • Applications not drawn up, or approved and supported, by an architect or conservation-accredited surveyor

How to apply

  1. Read the grant guidance notes and FAQs, and check the pre-1974 Yorkshire map
  2. Download the Main Grant Application Form (Word) and complete it in full; answers must be in the form, not in 'attached documents'
  3. Email the form and all supporting documents to the Grants Secretary, Jonathan Stamp, at yhctgrants@sky.com by the deadline (5 March 2027 for the 16 April 2027 meeting; 20 August 2027 for the 8 October 2027 meeting)
  4. The Grants Secretary acknowledges receipt and says when to expect a decision
  5. A Grants Committee member contacts you and visits the church before the meeting
  6. The Grants Committee recommends awards, Trustees confirm them two to three weeks later, and you are told the outcome
  7. If successful, claim the grant with receipted invoices or architect's/surveyor's certificates once spending exceeds the grant, plus bank details, faculty consent and an evaluation form

Grants must be taken up within 3 years. The trust encourages applicant churches to become Friends of the YHCT.

Have ready

  • Main Grant Application Form, signed (electronic signatures accepted)
  • Map showing the church's location and boundaries
  • Listing description (if listed)
  • Specification or drawings of the scheme from your professional adviser, and quotation(s)
  • Photographs of the church showing the need for the works, and of the building in its setting
  • Details of insurances
  • Business plan (if appropriate)
  • Copies of local authority and other consents (planning, faculty or equivalent, building regulations)
  • Budget statement and latest audited church accounts

Faculty consent (or equivalent) must be supplied before the grant is paid.

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