Through offering grants and loans, the Synod seeks to support local churches to develop and maintain their life and witness. On behalf of every local church the Synod examines each request under the oversight of the Trust. To facilitate this process representatives of the Synod will come alongside a local church to explore their project and support the detailed completion of the appropriate application form. This may take a short or a long time, depending on circumstances.

Grants may be related to property, quinquennial surveys, mission, children’s and youth work, employed personnel, ongoing ministerial training, lay preaching or discipleship development. We have also provided some information about additional sources of funding. Feel free to browse them, or click on the blue links in the previous sentence to skip to the right one for you.

We also offer loans.

All grants are dependent on evidence of the ongoing mission life of the church.

Mission

The first step in applying for a mission grant is always to contact the Mission and Training Officer, here, to discuss the project. The form available via the link below will then need to be completed.

Guidance on where to begin, conversations to have, ideas, and the process, is available here.

Following a visit or conversation with one of the Synod Officers who has then agreed that an application should proceed the Grant Application will need to be completed and submitted for approval by the Mission Committee and potentially the Resources Committee too depending on the size of the grant. (Both committees meet four times a year).

Grants are available for a wide range of mission activities and projects. The scope of these is limited only by the vision of the church!

Children’s and Youth Work

The first step in applying for a Children’s and Youth Work grant is always to contact the Children’s and Youth Development Officer, here, to discuss the project. The form available via the link below will then need to be completed.

Guidance on where to begin, conversations to have, ideas, and the process, is available here.

Following a visit or conversation with one of the Synod Officers who has then agreed that an application should proceed the Grant Application will need to be completed and submitted for approval by the Mission Committee and potentially the Resources Committee too depending on the size of the grant. (Both committees meet four times a year).

Grants are available for one-off events, ongoing projects and employment of staff.

Property

The first step is always to contact the Synod Resources Officer, here. to discuss a potential property grant. The form is available via the link below will then need to be completed.

Following a visit or conversation with one of the Synod Officers who has then agreed that an application should proceed the Grant Application will need to be completed and submitted for approval by the Resources Committee (who meet four times a year).

We have guidance and templates to prepare plans for Missional and Sustainable buildings. Both seek to support us as look afresh at our buildings as we seek to engage in mission and with our environmental responsibilities. Click here to find them.

Grants are available for work arising from a quinquennial survey, enhancement of buildings and eco projects.  All applications concerning building works need to provide evidence of obtaining, at least, three competitive quotations.  The standard of building quality should be appropriate for a church and a building used by the public, and should reflect current good practice with regard to energy saving and environmental issues.  Approved grants will be paid on receipt of invoices from contractors/suppliers.

Quinquennial Surveys

A grant of 50% of the cost of a full survey is available upon presentation of a professional survey report to the Resources Officer. The report shall cover all of the properties of the Church and needs be in the format of the Synod Building Report Form that is available from resources@urceastern.org.uk.

Continuing Ministerial Education

Grants are available for ordained Ministers of Word and Sacrament and Church Related Community Workers to cover the cost of resources, training and residentials as well as sabbaticals. Annual grants are limited to £350 for EM2, £700 for EM3 and £1,200 for sabbaticals.

An application should first be discussed with the Synod Mission and Training Officer, here.

Lay Preachers

Grants are available for Lay Preachers to assist with the cost of resources and ongoing training. Annual grants are limited to £300 for Assembly Accredited Lay Preachers and £100 for Synod Recognised Lay Preachers and Locally Recognised Worship Leaders.

Applications should be submitted to the Finance Officer, here.

Discipleship Development Fund

Small grants up to £200/year are available for lay people to support learning and £5,000/year is available to recognised groups within the URC to enhance discipleship development.

Churches Building Fund

Disabled Facilities Grants

Grants may be available to churches that wish to provide facilities for the disabled.  Grants for disabled facilities will be limited to 50% of the cost and will be subject to a maximum grant of £5,000.  Where the disabled facilities form part of a larger scheme, these costs will need to be identified separately.  No work on the provision of such facilities should commence until the grant has been approved.  Grants will not be payable where the facilities provided cost less than £1,000, nor are they payable for VAT.

Feasibility Study Grants

Grants may be available to churches that wish to employ professional consultants to prepare a Feasibility Study of the present and future use of their sites and premises.  The Brief for such a consultant must first be approved by the Resources Officer.  Such grants will be limited to 50% of the cost of the study and be subject to a maximum grant of £1,000.  The Feasibility Study must not commence until the grant has been approved.  Grants will only be considered where there is a clearly identified mission opportunity.

For more information on either of these grants contact the Resources Officer, resources@urceastern.org.uk

Additional Grants

Loans

Synod can offer loans to churches who need of money to fund building projects and the like. Such loans are available for a period not normally exceeding five years. The amount of each loan depends mostly upon the resources available for repaying the loan. The rate of interest charged is that which would have been received by the Synod on its Epworth Cash Plus Deposit Fund. It is expected that the interest charged and a portion of the capital is repaid each year. Loan applications are considered and approved by the Resources Committee who meet for times a year.

For more information contact the Resources Officer, resources@urceastern.org.uk

Synod can offer loans to churches who need of money to fund building projects and the like. Such loans are available for a period not normally exceeding five years. The amount of each loan depends mostly upon the resources available for repaying the loan. The rate of interest charged is that which would have been received by the Synod on its Epworth Cash Plus Deposit Fund. It is expected that the interest charged and a portion of the capital is repaid each year. Loan applications are considered and approved by the Resources Committee who meet for times a year.

For more information contact the Resources Officer, resources@urceastern.org.uk