Funding

Mission Grants

Funding Priorities and Practicalities

The Diocesan Funding Committee (DFC) manages applications for the Mission Fund.

Diocese Mission Priorities

The Diocese is continually working towards ensuring that all that we do facilitates an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Diocese wishes to support congregations in their proclamation of the gospel and in the making and nurturing of new disciples.
The Diocese seeks to encourage the transformation of existing congregations through discipleship; by developing worship and welcome; by increasing confidence in sharing faith; and by making better use of church buildings and church land.
The Diocese is committed to helping churches and ministry areas to transform the wider community by service that meets local needs.

The Mission Fund exists to serve the above Diocese priorities and to help equip ministry areas to engage in new mission projects that reflect the Diocesan Vision: “A family, rooted in Christ, committed to transforming lives by: Gathering as God’s people, Growing more like Jesus, Going out in the power of the Spirit”. At the heart of this mission-shaped vision is the commitment to seeing lives and communities transformed by people encountering the Lord Jesus Christ; this is therefore the fundamental priority on which funding will be based.

It is essential that all churches/ministry areas submitting an application to the Mission Fund consider a journey which encourages people to engage with the Church and to become Christians, for example what would evangelism and discipleship look like in the context of the project or, if it’s funding for a practical resource/s being applied for, how does the resource help facilitate evangelism and discipleship?

It is hoped that projects will extend the local church’s engagement with their communities, and introduce Christ in such a way that people will have the opportunity to consider following him.

Applications will be considered for new projects and to allow for pilot schemes to test new initiatives. This can include staffing roles such as youth workers, outreach workers etc, with the understanding that after the first year of funding the project will have to provide its own support for sustainability.

Funding will only be provided to existing projects if it is for new strands of work or activities, or if the project is being expanded in a meaningful way.

The Mission Fund is also open to eco-friendly/climate change initiatives.

Ministry areas can also apply to the Mission Fund on behalf of their Church Schools for projects that connect the school with their local church(es).

The Mission Fund does not provide funding for building work or refurbishments to church buildings; the Churches and Pastoral Committee has a fund that churches can apply to for building work. The Diocesan Office can also compile reports of external funders that could potentially help you with other funding streams for capital projects. Please contact the Diocesan Office for more details.

The Mission Fund exists to serve diocesan mission priorities by helping churches and ministry areas resource mission-shaped work that facilitates an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. It supports projects that strengthen proclamation of the gospel, nurture new disciples, and encourage deeper discipleship within existing congregations.

The fund is intended for work that helps churches engage their communities and introduce Christ in ways that create genuine opportunities for people to explore faith and consider following him.

Strong applications show a clear sense of purpose: what the project hopes to do, who it is for, and how it will help people engage with the Church and take steps towards Christian faith.

Good proposals explain what evangelism and discipleship will look like in the context of the project — including how people will be welcomed, supported and encouraged beyond the initial activity.

The Mission Fund is designed to help churches begin or test something new. Where funding supports staffing or a new initiative, applications should show how the work will be sustained beyond the first year of funding.

This might include developing local volunteers, building partnerships, finding new ways of resourcing the work or reshaping it into a sustainable form as the project develops.

The Diocesan Funding Committee reviews each application in light of diocesan mission priorities and the diocesan vision, considering purpose, potential impact, local support, and readiness to carry the project forward.

Applications are assessed on the information provided, so clarity, realism and a clear mission journey help the Committee understand what the project hopes to achieve and why it is needed.

How to apply

There are 2 levels of grant that can be applied for (please note that the levels have changed from previous years):

Small Grants: £100 - £1,000

Simplified application form
Required to provide a signature from your Ministry Area Leader agreeing the project

Initiatives with projected costs of between £100 and £1,000 may be funded up to 100% of the total cost.

Large Grants: £1,001 - £5,000

Extended application form
Required to provide a copy of the MAC minute agreeing the project or provide a copy of your MAC agreement regarding funding sign-off
If the application is for a grant towards employment costs, a copy of the job description is required

Project applications which fall in this category are expected to provide 10% match funding towards the total cost.

For application forms and further information, please contact Kes Seymour at the Diocesan Office – kesseymour@cinw.org.uk

Help & Advice

If you require any assistance in completing the application form, or have any further questions, help is available from the Diocesan Centre:

Tel: 01874 623 716
Email: diocese.swanbrec@cinw.org.uk