Funding

Mission Grants

Funding Priorities and Practicalities

The Diocesan Funding Committee (DFC) manages applications for the Mission Fund. The Mission Fund exists to help Ministry Areas 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 transformed; this is therefore the fundamental priority on which funding will be based.

Applications will be considered for new projects and to allow pilot schemes to test new initiatives. This can include staffing roles such as youth workers, Ministry Area Administrators 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 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.

The Diocese wishes to support congregations in their proclamation of the gospel and in the making and nurturing of new disciples.

The Diocese is committed to helping churches and Ministry Areas to transform the wider community by service that meets local needs. It is hoped that projects will extend the local church’s engagement with people and groups, and introduce Christ in such a way that people may have the opportunity to consider following him.

It is important that churches/ministry areas 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.

The Mission Fund is also open to eco-friendly/climate change initiatives and church school projects that connect with local church.

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 help churches try new ways of reaching people, strengthening discipleship and growing confidence in local mission. It supports projects that create opportunities for people to explore faith, deepen community relationships and take steps towards following Christ.

The fund is intended for work that churches could not easily do on their own: new ideas, fresh approaches and mission that responds realistically to local needs and opportunities.

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 faith. They identify a real local need and explain how the project will respond to it.

Good proposals outline the steps the church will take to welcome and support anyone who becomes interested in Christian faith through the project — the journey beyond the initial contact matters as much as the event or activity itself.

The Mission Fund is designed to help churches begin or test something new. It is not intended to create long-term dependence, so applications should show how the project will continue once initial funding ends.

This might include developing local volunteers, building partnerships, finding new ways of resourcing the work or reshaping it in a sustainable form after the first year.

The Diocesan Funding Committee reviews each application carefully, looking at its purpose, potential impact, local support and the readiness of the church to carry the project forward. Decisions are shaped by the diocesan vision and by the need to invest in work that genuinely strengthens mission.

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

How to apply

There are 4 levels of grant that can be applied for:

Fast Track Grants: £100 - £500

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

Initiatives with projected costs of between £100 and £500 may be funded up to 100% of the total cost.

Small Grants: £500 - £1,000

Required to provide a copy of the MAC minute agreeing the project

Initiatives with projected costs of between £500 and £1,000 may be funded up to 100% of the total cost.

Medium Grants: £1,001 - £10,000

Project applications which fall in this category are expected to provide match funding towards the total cost; this is on a sliding scale as shown below:

£1,001 - £4,000 requires 10% match funding from other sources
£4,001 - £7,000 requires 20% match funding from other sources
£7,001 - £10,000 requires 30% match funding from other sources

Large Grants: over £10,000

Extended application form
Required to provide a copy of the MAC minute agreeing the project.
Required to provide a project plan. Guidelines on ‘Writing a Project Plan’ are enclosed with the application form.
If the application is for a grant towards employment costs, a copy of the job description is required

Projects which fall in this category may be funded up to 1/2 of the total cost; however, the Committee expects applications to be at least 1/2 match funded from other sources.

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