National Churches Trust grants
National Churches Trust is a national charity funding church conservation and repair, giving around £2.8m to organisations in 2024, with a typical grant of £5,000.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
National Churches Trust promotes the conservation, repair, maintenance and improvement of churches across the UK. It gave around £2.8m to organisations in 2024, with a typical grant of £5,000 (the middle half of grants ranging from £2,500 to £10,000). Its own Large Grants scheme supports structural repair projects costing over £80,000, or kitchen and toilet installations costing over £30,000. It has also written about the separate, government-funded Places of Worship Renewal Fund.
What they fund
It promotes the conservation, repair, maintenance and improvement of churches, including a Large Grants scheme for structural repairs over £80,000 or kitchen/toilet works over £30,000.
Who and where
It supports the general public throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Who they help
Where they fund
What National Churches Trust says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
What they say they're looking for
“priority will be given to projects in areas of England with the highest level of deprivation and need for investment. Prioritisation will focus on: Firstly, projects that fall within (or serve) areas of Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 1-3”
Source: nationalchurchestrust.org — FACT CHECK: the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund (and the VAT problem that won't go away) | National Churches Trust →
Grant sizes they mention
“The new fund is likely to be able to support around 100-150 listed places of worship a year, awarding grants between £10,000 and £1 million.”
Source: nationalchurchestrust.org — FACT CHECK: the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund (and the VAT problem that won't go away) | National Churches Trust →
“Grants for large urgent structural repair projects costing over £80,000 and for projects to install or upgrade kitchens and toilets costing over £30,000.”
Source: nationalchurchestrust.org — Our grants | National Churches Trust →
Deadlines they mention
“There will be two windows each year in which Expressions of Interest will be received.”
Source: nationalchurchestrust.org — FACT CHECK: the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund (and the VAT problem that won't go away) | National Churches Trust →
How they say to apply
“Listed places of worship will have to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) and submit this to Historic England. Successful applicants will then be invited to apply for a grant”
Source: nationalchurchestrust.org — FACT CHECK: the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund (and the VAT problem that won't go away) | National Churches Trust →
What a typical grant looks like
| Typical (median) grant | £5,000 |
|---|---|
| Middle half of grants | £2,500 – £10,000 |
| Grants published openly | 1,240 |
| Most recent published grant | 2024 |
Recent grants
- Dowlais: St Illtyd*LAST CHANCE CHURCH* REPAIR - Urgent reroofing works to stop ongoing water ingress caused by life expired asbestos containing tiles, replacement of rainwater goods.£100,000November 2024
- Minera: St MaryREPAIR - The whole of the building's roof is to be re-slated, a layer of insulation installed and new guttering fitted.£50,000November 2024
- Llanelli: St ElliUPLIFT - REPAIR + FACILITIES - structural repairs & installation of kitchen, toilets and heating system£50,000November 2024
- Bexhill: St Barnabas*LAST CHANCE CHURCH* REPAIR - To remove St Barnabas from the Heritage At Risk Register, a High Priority repair works programme is planned, starting with these repairs to the original north nave£43,089November 2024
- London, Shepperton: St Nicholas*LAST CHANCE CHURCH* REPAIR - Restoration of tower and external masonry£16,724November 2024
- Thurstonland: St Thomas*LAST CHANCE CHURCH* REPAIR - Restoration of the stained glass east window and supporting stonework and tracery. The whole window with the supporting stonework is in an extremely fragile condition£16,606November 2024
From grants National Churches Trust publishes openly via 360Giving (the UK open grants-data standard), used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
1 to promote the conservation, repair, maintenance, improvement, upkeep, beautification and reconstruction of churches in the united kingdom and of monuments, fittings, fixtures, stained glass, furniture, ornaments, organs, bells and chattels in such churches, and of the churchyard belonging to any of such churches…
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
How much does National Churches Trust typically give?
Based on 1,240 recorded grants in 2024, the typical (median) award is £5,000, with the middle half of grants ranging from £2,500 to £10,000.
What does National Churches Trust fund?
It promotes the conservation, repair, maintenance and improvement of churches. Its Large Grants scheme funds structural repair projects costing over £80,000, or projects to install or upgrade kitchens and toilets costing over £30,000.
What is the Places of Worship Renewal Fund?
This is a separate, government-funded scheme that National Churches Trust has written about; it is expected to award grants of between £10,000 and £1 million to around 100-150 listed places of worship a year, prioritising areas of England with the highest deprivation, via a two-stage process starting with an Expression of Interest to Historic England, with two submission windows each year.
How do I apply to National Churches Trust?
Applications go through the funder's own website (nationalchurchestrust.org); its Charity Commission number is 1119845.
Is your charity a fit for National Churches Trust?
Type your charity’s name and we’ll check this funder — and every other active UK grant-maker — against your purposes, your area and your size. Free, and nothing to fill in: we read your entry on the official register.
Check my charity’s matches — free →Thinking of applying? Start here.
Finding a funder is the easy part. These short guides help with the part that decides whether you get the money.
Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with National Churches Trust.