Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust (2016) grants
Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust funds the preservation of historic churches, chapels and meeting houses used for public worship in Oxfordshire, giving around £560,500 to organisations in its last reported year.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust funds the preservation of historic churches, chapels and meeting houses used as places of public worship in Oxfordshire. It does not generally fund routine maintenance, unless this has been identified as part of a Quinquennial (QQ) inspection or is urgent, and buildings completed less than 50 years ago are not normally eligible. It cannot fund work that has already started, and organisations may only submit two grant applications in any four-year period, excluding emergency and supplementary grants. One specific scheme, its Roof Alarm grant, currently offers up to 80% of scheme costs plus the first year's maintenance. In its last reported year it gave around £560,500 to organisations, from an income of around £402,500.
What they fund
Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust funds preservation work on historic churches, chapels and meeting houses used for public worship, with restrictions on routine maintenance and recently-completed buildings.
Who and where
It funds places of public worship across Oxfordshire, limiting organisations to two applications in any four-year period.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust (2016) 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.
Who they say they'll fund
“We are able to consider applications for grant funding for any church, chapel or meeting house used as a place of public worship.”
Source: ohct.org.uk — What we Fund - Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust →
What they say they won't fund
“Buildings completed less than 50 years ago are not eligible, unless there are special circumstances.”
Source: ohct.org.uk — What we Fund - Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust →
“Work that has already started.”
Source: ohct.org.uk — What we Fund - Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust →
“Only two grant applications may be submitted in any four-year period, excluding applications for emergency and supplementary grants”
Source: ohct.org.uk — What we Fund - Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust →
“Routine maintenance unless identified as part of the QQ inspection or work that is urgent”
Source: ohct.org.uk — What we Fund - Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust →
Grant sizes they mention
“The current scheme offers grants of up to 80% of scheme costs, plus the first year's maintenance”
Source: ohct.org.uk — Roof Alarm Grant Application - Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
The objects of the CIO are:for the benefit of both local communities and the wider public, to preserve and enhance oxfordshire’s historic churches used for public worship and their associated structures and contents.
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
What does it fund?
The preservation of historic churches, chapels and meeting houses used as places of public worship in Oxfordshire.
What won't it fund?
Routine maintenance, unless identified as part of a Quinquennial (QQ) inspection or urgent; buildings completed less than 50 years ago, unless there are special circumstances; and work that has already started.
How much does it give?
It does not publish a general typical grant size. Its Roof Alarm scheme currently offers up to 80% of scheme costs, plus the first year's maintenance. In its last reported year it gave around £560,500 to organisations in total, from an income of around £402,500.
Who can apply?
Any church, chapel or meeting house used as a place of public worship in Oxfordshire. Only two grant applications may be submitted in any four-year period, excluding emergency and supplementary grants.
How do I apply?
Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust does not publish a step-by-step application process on its website. Check the funder's own website (ohct.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1168567) for how to apply and current guidance, as processes can change.
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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 Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust (2016).