Grant Application Process

When we started the project in earnest, we contacted advisers from the Coventry Diocese who were very helpful. It is easy as a lay person to think that some things are obvious, and go without saying, but everything needs to be considered from different angles. We had applied for other grants before approaching the Congregational & General Charitable Trust. We found their application form and the whole process straight forward.

Our Aims

We had no water. Where is the toilet? (not have you got a toilet?). Can I have a drink of water?  How do you wash up? Take the cups and saucers home is the reply. The water in the flower vases needs topping up! These comments all became more frequent as we tried to expand from just services to more hospitality, helping the lonely with Coffee & Chat, visits from the adjacent primary school, visitors from a distance.  These culminated in a plan, to introduce a Servery at the back of the church housed in a ”wardrobe”,  a Toilet in the porch, and to cover the trench for the pipes under the path with a hard surface instead of mud. With these additional facilities we would be able to host concerts, educational, social and fund-raising functions with ease.

Our journey

Our journey started in 2019, obtaining a design, tenders, faculty, linked with fund-raising. Then the pandemic struck. No services, church closed, no fund-raising, so the only option was to apply for grants, and make plans for future events. During this time, we received some generous private donations which was heartening. Our main annual fund-raising event – a plant sale had to be cancelled, but we already had the plants so we were able to sell these from an honesty table. Finally in October 2023 we reached our target, which had risen substantially with the increased cost of building materials. We found that once we had reached 70% funds began to come in more quickly. We were able to instruct the builders just before Christmas.

Completed job

The job has yet to be completed but good progress is being made. Inevitable delays occur in any contract of this sort, where other contractors/providers are involved. We are delighted with what we can see so far, and very pleased with the quality of the work.

Helpful Advice

If you plan to seek a grant from National Churches Trust they are very particular about the qualifications of the project architect. It is worth checking that your architect meets these requirements. Engage the local community in planning stages as well as fund-raising, many grant providers like to see some self help activity. Keep positive. Getting permissions, collecting the funds, engaging with amenity providers takes time, it may be a long haul. Obtain letters of support from schools, clubs, interest groups. Continue to keep your community appraised of progress even if there is a lull, contractors work to their own time scales! Have Faith