Funding the repair and maintenance of historic parish churches is a major struggle for most churches. After paying for the costs of ministry and general housekeeping there is rarely much left. Although many churches put aside some money for the fabric, substantial repairs following a quinquenniel inspection can be an enormous challenge.
Friends schemes
Parish reserves
Many parishes run on a fairly hand to mouth basis, but others have substantial reserves. Parishes lucky enough to have some money should be willing to use some of it to fund their repairs, indeed many grant making organisations would look askance at a church with large amounts in the bank refusing to use it.
Trusts and other grant making bodies
It's absolutely normal for a parish to expect to raise most the money they need from trusts and other grant making bodies. The reality is a bit different. There is enormous competition for these funds and 5% - 10% of the total amount needed is much more realistic.
English Heritage/Heritage Lottery Fund - this fund has given substantial amounts to many churches for repairs which will make the structure of the building safe and protect it from the weather.
Lottery - churches can apply for general lottery funding, but not for the repair of buildings directly. This is mostly for projects which will directly benefit a community, and a lot of lottery funds exclude 'advancement of religion'.
Listed places of worship grant scheme - a scheme in which churches can reclaim the VAT spent on repairs to listed places of worship. It extends to professional fees.
Other trusts - there are a number of trusts which will fund church repairs. The main ones include Colyer Fergusson, Garfield Weston or Marshalls. However the are all heavily oversubscribed - Marshalls aren't accepting any more applications for the remainder of 2008.
Major donors
In theory it should be easier to find one large donation than a lot of small ones, and seeking large amounts from individuals is a standard fundraising technique. We do encourage parishes to explore this option, although we recognise that this is a difficult area for some parishes.
Fundraising events
The received wisdom is that you'll never raise £80K from jumble sales and cream teas. Nevertheless an enormous amount is raised in parishes by various local fundraising events, and the amounts aren't necessarily tiny.
Legacies
Legacy income is sometimes used to fund repairs and other building works in churches. In 2005 there were 130 legacies received by parishes in the Diocese of Canterbury. The average amount received by churches is about £4,000.
Gift days
A gift day may be held when the target is almost reached and a final push is needed. The church membership and others living in the locality are asked to come to the church on a specific day and give a gift. Significant amounts can be raised in this way.
Friends' schemes
People living in a village who are not churchgoers are often happy to contribute to the maintenance and repair of the church, particularly if it is beautiful or historically important. A 'Friends of St Whoever' organisation is an effective means of galvanising support from the village.
