Small Grants Programme

The Friends of the City Churches (FCC) invite applications for grants of up to £10000 to churches within the City of London for small-scale repair or improvement projects in or outside the building.

What can grants be used for?

Recent examples include contributions toward audio-visual equipment to support live streaming from St James Garlickhythe, repairs to a leaking roof and to door furniture at St Mary Aldermary, replacement of a damaged poor box at St Benet Paul’s Wharf, improvements to the kitchen at St Nicholas Cole Abbey, repairs to a 17th century bench at St Mary Abchurch, professional movers to relocate a safe at St Martin Ludgate, and enhanced security equipment at St Lawrence Jewry. The FCC also have a designated fund for repairs to textiles such as vestments, banners, kneelers, frontals, falls and fair linen.

Is there a minimum or maximum grant?

There is no minimum amount that may be claimed, so even small projects can be funded. The FCC will not normally award more than £10000 to a single project.

Who can apply for a grant?

Applications can be made by clergy or administrators of any City of London church. Any FCC member or church Watcher may also take the initiative, identify a project for grant aid and encourage an application, providing they have the backing of the church concerned. The relevant church will be required to take responsibility for the application by signing the application form.

What is the application procedure?

- Download Small Grants application form

- The form should be completed and sent to:

The Administrator
The Friends of the City Churches
St Mary Abchurch
Abchurch Lane
London
EC4N 7BA

or e-mailed to contact_us@london-city-churches.org.uk

- An estimate of the cost of the project and photographs should accompany the application form. The receipt of a completed application dossier will be acknowledged by e-mail.

- The Trustees meet monthly (usually, on second Thursday of the month) and will consider each application on a quarterly basis (January, April, July and October meetings), to enable competing requests to be better compared and to reduce the risk that the most compelling projects might be unable to be funded.

- To ensure that the grant is spent directly on the nominated project, the FCC will usually expect to disburse funds only after the project has been completed, and will expect to receive photographic evidence of completion. The FCC may wish to inspect the completed work. The FCC will require a receipt for the funds disbursed.

- In some cases, a portion of a grant may be paid in advance to help to initiate a project, or whilst the project is in progress. In this instance, the FCC will pay the final balance only on completion. Where a project has been unreasonably delayed or abandoned, the FCC reserves the right to recall any such disbursements.

Caveat

The FCC will not take responsibility for any management of the project, nor provide any warranty on the quality, condition or completeness of the work undertaken.

Download Small Grants application form

 

St Dunstan's ceiling detail