Challenging the myth: Churches and grant funding Susan Rundle Development Officer Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales

Research examining – Notion that “we can’t get funding, we’re a church” and – Considering the impacts of attitude and relationship on the grant-making process Published in Voluntary Sector Review, July 2013 Introduction

Practical implications of the research How has it changed working practises? How can it inform future working practises? Introduction

Talking to both funders and churches to understand their attitudes when applying for community based projects Findings – Grant making trusts will fund churches to do community projects – Churches have to prove they’re doing community projects – Churches need to be able to understand their legal status – Many churches do not understand their own legal status Research Summary

Churches can access funding from grant-making trusts...BUT – Churches need support to understand and explain their own charitable status – The onus is on the church to show how their project will benefit the wider community Research Summary

Churches can’t get funding! You have to have a separate charity to be able to access funding Churches are only interested in converting people not being part of the community Myths

Understanding! – Churches being able to explain what and why they’re running projects – Churches understanding their own legal status – churches recognising the need to properly explain themselves and their projects – not assuming knowledge – Funding is about building relationships Challenges

Relationships – Never built on half truths Understanding – Training is vital Legal status Project development Developing and communicating vision Overcoming the challenges

Fundraising basics – Creating a case for support – Developing need – Communicating vision – Who we are? – What are we doing? – Why us? – Why now? Overcoming the challenges

Wakefield Cathedral – Phase 1 – £2.2m reording project – £1.6m from Heritage Lottery Fund – Much of the rest from funders who ‘don’t fund church’ including: Coalfields Regeneration Trust - £100,000 Wakefield Council - £200,000 Examples

St Mary Magdalene, Outlane – 1930’s Church used by range of people – Needed to redo the kitchen/boiler – Asked the local council for help – they said you need to create a separate charity to run the ‘hall’ – They said you can’t get funding if you’re a church – Training and support to build their capacity – £10,000 Awards for All grant for the Kitchen – £2,000 Local Authority Grant – Built capacity as now gone for money for hearing loop, children's disco equipment and boiler! Examples

How can you apply this in your Diocese? What can we do nationally to overcome some of the challenges? Discussion

How do we apply the research? – Training for PCC’s – Build capacity with people applying for funding – Building relationships and trust with funders – Sharing stories – Linking similar projects at different stages Lessons

Susan Rundle Development Officer Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales Article available online via Voluntary Sector Review or for a copy More information