Enabling greater social impact
Benefact Trust’s Community Impact Grants Programme supports projects that will make a positive and transformative impact on lives and communities.
This programme empowers Christian organisations across the UK and Ireland, who are doing incredible work tackling major issues in society.
At the same time, our Community Impact Grants help churches to grow their congregations and promote the Christian faith.
The programme is open to applications from churches, cathedrals, denominational bodies, Christian charities, and schools and educational institutions with a clear Christian ethos*.
The programme supports direct capital and/or revenue costs, and funding is available under the following programme areas:
(1) Growing congregations and Christian communities
Projects that focus on growing church congregations and communities (both numerically and spiritually) across all ages. We encourage creative and imaginative projects and typical areas of support are likely to include:
- Children’s and youth projects
- Resourcing and training for church leaders
- Evangelism and faith development
- Outreach and wider engagement through music and the arts
- Construction of new chapels for hospices or other charities
(2) Addressing social challenges facing communities
Projects focusing on addressing, or building the capacity of Christian organisations to address, the following types of issues:
- The effects of poverty (including food poverty, debt and associated financial issues)
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Climate change and environmental sustainability
- Marginalised and vulnerable people (e.g. people experiencing or affected by issues such as homelessness, addiction, domestic abuse, refugees, ex-offenders)
- Children and young people’s needs
(3) Enabling wider community use of church buildings
Projects resulting in a clear increase in the use of church buildings by the wider community (beyond the immediate congregation). Please note that requests for essential building improvements should come through our Building Improvement Grants programme unless they are a small part of a larger project focused on enabling wider community use.
The types of projects likely to be supported, include:
- Redevelopment, expansion, or improvement projects resulting in new or improved facilities for wider community use
- Work which includes the provision of disabled access, facilities, or equipment (relatively minor works can be applied for under the Building Improvement Grants programme
- Other activities or resources to support a sustainable transition to increased community use
(4) Empowering Christian education
For schools and theological educational institutions with a clear Christian ethos, the following types of projects will be supported:
- Improving Collective Worship and the teaching of Christianity
- Outdoor worship spaces/prayer gardens
- Chaplaincy and pastoral care
- For theological educational institutions, improvements to buildings, facilities and equipment that will provide clear benefit for students and support a clear Christian purpose (e.g. repair/refurbishment of chapel)
- Mental health/therapeutic support and mentoring, especially for vulnerable children
How to apply
Please read the Programme Guidance in full before making an application to the Community Impact Grants programme. This document will answer any questions you may have about the application process.
To apply to the Community Impact Grants programme, you will need to complete this online application form. You will also need to complete a Community Impact Grant Project Budget template and submit this with your application form.
If you have further questions about Benefact Trust and our funding, take a look at our FAQs on our How to apply page.
*Schools and theological educational institutions are only eligible to apply under area four: Empowering Christian Education.
