Funding Guidelines

Transcription

1 EMPOWERING CHURCHES TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES Funding Guidelines The Church and Community Fund (formerly known as the Central Church Fund) is a charitable trust fund under the trusteeship of The Archbishops' Council. The Archbishops' Council is a registered charity ( ).

2 Page Contents: 2: About the CCF, Mission Statement & Objectives 3: Strategic Themes 4: Funding Theme 1 Neighbourhood Renewal 6: Funding Theme 2 Church Growth 8: Funding Theme 3 Community Engagement Replication 10: Application Criteria 11: Selection Criteria 12: Evaluation 13: How to Apply 14: Application Checklist 1.

3 About the CCF. Who we are: The Church and Community Fund is an endowment fund under the trusteeship of the Archbishops Council. The CCF s roots go back to 1915 and it has acted as a funder to the Central Church and parish projects for nearly 100 years. Mission Statement: The Church and Community Fund aims to grow the Church of England and develop its capacity to engage with the whole community Objectives: By making grants to the national church and local projects the Church and Community Fund will assist the Church of England to: Develop its capacity to engage with the whole community through supporting innovative use of resources; Help transform areas of greatest need and opportunity and; Grow spiritually and numerically. 2.

4 : Strategic Themes: In * the CCF will support projects that: 1) Significantly expand the Church s engagement with neighbourhood renewal, 2) Seek innovative ways of developing established community projects so that they either a) grow existing or b) evolve into new communities of Christian Faith, and; 3) Replicate models of successful community engagement across the wider church. * : - The three funding themes will be reviewed and updated towards the end of 2014 in the light of prevailing needs and opportunities identified through thorough evaluation and in light of the Church s priorities at that time. 3.

5 Theme 1: Neighbourhood Renewal The CCF will support projects that......significantly expand the Church s engagement with neighbourhood renewal: Significantly - Projects must have an effect of a noticeable and measurable impact. Neighbourhood Renewal - Projects must have a sustained approach to improving the quality of life in areas of greatest need, through reviving neighbourhoods and improving services and provisions. Behavioural Improvement Safe Havens Education Provision Community Employment Skills Cohesion Social Counselling Health Services Neighbourhood Renewal Skills Training Debt Advice Inter-Generational Rehabilitation Homelessness Grant Size - Grants between 10,000-20,000 will be awarded to successful applicants under this theme. 4.

6 Theme 1: Neighbourhood Renewal... Examples of the type of projects that grants will be awarded to: A church run community services centre on a large council estate that focuses on employment skills, improving social welfare and self-esteem counselling. By employing another counsellor, the project is able to undertake one on one engagement with an extra 20 people a week. There are clear outcomes derived from the project including people gaining skills, qualifications and confidence enabling them to gain employment. The employment of a detached youth worker who works with un-churched young people in innovative ways on inner city housing estates. The project aims to help young people find a sense of purpose in life, raise their aspirations and improve social and practical skills. The worker also holds regular and concentrated weekly mentoring sessions with 10 young people. A grant awarded towards improving facilities and the running costs of a church and local addiction charity run drugs rehabilitation centre. It provides accommodation and intensive rehabilitation for 20 people at a time for a period of 6 months. The success rate for rehabilitation is high and for the majority of people for whom the programme is successful, their lives are significantly transformed. Many of the rehabilitated users maintain contact with the church. Examples of the type of projects that grants will not be awarded to: The installation of an accessible toilet and kitchen in the extension of a church with the stated aim of enabling the building to be used more widely by the community. There is a moderate list of potential new users of the building though the overall impact on neighbourhood renewal would be limited. Building new community rooms and a hall within the church building. The space would largely be let to tenants to generate a source of income. There is limited direct involvement in the community provision by the church and no real vision by the church to be a key player in bringing about neighbourhood renewal. The restoration and upgrading of the tower room for church and community use by the history society, horticultural society and choir. It would be difficult to argue that these activities had a significant impact on neighbourhood renewal. Whilst they may be worthy activities, they are unlikely to bring about a step change in the quality of life and prospects of people living in areas of greatest need. 5.

7 Theme 2: Church Growth The CCF will support projects that seek innovative ways of developing established community projects so that they either a) grow existing or b) evolve into new communities of Christian Faith. Innovative Creative Original Pioneering Novel Fresh Groundbreaking Grant Size - Grants between 10,000-20,000 will be awarded to successful applicants under this theme. 6.

8 Theme 2: Church Growth... Examples of the type of projects that grants will be awarded to: A church social action outreach project in a city centre estate has been running for over a year and has reached a lot of people that would not normally come into contact with the church. The church is seeking to employ a lay evangelist to establish new worshipping communities on the estate for those that the social action project has reached. The employment of a community development worker to run an after school drop in for parents and children in a local estate, that has enabled the project to evolve into a fresh expression of church, with mid-week messy church style worship and Eucharistic worship on a Sunday. This project has clear objectives and a track record of church growth. The employment of a youth development worker. The youth work at a parish church is beginning to focus on three new areas of work. Firstly, an ecumenical youth club that is aimed at those on the fringes of church. Secondly detached youth work on estates to provide a safe haven for young people and thirdly a twice a month Sunday gathering that brings both other elements together for a more overtly Christian focused event. This project has a clear strategy in place to grow the church and has proven itself to be successful in bridging the gap between detached and church based youth work. Examples of the type of projects that grants will not be awarded to: A parish church is looking to employ a part time coordinator to set up a mid week mothers and toddlers group in a well resourced church. It could be argued that this could be facilitated for free by recruiting volunteers or with help of the church s children s worker. The project is not growth focused as it is looking to attract those who already attend the church. The purchase and running costs of a minibus to transport existing elderly members of a church congregation to and from a weekly coffee morning, a fortnightly lunch club and to services on Sunday mornings. This project does not have an objective to grow the church, rather it focuses on serving the needs of the current congregation. The continued employment of a Children s and Youth worker at a local parish church. The worker is responsible for the church youth group that is made up of the youth who attend church already and for the running of the weekly children s Sunday School. Again the project does not have an objective to grow the church through its youth and children s work, instead catering for the young people that already attend the church. 7.

9 Theme 3: Community Engagement Replication The CCF will support projects that......replicate models of successful community engagement across the wider church: If you are thinking of applying under this theme you must contact CCF staff first before submitting an application. Grant Size - Larger Grants of over 20,000 will be awarded to a handful of successful applicants under this theme per year. 8.

10 Theme 3: Community Engagement Replication... Examples of the type of projects that grants will be awarded to: An organisation seeking to develop opportunities in local churches to provide a whole-person health ministry to the community. The approach involves placing a nurse in parishes to provide health care advice in a way that is joined up with the spiritual and pastoral care offered by the Parish. The model has proved successful in a number of local parishes and a larger grant from the CCF could help to roll it out more widely across the Church of England. A coffee and craft project aimed at the older generation has been successful in attracting a large number of participants and growing the church in a number of rural parishes. The organisation behind it is seeking funding to replicate this model to other parishes within the diocese and potentially to parishes in other dioceses. A diocesan run initiative that targets parishes in areas of disadvantage who want to develop their assets in ways which are socially useful. A grant could be awarded to help roll out the programme in other dioceses. Grants will not be awarded to projects that: Seek to expand locally rather than be replicated in other areas. Do not have a track record of success or growth. Only suit a unique local situation and environment. 9.

11 Application Criteria: Applications to the CCF must meet the following criteria: Projects must be in line with one of the strategic themes and projects that are not run by parishes must demonstrate that they are sufficiently linked to and are furthering the mission of the Church of England at a local level. Projects must demonstrate that they are responding to proven needs or opportunities. The organisation applying must not have unrestricted reserves of over 100,000 and a clear explanation is required as to why the parish/organisation cannot use reserves in order to fund the proposed project. The organisation applying must demonstrate commitment to the project by committing some of their own resources to it according to their means. Normally applications will only be accepted from the 50% most deprived parishes according to Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) rankings. Those parishes with a ranking in the 50% least deprived will have to provide evidence using Local Government SOA data, that pockets of absolute deprivation exist. (Please visit the CCF website for a table that details parish IMD rankings and go to: for government deprivation statistics) The CCF will fund at least 10% (and usually not more than 75%) of the total project cost (this should generally be the cost for the project as a whole and not for one particular phase of the project, unless that phase is clearly defined and delivers outcomes in isolation from the other phases). Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to evaluation. 10.

12 Selection Criteria: Applications will be scored on the following criteria... Criteria: Deprivation: Impact: Sustainability: Finances: Local Resource: Partnership Working: Diocesan Support: Detail: Priority will be given to those applications from the poorest areas with the greatest need. Projects will be assessed on the quality of outcomes stated in their applications and thus preference will be given to projects that will generate the most impact. The CCF Committee will look for projects that are aiming to become self sustaining in the long term or detail an appropriate exit strategy. Applicants will be required to detail why their unrestricted reserves cannot be used for the project. Applicants should demonstrate that they have approached other potential funders. Projects, where possible, should demonstrate community partnership working. This could include non-monetary contributions towards the project. Projects should have support of their diocese and be in line with any strategies for growth and/or community engagement. 11.

13 Evaluation Successful projects will be subject to light touch evaluation... 1) Successful applicants will be required to return a grant agreement form that will include introductory evaluation questions. 2) The grant holder will need to request their grant by providing evidence that the project is underway and subsequent instalments will require grant holders to submit monitoring information (see below). 3) Once payments (normally 1-3 years) of the grant have finished, Grant Holders are required to return an end of funding self evaluation form (this can be found on the CCF s website). Project Evidence: In order to provide evidence that a project is underway the grant holder must supply the CCF with either a copy of a signed contract of employment for the role(s) detailed in the original application or invoices for costs detailed in the application s breakdown of costs. Monitoring Information: As part of an application to the CCF project outcomes and objectives will need to be provided. A monitoring report will be requested for the grant holder to measure progress made against the stated objectives and outcomes as well as a bespoke project progress report. 12.

14 How to Apply If you feel that your project meets the aims of the funding themes and match the criteria detailed previously, please complete the eligibility quiz and online application at: Application Deadlines and Committee Meeting Dates can be found at on the bottom right hand side of the homepage. 13.

15 Application Checklist All applications must include: A completed online application form; A breakdown of costs, funds raised and funds to be raised; A supporting statement/a brief business case for Theme 3; A Archdeacon or Bishop s Project Reference Form; A copy of the relevant organisation s latest audited accounts. Applications with an employment element must also include: A copy of the job description(s); A copy of the contract of employment, including; The accompanying disciplinary and grievance procedures. Please ensure that you include all of the required items detailed above when submitting your online application, if any item is not included as part of your online application please give a brief reason for non inclusion. Please Note: If your application is incomplete, the Committee will not be able to consider it. More information about the supporting documents can be found on the CCF website or on the online application form within the help boxes. 14.