Background
In November 2025 Diocesan Synod voted to create a fund for mission projects related to our diocesan strategy, Seeking the Kingdom.
The initial amount of money going into this fund is the £943,000 transitional funding that the diocese will receive in 2026. Of this £600,000 will be available for funding projects in 2026, including £120,000 for applications from parishes and benefices.
Eligibility
Applications to the fund can be made by: Area Teams; the Cathedral; the Central Team; and Deaneries.
In addition, individual Parishes and Benefices can apply for small grants of up to £5,000, with the support of their Archdeacon.
Criteria
To be awarded funding a project will need to show how it will deliver numerical growth and how it will become sustainable.
For Benefices and Parishes, funding is only available where Statistics for Mission, Financial Returns and Energy Footprint Tool are up to date.
Monitoring
Successful applicants will need to complete a short monitoring form every four months throughout the funded period.
Applying for a Grant
Applications should be completed using this form:
https://www.cognitoforms.com/LichfieldDiocese/StKGrantApplicationForm
Applications will be considered at the meetings of the Trusts, Projects, Loans and Grants committee (TPLG) which meets in January, April, July and October. TPLG reports directly into Bishop’s Council and is the body that considers other diocesan grant applications. Applications must be submitted by the final day of the preceding month.
At each meeting of TPLG there will be £200,000 of funding available (of which £40,000 is ringfenced for Benefices and Parishes) plus any underspend from previous periods.