God's love for all and an open invitation to come to him is a key part of Christian faith and mission. To aid churches in being accessible for disabled people responding to God's generous invitation, the national church is making grants available through the Parish Accessibility Fund (PAF) for churches in dioceses in the southern province, which includes the Diocese of Leicester.
There are two grant streams:
Large Grants
We have £100,000 allocated to us as a diocese for larger grants. The maximum for any eligible application is £50,000. As this is likely to involve structural alterations, eligible applications would need to be for projects that are likely to gain DAC approval, and any other planning permission required. The benefit should be long lasting so cannot include temporary alterations such as temporary ramps.
Small Grants
£750,000 available to the Province of Canterbury, with no cap per diocese. Grants must be between £1,000 and £5,000 and the total cost of the project must be no more than double the amount applied for. These grants may for projects such as training events, purchase of resources etc.
All applications for either large or small grants should come through our Diocesan Disability Adviser, Phil Bryson - phil@harborough-anglican.org.uk.
Applications must include a completed accessibility audit and budget spreadsheet taking note of the guidance. The project must have the primary focus of benefiting disabled people, rather than either the benefit for disabled people being a side effect of a different primary focus or that the intended benefit is for all including disabled people but not specifically for them.
Disabled people should be consulted on the project and their input can be anonymously included, so that this is not simply an idea of non-disabled people that has not checked whether it would benefit disabled people.
There is a national large grants panel, and a national small grants panel that would respectively make the decisions on whether to award a grant applied for. The PAF is available to be applied for until December 2028 or when funds have all been allocated - whichever occurs sooner.
Work must be complete within 2 years of the grant being awarded with work needing to commence within 12 months.
See the national church's webpage for resources include the application form, templates of an accessibility audit and budget spreadsheet, government guidance, and guidance including eligibility for PAF: Church of England -Parish Accessibility Fund
Please be praying, thinking, consulting and planning so we can enable our churches to be places where all can participate, flourish and live out their calling.
Prease note: It is very important that PCCs have the appropriate permissions in place before starting or agreeing to start any works to adapt or change their church building.
There are 3 different levels of permission that works could come under; List A, List B or a Faculty. You can check the level of permission that will be required for your PCC’s proposals. This can be done by visiting our faculties page and downloading the document called ‘Lists A and B and Additional Matters Orders from the Chancellor’. If the proposed works are not covered by List A or List B, then a Faculty will be required in advance of the works.
This webpage also contains other general information about getting the necessary permissions in place.
If you are unsure of the type of permission that is required, please contact Rupert Allen, DAC Secretary on 01162615332 / 07947353125 or Rupert.Allen@LeicesterCofE.org Rupert can also guide you through the process of getting any permissions that are required.
The Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches (or DAC) is made up of various specialists who give their time and experience freely. The members of the Committee will be happy to advise you on proposals. Please contact Rupert if you would like to learn more about the types of specialist advice that is available and/or to arrange a visit.