Last updated 14th July 2025

Fundraising for the new roles

Welcome

Hi, I am Sarah Noke.

I am the Community Development Funding Officer for the Diocese. Blackburn diocese has been successful in receiving funding from the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board to fund a number of new parish-based roles. It is my job to assist parishes in securing further grants and investment to ensure that these roles can be funded in the longer term. I can help you find grants, support you with making a grant application and identify/develop more sustainable funding ideas, such as social enterprise, major donors and other fundraising opportunites. 

I am here to help:

• If you don't know where to start to find funding suitable for your project.
• If you are thinking of looking at sustainable ways of funding.
• If you your parish would benefit from recieving training on any fundraising related matters.

Feel free to get in touch.......

Tel: 07484073115

Email: sarah.noke@blackburn.anglican.org

Funding news, new funding oppportunities, upcoming closing dates, training

Better Youth Spaces - Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool ONLY

https://www.sibgroup.org.uk/funds/better-youth-spaces/

UK Tree planting grant

https://www.internationaltreefoundation.org/uk-grants

Arnold Clark Community Fund, open for applications....

https://www.arnoldclark.com/community-fund

Charles Hayward Foundation - Older people's activities

https://charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk/grants/older-people/

Idox training webinar, hosted by Diocese of Manchester Thursday 22nd July at 7pm. Please register via this link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ode6sqTovE9YGELZH1lgU7CVzOYlRwffg

Co-op Local Community Fund now open:

https://www.coop.co.uk/lcfeligibility

Matthew Good Foundation - Grants for Good

https://www.matthewgoodfoundation.org/amplify-fund-grants-for-good/#ready-to-apply

Open4 Community funding database (Idox)

Blackburn Diocese, in partnership with Idox and the diocese of Manchester, Leeds and Chester, offer all our parishes a free grant finding database. 

Idox are 'the' funding database specialists in the UK who have been supporting churches and other organisations with this real time data and access to grant information for 40 years.

Some of the key features include

• Grant information that is updated and maintained in real time by a dedicated team of specialist research professionals.
• An easy intuitive user interface, making identifying the right funding streams for your projects exceptionally simple.
• A curated view containing all the information you could possibly need from the grant funders.
•  A weekly automated funding newsletter sent by email.
• Saveable search criteria to ensure you are identifying the correct grants for single of multiple projects.
• Email alerts of any new grants for your projects.
• Online training provided by the Account Manager at Idox, plus user guides and online tutorials.

Open4Community is not only available for churches to use, your local church school can also use the service along any community groups that use your church or church hall. Click the link above to register and access the database.

How to use Idox - An Online demonstration (recorded webinar)

Useful websites

Benefact Community Impact Grants

National Lottery Awards for All

Charity Excellence Framework

Church Urban Fund

Church Fundraising Hub - Ecclesiastical