Last updated 10th October 2025

Fundraising support available

Community Development Funding Officer

The majority of the funding available as part of the  Diocesan Investment Programme will be specifically used for missional activities in parishes across the Diocese.  However, some funding was made available for central roles to ensure that parishes have the support they need.  One of the centrally funded roles is a Community Development Funding Officer, Sarah Noke.

Sarah’s role is to assist parishes in securing grants and investment to ensure that the missional activities funded through the Diocesan Investment Programme can continue in the longer term.

Any parish that would like assistance to find grants, is seeking support in making a grant application or would like to discuss opportunities to identify/develop sustainable funding ideas such as social enterprise, can seek guidance from Sarah (07484 073115 or sarah.noke@blackburn.anglican.org)

New funding opportunities, upcoming closing dates and funding webinars

Grant funders regularly launch new funding opportunities, whilst other grant providers close their application stage.  It is therefore important that parishes are aware of what is available and can make the most of each opportunity. 

It is worth noting that some grants are only available to parishes that are located in a specific area or are providing a particular type of activity.  The section below lists a range of grants that are currently open for applications, this list will be regularly reviewed and updated as new options become available.

• Million Hours Fund – this National Lottery fund provides extra hours of youth work in areas with high anti-social behaviour.  Information on this fund is available here.

• Lancashire Environment Fund – the next round of this fund closes in December 2025.  The grant is specifically looking at community facilities and environmental improvements within Lancashire (unfortunately this excludes unitary authorities of Blackpool or Blackburn with Darwen.  Information on the fund can be found here.

• Arnold Clark Community Fund – this fund is seeking to support community groups that are within a 50-mile radius of an Arnold Clark branch.  They are open for applications, the details can be found here.

• Charles Hayward Foundation – this provider is seeking to fund small, local projects to improve the physical and emotional heath of older people.  Details of this grant can be found here.

• Matthew Good Foundation – this foundation is looking to provide funding to small local groups that are making a big impact on the community.  Applications are welcome at any time but the applicant must have an annual income below £50,000.  More information on this can be found here.

• King Charles III Charitable Fund - October round opening soon. Themes for this round include education, heritage and conservation. the fund will give up to £3000 per year for up to 3 years. Details and dates can be found here.

Open4Community funding database (IdoX)

Blackburn Diocese, has entered a partnership with IdoX to offer all parishes access to a free grant finding database.  IdoX is a funding database specialist in the UK who has been supporting churches and other organisations with real time data and access to grant information for 40 years.

Some of the key features of the IdoX Open4Community system include: -

• Access to grant information that is updated and maintained in real time by a dedicated team of specialist research professionals.

• An easy to use system that makes identifying the right funding streams for projects clear for users.

• A view of grants that contains the information required from the grant funders to quickly see what is available.

• A weekly automated funding newsletter sent by email.

• A system that allows searches to be saved so that the correct grant information for single or multiple projects are returned each time.

• Email alerts of any new grants for your projects.

• Access to online training provided by the Account Manager at IdoX, plus user guides and online tutorials.

The Open4Community system can be found here.  Parishes will need to register to access the database.

A huge benefit of this system is that as well as being available for churches to use, the local church school and any community groups using the church or church hall can also register to use the information.

Useful websites

A range of websites are available that provide information to parishes on the grants that are available.  The links below provide information that those that are currently available.

• Benefact Community Impact Grants

• National Lottery Awards for All

• Charity Excellence Framework

• Church Urban Fund

• Church Fundraising Hub - Ecclesiastical