Grants for buildings
The John Gregson Trust helps others to innovatively transform and re-purpose historic church buildings into places that promote renewal, have community impact and are ecologically and economically sustainable.
If your building is a Unitarian place of worship, in regular current use by an active Unitarian congregation, you may be eligible for a grant to help with the cost of maintenance, renovation, surveys or emergency repairs.
Grant amounts
Our grants tend to range from £500 to £5,000, depending on the overall scale of the project, and are often utilised alongside grants from other awarding bodies. The General Assembly website has information about building management and other sources of funding.
Listed buildings
Many churches are listed buildings and require listed building consent before work can be carried out. If applying for repairs or renovation, please read Historic England's guide on Heritage Protection.
Grants may be awarded towards the cost of:
Surveys
We award funds toward the cost of a quinquennial inspection (QI) survey of any Unitarian church building currently being used for worship.
Grants are only approved on prior request. Funds are issued once the survey is complete.
Emergencies
We may be able to help with costs for emergencies, where urgent and immediate action is required.
If your Unitarian place of worship is in need of an immediate emergency repair, please contact us.
Repairs
We offer funds to support maintenance to windows, doors, walls, roofing, plumbing, heating or drainage.
Renovation
We can contribute to your funding for significant and planning renovation projects. These may include the refurbishment or preservation of artefacts with significant historical or architectural merit.
Renovation could also include the installation of new facilities such as kitchens or toilets, which enable your building to be opened up to the wider community.