Church Urban Fund

Church Urban Fund (CUF), established in 1987 by the Church of England in response to the Faith in the City report, is a national charity dedicated to tackling poverty and deprivation in England's most disadvantaged urban communities. Rooted in Christian values of collaboration, compassion, justice, and accountability, CUF empowers churches, faith-based groups, and local communities to drive lasting social change through grantmaking, capacity building, partnership development, and grassroots engagement. Its evolved mission emphasizes revealing the realities of poverty via research and advocacy while fostering resilient, inclusive communities where everyone feels valued and connected.

CUF prioritizes thematic areas like poverty alleviation, social cohesion, community resilience, and overcoming exclusion, funding practical interventions such as food banks, debt advice, mental health support, community cafés, integration schemes, and interfaith programs. Flagship initiatives include Places of Welcome for inclusion, Growing Good toolkit for social action, and Near Neighbours for interfaith understanding. Beneficiaries are people facing poverty, isolation, and marginalization in deprived urban areas, with support for activities like leadership development, multi-agency food insecurity partnerships, and refugee hospitality.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities and community groups—often with a Christian ethos but open to secular ones—operating in England's disadvantaged localities, preferring small to medium, locally rooted organizations without strict income limits. Currently closed to unsolicited applications (past programs used online forms with rolling decisions in 4 weeks), typical grants range from £500 to £5,000 for project and capacity-building costs, excluding capital or unrestricted funding. CUF stands out for its Church-linked independence, blend of faith-inspired and systemic approaches, and focus on leveraging church assets for holistic, community-led anti-poverty impact.