Lord Crewe's Charity

Lord Crewe's Charity, founded in 1721 through the will of Nathaniel, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, is an endowed Christian charity rooted in North East England. It channels surplus revenues from its historic estates in Northumberland and County Durham to support necessitous Church of England clergy in the Dioceses of Durham and Newcastle, advance education at Lincoln College, Oxford, and bolster local community welfare. Guided by Christian stewardship, responsible benevolence, and long-term impact, the Charity balances its founder's Anglican vision with contemporary needs through targeted grants, strategic diocesan partnerships, and endowment management for intergenerational benefit.

Funding prioritizes clergy and family hardship relief via multi-year schemes, professional/postgraduate support; educational bursaries, scholarships, and a Junior Research Fellowship in Music at Lincoln College; and community grants for small nonprofits addressing vulnerability, such as food banks, advice services (e.g., Community Money Advice), village facilities, and rural/coastal welfare initiatives tied to Charity-owned land. It also funds academic fellowships for Durham University's Bamburgh Library Collection research.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, community groups, parishes, or academic institutions operating in the Dioceses of Durham and Newcastle, County Durham, or Northumberland; small to medium grassroots organizations are preferred, with no strict income limits. Unsolicited applications are not accepted—grants are invite-only or via established relationships.

Typical awards range from £1,000–£5,000 for community projects (core/project costs, seed funding), with larger multi-year diocesan grants; academic bursaries/fellowships offer £600–£2,000/month. Community/clergy funding is rolling and proactive; Lincoln College deadlines are 1 June 2025, Durham fellowships 3 September 2025. Distinctives include its landowner role, unwavering clergy/education focus, and historical continuity shaping regional spiritual, civic, and academic life, excluding general open applications or non-local efforts.