Suffolk Historic Churches Trust

Could Suffolk Historic Churches Trust fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.

Typical grants: £1,500 – £10,000
Where they fund: Suffolk
Applications: Accepted
How to apply: Email application
Decisions: Quarterly

Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.

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shct.org.uk

About Suffolk Historic Churches Trust

Suffolk Historic Churches Trust is dedicated to conserving and preserving Suffolk’s ecclesiastical heritage, safeguarding churches, chapels, and meeting houses of historic and architectural merit as active places of worship for all Christian denominations. Founded on values of inclusivity, stewardship, and cultural continuity, the Trust champions the spiritual and communal role of religious buildings through targeted conservation of their fabric. Its grantmaking supports grassroots congregations stewarding ancient structures, ensuring these buildings remain vibrant for worship, community gatherings, and public access.

What Suffolk Historic Churches Trust funds

The Trust funds capital projects focused on the repair, restoration, and maintenance of the building fabric of Suffolk’s churches, chapels, and meeting houses. Priority is given to work on roofs, stonework, windows, towers, porches, and infrastructure upgrades such as heating systems, kitchen installations, toilet facilities, and accessibility modifications like ramps. All work must be on buildings in regular use as places of worship by any Christian denomination, and located within the county of Suffolk.

Who can apply

Applications are accepted from Parochial Church Councils or equivalent bodies of churches, chapels, and meeting houses that are in regular use as places of worship by a congregation of any Christian denomination. The building must be located in Suffolk. The Trust does not accept applications from individuals or supporting organisations other than the PCC.

What Suffolk Historic Churches Trust doesn't fund

The Trust does not fund core costs, salaries, training, research, events, transport, or emergency works. It also excludes furnishings, brasses, bells, monuments, organs, redecoration (unless part of an eligible project), new buildings, extensions, clocks, and retrospective funding.

How they like to fund

Suffolk Historic Churches Trust provides capital grants for building projects. It welcomes unsolicited applications from eligible PCCs. Grants are made for specific projects rather than core or ongoing support.

How much does Suffolk Historic Churches Trust give?

Suffolk Historic Churches Trust runs 2 grant programmes. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.

Last verified 8 August 2026 · 24 sourced facts

Grants ProgrammeOpen to applications

Up to £20,000

Online application form
Next deadline 5 October 2026
4 rounds a year

Jubilee GrantsCurrently closed

Up to £5,000

Those are the published figures. What your charity could realistically get — and whether you'd clear their rules on income, location and legal structure — is what the free fit check answers.

What Suffolk Historic Churches Trust funds — and what they won't

Their stated priorities

Priority will be given to work involving repairs to or restoration and maintenance of the fabric of the building.

Where they fund

Suffolk

Costs they'll cover

Capital works & buildingsEquipment

They don't fund

Core costsSalariesTrainingResearchEventsTransportEmergency fundingIndividuals

The full exclusions list (2)

No retrospective funding. No furnishings, brasses, bells, monuments, organs, redecoration unless part of eligible project. No new buildings or extensions. No clocks. Roof alarm programme closed.
Structural work excluded; only non-structural projects like clocks, monuments, community facilities.

Good to know

FaithChristian only

Focus areas

Arts & cultureFaith

How to apply to Suffolk Historic Churches Trust

Suffolk Historic Churches Trust takes applications via email application.

Published programme route: online application form.
Decisions are typically quarterly.
Check whether your charity is in scope before you spend time on a full bid.

What Suffolk Historic Churches Trust's application asks

We hold the 6 questions from Suffolk Historic Churches Trust's application form, word for word — so you know exactly what you're signing up to answer.

Question 1

“Please give a brief description of your church or chapel, drawing attention to any points of particular historic or architectural interest.”

Question 2

“Background information about the condition of the part of the church for which a grant is being sought. Please attach a copy of the relevant documentation.. (e.g. extract from Quinquennial Inspection Report”

4 more questions from their form, plus answers drafted from your charity's real data if you decide to apply.

How it works

1
Describe your project. Once — used for this funder and others.
2
See if this could be a fit. Honest check on cause, place, size, and rules.
3
Draft if yes. From your real data — or move on if not.

See if Suffolk Historic Churches Trust could be a fit. Draft if yes.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does Suffolk Historic Churches Trust provide?

Suffolk Historic Churches Trust runs 2 grant programmes — Grants Programme: Up to £20,000 · Jubilee Grants: Up to £5,000.

Where does Suffolk Historic Churches Trust fund charities?

Suffolk Historic Churches Trust funds charities operating in Suffolk.

Does Suffolk Historic Churches Trust accept unsolicited applications?

Suffolk Historic Churches Trust accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.

What does Suffolk Historic Churches Trust not fund?

Their published exclusions include: No retrospective funding. No furnishings, brasses, bells, monuments, organs, redecoration unless part of eligible project. No new buildings or extensions. No clocks. Roof alarm programme closed.; Structural work excluded; only non-structural projects like clocks, monuments, community facilities.. The full exclusions list is further up this page.

How do I apply for funding from Suffolk Historic Churches Trust?

Suffolk Historic Churches Trust takes applications via email application. Published programme route: online application form.