Net Zero Portal

The Rectory Green Fund provides financial assistance to charges undertaking works to clergy housing to improve their energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint. Rectories should be at an EPC of C and funds can be used to improve EPC to reach or exceed this level.

A maximum of £5,000 is available for such works, with funding being matched from Provincial and Diocesan sources. Funding can also be matched from charges themselves if not possible from the Diocese. £2,500 is available Provincially in cases where Diocesan match funding is not possible.

Bishops Houses are eligible for Rectory Green Fund awards, with Diocesan match funding as a condition of award.

Rectories must be occupied by clergy, or work must be performed with the intention of sourcing a rector.

Monies must be returned if the property remains empty longer than 24 months following funding award, or if property is sold within 24 months of works performed. In recognition that vacancies can remain for several years, any property that is not occupied within this timeframe, charges may seek an extension via a written update to the Buildings Grants Group every 6 months for a maximum grace period of 5 years from the point the funds were awarded. 

If a property is being constructed, and a rector not currently in place, a detailed procurement plan must be included with a complete application.

Any application must be endorsed by a member of the provincial Net Zero team before moving forward to the Building Grants Group. So start off by contacting your Diocesan contact within the Net Zero team.

Any works designed to improve energy efficiency or reduce a property’s carbon footprint will be considered – in cases where costs exceed the combined rectory green fund grant / diocesan grant they will be also eligible for grant support from the Building Grants Fund – total provincial grant funding will not normally exceed 50% of costs.

Examples of what this fund could be used for:

• Insulation
• Replacement windows and doors
• Energy efficiency heating system (air source / ground source heat pumps)
• Solar panels
• Radiant heat

Provincial building grants and loans – The Scottish Episcopal Church

There is a sample application below to help you get started:

Catch up with our recent webinar below:

Building loans are available to assist in the costs of non-routine maintenance, development and acquisition of church properties.  Funding is also available to assist in improving the energy efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of church buildings.  All applications for provincial building grants and loans must be subject to Diocesan review and must also be reviewed by a member of the Provincial Net Zero Team prior to submission.

Loans are made for a maximum of five years, except in rare circumstances, and at an interest rate of 5% per annum, payable half-yearly, with repayment of principal expected in equal annual payments. Repayment of principal is expected in equal annual instalments. Alternatively, repayment in fixed monthly instalments over the duration of the loan is possible. Consideration will also be given to shorter term loans to assist in funding project costs prior to receipt of agreed grants from other grant-making bodies.

Provincial building grants and loans – The Scottish Episcopal Church

The Scottish Episcopal Church has provided a new Sustainable Travel Grant, allowing for charges and Diocese to apply for £1,500 in support of any sustainable travel related project.

The Sustainable Travel Grant aims to support charges and dioceses in adopting more sustainable travel practices, thereby contributing to the Net Zero 2030 vision.

The purpose of the Sustainable Travel Grant is to:

• Encourage innovative solutions for sustainable travel within the church community.
• Reduce CO2e emissions from church-business related travel by encouraging people to adopt the Sustainable Travel Hierarchy.
• Promote active travel, public transport, and the use of electric vehicles (EVs).
• Support the Sustainable Travel Hierarchy as described in the Church’s Net Zero Action Plan (2023-2030).

The application form and guidance notes are below:

• Sustainable Travel Grant  – Net Zero Portal

Catch up on our recent webinar below:

This pilot fund will allow listed churches to reclaim VAT on eligible works. This scheme replaces the previous UK-wide VAT reclamation scheme – opening on 1 October, with funding not guaranteed past March 2027, the total budget of the fund is £1m and it is expected demand will be very high and thus be exhausted within a matter of months.

The fund will operate on a first-come-first-served basis, with your spot in the queue being secured based on receipt of a complete application with all requested documents provided. Eligible properties are any listed place of worship (only the church building itself), which operates at least six services a year, with eligible works either being ongoing or having been completed since the closure of the previous fund in March 2026.

All internal and external repair works, works to fixed items of furniture, sanitary fixtures (toilets) where part of the place of worship and installation of security systems are eligible, in addition to professional fees associated. In addition, insulation, electrical fixing, plumbing and works to pursue net zero are eligible for funding under this scheme.
Non-eligible works include work to graveyards, damp-proofing, free-standing fixtures and fittings, AV systems and accountancy or legal-fees.

The fund will open on 1 October – forms, guidance document and official list of eligible works will be available then. However, churches are strongly encouraged to prepare relevant information in advance as it is expected that demand will be very high for this fund.

The following information should be prepared: listing reference, OSCR number, bank account details, copy invoices and a named contact willing to engage with Historic Environment Scotland should there be any questions. The content of the form will be shared when we have it.

It is the aim of Historic Environment Scotland to process and pay out on claims within six weeks of complete applications. Please get in touch with either a member of the Net Zero Team or the Historic Environment Scotland Grants team (grants@HES.scot) if you have any questions.

Benefact Trust’s Building Improvement Grants Programme provides essential support to protect and enhance churches and Christian charity buildings, ensuring their continued use and the safeguarding of their heritage.

Grants available to support direct capital costs relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy measures (e.g. heating/lighting upgrades, solar panels), which improve the sustainability of church buildings/facilities and enable their continued use.

UK Churches eligible, can receive funding once every two years. To apply – complete online form along with a project budget template.

Building Improvement Grants | UK Building Grants for Churches

Amount awarded is a calculation made on total project costs and assessment criteria. You can apply for a deprivation uplift. A grant recommendation will be made to trustees – trustees are keen to support as many projects as possible.

All applicants will be expected to have secured funding for at least 30% of their total project costs before making an application – it is not possible to submit an application otherwise. Applicants should also have a clear plan for how the remainder of the match funding for the project will be secured – it should not be assumed that the entire shortfall would be covered.

There is a rolling application period, with a wait time of ~2 months for applications under £10,000 and 4-6 months for applications exceeding this amount. Awards are made to every church which applies. Quotes are not required.

You can download guidance on applying to the Benefact Trust below.

This fund is for projects that support community spaces. Specifically, those which bring people together to build strong relationships in community, improve the places and spaces that matter to communities and support communities facing more demands because of the cost of living crisis.

Funding for community-led projects comes in the form of grants between £300 and £20,000 – and can support your project for 2 years. Physical improvements to buildings are eligible, and sustainable efforts can be combined with other projects. This fund is always oversubscribed and a successful application will stress how the project fits the programme and supports the community. Fundraising or other funding should be procured. The success rate is between 40-45% and most applicants get less than requested.

You can get specific support on your application (which is quite straightforward) from advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or call a funding officer 03001237110.

You can find out more and apply here.

Case Studies:

• Case Study: St Fillan’s Buckstone receives funding to create a snug space – Net Zero Portal
• St Luke’s Glenrothes: Transformation into community hub complete

Listen to our webinar on how to apply for Historic Environment Scotland funding as a Scottish Episcopal Church here.

Historic Environment Grant applications must:

• clearly relate to a Scottish historic environment asset
• demonstrate contribution to HES Grants Priorities
• offer good value for money
• demonstrate a deliverable project
• have not started (unless discussed and agreed by HES Grants Team)
• not already receiving funded by a City Heritage Trust or similar funding programmes 

Depending on the type of historic environment asset your project relates to, there may be additional eligibility criteria to be met. Please check the Programme criteria section.

• Express Grants (£1,000 to £25,000) 
• Small Grants (£25,001 to £100,000) 
• Large Grants (£100,001 to £500,000) 

To apply, you must first submit an expression of interest, which should be approved within ten days. You will then be invited to apply.

If you are awarded a grant under the HEG, you must meet several conditions and fulfil specific reporting requirements.  

As an applicant, you will also need to: 

• demonstrate a financial need for the grant
• if you are an employer, demonstrate that you meet the Fair Work First requirements
• appoint a professional team led by an appropriately qualified Conservation Accredited Professional to oversee and manage the project
• either be the owner of the building, or hold a full repairing lease which has at least 20 years to run

Historic Environment Grants can support:

• Maintenance and management plans
• Repair and consolidation works
• Charities and not-for profit organisations
• Up to 40% of grant-eligible costs.

If you are awarded a Historic Environment Grant (HEG), you will be required to enter a formal legal contract with HES. Before making an application you are encouraged to read the example offer letter and all grant conditions applicable to your project which are available on the Programme resources section.   You also must acknowledge the funding.

Case Study: Conservation Repairs – Holy Trinity Church, Stirling, Scotland

Grants ranging from £2,000 to £10,000 to support new church building, extension or redevelopment projects, with a particular emphasis on churches using their physical resources to communicate Christian faith and respond to needs in their local community. SEC churches have had success using this fund for environmental projects.

Applications must be physically submitted and comprise of a cover sheet and 3-4 page concise project proposal. For more information, visit this page.

Garfield Weston Foundation make grant awards, not usually for more than 10% of the total project cost. They award grants for building work or repairs, for local community projects (halls and church buildings), grants will not usually exceed £30,000. They expect to see local fundraising activity. They expect at least half of the budget for the plan to be raised prior to application (but this is not a hard requirement). Works done to improve environmental efficiency are looked on favourably, and they do specifically fund heritage and faith building projects.

For more information and how to apply click here.

Case studies:

• St Peter & St Paul Church, Great Casterton – Garfield Weston Foundation
• Conservation Repairs – Holy Trinity Church, Stirling, Scotland

The Swire Trusts funds charities that work with the natural and built environment and help guide communities to live more sustainably. They also are supporting regeneration through restoration, funding projects that have impacts from a heritage perspective. They favour grass-roots organisations that strongly engage with local communities.

Charities are eligible for funding and they aim to prioritise those who can demonstrate the needs they are addressing and being well place to achieve their goals and monitor/evaluate outcomes.

There is no maximum or minimum grant size and, although they base our grants on the amount requested and the size of organisation, they may award more or less than you applied for. There are no set criteria for projects. Funding is hoped to be awarded with as few strings as possible.

For more information and to apply, please follow this link.

Loans of up to £100,000 are available for energy and carbon-saving upgrades to church buildings or halls, you can also receive a cashback grant of up to £30,000. These loans must be paid back within eight years, and are applicable for church buildings or halls.

SME Loans can be used to install:

• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades.
• Radiant heating technologies.
• Renewable heat technologies such as installing an air source heat pump.
• Improving insulation, draught-proofing, double or secondary glazing,
• Installing LED lighting.
• Installing solar thermal systems, wind turbines and biomass boilers.

SME loan scheme is not currently accepting new applications for solar PV projects due to a high number of applications.

SME cashback grant:

• 75% of eligible costs up to a maximum of £20,000 can be claimed for energy efficiency measures.
• 75% of eligible costs up to a maximum of £10,000 can also be claimed for a range of renewable heat measures (heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal).

To apply for SME loans, you need a report from BES which recommends the energy efficient systems, equipment or building fabric improvements. These reports are free and impartial and must be requested directly, these reports take 6-8 weeks to prepare depending on complexity. Charges should be aware the timeline for this programme is quite long and it can take, in some cases, more than a year for funds to be transferred.

Scotmid’s Community Grant makes awards to ‘deserving causes’ throughout Scotland. The maximum grant available is £500. The eligibility criteria are quite nebulous, so many different projects may be eligible for support. Churches may apply.

More information here.

The Aviva Community Fund provides support to charities and community groups pursuing climate action – promoting healthy thriving communities by preventing, preparing for and protecting against the impacts of climate change. This fund matches any donations generated through fundraising campaigns, thus doubling whatever is raised. Funds are unrestricted and you can register to get started at any time.

The fund does not support projects which have an outcome that is only accessible to people of a particular faith or belief – so community spaces such as church halls would be the focus of this fund.

More information: Communities Fund – Aviva Foundation

The trust makes grants to charities which work, among other fields, for the advancement of heritage. Grants are available between £5,000 and £25,000.

Applications are due in 31 December each year, with the trustees meeting once a year in the spring to decide on grants for the following 12 months.

The simple application form is found here.

Each Persimmon Homes office makes a donation of £6,000 a quarter to local organisations who support the local community. The application is quite simple – all you have to do is share why your charge deserves to be supported and how much is being sought.

More information and application here.

The trust supports the heritage – tangible or otherwise – of Scotland, through projects that encourage participation in and preservation of Scotland’s distinct culture. Within this, it is quite open-ended. 

Charities may apply when seeking less than £25,000. Learn more and complete the straight-forward application here. 

For 2026 the Trust has the following closing dates:

• Application deadline: 30 October 2026.   Outcomes advised end December 
• Application Deadline: 26 February 2027. Outcomes advised end May 2027
• Application Deadline: 7 May 2027. Outcomes advised end July/August 2027

The Dulverton Trust is an independent grant-making charity, established in 1949, which funds a wide variety of charities working across the UK and overseas. The Trust awards grants to cathedrals towards repair or restoration work with an emphasis on heritage craft skills at its November Board meeting each year. Grants are usually between £50,000-£100,000. In recent years it has funded Brecon, Winchester and Worcester Cathedrals. 

Applications should be made via the online application form.

Applications are received on a rolling basis, it is recommended that you apply at least three months of their meetings held in February, June and November.

The team are also happy to speak to potential applicants informally in advance of a full application being submitted. Please feel free to get in touch with one of the team on 020 7495 7852 or at grants@dulverton.org.

The Rectory Green Fund provides financial assistance to charges undertaking works to clergy housing to improve their energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint. Rectories should be at an EPC of C and funds can be used to improve EPC to reach or exceed this level.

A maximum of £5,000 is available for such works, with funding being matched from Provincial and Diocesan sources. Funding can also be matched from charges themselves if not possible from the Diocese. £2,500 is available Provincially in cases where Diocesan match funding is not possible.

Bishops Houses are eligible for Rectory Green Fund awards, with Diocesan match funding as a condition of award.

Rectories must be occupied by clergy, or work must be performed with the intention of sourcing a rector.

Monies must be returned if the property remains empty longer than 24 months following funding award, or if property is sold within 24 months of works performed. In recognition that vacancies can remain for several years, any property that is not occupied within this timeframe, charges may seek an extension via a written update to the Buildings Grants Group every 6 months for a maximum grace period of 5 years from the point the funds were awarded. 

If a property is being constructed, and a rector not currently in place, a detailed procurement plan must be included with a complete application.

Any application must be endorsed by a member of the provincial Net Zero team before moving forward to the Building Grants Group. So start off by contacting your Diocesan contact within the Net Zero team.

Any works designed to improve energy efficiency or reduce a property’s carbon footprint will be considered – in cases where costs exceed the combined rectory green fund grant / diocesan grant they will be also eligible for grant support from the Building Grants Fund – total provincial grant funding will not normally exceed 50% of costs.

Examples of what this fund could be used for:

• Insulation
• Replacement windows and doors
• Energy efficiency heating system (air source / ground source heat pumps)
• Solar panels
• Radiant heat

Provincial building grants and loans – The Scottish Episcopal Church

There is a sample application below to help you get started:

Catch up with our recent webinar below:

Support for properties which have been empty for twelve months or more.

Empty Homes Funds local – funds are not available in every council areas

• Angus
• Argyll and Bute
• Moray
• North Ayrshire
• Perth and Kinross
• South Ayrshire

Properties empty for two years qualify for a 5% VAT rate on work being carried out.

Merchants which offer discounts on works on empty homes are listed here.

Microbusinesses and third sector organisations in rural and island areas of Scotland can now apply for a grant to install electric vehicle (EV) charge points on their premises. 

Funded by Transport Scotland, the grant covers up to 100% of the purchase and installation costs, up to £5,000. It is designed to help make switching to low‑emission transport more affordable for smaller organisations. 

The grant is only for private charge points, used by staff or fleet vehicles. It is not for public charging. 

Business charge point funding – Energy Saving Trust

The Rural and Island Infrastructure Fund is funded by Transport Scotland and reopened in April 2026. Public funding continues to prioritise those parts of the country less likely to benefit from stand-alone private investment.

Funding will be available in rural and island locations to install public charging infrastructure. The level of funding available will depend on the power output of the charge points to be installed. More information can be found at the following links:

Rural and island infrastructure fund – Energy Saving Trust

There are two grants you can get for installing chargepoints for electric vehicles at an owned property; an electric vehicle chargepoint grant or an electric vehicle infrastructure grant.

A chargepoint grant provides funds to help cover the cost of installing an electric vehicle chargepoint socket. You can get either £350 or %75 of the cost to buy and install a socket, whichever amount is lower.

An infrastructure grant provides funds to meet the cost of wider building and installation work that’s needed to install multiple chargepoint sockets. This includes things like wiring and posts. You can get up to £30,000 or 75% off the cost of the work, depending on how many parking spaces are covered by the work.

You can apply for a grant if you own residential or business properties. Charities may apply, so this is applicable for both churches and rectories.

More information here.

Small grant scheme which supports the work of faith groups taking small scale local actions which address the link between climate change and poverty. Registered charity faith groups with an income of less than £80,000 and who employ no more than two staff members are eligible.

Grants of up to £500 are eligible for local action along these themes; community mobilising (events in your community to bring people together and raise awareness), more effective use of community land (community garden, use land to grow food), respecting the environment (organising a local clean up, using buildings in a more eco-friendly way), or local action on reducing fuel consumption (supporting sustainable energy use).

The average grant made is £500, but in exceptional cases, more funding can be awarded for ambitious projects.

The application is quite simple – find out more and apply here.

I Dig Trees by the Conservation Volunteers provides UK grown trees to schools and community groups in order to offset carbon emissions and support biodiversity. Trees must be planted on publicly accessible land. 

Packs range in scope; pocket forest, greener cities, pollinators, park, hawthorn hedge, wildlife booster, traditional woodland. 

Free Trees for Communities Across the UK

The Naturesave Trust is looking for grant applications from charities, community groups, and organisations who are working to connect communities to nature through:

🎭 Arts and cultural activities
🥬 Community gardening
🏃 Green gyms
😟 Eco anxiety and mental health
🪏 Training a community with green skills 
🙋 Conservation volunteering
🌳 Urban nature programmes
🫶 Social prescribing
👩‍🦽‍➡️ Access to nature
🦉 Community wildlife surveys
🧘 Nature mindfulness 

Or perhaps you have a nature connection initiative that we haven’t even considered! If you have a completely new approach to encouraging nature connection, then we are all ears. 

The funding window is currently closed, but expected to reopen May 2026.

For more information on our funding guidelines, click here.

Funding Guidelines for The Naturesave Trust

Tesco Stronger Start is open to charities and community organisations to apply for a grant of up to £1,500 via an on-line application form. Applications are open to all local good causes, but we are currently prioritising helping projects that support food security, children and young people and local store nominated good causes. Examples include orchard planting.

For more information click here.

The fund is currently receiving applications.

The Community Fund supports groups and organisations that encourage people to use woods more. The level of funding will be on a sliding scale as follows:
• 100% for projects up to a total cost of £5000
• Up to 90% for projects with a total cost of between £5001 to £20000
• Up to 75% for projects with a total cost above £20000

For more information click here.

Material Focus is the not-for-profit leading the UK-wide Recycle Your Electricals campaign, making it easier for people to fix, donate and recycle their old electricals.

Almost 80% of people think recycling their electricals is the right thing to do – but only 45% of people think it’s easy. That is why Material Focus launched the Electricals Recycling Fund, funding projects that aim to make it physically easier for the UK to repair, donate or recycle their electricals. 

The Electricals Recycling Fund supports projects that grow or develop existing household collection services for small electricals or those that seek to innovate new collection methods. To date, Material Focus has funded over 60 projects across the UK – from kerbside collections to drop-off points in schools, community centres and libraries – making it easier for 10 million more people to reuse and recycle their electricals and saving over 230 tonnes from landfill. 

Organisations, including church groups, can apply for funding to either innovate new methods (grants of up to £50,000) or grow existing services (grants of up to £100,000). Funding applications are open on a rolling basis. For more information on the application process and the application criteria, visit the Material Focus website here.

They are generous with funding, and want to make as many awards as possible. There is extensive application support and welcome all applicants to get in touch if interested.

You can catch up on our recent webinar with Material Focus below: