Grant information and how to apply

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Learn more about the types of grants available and how to apply for them.

Eligibility criteria – Who can apply?

We are delighted that you are considering applying for a grant from Seeds for Growth. A huge part of our purpose is about encouraging experimentation and newness in the life of the Church of Scotland. We hope that we might be able to support your idea or community.

Application forms can be completed by anyone on behalf of a Church of Scotland congregation or Presbytery. Groups of congregations or Presbyteries can also work together. We encourage ecumenical projects and working together with others in your community but our contact will be through a Church of Scotland Congregation/s or a Church of Scotland Presbytery/Presbyteries.

Applications need to be supported by Kirk Sessions and/or Presbyteries. The nature of this support is outlined in the application guideline documents. Please read the guidelines fully and carefully for each grant level. The guidelines take you through each application form question by question.

Assessment criteria

Projects will be assessed against the following criteria:

  • Applications should:
    • Demonstrate a visionary approach to church growth, church planting and pioneer mission
    • Set out the anticipated effect of the project at a congregational or Presbytery level
    • Include a clear plan and measurable targets
  • Show that due consideration is given to how the project will continue beyond the grant period and whether it will generate growth elsewhere within the Church
  • Applications must be focused on a defined project rather than a post.
  • Demonstration of a commitment to good collaboration/partnership working, including ecumenical partners, where this is of benefit to the overall project aims
  • Demonstration of a commitment to taking a reflective approach to your project and to sharing your experiences and what you are learning across the Church.

Applications for the following will be prioritised:

  • Developing mission through new worshipping communities and church planting
  • Engaging in intergenerational approaches to and participation in worship

What can and cannot be funded?

We are willing to fund training, salaries, equipment or hire of space as long as you can show that this is essential to the aims of your project.

Awards cannot be used for:

  • Church repairs
  • Covering retrospective costs
  • Making up shortfall in existing congregational income.

There are other funders who may fund church repairs such as the National Churches Trust.

Please have a look at this document outlining 60 other funders who may be relevant to your context.

There is no requirement to provide match funding but it is encouraged.

Application paperwork

Level 1 Grants

Level 1 Grant allow you to:

  • Try out small scale project ideas.
  • Lay the foundations for a larger project.
  • Run an event.
  • Develop people’s skills and knowledge for them to engage better in their work within the Aims of the Seeds for Growth.

Apply at any time, with no set closing date.

We aim to provide a decision within 2 weeks.

Maximum award is £1,000.

Note : You can hold more than one grant but you need to demonstrate that you have the capacity to manage the initiatives simultaneously.
You can concurrently hold grants from the Small Grants Fund, the Pioneer Mission Fund and Seeds For Growth if you can demonstrate that you have the capacity to do so.

Level 2 Grants

  • Test out the viability of an idea e.g. a pilot to allow learning and adaption.
  • Support projects that suit year-by-year funding.
  • Train and equip your people for the journey ahead.

    • Level 2 Grants can also be used to deliver or arrange training that equips key people for the project ahead or helps people think missionally.

    Apply at any time, with no set closing date.

    We aim to provide a decision within 4-6 weeks of the date of application.

    Maximum award is £10,000.

    Note – You can have several consecutive (not simultaneous) Level 2 grants for a given initiative but the minimum duration of a single Level 2 grant is 6 months.  The End of Project report will need to have been accepted before a subsequent grant can be paid.

    You can concurrently hold grants from the Small Grants Fund, the Pioneer Mission Fund and Seeds for Growth if you can demonstrate that you have the capacity to manage the initiatives simultaneously.

Level 3 Grants

    Awarded for core funding of projects that have undertaken some research and tested out their ideas.

    Level 3 applications follow a two-stage process of which completing the Initial Proposal Form (IPF) is the first stage. Once we have received your Initial Proposal Form, we will assess it and either:

    • give you feedback on the idea and send you the full application form and guidelines (note the full application will need to be returned by 2 October 2024)
    • or get back to you with suggestions for strengthening your project ideas or recommend you consider a different level grant.

    The Level 2 guidelines are helpful for filling out the Level 3 IPF. The Level 3 guidelines accompany the full Level 3 application form

    Maximum award is £40,000 per annum for up to 3 years, with possible additional 2 years on further application

    Note – Initial Proposal Forms (IPFs) can be submitted at any time but we would recommend that you allow at least 4 weeks between sending in the IPF and the deadline for the full application forms (2 October) as a significant amount of additional information is required in the full application forms.

Level 4 Grants

    Awarded for core funding of projects that have done some research and tested out their ideas.

    Level 4 application is a three-stage process.

  • Stage one – once a completed IPF is accepted we will connect you with a member of the Committee (if we see an issue or think that a lower level application may be more appropriate we will provide feedback at this point)
  • Stage two – committee member discussion (here again if we identify an issue or a lower level application is advised we will provide feedback)
  • Stage three – full application process to be agreed with committee member. Full application to be submitted by 2 October.

    • Maximum award is £100,000 per annum for up to 3 years, with possible additional 2 years on further application

    Note -  Initial Proposal Forms (IPFs) can be submitted at any time but we would recommend that you allow at least 4 weeks between sending in the IPF and the deadline for the full application forms (2 October 2024) as a significant amount of additional information is required in the full application forms.

Please fill in the forms and return to grants@churchofscotland.org.uk.

We would advise the following process

  • Read through the guidelines document, then the application form, then the guidelines again
  • Fill in the form
  • Leave it for a few hours up to a couple of days and come back to it
  • Ask somebody unconnected to the project to read through your completed form to be able to objectively point out little mistakes or to tell you that something is unclear
  • Ask somebody aware of the project to read through your completed form to be able to add another perspective.

Available support

The Seeds for Growth team recently held a webinar that worked through the application forms and guidelines for Level 1, Level 2 and the Initial Proposal Form for Levels 3 and 4. Watch a recording of this webinar here

A range of other training events are being developed and will be announced in due course.

We cannot review draft applications but we want to help by answering any questions you may have on Seeds for Growth, our forms and application processes. Just send an email to grants@churchofscotland.org.uk.

We recommend a free training programme called Culture of Innovation. This fun and informal programme works through missional thinking and ‘how to try'. It helps you assess your own context, imagine possibilities and quickly bring together plans. Culture of Innovation has film snippets from some talks by Father Lorenzo Lebrija followed by group activities. It breaks down into 5 sessions

  1. Future thinking
  2. ‘What if' wondering
  3. Generating insights
  4. Developing ideas
  5. Trying

It can be found on Church of Scotland Learning. Information on that is found here.

Other funding

For church repairs consult with the General Trustees who hold a list of potential funding bodies such as the National Churches Trust

We also recommend you consider The Benefact Trust in your mix of funders who have awarded over £260,000 to Church of Scotland Churches in 2024. The Benefact Trust exists to make a positive difference to people's lives by funding, guiding and celebrating the work of churches and Christian charities; empowering the most vulnerable and giving people, communities and places a renewed opportunity to flourish.

Please have a look at this document outlining 60 other funders who may be relevant to your context

Other funding is detailed on the Grants and Funding page of this website

We recommend you consider approaching the external support programme called Accelerate. Accelerate is a support programme for the Third Sector and community organisations. Support is FREE and aims to help groups and organisations, including churches, to become more sustainable and enterprising.