The Church Life Fund

The Church Life Fund is a transformative commitment across the United Reformed Church, providing over £3 million a year to equip local churches to do what they do best: being close to their neighbourhoods with open doors, open hearts, and open minds.

A portion of the fund will be used to provide new shared services for synods and local churches, including the Resources Hub and Helpdesk, alongside HR, accounting, payroll, buying, IT, and property services. The remainder will be available for grants that will fund new lay worker roles in local churches and the development of new communities of worship and discipleship.

Born out of a desire to release local congregations from heavy administrative burdens, this fund exists to turn missional vision into reality. Whether it is launching a bold new community initiative, expanding your local outreach, or taking creative risks for the Kingdom, the Church Life Fund is here to back your ambition. We aren’t just funding projects, we are investing in the long-term fruitfulness and vibrancy of our local churches.

The funding is split between central support and direct grant aid.

First, a portion of the fund powers shared services, including the Resources Hub and Helpdesk, providing a central point of access for essential legal frameworks, administrative tools, and HR guidance—specifically designed to lighten the load on elders, secretaries, and treasurers. New services will be brought in over the coming year, including HR, accounting, and payroll support. Future services will include IT, buying, and property support.

The remainder of the money goes directly to local churches through grants for lay workers and new communities.

The Church Life Fund is here to make transformation happen. It is a way of allowing local churches to do what they do best, which is being close to their neighbourhoods, with open doors, open hearts, and open minds. It’s about being fruitful.

You don’t need to be an expert at writing grant applications to benefit from this fund. The Church Life Fund Committee is actively committed to walking alongside applicants, helping you develop your vision, explore new opportunities, and navigate the application process.

We are particularly eager to support churches in deprived or under-resourced areas, ensuring that financial support goes where it can make the greatest missional impact. You will not be doing this alone.

When applications open, funding will be awarded through a straightforward two-stage process:

1. Expression of Interest: A short summary of your idea, developed with the support of your Synod from the outset.
2. Full Application: A detailed application responding to the fund’s missional criteria.

Synods will first assess all applications, using agreed criteria to decide whether the application is suitable for the Church Life Fund. The Church Life Fund Committee will then make a final funding decision.

The Church Life Fund Committee is currently finalising criteria and practical details. Full application forms and guidelines will be published on this page as soon as they are live.

Church Life Review

Find out more about the The Church Life Review which was up in 2020 to review the life, structures, resources and work of the URC