Places of Worship Renewal Fund now open

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund is a new £92 million programme supporting the repair of listed places of worship across England and targeted at areas in most need.  Delivered by Historic England and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the fund will run over four years to March 2030. 

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund is open to all faiths and denominations, and places of worship do not need to be on the Heritage at Risk Register to apply.

Applicants and projects must meet the fund specific requirements listed on the Places of Worship Renewal Fund Webpage. 

The deadline for submitting Expressions of Interest for the first round of grants is midnight, Sunday 14 June 2026. Further rounds of grants will follow later in the year and in future years.

About the Fund 

The fund provides capital grants to support urgent repairs and long-term sustainability, helping ensure that listed places of worship remain open, safe and in active use. 

It is designed to support the repair of and essential improvements to England's significant places of worship and targeted at places of most need, particularly in areas of deprivation and where communities have the least capacity to raise funds.

Who can apply 

The fund is open to all faiths and denominations.

Eligibility Criteria

Your project must:

1. Be based in England.

2. Involve a building listed at Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II

3. Involve an active place of worship. This means that the building must be used for worship for a minimum of six times per year, or is owned by a charity that specifically cares for a historic place of worship and is open to the public a minimum of six times a year. This includes listed buildings, not originally built as, but now operating as places of worship *e.g. a listed cinema.

What the Fund supports 

Funding is available for capital works, including: 

• Urgent structural repairs (such as roofs, masonry and rainwater goods)  

• Improvements that support long-term use (such as access or basic facilities)  

The fund does not support routine maintenance or day-to-day running costs. 

How to apply 

Applications begin with an Expression of Interest (EOI) process. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to submit a full application. 

Find out more 

For further details, guidance, including details of how to apply visit: Places of Worship Renewal Fund

The following resources can help support applicants, including those from non-English speaking communities: Getting Permission to Make Changes.

Text courtesy of Free Churches Group.