Local knowledge

The Board recognises and values the local knowledge and expertise of the District Property Secretaries and is keen to involve you in the application process. Edmund Glynn, the Grants Team Leader in the Connexional Team, has suggested that District Property Secretaries are involved to encourage churches and circuits to apply, and to ensure that only appropriate applications are submitted to Methodist Insurance for a decision. To this end, we have included a counter-signature box on the application form for you to sign when an applicant presents a form to you. We would ask that you assess the application against the basic criteria set out below and, more importantly, take into account your local knowledge of Methodist properties. The Board’s grants committee does not have a working, local knowledge of churches to know the state of repair of a church building and we are looking to you to use your local knowledge to help in the grant giving process.

Criteria

• The application must be from a Methodist church for a grant towards the cost of building restoration, development or repair of a church property. 

• In order to help as many property projects as possible, grants will be made up to a ceiling of £3,000 per application. 

• The scheme will not support projects with a total cost of over £30,000. 
  Applications will not be supported (1) from individuals (unless on behalf of a church); (2) for funding running costs and salaries; or (3) where more than one application from the same applicant has been successful within a 24 month period. 

• Applications must be submitted on the application form, and there is no requirement to include plans and photographs with the application.