Funds for Historic Buildings

Since 2007 Cadw has offered a special scheme for grants for repairs to Church in Wales churches (and other Anglican churches in Wales). 

Church in Wales churches, and other Anglican churches in Wales.

The scheme broadly follows Cadw's main Historic Buildings and Conservation Area Grants Programmes (for details of which see separate entry in this Directory), under which grants are available for repairs to buildings of outstanding architectural or historic interest or for works to buildings in conservation areas where the works proposed will make a significant improvement to the appearance of the conservation area.

Grant conditions will apply for a ten-year period following the payment of the first instalment of grant and will include:
•  Public access (where applicable) to a level agreed with Cadw;
•  Ongoing, adequate insurance to protect the grant aided works;
•  Maintenance of the building in accordance with a maintenance plan to be drawn up and agreed by Cadw.  This plan, towards the preparation of which Cadw will pay the sum of £100 (to be included in the grant offer calculation), must be in place prior to release of the final grant payment of the scheme.  It will be monitored regularly by Cadw – usually, every two years – throughout the grant conditions period.  Cadw will have a right to recover all or part of the grant if the building is not maintained to Cadw’s satisfaction.

Guideline rates are 40% of eligible costs, in line with Cadw's current grant rates to charities and voluntary organisations.

Initially, Cadw ring fenced approximately £500,000 per annum for grants to Church in Wales churches, and has keep this amount under review.   In the event of over subscription for the scheme, applications are priority rated by Cadw in order of importance, e.g. urgency of works, imminent danger to the structure of a church etc.  Churches will need to provide a copy of their most recent quinquennial report.  Approvals will be given in priority order.

In the event of an underspend in the Church in Wales budget in any one year, Cadw will bring forward applications in respect of works which will be able to complete quickly to ensure full spend is achieved, e.g. replacement of cast iron rainwater goods or windows; new applications will be requested if necessary.

A sum of £20,000 is reserved each year to address problems of dry and wet rot.  Applications for such works will not be subject to the two-stage process outlined below.  

There is a 2-stage (with a pre-stage) application process for grants.

Stage 1 - outline scheme : Applicants should apply on Cadw’s HB grants application form and include details of the work proposed, best estimate of cost, photographs and copy of the latest quinquennial report.  This should be submitted by 1 March each year.

Cadw will consider each new application and reject outright any schemes which are clearly ineligible, e.g. applications for conversions, alterations or works of routine maintenance.  Other applications will be checked and any outstanding information requested.  A site visit will normally be carried out by an officer of Cadw’s Architects’ Branch and the application will be considered by the Assembly Government’s expert panel, the Historic Buildings Advisory Council for Wales (HBAC), generally at its summer (June) meeting.

The HBAC will consider the applications from Church in Wales churches at its summer meeting and will make a recommendation on grant eligibility to Cadw.  Successful applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application, by way of an in-principle approval to proceed to stage 2 with an indicative offer of grant, as early as possible, generally by the end of June.

Stage 2 - full scheme details (specification etc.) to be submitted by the following 1 March  :  With the in-principle offer of grant, applicants will be advised of the information needed to enable Cadw to issue a formal (firm) offer of grant and the necessary timescale for producing this information.  By 1 March of the following year, applicants will need to provide:
•  Specification of works for Cadw’s approval by a suitably qualified professional adviser (i.e. a registered architect, a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors surveyor or an engineer);
•  Details of tender exercise undertaken and breakdown of lowest tender;
•  Details of any other grants sought/obtained;
•  Estimated start date and timescale for the works;
•  Level of fees/expenses of professional adviser;
•  Evidence of insurance cover.

Cadw will ensure that by the end of that month, a formal offer is issued for projects which submit the above documentation by the required date of 1 March.

Applicants will be expected to claim all grant by the end of February of the second year. If projects underspend, the underspend amount may still be claimed – but it will be ‘carried over’ to the following year (year 3) with the result that it will reduce the overall allocation for Church in Wales buildings for that financial year.

Other denominations:

Applications for repairs to non Church in Wales places of worship are not subject to these arrangements.  Applications for non Church in Wales churches can be made to Cadw at any time.