National Church Funding Projects

The national Church of England provides funding to dioceses for major change projects which lead to growth and transformation, and are in line with the diocese’s strategic plan.

Formerly known as Strategic Development Funding, a new board was created earlier in 2023 – the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB) – which oversees grant funding to support mission and outreach across the Church of England.

This funding can be bid for by dioceses, and the Diocese of Winchester has been successful in two applications:

• In 2017-2021 the diocese received a three-phased programme of funding totally £9m to enable investment in specific mission projects – the Student Evangelism, urban Resource Churches and Growing Rural Parishes Programme (see below) are the long term fruits of this funding.
• In July 2023, the diocese was been awarded a further £4.5m to be used on Parish Revitalisation & Renewal Partnerships, working with six parishes in the Bournemouth and Southampton areas, and to continue the the Growing Rural Parishes Programme.