Grantee portal 
About the Bishop of Newcastle Fund
The Bishop of Newcastle Foundation Fund (the ‘Fund’) is a new charitable fund that is established through a generous legacy from the late Bishop Alec Graham. The fund is managed by Community Foundation North East and will support projects tackling inequality, strengthening communities and creating opportunities for people across the Diocese of Newcastle.
The Fund seeks to support work that improves the lives of people of all faiths and none, with a particular focus on activities that address inequality and disadvantage, advance social justice, promote community cohesion and interfaith relationships, and maintain positive links between the Church of England and the local communities it serves.
The Bishop of Newcastle, Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, said:
“I am deeply grateful for the generous legacy left by Bishop Alec who was passionate about helping the most vulnerable in our society. Through the setting up of the Bishop of Newcastle Foundation, his dedication to our Diocese will continue with parishes now able to apply for financial help to develop their outward presence and make a lasting difference to the communities they serve.”
Who can be funded?
Applications must be submitted by Church of England Parochial Church Councils (PCCs), however partnerships with constituted charitable groups are actively sought and encouraged. Any Deaneries, District Church Councils (DCCs) or other community organisations wishing to apply for funding for activity in a local church space must do it via their local PCC.
Community groups and charities are actively encouraged to develop projects in partnership with their local church. However, applications must be made through the relevant PCC rather than directly by the community organisation.
How do I apply?
To apply to the Fund, a PCC must set up an account on the Community Foundation grantee portal. Instructions on how to do that, alongside FAQs, can be accessed via the ‘Apply’ page on the Community Foundation website.
There will also be a Fund-specific webinar on Thursday 5 November at 9.30am which will provide a useful opportunity for applications to ask any questions about eligibility or the application process. Please sign up for the webinar here.
How much can I apply for?
Grants of between £3,000 and £25,000 are available for projects of up to 1- year duration. Please note that the minimum grant size is £3,000.
The fund will have approximately £150,000 to distribute across two funding rounds per year.
What can be funded?
In line with the Bishop’s wishes, the Fund seeks to prioritise support for activities in the following areas:
- Education
- Children and Young people
- Social Action
- Civic spaces – working with local communities to improve and enhance local facilities and activities
- Ecumenism and inter-faith relationships – working with other denominations for the benefit of the local community
Applications can be made to support new or innovative work in your parish community, benefice, deanery or chaplaincy, that advances the Fund’s aims.
Applications that adapt or expand existing work in new ways will also be considered, as well as projects that develop collaboration between parishes, as part of existing deanery development planning.
Please note that the fund will primarily support project costs, which can include staff delivery costs, equipment, refreshment, hire fees, marketing, transport and monitoring.
What we won’t fund
- Activities outlined on the Community Foundation’s eligibility page including the advancement of religion. This fund is specifically for outreach and community-focused work for those of all faiths and none.
- General costs and overheads that aren’t directly related to your project .
- Core capital costs, such as building works or maintenance.
Timeline
The fund will run two rounds a year, in the Autumn and Spring. The first round opened for applications at 5pm on Tuesday 27th October 2026, with the application window closing at 11.59 on Monday 23 November 2026. Decisions will be made and communicated before the Christmas break.
A second round is provisionally planned for March 2027, with decisions expected in May.
For more information about the Bishop of Newcastle Fund, including support with identifying a local church partner or discussing a potential project, please contact Ged Robinson, Grant Programme Advisor at Community Foundation North East. You can contact Ged using the enquiry form below or by calling 0191 222 0945.
You can also sign up to our e-newsletter to receive updates on future funding opportunities and announcements.
Contact Ged Robinson
Ged manages and supports grant-making through a range of programme funds at the Foundation.
gr@communityfoundation.org.uk