Winter Ready small grants for parishes

Thursday November 13th 2025

A new small grants programme – Winter Ready – has been launched by the National Churches Trust in Northern Ireland, with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to help churches in Northern Ireland prepare their buildings for the winter months.

This programme has been made available to support essential winter preparation maintenance. The deadline is Sunday November 30.

Grants of between £500 and £3,000 are available to cover the cost of essential maintenance that will help keep churches safe, open, warm and weather-resilient over winter. Examples of eligible work include:

clearing gutters and drains to prevent leaks or flooding

repairs to roofs, downpipes, or flashing to stop water ingress

draught-proofing windows or doors

repairs to broken windows or external doors

other urgent maintenance that reduces the risk of cold, damp, or weather damage

Parishes can apply for up to £3,000 and no match funding is required. You can find the full programme guidelines and a link to the application form HERE.

Please ensure you read the guidance thoroughly and have all your documents ready before submitting an application.