Registered Charity Number: 201127
D.V. DAVIS CHARITABLE TRUST – Application policy and criteria
About the Trust
The Miss D V Davis Charitable Trust was established by Miss D. V. Davis under a settlement dated 1 September 1961. Miss Davis wished to create a lasting charitable fund to support the Roman Catholic Church in England by helping to finance the repair, improvement and development of places of worship.
The Trust now operates as a grant-making charity, awarding grants of up to £50,000. Grants will normally fund no more than 75% of the total project cost, ensuring applicants demonstrate appropriate partnership funding and financial commitment to their projects.
The enduring purpose of the Trust remains unchanged: to safeguard and improve Roman Catholic places of worship by providing financial support that helps ensure churches remain fit for worship and available to serve their communities for generations to come.
The D.V. Davis Charitable Trust supports projects that provide, improve, repair or adapt buildings used for Roman Catholic worship in England.
The Trust’s charitable purpose is to assist with:
- The construction of new Roman Catholic churches.
- The repair and refurbishment of existing Roman Catholic churches and chapels.
- The adaptation of buildings for use as places of Roman Catholic worship.
- Associated presbyteries where these form part of a church project.
The Trustees are committed to helping ensure that suitable buildings are available for the celebration of Roman Catholic worship and the service of Catholic communities.
The Trustees welcome the opportunity to visit projects supported by the Trust. They reserve the right to arrange visits during or after a project to see first-hand the difference the funding has made, learn more about the work being undertaken, and ensure that grant funding has been used for its intended purpose.
Please read all the information below before accessing the application form at the bottom of the page.
Who Can Apply?
Applications are welcomed from:
- Roman Catholic parishes.
- Roman Catholic dioceses.
- Roman Catholic religious orders and congregations.
- Registered charities and other organisations responsible for buildings used for Roman Catholic worship.
Projects must relate to buildings located in England.
What Can Be Funded?
The Trust will consider applications towards:
- New church building projects.
- Structural repairs.
- Essential maintenance works.
- Refurbishment and restoration projects.
- Adaptation of buildings for Roman Catholic worship.
- Associated presbytery works where these are integral to the project.
Both capital projects and significant refurbishment works may be considered.
What Cannot Be Funded?
The Trust will not support:
- General running costs.
- Salaries or staffing costs.
- Day-to-day operational expenses.
- Activities unrelated to church buildings or places of worship.
- Projects outside England.
- Works not connected with Roman Catholic worship.
Before You Apply
Applicants should be able to demonstrate:
- A clear need for the proposed works.
- Appropriate governance and management arrangements.
- Realistic project costs and budgets.
- Evidence of any necessary permissions or approvals.
- How the project will support Roman Catholic worship and the local community.
- Applicants will need to have Diocesan approval
Applicants may be asked to provide:
- Recent accounts.
- Project budgets and quotations.
- Photographs of the building.
- Architectural plans and specifications.
- Evidence of diocesan or other relevant approvals.
Grant Conditions
Successful applicants will be required to:
- Use the grant only for the approved purpose.
- Notify the Trust of any significant changes to the project.
- Submit a monitoring report on completion of the project.
- Provide photographs and financial information demonstrating how the grant has been used.
Application Process
- Complete the online application form.
- Upload the required supporting documents.
- Applications will be reviewed by the Trustees typically every 8-12 weeks
- Applicants may be contacted for additional information.
- The Trustees’ decision will be communicated in writing.
Please note that the Trustees receive more applications than can be funded and submission of an application does not guarantee a grant award.
If you have questions, please contact the Trust Administrator
To apply for a grant, please complete the application form below. Thank you.