St Mary’s Fund (Registered Charity no 258822) and the DSWF (Registered Charity no 278117) are two separate charities but share the same Trustees and hold joint meetings. Applications for block grants are considered at the Trustees’ November meeting. Applications for individual Starter or Special Needs grants from St Mary’s Fund can be made at any time during the year (see below). All applications should be sent to the Clerk to the Trustees, Mrs Diana James, at stmarysfund@salisbury.anglican.org If you are unsure whether your application would meet the criteria please ask before submitting your application.
There are seven Trustees (currently two vacancies) who meet twice a year in May and November.
St Mary’s Fund
St Mary’s Fund was originally formed from the proceeds of sale of the St Mary’s Home ( a mother and baby home in Salisbury) The Charity’s objects are to promote and support moral welfare work in accordance with Christian principles mainly among girls and women in the Diocese of Salisbury. It furthers these objects through making both Individual grants and block grants
Individual grants may be Starter Grants to help lone parents set up home by funding the purchase of white goods, furniture or household equipment (up to a maximum of £800) , or Special Needs grants where for example the household cannot afford to replace essential domestic equipment that has broken. Normally grant applications are made by the recipients’ Social Services Case Worker but the Trustees would welcome referrals from Foodbanks etc.
An Application Form for an individual grant may be downloaded here.
Block Grants are made for ongoing projects in parishes, or across deaneries or the Diocese. Usually St Mary’s Fund will offer successful applicants up to three years’ funding on the basis that the applicants raise additional funds from other sources and provide regular progress reports.
Examples of projects that have been supported in recent years are Mothers Union Support Worker, Longmead Community Farm, a Family Worker at St Francis Littlemoor and SMILE Lone Parent project. Potential applicants should contact the Clerk to the Trustees before submitting an application.
An Application Form for a block grant may be downloaded here
Salisbury Diocesan Social Welfare Fund (“DSWF”)
The Diocesan Social Welfare Fund was formed by the amalgamation of several Deanery Welfare Funds and additional donations. The Charity’s objects are to promote Christian understanding and acceptance of social responsibility as an integral part of the church’s mission within the Diocese.
The Fund makes “pump-priming” grants to parishes for local projects but in recent years its main funding focus has been to support the ministry of the Diocesan Chaplain to Travelling People.
An Application Form for a grant from the DSWF may be downloaded here.