Parish Giving Scheme Important Update to Platform

At the end of October, the PGS will launch a new digital platform. The updated platform will bring a range of improvements including dynamic reporting, revised gift forms, two factor authentication and integration with Go Cardless (security and fraud protection) and enhanced giver and parish portals.

To allow for the platform update the PGS website will go temporarily offline on the 13th October and is due to be online again on the 30th October.

To ensure uninterrupted access to reports, please download any necessary reports before Monday 13th October. Do also review and update any contact details before this time to avoid any disruption or missed communication. Please advise your givers to make any necessary changes to their gift ahead of the 13th October.

All PGS Statement receivers should have received a direct communication from the PGS team in September with more information about the scheduled update and disruption to the PGS service. If you have any questions regarding the proposed PGS update please contact the Stewardship team at resourcingparishes@leeds.anglican.org for guidance.

Generosity Week 2025

While the national Generosity Week has come to an end, finishing with the Gratitude Sunday on the 5th October, the resources can be used at any time. The recorded Generosity service recorded in the Parish of Morpeth, Northumberland, can be watched at any time - watch this using the link below.

If your church took part in Generosity Week 2025 we would love to hear from you. Get in touch with the Stewardship team with details of your services and events, as well as any pictures from the week: resourcingparishes@leeds.anglican.org.

Legacy Toolkit - October Activity

Talking about legacy giving can be difficult, so this toolkit is designed to support a drip-feed approach, bringing up the topic in regular, bite-size chunks.

The suggested activity for October is to plan a Memorial Service, encouraging those in your community who have lost loved ones to use the church as a space to reflect and remember. Some people in your community will only step foot in your church building for a funeral, and inviting them to return to celebrate the life of their loved ones can be a brilliant way to reconnect and offer further support. It is also a great place to celebrate any legacies and explain how these have impacted the church.

Have a read through the updated pack at the link below, or find it on our Legacies and Giving in Memory webpage here.

Cornerstone Webinars in November

Cornerstone is an online learning platform, available for all parishes in the Diocese of Leeds. The platform is designed to support parishes in all aspects of giving and generosity using step-by-step practical steps. Cornerstone also holds a grants database, which can be used to find funders to support your church projects.

The Stewardship team are holding 4 webinars in November to introduce the platform and demonstrate how it works. You can register for these webinars using the links below:

Tuesday the 11th November at 1pm, register here.

Wednesday the 12th November at 6.30pm, register here.

Tuesday the 18th November at 6.30pm, register here.

Thursday the 20th November at 1pm, register here.

Digital Clinics in November

Book in a 1-to-1 Digital Clinic session with a member of the Stewardship team to discuss Digital Giving.

These sessions are perfect for finding specific solutions to any issues you are having with contactless devices or online giving pages. These are also a great space for finding out more if you are new to digital giving. The Stewardship team can discuss how to promote this way of giving in your church, including creating new eye-catching giving campaigns.

Book a session for one of the dates and locations below:

• 3rd November - Leeds, Church House Book Here
• 10th November - Wakefield St Catherine Book Here
• 17th November - Huddersfield Parish Church Book Here
• 24th November - Bingley, Trinity Centre Book Here

Webinar - Digital Giving At Christmas, 14th October @12pm

The National Giving Team are hosting a webinar on the 14th October from 12-1pm to discuss how to maximise digital giving during the advent period and Christmas services. Christmas offers an amazing opportunity to receive donations, and including digital giving mechanisms ensures this is simple and efficient.

During the webinar the team will be joined by the Digital Labs team to explore the Church of England's Christmas theme for 2025 and will share some inspiration for making your giving campaigns look festive.

Update - September's Treasurer Forum Meeting

September's meeting focused on financial budgeting and managing reserves, if you missed the meeting you can catch up and view the slides using the link below.

The next treasurer forum meeting is scheduled for January, with the date to be confirmed soon. All treasurers will receive a direct invitation to join the meeting, with invitations being sent out soon.

ACAT Conference 2025 - Supporting Church Treasurers and Trustees. Saturday 1st November

The Association of Church Accountants and Treasurers conference is taking place on Saturday, 1st November in Manchester (and online), the ACAT Annual Conference is a one-day event focused on church finance, governance, and giving. 

The Keynote speaker at the conference is Bishop Mark (Bishop of Middleton) 

Topics at the conference will include: Gift Aid, SORP updates, CIOs, tax issues, and more 

💷 Tickets: £20 (includes lunch & materials).

For more details about the conference click the link below

Parish Share News

September's Parish Share report update is now available on our website: please see details below. October's Parish Share report will be available on the Diocesan website later in November, use the link below to see more.

Parish share contributions in September totalled £957k, which is £29k (3%) lower than the same month in 2024. Year-to-date contributions stand at £7,683k, remaining behind the same period last year by £139k (1.8%). This represents 50% of the total parish share requested for 2025.

2026 - 2028 Parish Share Requests

All parishes will receive their three-year Parish Share requests w/c 20th October. Three-year requests are being issued in line with our new Parish Share Agreement approach. For more information on the Parish Share Agreement process please see details on our Parish Share Explained website page at the link below.

Diocesan Church Buildings Grants

The next deadline for the Diocese Church Buildings Grant is the 31st October 2025. The Diocese offers small grants to support parishes with repairs and improvements to their church buildings. There is also funding available for carbon-cutting projects, such as insulation, heating and lighting.

The application process is straightforward and the Stewardship team are on hand to support you in getting your application in the best shape for the panel to make a decision. Do get in touch if you have any questions about these grants, resourcingparishes@leeds.anglican.org.

More details are available in the application pack available on the website at the link below.

Open4Community Webinars in October

The Diocese of Leeds subscribes to an online grants database, called Open4Community. This database can be used to search for funding for different church projects from over 8000 grant funders.

The team are holding two webinars in October to demonstrate how to use the portal, and to advise on what to consider when putting together an application. You can register for these using the links below.

Book your free place on the Get Grants Virtual Conference which is taking place on 7th and 8th October.

Over 2 days, the conference will bring together thousands of Fundraisers from across the UK for a programme led by Get Grants Experts, funders, and other experts from across the sector.

Expect advice, top tips, Q&As, networking, peer-support, and lots of chat! Every session will have practical support and advice that you can take away and put into practice

To find out more and book your place click on the link below

Funding Alert: Congregational & General Charitable Trust – Deadline 24 October

Are you looking to improve your church building to reduce your carbon footprint? Then this is for you! The Congregational & General Charitable Trust offers grants to support church building projects, including eco upgrades and community-focused improvements. Whether you're installing energy-efficient systems or enhancing your space for wider use, this fund could help make it happen. Applications must be submitted by 10am on 24 October for consideration at the December trustee meeting. Full details and forms are available at the link below.

B&Q Foundation Grants – Reminder for Your Diary: Opens 20^th Oct, Closes 7 Nov

Is your church working to reduce its carbon footprint while supporting vulnerable communities? The B&Q Foundation is offering grants of up to £10,000 for indoor building improvements and £5,000 for garden projects. This funding can support insulation, energy-efficient upgrades, and repairs that make your space more sustainable and welcoming. Priority is given to registered UK charities helping people experiencing homelessness. Applications open at 9.30am on 20th October and must be submitted via Neighbourly by 6pm on Thursday 7 November. Make sure your charity profile is published before applying. For full details, click the link below.

Northern Powergrid Community Energy Resilience Grants Open now!

Is your church planning a project that tackles climate change, improves energy efficiency, or supports vulnerable communities? The Northern Powergrid Foundation offers grants to help organisations deliver sustainable, inclusive initiatives across Yorkshire and the North East. This is a great fit for churches aiming to decarbonise buildings, install renewables, or run energy-saving outreach.

The next funding window is open now and closes on the 13th October. Full details and eligibility criteria are available at the link below.