The Community Life Fund

The Community Life Fund was created by the Board of Education to enable church schools across the Diocese of St Albans to apply for funding to support activities that promote creative and innovative approaches to worship, prayer and the development of community. The Fund
awards grants totalling up to £20,000 per year for six years (or more) from its creation.

In its fifth year, after having considered the pattern of past projects and funding requested, we simplified the application framework, although the areas of school life to which they relate remain broadly the same. We hope you will find identifying what funding stream under which to apply more straightforward.

You may apply for up to 3 different projects per academic year in the first 4 funding streams – Wellbeing, Faith & Community, Worship & Reflection, and Care for the Environment. This can be done through submissions at different times, however the overall funding granted to any one school will be limited to a total of £750 over that period. You may apply under more than one stream in a single application. Schools are welcome to apply for joint projects.

The Board will continue to prioritise projects that support worship, reflection, wellbeing, strong communities and environmental sustainability. Applications may be made by schools or by churches/deaneries working with schools, with a view to strengthening partnerships.

You may submit up to 3 applications at different times during the 2025/26 academic year, however the overall funding granted to any one school will be limited to a total of £750 over that period. You may apply under more than one stream in a single application. Schools are welcome to apply for joint projects.

Applications will be considered on the 15th of each month (or closest working day after the 15th).

In addition, the DBE is pleased to be able to extend the period for which the additional funding of £20,000 is available in order to provide direct support and crisis relief to schools seeking to meet the needs of school families severely affected by the increased cost of living or forced displacement (children in school of families who have entered the country as refugees or asylum seekers).
Grants in this category will be allocated in multiples of £75. Schools can apply for a maximum of £375 in a single application, up to twice a year.

Please only apply if your school has an urgent need it cannot meet from other sources or LA grant funding.

If, due to exceptional circumstances, your funding requirements are greater than the £375 limit, please contact us on schools@stalbans.anglican.org or 01727 818170. Funds are limited and, once expended, there will be no capacity to award further grants.

Wellbeing

This category could include projects to:

• Support and strengthen staff community (e.g. brighten the staff room, purchase books for book clubs, offer a weekly sweet treat)
• Promote a sense of community amongst children and young people (e.g. buddy schemes, setting up a choir, group-play resources)
• Support the wellbeing of pupils, especially those joining the school ‘in year’
• Support family wellbeing (e.g. drop-in sessions, pop-up cafés, literacy/numeracy workshops)

Faith and Community

This category could include projects to: 

• Develop and strengthen relationships between parish and school (e.g. facilitating/ resourcing joint worship events)
• Engage or re-engage with children, young people and their families (Parishes and Deaneries)

If your application relates to a larger Deanery project, please contact us to discuss the possibility of funding before applying by calling 01727 818170 or emailing schools@stalbans.anglican.org

• Promote children and young people’s interactions with other faiths (e.g. multi-faith events, speakers, purchase of resources)
• Support a practical understanding of diversity and inclusion (e.g. establish links with schools different to yours, organise ‘discovery’ events and visits)

Worship and Reflection

This category could include projects to:

• Resource and bring a sense of renewal to Collective Worship (e.g. purchase fresh worship materials, resource spiritual development activities, establish or expand pupil-led worship groups)
• Support spiritual reflection at home, at church or in school (e.g. set up or refresh prayer areas, create indoor or outdoor reflection spaces)

Care for the Environment

This category could include projects to:

• Support spiritual and theological reflection on environmental issues (e.g. purchase resources to develop awareness of and/or establish initiatives linked to climate change, carbon reduction, care for the planet, use of the Heart for the Earth resource…)
• Develop (school, family and/or church-based) projects to work towards ‘Zero Carbon’ (‘clean, green and sustainable’ goals) in a practical way (e.g. establish environmental action groups)

School Family Resilience

Support resilience and crisis relief for school families faced with difficulties linked to the cost of living or forced displacement (children in school of families who have entered the country as refugees or asylum seekers) – up to £375, in £75 increments.

Please only apply under this category if your school has an urgent need it cannot meet from other resources or LA grant funding.