THE ON ORGAN FUND
Grants, usually for between £200 and £1,000, are available to churches of any domination in the UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands for the provision, restoration or rebuilding of pipe organs.
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o Application deadline: WEDNESDAY 30th APRIL 2025. A second and final deadline for 2025 is on Sunday 30th November 2025.
o Funder: The On Organ Fund (founded 1984. Charity number 289160. Total charitable expenditure for the year ended 5 April 2024: £19,032).
o Who can apply: UK, Isle of Man and Channel Island churches of any denomination.
o Key words: Church Organs/Pipe Organs, Churches (all denominations), Isle of Man, Channel Islands, United Kingdom.
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The On Organ Fund is a small grant-making charity that makes grants to churches and places of worship for the provision, restoration or rebuilding of pipe organs. Applications must be for organs situated within the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.
Its charitable objectives are:
o The installation, renewal, rebuilding, improvement, maintenance, preservation and restoration of pipe organs in churches situated anywhere in the British isles.
o The making of contributions to any fund or collection established for the purposes of acquiring or purchasing a pipe organ for any church situated in the British Isles, or
o For installing, renewing, rebuilding, improving, maintaining, preserving or restoring any pipe organ in any such church.
Since it was founded following an anonymous donation in 1984, the On Organ Fund has given 1,132 grants totalling over £453,650 with grants currently ranging between £200 and £1,000 (although awards can occasionally be for more than £1,000). The Trustees see their awards as top-up grants towards the end of successful appeals, and prefer to give small grants to a large number of applicants rather than larger grants to just a few. The level of award is usually related to the level of finance that the church needs to raise for the project.
Applications should meet the following criteria:
o The project is for the main organ in the church.
o The church must have raised at least half the amount required (including VAT if applicable). This can include grants received from other sources, pledged income and tax due back on Gift Aid donations.
o A contract has been signed with the organ builder, and
o A faculty (if applicable) has been granted.
The Charity’s total annual expenditure rarely exceeds £20,000. The number of donations it can make is therefore limited.
A list of previously awarded grants can be found on the Charity’s website.
The Charity has two application deadlines each year, on 30th April and 30th November. The next application deadline is therefore on Wednesday 30th April 2025.
Further information, guidance and an application form can be found on the On Organ Fund website.
When completed, applications should be posted to the Secretary at the following address:
Dr Alan Thurlow
The On Organ Fund
8 Old Bakery Gardens
Chichester,
West Sussex
PO19 8AJ
Tel: 01243 533092
Email: alanjthurlow@btinternet.com