Criteria For Grants

The Frances Ashton Charity provides one off grants to serving or retired clergy of the Church of England and to their widows and widowers in cases where there is an exception or urgent need.

Frances Ashton Charity trustees work to identify potential candidates for their support. Examples might be:

The cost of a new pair of glasses
A respite care break or (exceptionally) a family holiday where urgent need can be shown
Replacement household items in cases where parish or diocesan assistance is not available

Particular priorities for support include unforeseeable emergencies and on-off medical or care needs for the applicant or his/her family. The trustees will take into account individual circumstances, including levels of disposable income and savings. Applicants should bear in mind that the trustees will not support regularly occurring expenditure and will only in exceptional cases make grants in consecutive years. They will also not support:

Reimbursement of costs already spent
Loan or debt repayments
Educational costs, save in exceptional cases

If you believe that your case is particularly urgent please let us know when you submit your application. Please read the Criteria for Grants document before completing your application form.