Church of Ireland

Supporting mission and ministry through the Priorities Fund

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:20:00 +0000

In the first of a new video series introducing the work of the Church of Ireland’s central committees, Roy Totten talks about how the Priorities Fund helps to advance God’s Kingdom through the Church today.

Recalling its beginnings, he highlights that the First of All report to General Synod in 1977 stated that the priorities of the Church of Ireland “are spiritual not material – in other words people and not buildings.”

The Priorities Fund, which gave out its first grants in 1980, continues to emphasise the priorities set by this report. The fund currently supports projects across four areas:

Training – lay and ordained
Christian education
Outreach initiatives
Innovative ministry in a rural context

In 2025, the fund has provided support to 55 projects with a total allocation of €607,659 (around £529,000 at current exchange rates). In its 44 years to date, the Priorities Fund has allocated €21,672,878 in total (equivalent to around £18.8 million).

Please note:

This year’s closing date for applications for the Priorities Fund is Friday, 31st October 2025. Applications can be made online by visiting the following page on the Priorities Fund website: https://priorities.ireland.anglican.org/applications

Applications now open for Priorities Fund

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 10:20:00 +0000

The Church of Ireland Priorities Fund is now open for applications in relation to projects to be considered for funding in 2026. Contributions to the fund come directly from Church of Ireland dioceses and since its establishment in 1980 over €20 million (£17 million) has been distributed in grants.

The following categories are currently supported by the fund:

Training – lay and ordained
Christian education
Outreach initiatives
Innovative ministry in a rural context

The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is Friday, 31st October 2025.

Decisions on funding are approved at the March meeting of the General Synod’s Standing Committee each year, following consideration by the Priorities Fund Committee.

Applications can be made through an online form or a downloadable PDF form which can then be forwarded to the Administrator – both are available at https://priorities.ireland.anglican.org/applications

For further information, please contact Gordon Woods, Administrator of the Priorities Fund (on behalf of the Representative Church Body’s Finance Department), at Church of Ireland House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6, D06 CF47.

Email: priorities@ireland.anglican.org Telephone: 00 353 (1) 4125 636 Office open: 9.30am – 4.45pm (Monday–Friday)

Gordon Woods

Church of Ireland House
Church Avenue
Rathmines
Dublin 6
DO6 CF67
++ 353 (0)1 4125 636

www.priorities.ireland.anglican.org/contact

Opening up Red Book of Ossory to new audience

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:06:00 +0000

The Red Book of Ossory, which is normally in the custody of the Representative Church Body Library, is currently on display for a year in St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, with the support of the Priorities Fund and other funders. €10,000 was allocated from the fund to the exhibition as a Christian education initiative. The 14th Century manuscript has been returned to the cathedral where it was written more than700 years ago by Bishop Richard Ledrede.

Supporters of the project have also included the Heritage Council, Kilkenny County Council, Kilkenny Tourism, the Representative Church Body, and Ecclesiastical Insurance. The exhibition runs until August 2025 and will be accompanied by a series of talks, lectures,concerts, and educational programmes. For more information and updates,please visit www.stcanicescathedral.ie

Video highlights warm welcome for refugees

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:03:00 +0000

A video with Church of Ireland members sharing stories about how they welcome and integrate refugees is the first in a series commissioned with Priorities Fund support, to encourage greater ethnic diversity. The Primate’s Reference Group on Ethnic Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Justice received €9,500 from the Priorities Fund for this outreach project.

The five–minute film includes interviews with Helen Livingstone and David Maganda from All Nations Ministries in Belfast, and the Revd Abigail Sines and Dr Naomi Masheti from the Carraig Centre and Cork Migrant Centre. It seeks to inspire local churches to support refugees at any time throughout the year and can be viewed here:

In a resolution approved at the General Synod’s 2023 meeting in Wexford, the General Synod acknowledged the impact of anti–refugee and migrant hatred in our communities, and sought suggestions from dioceses ‘regarding ways in which the Church can counter the language of anti–refugee and migrant hatred at the local level and communicate a strong message of Christian welcome to all.’

2024 applications round now open for Priorities Fund

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Church of Ireland Priorities Fund is now open for applications. Contributions to the fund come directly from Church of Ireland parishes and since its establishment in 1980 over €21 million (£19 million) has been distributed in grants.

The following categories are currently supported by the fund:

Training – lay and ordained
Christian education
Outreach initiatives
Innovative ministry in a rural context

The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is Thursday, 31st October 2024.

For further information, please contact Gordon Woods, Administrator of the Priorities Fund (on behalf of the Representative Church Body’s Finance Department) at Church of Ireland House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6, D06 CF47

Email: priorities@ireland.anglican.org

Tel: 00 353 (1) 4125 636

Bubble Church in rural County Armagh

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

For Mullabrack and Kilcluney parishes, in Armagh Diocese, the vision for a ‘Bubble Church’project sprung from an idea that had its genesis during the pandemic and the challenges posed by Covid restrictions for church gatherings. It began fortnightly in October 2020 as a space for families to worship together.

Find out more on the Priorities Fund website here.

Shared on behalf of the Priorities Fund Committee

Priorities Fund open for applications!

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 10:15:00 +0000

The Church of Ireland Priorities Fund is now open for applications! Contributions to the fund come directly from Church of Ireland parishes and since its establishment in 1980 over €19 million (£16 million) has been distributed in grants.

The following categories are currently supported by the fund:

Training – lay and ordained;
Christian education;
Outreach initiatives; and
Innovative ministry in a rural context.

The Priorities Fund website – www.priorities.ireland.anglican.org – provides more detail about the above criteria, and applications can be completed online on the website.

The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is Sunday, 31st October 2021.

For any queries about the fund, please contact the Priorities Fund’s Administrator, Gordon Woods, at priorities@ireland.anglican.org or on 00 353 (0) 1 4125 636 or write to the Priorities Fund Office, Church of Ireland House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6, D06 CF47.

Gordon Woods

Church of Ireland House
Church Avenue
Rathmines
Dublin 6
DO6 CF67
++ 353 (0)1 4125 636

www.priorities.ireland.anglican.org/contact

Priorities Fund update

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 14:00:00 +0000

More information on the fund is available on its website: www.priorities.ireland.anglican.org

The Priorities Fund Committee has been considering ways in which it could support the dioceses through this difficult period by easing financial pressures. In partnership with the RCB, a grant of €10,000 was made available to each diocese in March to help with establishing online communications.

The committee is expecting a reduced number of applications in October 2020 as it will be challenging for parishes to consider new projects and ministries at this time. The closing date for applications, as before, is 31st October.

Due to an anticipated reduction in grants released, the fund may not need the same income for the 2020 financial year, and the committee has therefore agreed to reduce the level of contributions required from the dioceses. The contribution target for each diocese will remain the same but it is proposed that each diocese should only contribute 50% of its target amount in 2020 and 75% in 2021. Full contributions from all dioceses are envisaged in 2022 as a more normal routine returns.

The Priorities Fund Committee wishes to help and encourage each diocese and parish through the exceptional challenges they face at present.

Gordon Woods

Church of Ireland House
Church Avenue
Rathmines
Dublin 6
DO6 CF67
++ 353 (0)1 4125 636

www.priorities.ireland.anglican.org/contact

Priorities Fund is now open for applications

Fri, 09 Aug 2019 15:10:00 +0000

The Church of Ireland Priorities Fund is now open for applications.

Contributions to the fund come directly from Church of Ireland parishes and since its establishment in 1980 over €17 million (£14 million) has been distributed in grants.

Categories that are currently supported by the fund:

– Training – lay and ordained;
– Christian education;
– Outreach initiatives;
– Innovative ministry in a rural context.

Our website provides more detail about the above criteria.

Applications can be completed online at https://priorities.ireland.anglican.org

The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is Thursday, 31st October 2019.

From Gordon Woods, Finance Department, The Representative Church Body on behalf of Clare McEnaney, Administrator.

Email: priorities@ireland.anglican.org

Tel: 00 353 (0) 1 4125 636 (9.30am–1pm, Monday–Friday)

Priorities Fund Office,
Church of Ireland House,
Church Avenue,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6,
D06 CF47

Priorities Fund is now open for applications

Tue, 03 Jul 2018 11:11:00 +0000

The Church of Ireland Priorities Fund is now open for applications. The fund provides resources for growth within the Church of Ireland and the wider community.

Contributions to the fund come directly from Church of Ireland parishes and since its establishment in 1980 over €17 million (£14 million) has been distributed in grants.
Categories that are currently supported by the fund:

• Training – lay and ordained
• Christian education
• Outreach initiatives
• Innovative ministry in a rural context.

Application forms for grants to parishes or organisations within the Church of Ireland are now available. Please note that the fund is not open to applications from individuals.

Please contact the Administrator, Clare McEnaney:

• Email: priorities@ireland.anglican.org
• Tel: 00 353 (0) 1 412 5607
• Priorities Fund Office: Church of Ireland House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6, D06 CF47

Or download form at: www.priorities.ireland.anglican.org

The closing date for the receipt of completed application forms is 31st October 2018.