Who we are
The OHCT gives grants to support repairs and enhancements to historic churches of any denomination in Oxfordshire. Our aim is to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the County and to help make our churches accessible and useful to all. We give grants totalling around £350k per year from donations, investment income, and an annual sponsored cycling event, “Ride and Stride”. At present, we have 7 Trustees assisted by some 20 Area Representatives. See – www.ohct.org.uk
The role
Role
With help from some 20 local ‘Area Representives’ who visit prospective applicants, the Grants Officer checks and collates applications for consideration by the Trust at three meetings per year. He or she advises applicants of the outcome of applications and keeps records to support the payment of grants once the work has been undertaken.
Personal skills required
The Grants Officer has several points of direct contact with applicants. So as to ensure fairness, he or she needs to adopt a systematic approach to applying the Trust’s rules, which may, on occasion, require some patience and tact. Our Area Representatives are all dedicated volunteers, many with long experience, and they provide welcome support to the Grants Officer. The Grants Officer needs to maintain meticulous records and keep them in accordance with data protection legislation. The work is almost entirely computer and email-based, and so basic IT literacy is essential. The retiring Grants Officer lives in the county and will be available if necessary for advice. The role will appeal to someone with an interest in the built heritage, but specialist knowledge is not required.
Time required
There is an ongoing background of email communications with potential applicants and with grant recipients throughout the year. However, the period of three weeks or so after the closing date for grants applications in the lead up to each Council meeting involves some concentrated effort.
There are normally just three meetings of the Trustees and of Council each year: some of these are in person and some are by Zoom, and they typically run from 10 a.m. to 12 or 12:30. Trustees meet two or three weeks before Council (amongst other things to set the budget for the following Council meeting), and Council has typically met in February, June and October. With notice, this timetable could of course be adjusted to meet the schedule of the Grants Officer.
The role is best suited to someone who is retired or only working part-time.
Supporting document(s)
- ohct-annual-review-2025.pdf - Download
