Kindred and Clergy
Kindred Grants
When Henry Smith died in 1628 he left funds to help his poor kindred by which he meant descendants of his sister. He did not have any children of his own.
Today, to be eligible to apply for financial assistance, an individual must be able to prove that he or she is a direct legitimate descendant of one of the kindred previously registered, or the spouse, widow or widower of a kindred member. The onus is on the individual to prove their descent.
Under the scheme, kindred in financial need can apply for assistance. Grants to date have included general financial assistance to those on low incomes, regular financial assistance to kindred of retirement age on low incomes, grants to students, training for young people to equip them for employment, and grants for funeral costs. Kindred applying for assistance are required to disclose their current financial situation.
For further details of the scheme or to register please apply to the Kindred Administrator at The Henry Smith Charity.
The Poor Clergy Fund
The Poor Clergy Fund derives its current remit from an extract of the will of Henry Smith, which bequeathed funds “for the relief and maintenance of Godly Preachers and for the better furtherance or promotion of knowledge and religion”.
The Fund has two strands:
- Individuals – ‘for the relief of Godly Preachers’
Funds are set aside annually for each diocese of the Church of England to assist needy clergy. There are specific guidelines against which Diocesan Bishops may recommend individual clergy for a grant. Grants are only made to ordained clergy of the Church of England. The Poor Clergy Fund is not open to applications from individual clergy; all applications must be received from a Diocesan Bishop.
- Projects – ‘for the better furtherance or promotion of knowledge and religion’
The remainder of the Poor Clergy Fund budget not used for grants to individuals is known as the Surplus of the Poor Clergy Fund. The Surplus is used to fund projects. These can be projects which support the care of the clergy, or, projects which promote Christianity (whether through education, evangelism or pastoral outreach) including, in particular, projects which address the spiritual needs of young people; projects which strengthen rural ministry; and projects which enhance the Christian understanding of, and engagement with, other faiths.
The Trustees endeavour to fund a broad range of both established and innovative work. Trustees are also keen to maximise the impact of their grant making and therefore are interested in projects with a potential for wider impact/ replication and projects which have the consent of the Diocese/ or the involvement of the wider local and/or religious community.
For further information on the Surplus of the Poor Clergy Fund please contact Genevieve Ford-Saville, Grants Officer.