The Fund’s primary object is the support of ordinands. However, where funds permit, grants can be made to encourage serious post-ordination study by clergy serving in the Church of England and in churches in communion with it. Applicants must be committed to the traditional catholic understanding of the priesthood and episcopate.

Academic Courses …….Sabbatical Research ……. ¶ Continuing Study

Academic Courses

The Fund primarily supports academic study and original research by clergy in the fields of theology and church history. It may support study in other fields if it can be shown that this is likely to be of benefit to the Church in general or the candidate’s ministry in particular.

The Trustees will not give financial support to a candidate who has embarked on a course without ensuring that the bulk of necessary funding is already secure.

Applicants must provide concise account of their proposed area of study and show that arrangements to register them for the course are in hand. An academic reference confirming this is required.

Applicants must be committed to the traditional catholic understanding of the priesthood and the episcopate. They are asked to submit a brief ecclesiological statement expressing their understanding of the place of the Church of England (or the Anglican church to which they belong) within the Universal Church, and also to show evidence that they belong to the tradition that the Fund exists to support. A reference confirming this is also required.

Applications will only be considered if both references have been received. The onus is on the applicant to ensure that they are submitted to the Clerk.

Where a grant is given, funding will normally be given for subsequent years of the course, but this is not automatic. Funding for a second and subsequent years must be requested by the applicant by email to the Clerk, and will only be given if a satisfactory progress report is received from the applicant’s academic supervisor.

Applications from overseas clergy must be forwarded to the Clerk by the applicant’s bishop and come with his support.

Advice about applications can be sought from the Clerk.

The deadlines for applications are published here.

Apply for a Clergy Academic Courses Grant

Sabbatical Research Projects

Grants are not given for retreats, pilgrimages or travel. However, the Fund may be willing to support sabbatical projects that involve serious academic research and writing. Applicants must submit a concise account of their proposed field of research. They will be asked to offer an article based on the results of their studies for publication in New Directions, with acknowledgement of the financial assistance provided by the Cleaver Fund.

Applicants must be committed to the traditional catholic understanding of the priesthood and the episcopate. They are asked to submit a brief ecclesiological statement expressing their understanding of the place of the Church of England (or the Anglican church to which they belong) within the Universal Church, and also to show evidence that they belong to the tradition that the Fund exists to support. A reference confirming this is also required.

Advice about applications can be sought from the Clerk.

The deadlines for applications are published here.

Apply for a Sabbatical Research Grant

Continuing Study

The Fund offers modest book grants and library subscriptions to clergy who are committed to a traditional catholic understanding of the priesthood and episcopate and who have been ordained for ten years or more, to encourage the recovery of the habit of continuing theological study. Clergy may apply for such a grant ten years after last receiving a grant from the Fund.

Applicants for book grants must provide a costed list of books. Grants are available up to £500 per candidate. 

Applicants must be committed to the traditional catholic understanding of the priesthood and the episcopate. They are asked to submit a brief ecclesiological statement expressing their understanding of the place of the Church of England (or the Anglican church to which they belong) within the Universal Church, and also to show evidence that they belong to the tradition that the Fund exists to support. A reference confirming this is also required.

Advice about applications can be sought from the Clerk.

The deadlines for applications are published here.

Apply for a Clergy Continuing Study Grant