Diocese of Chichester

What Diocese of Chichester does

The Diocese of Chichester is a non-profit religious organization and constituent diocese of the Church of England, formally constituted as Chichester Diocesan Fund and Board of Finance (Incorporated), a charitable company limited by guarantee. It serves as the regional ecclesiastical governing body for approximately 450 parishes across Sussex and East Hampshire, supporting local congregations through pastoral oversight, clergy development, safeguarding, and the administration of church building permissions via the Diocesan Advisory Committee and consistory court. Its central administrative headquarters, Church House in Hove, coordinates a Diocesan Team including functions for church buildings, clergy support, communications, education, governance, safeguarding, and parish support.

The diocese generates revenue through a Parish Share system under which parishes contribute to a central fund, supplemented by individual donations routed via the Parish Giving Scheme, contactless giving, easyfundraising, and legacy giving. Additional income is derived from the Mission Fund (which redistributes small grants to parishes for innovation), faculty and registry fees for church building works processed through the Diocesan Registry and consistory court, and grants from partners such as the Church Urban Fund. The Diocesan Growth Strategy is the primary programmatic vehicle for parish renewal, with streams covering Apostolic Partnerships, Children Youth and Families, Focal Ministry, Excellent Leaders, and Small Grants and Innovations. Distribution relies on a physical parish network organized into deaneries and archdeaconries, supported by the Cornerstone Platform, the Parish Buying Scheme for collective procurement, and the Online Faculty System for building applications.

Operationally, the diocese is in a leadership transition as of June 2026 following Bishop Martin's retirement, with a Vacancy in See process underway to appoint a successor. Strategic direction is anchored in the recently launched 'Living the Mystery of Faith 2026-2030' plan, alongside new thematic priorities including environmental sustainability (Environment and Net Zero Carbon), racial justice, rural church viability, and community-facing services addressing cost-of-living pressures. No proprietary technology platforms or AI-driven capabilities are evidenced; engagement with parishes and the broader public occurs through the diocesan website, weekly e-news, social media channels, the 'Faith in Sussex' publication, and direct parish-level relationships.

Name

Diocese of Chichester

Legal name

Chichester Diocesan Fund & Board of Finance (Incorporated)

Website

https://chichester.anglican.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1863

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Diocese of Chichester is a Church of England diocese operating as a charitable company that provides ecclesiastical oversight, clergy support, and parish resources to roughly 450 parishes across Sussex and East Hampshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization Administration

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Ecclesiastical administration
• Parish support services
• Clergy development
• Church building care
• Safeguarding services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hove

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Parish Share: Parishes contribute to the central diocesan fund through a Parish Share system, which funds the overall mission and ministry of the diocese.
2. Donations and Offerings: Individual donations through various giving schemes including Parish Giving Scheme, contactless giving, easyfundraising, and legacy giving.
3. Mission Fund Grants: The Mission Fund provides small grants to parishes for creative ideas and innovation in local church life.
4. Church Building Services: Faculties and permissions for church building works generate fees through the Diocesan Registry for the consistory court process.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Diocese of Chichester provides ecclesiastical governance, pastoral care, and administrative support to approximately 450 parishes across Sussex and East Hampshire. It offers clergy development, safeguarding, church building care (including faculty permissions via the DAC), parish development programmes, and community outreach through its administrative headquarters at Church House in Hove.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CAP (Christians Against Poverty)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing debt counselling and money management support to individuals and families in partnership with local churches.
• Church Urban FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch of England charity supporting local churches to transform communities through social action projects and funding.
• Clewer InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch of England initiative to tackle modern slavery through community engagement and training for church volunteers.
• Family Support WorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity providing practical support and assistance to struggling families, working with church communities.
• Mother's UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Christian charity supporting families through prayer, campaigning, and practical support, active in diocese.
• Street PastorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch-based outreach ministry providing nighttime patrol support to people on city streets, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights.
• RSPCA AssuredminorOthersPartnership promoting animal welfare standards and responsible stewardship of creation.
• Parish Buying SchemecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurch of England national scheme enabling parishes to purchase goods and services at discounted rates through collective buying power.
• Cornerstone PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline platform for church management, giving, and communications used by parishes in the diocese.
• AlphacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristianity Explored material offered as resource for parishes for faith exploration and confirmation preparation.
• Christianity ExploredcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiscipleship course used across diocese for exploring Christian faith in accessible, conversational settings.
• Church ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvangelical church organization providing trained evangelists who serve in dioceses, including Church Army Evangelist roles.
• Church of EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Church of England structure providing doctrine, governance, and connection to General Synod and national church initiatives.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Diocese of Oxford: Larger southern English Anglican diocese with materially the same operating model (Dac, synod, Parish Share) but a broader geographic footprint and more significant theological tradition.
• Diocese of Canterbury: Senior Church of England diocese and mother church of the Anglican Communion; comparable in governance and clergy support functions but far larger in scope and historical influence.

Direct peers

• Diocese of Portsmouth: Adjacent Church of England diocese with overlapping southern England geography, comparable parish network size, and identical Parish Share and faculty jurisdiction operations.
• Diocese of Winchester: Sister Church of England diocese covering Hampshire; shares governance structure, Parish Share model, and faculty jurisdiction system with Diocese of Chichester, which was historically split from it in 1863.
• Diocese of Rochester: South-east Anglican diocese operating the same governance, Parish Share funding, and consistory court framework as Chichester, with comparable headcount scale.
• Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich: East Anglican diocese of comparable scale, parish count, and rural demographic mix; matches Chichester's governance, safeguarding, and church buildings operations on a like-for-like basis.
• Diocese of Guildford: Neighbouring Anglican diocese in Surrey operating the same ecclesiastical governance model, clergy support structure, and Diocesan Advisory Committee process for church buildings.
• Diocese of Bath and Wells: West-country Anglican diocese with a similarly rural parish profile, similar mission and safeguarding structures, and shared reliance on the Church of England's national Parish Share methodology.
• Diocese of Salisbury: Wiltshire and Dorset Anglican diocese with similar rural-congregation profile, historic church buildings stock, and Diocesan Advisory Committee structure as Chichester.

Regional players

• Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton: Catholic counterpart operating in the same Sussex/Hampshire region with overlapping clergy care, parish governance, and charitable giving functions, though under different ecclesiastical authority.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChichesterDio
• Facebookfacebook.com/DioceseofChichester
• Instagraminstagram.com/dioceseofchichester
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diocese-of-chichester

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Diocese of Chichester