November and December's funding news

Welcome to November and December’s funding update.

This update is split into two parts. Section A features funders with a local or regional focus. Section B features funders who work across England. In both sections, funders are listed in order of deadline date, soonest first. Funders without a deadline date appear after this.

This update can only provide a snapshot of these funders so we recommend visiting the funders’ websites for full details before you apply. Most funders in this list have a website, which you can access by clicking on the name of the funder. Full contact details have been provided for funders that do not have a website.

A. Funders with a local/regional interest

Weston Charity Awards

Deadline: 8th January 2025

Who can apply: Registered charities in Wales and the North and Midlands of England can apply.

To be eligible, charities must:

Have a registered charity number.
Be working in the fields of welfare, environment, youth or community.
Have delivered a service for at least two years.
Have at least one paid full-time member of staff in a leadership position.
Have a degree of financial stability that enables full engagement in the programme.
Have an annual income of less than £5 million per year.
Provide direct services to beneficiaries or take practical action on the environment.
Have the majority of activity or beneficiaries in the Midlands, North of England or Wales. A full list of eligible areas can be found on the Weston Charity Awards website.
Be willing to meet in person for three out of eight meetings (two in London and one at the organisation’s location).

Organisations that have applied previously are eligible to apply again as long as there have been significant changes since applying.

Size of grant available: The Awards offer a package of support, worth over £22,000, intended to deliver long-term benefit to the charity, including a fully funded year of support from Pilotlight and an unrestricted cash contribution of £6,500.

The 22 Award Finalists will receive:

A fully funded year of support from Pilotlight.
An unrestricted cash contribution of £6,500 to support the work with Pilotlight, this includes travel expenses to meetings.
Access to a network of local charities working with Pilotlight.
Two peer-to-peer sessions with other Award Winners across the year.

Priorities: The Awards aim to celebrate and support charities working in the fields of youth, welfare, community, and the environment, and to enable charities to develop, raise their profiles, become more sustainable and face the future with greater confidence.

How to apply: The deadline for applications is 8 January 2025 (5pm).

Full entry criteria and the online application form can be found on the Pilotlight website.

How to Apply: Applications are open. The next deadlines for applications are:

12 January 2024 for requests of £2,000–£10,000 (for consideration at the February panel).

Severn Trent Community Fund

Deadline: 12th January 2025

Who can apply: Registered not-for-profit organisations with a governing document can apply.

This includes but is not limited to:

Local authority or parish council.

Organisations registered with the Charity Commission.
Organisations registered with Companies House that are limited by guarantee.
Volunteer or community group.
Foundation school, college or academy.

Both the applicant organisation and the project’s beneficiaries must be located within the Severn Trent region, which stretches from the Bristol Channel to the Humber, and from the West Midlands to the East Midlands.

Projects must benefit Severn Trent customers. A Severn Trent customer is somebody who receives their water supply from Severn Trent, or whose waste is taken away and treated by the company.

Applicants who are unsure if their project is eligible should check the WaterUK water supplier finder.

Organisations applying for more than £10,000 must be either charity registered or company registered (and supply a charity or company number), or an exempt charity, local authority or parish council.
Size of grant available: A total of £10 million is available over a five-year period (2020–25).

Three levels of grants are available:

£2,000 to £10,000 – up to 12 months for project completion.
£10,001 to £75,000 – up to 24 months for project completion.
£75,001 to £200,000 – up to 24 months for project completion.

Applications for more than £10,000 will only be considered from a registered charity, a business registered with Companies House, a local authority or parish council.

Applications for more than £75,000 must have a considerable link to all three of the wellbeing themes: people, place and environment.

NB Severn Trent must be the majority funder of the project, so applicants need to be applying for at least 50% of the total project cost.

Priorities: The funding is for local projects, charities and community groups across the Severn Trent region to improve community wellbeing.
How to Apply: Applications are open. The next deadlines for applications are:

12 January 2024 for requests of £2,000–£10,000 (for consideration at the February panel).

The criteria and full details of how to make an application are given in the guidelines which can be downloaded from the Severn Trent website.

Contact Severn Trent for further information.

Fund Officers
Severn Trent Water ltd
Sherbourne House
St Martin’s Road
Finham
Coventry
CV3 6SD
Email: communityfund@severntrent.co.uk

Dudley Borough Voluntary Sector Migrant Connect Fund

Deadline: 17th January 2025
Who can apply: Applications will be considered from voluntary and community organisations or Social Enterprises operating in Dudley.
Size of grant available: The total fund value is £155,000.

Grants of between £1,000 and £50,000 are available.

Priorities: Funding is available to VCSE organisations in Dudley for delivering a range of activities supporting refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in the borough. The aim is to promote inclusion, community cohesion, education and health among these most vulnerable communities.
How to Apply: Applications are open and the deadline for submission is 17 January 2025 (midday).

Completed applications will be considered by a panel of representatives from local statutory organisations.

It is expected that decisions will be communicated on 23 January 2025.

An application pack is available to download from the Dudley CVS website.

Dudley CVS are providing an online briefing session on 10 December 2024 (2pm-3pm). To book on the session contact Dudley CVS by email.

For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:

Kate Green
Dudley Council for Voluntary Service (DCVS)
7 Albion Street
Brierley Hill
Dudley
West Midlands
DY5 3EE
Tel: 01384 573381
Email: kategreen@dudleycvs.org.uk

Saintbury Trust

Deadline: 28th February 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities that are both based and operate (wholly or mainly) within the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and North Gloucestershire are eligible to apply.

To be eligible, charities must be:

Within the counties of the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and North Gloucestershire.
Within the following postcodes: B, CV, DY, GL, WR, WS and WV (see Trust’s eligibility criteria for specific eligible postcodes).
Have at least four unconnected trustees.
Be up to date with their Charity Commission filing obligations.
Not be newly registered; the Trust requires that some history of the charity’s operation is publicly available before it will be considered.

Applicants are advised to check their location eligibility on the Trust’s website before applying.

Size of grant available: Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees. The majority of grants awarded are in the £1,000 to £5,000 range.

Larger grants tend to be awarded to charities that the trustees (or at least one of them) have special knowledge of or if they have particular interest in the charities’ work.

Priorities: The scheme is intended to support charities undertaking a wide range of activities taking in the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and North Gloucestershire. The Trustees have a particular interest in the arts, heritage, the environment and helping those with disabilities.

How to Apply: The trustees meet twice a year to consider applications; the usual closing dates for applications for the spring and autumn meetings are 28 February and 30 September respectively.

Application forms are available to download from the Trust’s website. Applications should be submitted by email; the Trust no longer accepts postal applications.

B. National Funders

Kristina Martin Charitable Trust

Deadline: 31st December 2024
Who can apply: UK registered charities can apply.

To be eligible, applicants must have:

A written constitution, charitable aims and impact in local, UK or international settings
A minimum of three Trustees who are not related
An income under £1 million
A core focus to support mental health well-being

Size of grant available: For this round there is a total funding budget of £240,000 which will be divided as follows:

A total of £60,000 for the breaking the link between homelessness and poor mental health theme. The level of grant will be at the discretion of the trustees.
A total of £60,000 for the reduction in the effects of social media on mental health theme. Four grants will be awarded with a maximum grant of £30,000.
A total of £60,000 for the reduction of social isolation them. The level of grant will be at the discretion of the trustees.
A total of £60,000 for the improving mental health outcomes for children and young people theme. The level of grant will be at the discretion of the trustees.

Priorities: The current funding round is for the following themes:

Breaking the link between homelessness and poor mental health. Priority will be given to those applications which break this link and provide meaningful differences to those affected. This theme is open to UK registered charities that provide support for housing accommodation for those that are presently homeless and ongoing support for improvement of mental health thereafter.
Reduction in the effects of social media on mental health. This theme is for UK registered charities which create significant pathways from online to physical community participation, for example through volunteering, peer/influencer/educator or paid work. The communities could operate in local, national or international settings. There is particular interest in innovative approaches, from long established or newly formed charities where young people themselves may drive the charity. Applications can be from both those undertaking research and those delivering operational solutions.
Reduction of Social Isolation – This theme is aimed at charities who own or operate a community hub which is used to improve social inclusion, reduce isolation, provides support services and activities which support mental health and loneliness within their community. Priority will be given to applications which demonstrate positive change to service users, engagement of a variety of volunteers and driven or supported by young people. Funds can be for a specific project or for core costs but core costs must relate to a specific activity/service provided.
Improving mental health outcomes for children and young people. This theme is for charities who have demonstratable experience improving mental health outcomes for children and young people through projects that:
- Improve early identification of mental health concerns thereby facilitating early intervention. This could include but is not limited to innovative screening (in line with the channels the service users are comfortable using) and the provision of training and resources for teachers, parents and community support workers.
- Improve the provision of resources, activities and programs to support positive mental health experiences.

How to apply:

Criteria and the application form can be found on the Trust’s website.

The deadline for applications is 31 December 2024.

Adamson Trust

Deadline: 31st December 2024
Who can apply: Applications are accepted from individual families and on behalf of groups of children, registered charities and other organisations.

Charities and other organisations must provide a copy of their latest audited accounts in addition to other information.

There must be evidence of a disability from a medical or social services professional.

Size of grant available: Funding is at the discretion of the Trust.

The Trustees award around £85,000 to £89,000 a year in grants.

Priorities: The funding supports organisations and registered charities that provide assistance with the cost of holidays or respite breaks for disabled children (aged 3 to 17 years) with physical, mental, or emotional impairments.

How to apply: Application forms can be found on the Trust’s website.

Arnold Clark Community Fund

Deadline: 31st December 2024
Who can apply: Applications will be accepted from:

UK registered charities
Local community groups
Social enterprises
Community interest companies
Groups of organisations that are community or voluntary led
Charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs)

To be eligible, applicants must:

Have people and communities in the UK as their primary focus of investment
Be incorporated in the UK.
Have a bank account in the organisation’s name.

Registered charity applicants must provide their charity number, current bank statement and proof of address.

Applicants from unregistered charities and community groups will be required to provide a bank statement, letter of constitution and a letter from their local councillor/MSP/MP.

The Cost of Living Support particularly welcomes applications from smaller voluntary and community organisations who are working with those most affected and vulnerable to the increased cost of living.

Our Communities Support particularly welcome applications from smaller voluntary and community organisations who are working within our local communities.

Priority will be given to charities and local community groups within a 50-mile radius of Arnold Clark branches.

Size of grant available: Funding is at the discretion of Arnold Clark Community Fund.

One-off grants of up to £2,500 are available.

Priorities: Grants are available for UK registered charities and other not-for-profit organisations for projects, including those whose work directly supports those most affected by the cost-of-living crisis, which are embedded in the communities in which Arnold Clark operates in England, Scotland or Wales.

How to apply: Applications are reviewed when they are received. Arnold Clark will contact successful applicants on a weekly basis.

Applicants who are unsuccessful one month will be automatically entered into the draw for the following month.

Only one application will be accepted per organisation.

The criteria, FAQs, terms and conditions, and application forms are available on the Arnold Clark website.

Contact Arnold Clark Community Team for further information.

UnLtd – Awards for Social Entrepreneurs

Deadline: 31st December 2024
Who can apply: Applications will be accepted from social entrepreneurs aged 16 and over who are living in the UK and who are the founder of the social business.The social entrepreneur must:

Have identified a social issue and developed a business model that works to solve it.
Be committed to, and have a track record of, delivering local, regional or national social impact at scale.
Be experienced, ambitious and capable of growing their venture.
Have a realistic growth plan.
Be committed to working full-time in their social venture.

The social venture must:

Be less than four years old.
Have a turnover of less than £250,000 in their last financial year.
Be dynamic and ready to grow to local, regional or national scale and have a logical and appropriate plan to deliver this.
Have a compelling performance to date and/or a logical and appropriate plan for rapid growth to reach local, regional or national scale.
Not solely exist to secure investment in the year ahead.
Target beneficiaries predominantly based in the UK.

Priority will be given to social ventures which are tackling inequality and focusing on the most marginalised communities and those with high levels of need.

Size of grant available: The following levels of funding are available:

Starting Up – funding of up to £8,000 for social entrepreneurs with an idea for a venture which has not yet been established, or which has been running for less than a year.

Scaling Up – funding of up to £18,000 to grow an existing social enterprise that has been operating for between one and four years.

Together with funding, award recipients will be assigned to one of UnLtd’s dedicated programmes to provide support aligned with the needs of their social venture for up to one year.

Priorities: The funding is intended to support social entrepreneurs by helping them nurture their social ventures and grow their impact.UnLtd are committed to providing 50% of their awards to Black, Asian and minority ethnic social entrepreneurs, and/or disabled social entrepreneurs.

How to apply: The deadline for applications is 31 December 2024, with assessment decisions to be made in March 2025.Guidance notes and the online application form can be found on the UnLtd website.

Contact UnLtd for further information.

Enquiries
UnLtd
123 Whitecross Street
Islington
London
EC1Y 8JJ
Tel: 0207 566 1100
Email: awardapplications@unltd.org.uk

Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation – Small Change Big Difference Fund

Deadline: 31st December 2024
Who can apply: The Foundation makes grants to registered charities or good causes operating in the UK.

The Foundation only accepts recommendations of UK registered charities from members and colleagues, rather than directly from the charities.

The following eligibility criteria apply:

Organisations must be registered with the Charity Commission, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland or the Scottish Charity Regulator.
Funding will either help alleviate poverty, improve health or save lives.
Applicants must be nominated by a Yorkshire Building Society member or colleague.
Beneficiaries must be resident in the UK.
Annual returns must be submitted to the Charity Commission, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland or the Scottish Charity Regulator.
Groups that have an income turnover less than £100,000.

Priority will be given to charities:

Whose aims are a strong fit with the Foundation’s priorities to alleviate poverty, improve health, and save lives.
Based in areas of high deprivation.
Who support marginalised groups e.g. ethnic minorities, women and girls, people with physical and mental disabilities, LGBTQ+.

Size of grant available: The grants offered range between £250 up to £2,500.
Priorities: The aims of the Fund are to alleviate poverty and improve health/save lives, particularly for those living in areas of deprivation.
How to apply: Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis.

The online Charitable Foundation Member Nomination form can be found on the Foundation’s website.

Britford Bridge Trust

Deadline: 31st December 2024
Who can apply: Applications are invited from UK registered charities or their equivalent, e.g., bodies with exempt charity status in England and Wales.

The Trustees are particularly interested in supporting organisations which operate on a national or international level.

Note: Charities providing regional activities in Dorset and Cambridge will be considered.

Size of grant available: Grants are typically between £10,000 and £50,000. In exceptional circumstances the trustees may award larger grants.
Priorities: The funding is intended to support UK registered charities and organisations working to advance the charitable aims of the Trust which are:

Primarily, the prevention or relief of poverty; the advancement of education; the advancement of health or the saving of lives; and the advancement of the arts, culture, heritage, or science.
Secondarily, the advancement of citizenship or community development; the advancement of amateur sport; the advancement of environmental protection or improvement; and the relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship, or other disadvantage.

How to apply: Applications can be made throughout the year and are considered at quarterly meetings.

The deadlines for the quarterly meetings are: 30 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December each year.

An application form can be downloaded from the Trust’s website and should be submitted by email.

Contact the Britford Bridge Trust for further information.

Peter Harrison Foundation – Active Lives Grant Programme

Deadline: 31st December 2024

Who can apply: Applications are accepted from UK organisations that:

Are either a registered charity or a registered CASC (Community Amateur Sports Club).
Have been registered with the charity regulator for two years or more (charity applicants).
Have been registered as a CASC for two years or more (CASC applicants).
Have produced independently examined or audited accounts for at least one full year of operation.

Priority will be given to organisations with a turnover of under £5 million.

The Foundation is interested in organisations that meet the following priorities:

Focus on deprivation
- Provide high-impact, life-enhancing opportunities for those who live in the top 10% of areas of deprivation.
Are experienced
- Have significant experience using physical activity to engage disabled individuals and/or those who face severe and multiple disadvantage.
Provide high impact opportunities
- Focus on using physical activity to provide opportunities for individuals to build their personal skills and self confidence.
- Committed to removing barriers to participation in these life enhancing opportunities for disabled or disadvantaged people .
Prioritise grassroots and community engagement
- Prioritise grassroots involvement rather than elite participation in physical activity.
- Have trustees, staff and beneficiaries who include people with personal and lived experience of the challenges their community faces.
- Understand their community’s needs.
Demand excellence
- Support, implement and disseminate best practice.
- Seek to have a wider impact, perhaps through training, partnerships and/or dissemination activities [major grants only].
- Have a strong leadership and can demonstrate the difference the charity has made in its community.
- Have good governance in place including signed safeguarding and diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and efficient financial processes.
- Are best placed to deliver the solution.
Have an entrepreneurial mindset
- Operate with ambition, inspiration and determination.
- Have a vision for their charity’s future.
- Seek to find ways to maximise the impact of their work, including the sharing of information with others.
Work with integrity
- Act responsibly, respectfully, reflectively and transparently.
- Know their strengths and challenges.
Strive for sustainability
- Seek to deliver significant outcomes that leave a legacy.
- Have plans for financial and environmental sustainability for the initiative and organisation.

Size of grant available: Grants of £5,001 to £30,000 are available (applications from organisations with a turnover of under £5 million are prioritised).
Priorities: The Peter Harrison Foundation supports projects working with children, young people and adults who are disadvantaged or with disabilities. It offer small and major grants to charities and community amateur sports clubs in the UK and south east of England under the following two grant programmes:

Active Lives – opportunities through sport and physical activity.
Positive Futures – opportunities for children and young people. (Covered in a separate scheme)

How to apply: The next deadline for applications is 1 January 2025.

Applications are considered at quarterly meetings. The annual deadlines for applications are:

1 January
1 April
1 July
1 October

Applicants should first register online through the Peter Harrison Foundation’s website and then complete an initial application. Successful applicants at this stage will be invited to complete a full application.

Contact The Peter Harrison Foundation for further information.

Enquiries
Peter Harrison Foundation
Foundation House
42 – 48 London Road
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 9QQ
Tel: 01737 228000
Email: enquiries@peterharrisonfoundation.org

Thomas Wall Trust – Grants for Registered Charities

Deadline: 6th January 2025
Who can apply: To be eligible, applicants must:

Be a UK charity that has been registered with the Charity Commission for at least three years.
Have an annual turnover of between £25,000 and £500,000.

Size of grant available: Grants of up to £5,000 are available.

The Trust will support annual repeat funding for up to three years – subject to satisfactory annual reviews of progress and impact.

Priorities: The Trust views communication skills as critical capabilities for people who want to improve their employment prospects, self-confidence, resilience, and life chances.

The funding is for registered charities that are working to develop communication skills for people from disadvantaged groups who want to improve their employment prospects.

As an inclusive charity, the Trust welcomes proposals which target people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups demonstrably facing major hurdles to employment, especially women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, and refugees.

How to apply: The Trust is currently open to new applications for the March 2025 meeting.

There is a two-stage application process.

Stage one is to complete an online Expression of Interest form (available on the Trust’s website) which requires some basic contact details and a description of what the funding is required for. The current deadline for first stage applications is 6 January 2025.
Stage two is by invitation only and involves completing a more in-depth application form and to submit a Project Plan, budget, latest set of financial accounts and any relevant policies.

Successful applicants will be notified in writing along with the terms and conditions of the grant and asked for their payment details.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email unless the Trust receives an unusually high volume of applications.

Applicants must wait for two years from the date of submission until they can reapply.

Groups that would like to contact the Trust will need to use the Trust’s online message form which is on Trust’s website contact page.

Neat Streets Grant Fund

Deadline: 8th January 2025
Who can apply: Applications are accepted from:

Local authorities
Business Improvement Districts
Major property owners or those who manage public space
Transport hubs e.g. airports, train stations
Companies limited by shares or guarantee
Charities
Social enterprises

Size of grant available: Five projects will receive £10,000 each of grant funding.

In addition, recipients will also receive support from Hubbub in the form of project management and design time.

Priorities: The funding is intended to support local authorities or those who manage public realm space in the UK to replicate Hubbub campaigns in local communities to reduce litter and boost recycling.
How to apply: The next deadline for applications is 8 January 2025.

Applicants should complete the online application form available on the Neat Streets website.

Only one application is accepted per applicant.

Contact Hubbub for further information.

Grocers’ Charity Grant

Deadline: 10th January 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities in the UK with a turnover of under £500,000 (or medical charities with an income below £15 million) are eligible to apply.
Size of grant available: Funding is at the discretion of the trustees. One-off grants of up to £5,000 are available, with larger grants being made for more exceptional projects.
Priorities: The Charity provides one-off grants for UK registered charities to support the following areas:

Relief of poverty.
Children and young people.
The elderly.
Disability.
Health.
Military.
Heritage.
The arts.
Environment and conservation.

How to apply: There is a two-stage application process:

The first stage is to submit the Initial Enquiry form. Groups will receive a reply within up to three weeks after the deadline.
The second stage is by invitation only to those who were successful at stage one. They will be sent a link to fill in an online form which they will have one week to complete.

Applicants should complete the online eligibility checklist for the relevant area to access the online enquiry form.

Contact the Grocers’ Charity’s for further information.

Administrator
The Grocers’ Charity
Grocer’s Hall
Princes Street
London
EC2R 8AD
Tel: 020 7606 3113
Email: enquiries@grocershall.co.uk

Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust

Deadline: 10th January 2025
Who can apply: Applications are accepted from UK registered charities working in the UK or abroad. (Charities with an annual income under £5,000 do not need to be registered to be eligible.)

The Trust favours applications from:

Smaller animal welfare charities registered as above and working in the UK and/or abroad:
- Which have independently examined up-to-date annual accounts.
- Demonstrate an active re-homing and rehabilitation policy for animals taken into their care, unless the animals are endangered species.
- Are involved with conservation of wildlife, where the rescue, rehabilitation and (when possible) the release of animals is their main aim.
Charities which also import animals from overseas into the UK must satisfy the additional criteria in order to be able to apply for a grant:
- Support work within the country of origin which benefits animals remaining within that country.
- Ensure each animal is imported legally and in accordance with current DEFRA guidelines applicable to the particular country of origin.
- Ensure each animal has been examined by a vet following its arrival in the UK.
- Have their own permanent premises in the UK suitable for assessing the animal.
- Have assessed the behaviour of the animal both in its country of origin and, for a period of at least three weeks, in its UK premises and found it to be suitable for its prospective adopter.
- Ensure the animal has been neutered or spayed before being rehomed (or have made arrangements to do this once it is safe to do so).
- Have arranged a face-to-face meeting between the animal and its prospective adopter in advance of the animal being rehomed.
- Ensure the new owner is given the option of returning the animal to the charity’s UK premises if it is found unsuitable for any reason. No such animal should then be sent back to its country of origin.

Size of grant available: Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees.

Grants range from £1,000 to a normal maximum of £10,000. Applications for these grants are considered three times a year by a panel of the trustees.

Grants of less than £1,000 may be awarded between the panel meetings at the discretion of the Chairman and Administrator of the Trust.

The Trust may pledge funds towards large capital building projects (this would only be released when all other funding is in place and the work is ready to commence). The maximum grant given in the past was £35,000.
Priorities: Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees.

Grants range from £1,000 to a normal maximum of £10,000. Applications for these grants are considered three times a year by a panel of the trustees.

Grants of less than £1,000 may be awarded between the panel meetings at the discretion of the Chairman and Administrator of the Trust.

The Trust may pledge funds towards large capital building projects (this would only be released when all other funding is in place and the work is ready to commence). The maximum grant given in the past was £35,000.
How to apply: There are three application deadlines annually: 10 January (for the spring meeting), 1 May (for the summer meeting) and 1 September (for the winter meeting).

Application forms and guidance are available on the Trust’s website. The forms (one for new applicants and one for past applicants) can be completed online or downloaded and returned by email.

Arts Council England – Creative People and Places National Portfolio Programme 2026-2029

Deadline: 16th January 2025
Who can apply: Applications will only be accepted from organisations working as a consortium for eligible places.

All consortia must include at least one arts or cultural organisation and one community and/or grassroots organisation. The organisation representing the community (grassroots or other) cannot be an arts or cultural organisation. If there is only a community organisation and no grassroots organisation on the consortium – there must be a demonstrable mechanism for grassroots groups to shape the programme. For the purposes of this programme, a grassroots community organisation is a non-arts/non-cultural, volunteer-led organisation.

National portfolio organisations can only apply if the activity proposed is in addition to their funded activity.

Size of grant available: Investment of £750,000-£1 million is available to projects to run for a three-year period (April 2026 – March 2029).
Priorities: The programme is aimed at parts of England where local involvement in arts and culture is significantly below the national average. The funding is intended for groups of local organisations or consortia who work together to bring creative opportunities to the lives of local people. The arts activities need to be designed by, for, and with people from the local community.

This round is open to both existing Creative and People and Places consortia and new groups of organisations.

The funding is intended for consortia in eligible places to develop a programme of cultural activity and engagement over the next three years but with a long term vision.

The central aims of the fund are:

Engage more people from eligible places in a wide range of arts and cultural experiences as audiences and/or participants.
Empower communities to lead and shape local cultural provision.
Excellence and relevance in both the engagement process and the creative and cultural experiences on offer.
Encourage partnerships between publicly funded, amateur, voluntary, community and commercial sectors, as well as collaboration across various cultural institutions.
Take an Action Research approach to community engagement in arts, creativity, and culture; learn what works best and share that learning.

How to apply: Guidance notes, FAQs and a list of eligible locations in England can be found on the Arts Council England website.

Applicants can register their interest in the programme on the Arts Council England website to receive updates about the Fund and to create connections with other partners in their area.

The application process is as follows:

Read the guidance and FAQs which include all the information needed to apply.
Register on Grantium to start the application process. This includes creating a user account and applicant profile.
Arts Council England must approve the applicant profile, and this can take up to 10 working days.
A mandatory conversation must be booked by the lead applicant (on behalf of the consortium) by 19 December 2024. Full details are in the guidance notes.
The deadline for applications is 16 January 2025 (noon).

The application process includes an application and an interview.

Contact Arts Council England for further information.

Lloyd’s Bank Foundation for England and Wales – Funding Programme for Specialist Small Charities

Deadline: 23rd January 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities and charitable incorporated organisations operating mainly in England and/or Wales who are helping people living in England and/or Wales may apply.

To be eligible, applicants must:

Be registered as a charity or as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) with the Charity Commission and able to provide their charity registration number.
Have an annual income of between £25,000 and £500,000 in their last published accounts.
Have at least one set of annual accounts showing as ‘received’ on the Charity Commission website, covering a 12-month operating period.
Have a bank account in the charity’s name with unrelated signatories.
Have a Board of at least three trustees who are not related to each other and who do no receive any payments, except for out-of-pocket expenses from the charity.
Be operating most in England and/or Wales and helping people living in England and/or Wales.
Have a track record of delivering services for at least one year to people aged 18 years and older.
Have a safeguarding policy in place.
Hold public liability insurance.
Be an independent organisation with full control over its work and any conflicts of interest.

The Foundation wants to partner with charities that show they:

Understand the makeup of the communities they support and work with.
Recognise the people in those communities who experience inequity.
Proactively reach and engage with people to address the inequity they experience.
Are inclusive and make people feel welcomed, valued and that they belong.

Size of grant available: Unrestricted grants of £75,000 for three years are provided alongside a range of tailored development support. It is expected that 83 grants will be made across the eight themes in 2025.

In addition, grants of up to £500 are available for groups who need accessibility support to apply for this programme. The grant will help fund the cost of support, such as a scribe or BSL interpreter.

Priorities: The programme offers both an unrestricted grant and tailored support aimed at helping to strengthen charities and build the knowledge, skills and capabilities of staff and trustees.

The programme is intended for registered charities and charitable incorporated organisations operating mainly in England and/or Wales who are helping people living in England and/or Wales

Applicants must be providing in-depth services in one of the following eight themes:

Addiction
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
Care Leavers
Domestic Abuse
Homelessness
Offending
Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
Trafficking and Modern Slavery.

How to apply: Applications are now open with a closing date for applications of 23 January 2025 (17:00).

The guidelines and eligibility quiz can be accessed on the Foundation’s website.

Groundwork – One Stop Community Partnership Programme

Deadline: 24th January 2025
Who can apply: The following organisations may apply:

Voluntary and community organisations.
Registered charities.
Schools.
Health bodies.
Parish/Town councils.
Social enterprises.
Community Interest Companies (running for a minimum of two years).
Community councils.
Local authorities.
Housing organisations.

Applications from organisations such as women’s refuges, food banks, hospices, homeless charities, charities supporting the elderly or children are typically welcome. However, this list is not exhaustive and other organisational types will be funded.

Size of grant available: Grants of up to £1,000 are available to successful applicants to begin a partnership with their local One Stop store.
Priorities: The programme is designed to create a partnership of support to community groups, operating within two miles of a One Stop store, who are working to:

Tackle food poverty.
Support the vulnerable.
Support the elderly.
Support low income families.
Running youth sports teams.
Reducing/recycling waste
Improving the environment

How to apply: There are typically four application rounds each year with notification of decisions about three weeks after the deadline.

The next funding round is expected to open for applications between 2 December 2024 and 24 January 2025, with decisions communicated the week commencing 3 February 2025.

Before starting an application, applicants should first use the Store Locator, available on the Groundwork website, to check the distance to the local One Stop store and whether funding is currently available there. Please note that not all stores offer this programme.

Guidance notes are available on the Groundwork website. An online application form is available, but organisations must first register with Flexi Grant for an account. Instructions are provided in the guidance notes.

A B Charitable Trust

Deadline: 31st January 2025

Who can apply: Charities registered and working in the UK can apply.

Charities should provide three year’s financial information, with all three years showing a minimum income of £150,000 and maximum of £1.5 million.

The Trust is looking for applicant organisations that:

Deliver effective work and can demonstrate the difference it makes.
Listen to the people they seek to support about their needs, and amend their work accordingly.
Engage the talents of people who have experienced the problems the organisation exists to address.
Are well run, make best use of resources and follow best practice (eg in governance, financial management, DEI, safeguarding).
Work well with others in the geographical or policy area (are happy to combine knowledge and resources where helpful and avoid duplication).
Share knowledge where possible (eg with colleagues in the sector, or to influence attitudes to an issue or to influence policy).
Would make best use of a grant (ie where the grant would make a positive difference).

Size of grant available: The grants range in size, with most grants being in the range of £10,000 to £30,000 per year and are awarded from one to three years.

The fund is in high demand, and only around a third of eligible applicants will receive funding.

Priorities: The Trust aims to support charities that promote human dignity and defend the human rights of marginalised and excluded people in the UK.

How to apply: Applications are considered four times a year.

The next deadlines for applications are:

31 January 2025 for decisions in April 2025.
25 April 2025 for decisions in July 2025.
25 July 2025 for decisions in October 2025.
October 2025 for decisions in January 2026 (to be confirmed).

An online application form is available to complete on the AB Charitable Trust’s website. Initially, applicants are advised to select the priority that they wish to apply under to be taken through a four-step process to determine their eligibility before completing and submitting the full application.

Contact the A B Charitable Trust for further information.

For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:

Enquiries
A B Charitable Trust (ABCT)
c/o Woodsford 3rd Floor
8 Bloomsbury Street
London
WC1B 3SR
Tel: 020 7243 9486
Email: mail@abcharitabletrust.org.uk

Foyle Foundation Small Grants Scheme

Deadline: 31st January 2025
Who can apply: UK charities that have an annual turnover of less than £150,000 are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to charities that are working at grass roots and local community level.

Charities must be able to demonstrate ongoing financial viability over the next 12 months.

Standalone mainstream nurseries/early years establishments, who hold charitable status and have a turnover of less than £150,000 per annum, may be able to apply to the Small Grants Scheme.

Size of grant available: Grants of between £2,000 and £10,000 are available for 12 months.

Grants can be used for core costs or essential equipment.

Priorities: The Small Grants Scheme is provided by the Foyle Foundation to support smaller, grass-roots and local charities in the UK with projects that have the potential to make a significant difference to their work.
How to apply: The Foyle Foundation will complete its grant giving programme in 2025. Due to unprecedented demand it will now stop accepting new applications to the Small Grants Scheme on 31 January 2025.

Applications can continue to be submitted at any time up to the final cut off date. Please also note that the foundation can only consider applications for projects (and funding periods) which will be completed before the end of 2025.

Applications should be made online via the link on the Foundation’s website.

Money Saving Expert (MSE) Charity

Deadline: 31st January 2025
Who can apply: Applications will be accepted from UK registered charities, community interest companies (CICs), credit union, not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee, and social enterprise companies.

To be eligible, applicants must be based in the UK, looking for funding for UK based activities, and have:

An annual income of less than £750,000 and less than six months free reserves.
Been established and active for at least 18 months.
Unrestricted reserves that are less than six months of their running costs.
A governing document (a constitution, rules, or articles of association)
A governing body of at least three unconnected individuals
A bank account in the group’s name with at least two unconnected signatories required to authorise payments.
An Equal Opportunities Policy
A Child Protection Policy or Vulnerable Adults Policy, as appropriate.

Community interest companies and social enterprise organisations must have a governing document which shows the name, aim/purpose, objects of the group, including a dissolution clause – what happens if the group ceases to function. This clause should show that they are a not-for-profit group by confirming that any assets remaining after all debts are paid will be given to another voluntary group with similar aims. This document should also include details of their Trustees or management committee.
Size of grant available: The maximum grant is £10,000 (an increase of £2,000 from the previous round).

It is anticipated that between six to nine projects will receive funding each grant round.

The MSE Charity will consider full project cost recovery, but costs must only relate to the project itself and not the organisation’s core funding.

Priorities: Following a strategic review earlier this year, MSE Charity has announced that from June 2024, the funding approach is changing from two themed grant rounds per year to two grant rounds with no specific themes.

Instead of a specific theme, all applications must be aligned with MSE Charity’s vision of funding activities which make a lasting impact on the way people think, behave and manage their money.

The funding is intended for a wide range of not-for-profit organisations in the UK for activities related to increasing personal financial capability.

MSE Charity defines financial capability as the ability to manage money well – both day-to-day and through significant life events, such as: having a baby; moving home; unexpected job loss; bereavement; major illness or injury. It gives people the confidence and knowledge to make the most of their money and improve their lives. This means addressing all the factors that influence people’s behaviour around money: skills and knowledge, attitudes towards money, motivation to take action, and accessibility to financial services.

How to apply: There will be two grant rounds in 2025:

The Winter grant round will open for Stage 1 proposals on 13 January 2025 and close on 31 January 2025 with final decisions communicated by 2 May 2025.
The dates for the Summer 2025 grant round have yet to be published.

The application process is as follows:

Pre-Application – Grant Eligibility Quiz – a self assessment tool to determine if the organisation and project meets MSE Charity’s general grant criteria. If successful, applicants will unlock access to the Stage 1 form.
Stage 1 – Outline Proposal – a brief application that enables applicants to tell about their organisation and the activities they would like funded. This should provide sufficient detail for the Grants Advisory Panel (GAP) to assess if it would be suitable for The MSE Charity to consider funding.
Stage 2 – Full Application – invited short-listed applicants are sent a link to complete a full application form with approximately one month to complete. This will require more detailed information to be provided about their organisation; evidence of need, the project activities; the team’s experience; the outcomes they are hoping to achieve; a detailed project budget; and submission of supporting documents including their Accounts and a recent bank statement.

All relevant documents are available on the MSE Charity website.

Applications are only accepted electronically and only within the grant round dates.

Contact MSE Charity for further information.

Warburtons Families Matter Community Grants Programme

Deadline: 3rd February 2025
Who can apply: Not-for-profit organisations with charitable purposes that are operating in England, Scotland and Wales are eligible to apply.Employees of Warburtons are able to apply on behalf of organisations if they are actively involved with them (e.g. they are a volunteer, trustee, active supporter).

Size of grant available: Community grants of up to and including £400 are available.Warburtons has a ‘limited amount of money for grant funding and will not be able to support all applications’.

Priorities: The principle aim of this funding is to focus on supporting families that need help the most, in a way which adheres to their principles of transparency, trust and transformation.The aim of these small community grants is to support projects, activities and organisations that will be of real direct benefit to families and have a direct and tangible social impact on people’s lives.

How to apply: To access the application form, groups should click on the link on the Financial Giving section of the Warburton website. They will be redirected to the application form hosted by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).CAF may get in touch with applicants directly, to ask for their bank account details and any documents they may need.

Contact Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) for further information.

November and December’s funding news