Grant Directories

The £150 million Community Ownership Fund, which is part of the government’s strategy to build back better from the Covid-19 pandemic, provides grants for communities throughout the UK to take ownership of local facilities, community assets and amenities at risk of closure such as pubs, theatres, post offices, sports grounds, parks and corner shops, etc. Voluntary and community organisations can bid for match funding of up to £250,000 to support the purchase and/or renovation costs of these assets. Expressions of interest can be submitted at any time. Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full application during a specified bidding window which will be announced in due course. The fund will run until 2024/25.

The McCarthy Stone Foundation awards one-off grants to grassroots and volunteer-led charities and community organisations, CICs and social enterprises that support the wellbeing of older people, the educational needs of young people and the urban regeneration of communities across the UK. Through the Small Grants Programme, the Foundation provides grants of up to £5,000 for projects that will make a difference to those who need it most in local communities, particularly those recovering from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Longleigh Foundation Strategic Grants support the production of evidence-led research that can inform national policy, influence agendas, and improve best practice across the Foundation's areas of interest. The Foundation commissions or initiates projects in response to a need for information/intelligence in a particular area, or to influence a policy agenda and holds at least one Strategic Funding Round per year. Funded projects will have original and sector-wide implications.

The Department for Communities & Local Government has allocated an additional £32 million of new funding to the estate regeneration fund. As part of a new blueprint for regenerating deprived housing estates, Councils, housing associations and developers can now bid for a share of a total of £172 million of government investment to transform local neighbourhoods and deliver high-quality housing. The additional £32 million is available as grant funding and includes £2 million to help build commercial skills capacity in local authorities to deliver estate regeneration. This funding is available exclusively to local authorities and will be awarded to applicants with clearly demonstrable commercial skills gaps or lack of staff with previous regeneration experience.

Rosa's Woman to Woman Fund offers grants of up to £25,000 to local grassroots women's organisations across the UK. Grants are available for groups with an income of under £100,000 per year to support a wide range of charitable work that benefits women. Project themes can include, for example, building confidence and leadership skills, tackling harassment and violence, training in financial literacy and increasing engagement in decision-making. Rosa especially wants to support groups that work with disadvantaged communities or in disadvantaged areas. Grants can pay for core work, as well as mobilising volunteers, leadership development, communications and advocacy. As well as grants, Rosa will provide additional support that women's groups identify, including mentoring, training and networking opportunities.

Organisations that have a Community Directplus account with the Co-operative Bank can apply for funding from the Customer Donation Fund. Grants can be used to support special projects and fundraising activities. The fund grows in relation to the deposits made; for every £100 increase in collective deposits across Community Directplus accounts the Co-Operative Bank adds 20p to the fund and promises to distribute a minimum of £5,000 twice a year.

As part of BT's Community Fibre Partnerships programme eligible communities in the final 5% of the UK not covered by fibre broadband rollout plans can apply for a match-funded grant of up to £30,000 toward the cost of their new fibre infrastructure where that new infrastructure could also serve their local school. Community Partnerships must first register to find out if they are eligible to apply.

The Wilmcote Charitrust gives grants to Registered Charities and voluntary organisations working for the relief of poverty, sickness, old age and distress, the advancement of religion and education and such other charitable objects as considered appropriate by the trustees. Grants are made to a range of organisations including those whose work benefits ex-service personnel, medical charities, young person's charities, colleges and schools, religious charities and those that help the aged.

Two Ridings Community Foundation (TRCF) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation's aim is to provide funding that will directly address the needs of York, Hull, North and East Yorkshire's most vulnerable people and communities. TRCF encourages applications for activities that: Support particularly disadvantaged and marginalised communities; tackle challenging issues; encourage inclusive community activity and participation; respond to their communities' needs; engage people who face discrimination or disadvantage; produce a wide range of benefits and provide good value for money. A wide range of project costs may be funded including capital purchases and revenue costs.

Leeds Community Foundation (LCF) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation aims to support Leeds and Bradford-based groups and organisations that encourage active participation from volunteers and usually have low levels of reserves. LCF prioritises applications from groups that benefit people living in economically or socially deprived areas of Leeds and Bradford, and/or those supporting vulnerable groups. Priority will be given to projects that are run by local people, for local people; are relevant to local needs and have a direct impact on the community; support people living in disadvantaged communities and help people who are most vulnerable; can demonstrate that there is a need for the project or activity and help people to help themselves.

Community Foundation for Calderdale (CCFC) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. CFFC is dedicated to enabling organisations to increase their community, economic and environmental impact, by providing grant aid and tailored loans to not-for-profit organisations in Calderdale. Support generally falls under the broad heading of social welfare. Applications must demonstrate a strong case for support, have clear aims and objectives, and, wherever possible, the applicant organisation or project will be user led and make a real difference to people within the community. CCFC is able to fund a wide range of project costs including capital or revenue and supports many different types of activity all of which contributes to making Calderdale an even better place to live.

Staffordshire Community Foundation (SCF) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation's aim is to provide funding that will directly address the needs of Staffordshire's most vulnerable people and communities. Support generally falls under the broad heading of social welfare. Applications must demonstrate a strong case for support, have clear aims and objectives, and, wherever possible, the applicant organisation or project will be user led and make a real difference to people within the community. SCF is able to fund a wide range of project costs including capital purchases e.g. equipment, maintenance or improvement of community buildings, or revenue costs such as venue hire, promotional costs, start-up expenses, activities or training. Applications for core costs will be considered.

Forever Manchester is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation funds and supports thousands of community projects across Greater Manchester providing funding that directly addresses the needs of Greater Manchester's most vulnerable people and communities. Support generally falls under the broad heading of social welfare and encompasses: Increasing skills and employment opportunities; providing a vital life-line; opportunities for young people; and helping local communities to thrive. Forever Manchester gives priority to small, grassroots organisations that are locally controlled. The Foundation encourages active participation from volunteers and is able to fund a wide range of capital and revenue project costs.

Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation's aim is to provide funding that will directly address the needs of Cumbria's most vulnerable people and communities. Support generally falls under the broad heading of social welfare. Applications must demonstrate a strong case for support, have clear aims and objectives, and, wherever possible, the applicant organisation or project will be user led and make a real difference to people within the community. CCF is able to fund a wide range of project costs including capital purchases and revenue costs; some funds are also available to support individuals.

Community Foundation for Merseyside (CFM) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation's aim is to provide funding that will directly address the needs of Merseyside's most vulnerable people and communities. Support generally falls under the broad heading of social welfare. Applications must demonstrate a strong case for support, have clear aims and objectives, and, wherever possible, the applicant organisation or project will be user led and make a real difference to people within the community. Funds managed by CFM have specific criteria and can support a wide range of project costs including capital or revenue. The size of grants available varies although this is typically between £250 and £10,000.

The Community Foundation for Tyne & Wear and Northumberland is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation's aim is to provide grants and other support to groups and individuals by matching applications to donors' interests. The Foundation supports a wide range of people and causes across three broad themes: supporting people to overcome disadvantage, creating stronger communities and making the area a good place to live. The Foundation is particularly keen to help grassroots community groups and small-to-medium-sized voluntary organisations. Grants to large UK-wide charities are not normally made but may be considered where there are strong relationships in the Tyne & Wear and Northumberland area and the proposal has potential to achieve a substantial impact.

Foundation Derbyshire is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation's aim is to support the most vulnerable in society and help enrich the lives of people living in communities across Derbyshire by funding a wide range of groups, including those involved in supporting carers, survivors of domestic abuse, children, young people and isolated elderly residents. Support generally falls under the broad heading of social welfare. Applications must demonstrate a strong case for support, have clear aims and objectives, and, wherever possible, the applicant organisation or project will be user led and make a real difference to people within the community. Most of the programmes will cover equipment (capital) and general running costs such as rent and transport (revenue).

The Steel Charitable Trust is a grant-making trust supporting general charitable purposes. The trustees make grants where they believe that their contribution will make a real difference, grants are made to registered charities in the UK within the areas of; arts and culture; environment; health; education; disadvantaged. Grants are made at regular intervals during the year and the total level of grants is approximately £1,000,000, 30% of these grants will be made to organisations in the Luton and Bedfordshire area. Grants are generally made as single payments between £10,000 and £25,000.

Reaching Communities provide grants to help improve local communities and the lives of people most in need, including hard to reach communities. There is a small revenue and a capital scheme and a larger buildings only fund. All projects must address one or more of the following outcomes. People have better chances in life, with better access to training and development to improve their life skills;  Stronger communities, with more active citizens, working together to tackle their problems;  Improved rural and urban environments, which communities are better able to access and enjoy; and Healthier and more active people and communities.

Community Foundations support community and voluntary sector activity through grants to local groups and organisations. There are 48 Community Foundations of different sizes within the UK. Although all Community Foundations operate according to common criteria, they vary in terms of size and nature of grants available. Some Community Foundations will fund both organisations and individuals whilst other foundations will only fund organisations. Each community foundation covers a specific geographic area and will not normally be able to support work outside its area.