Grant Directories

The Northamptonshire Community Foundation exists to benefit disadvantaged communities by making grants to support relevant charitable or voluntary organisations, which make a difference to their local communities. Through the Margaret Giffen Community Fund the foundation provides grants of up to £3,000 to projects tackling disadvantage and poverty across Corby, Kettering and North Northamptonshire. Example projects might include : Projects tackling child poverty, food poverty or fuel poverty; Projects providing free or low cost access to education and training activities; Free or low cost access to arts, sports and recreational activities for families on a low income;  Advice, advocacy and support services for vulnerable residents.

The British Cycling Places to Ride funding programme supports the development of new or the improvement of existing cycling facilities in communities across England.  Through the programme, up to £15,000 in match funding is available for Crowdfunder projects that provide community-based, accessible cycling facilities and equipment to encourage people to cycle more regularly, regardless of gender, age, ability or ethnicity. British Cycling want to invest in projects that perhaps would not traditionally see British Cycling as a source of funding or indeed consider sport to be their main area of work. Campaigns typically run for 28 days but take a few weeks to create.

The One Stop Community Partnership Programme provides grants of up to £1,000 to local community groups that are situated within 2 miles of a One Stop Store. Funding is available for community groups or organisations working in the following areas: Tackling food poverty; Supporting the vulnerable; Supporting the elderly; Supporting low-income families; Supporting a healthier lifestyle, such as Youth sports teams. Once funding has been agreed, alongside a grant of up to £1,000, a long-term tailored programme of support is created for successful applicants by the One Stop Community team and One Stop Store team. Grant recipients then work in partnership with the One Stop Store team at their local shop to deliver this programme.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the national governing body for all cricket in England and Wales, supporting the game at every level – from grassroots to elite level. Through the County Grants Fund the ECB aims to support affiliated cricket clubs to create welcoming environments, provide enhanced facilities and playing opportunities, and to help clubs tackle the impact of climate change. Funding of between £1,000 and £10,000 is available

The Foundation’s Trustees hope to be able to give financial support to help develop, educate and promote the health of individuals and groups through the sport of volleyball. Its aim is to help ensure the opportunity to play volleyball is available for all and not limited by income. 

The People's Postcode Trust is a grant-giving body funded by players of the Peoples Postcode Lottery. The small grants scheme distributes funds to small organisations, community groups and registered charities in the East of England, through grants ranging from £500 - £20,000. The Trust funds projects that: Improve mental wellbeing; Enable community participation in the arts; Support marginalised groups and promote equality; Improve biodiversity & green spaces; Enable participation in physical activity; Respond to the climate emergency & promote sustainability; Increase community access to outdoor space.

The Staffordshire Community Foundation exists to benefit disadvantaged communities by making grants to support relevant charitable or voluntary organisations, which make a difference to their local communities. Through the J&O Lloyd Community Grants Fund the foundation provides grants of up to £10,000 to organisations who provide benefit to a community within the East Staffordshire borough. Preference will be given to applications working in one of the following fields; Heritage; Arts & Leisure; Built & Natural Environment; Social & Community Isolation.

Active Harborough District have grants of up to £250 available for sports clubs and organisations in the Harborough District.  The aim of the grant is to assist the Harborough volunteer sports coaches and leaders to develop their coaching and leadership skills in order to improve the quality of coaching in local clubs and organisations.

Leicestershire and Rutland Playing Fields Association (LRPFA) offer small scale grants of up to £500 to eligible clubs across the region. Grants can be used for anything that encourages the provision, improvement, retention and use of outdoor recreational space. This might include buying equipment or kit, coaching course costs or starting a new sport or team.

As part of the Blaby District Local Sports Alliance’s commitment to supporting local sport and physical activity, the Blaby Community Sport & Physical Activity Grant Scheme aims to support the development of local sport and physical activity opportunities by offering financial assistance to community-based instructors and organisations with a goal of sustaining activities.

East Midlands Netball will support their affiliated members by providing subsidies of up to 50% and mentoring opportunities to help develop coaches / tutors / umpires / volunteers / players across the region.

Grants of up to £100 are available to assist in the development of local coaches, clubs and officials enabling them to gain appropriate qualifications in their chosen sport.

The Rutland Coach and Volunteer Fund focuses on developing the workforce of sports clubs which run in Rutland. It aims to strengthen our community sports volunteers and coaches through funding qualifications and training courses. The fund provides clubs with the opportunity to reward and develop their new and existing coaches and volunteers to improve the delivery and provision of local community sport.

The Community Asset Fund is a programme dedicated to enhancing the spaces in local communities within England that give people the opportunity to be active.  This can include non traditional spaces such as canal towpaths, woodlands and open spaces – all with potential to be used and enjoyed as part of an active lifestyle.

The Places to Ride Legacy programme will fund the development of multi-use facilities to engage with a broad spectrum of cyclists and to encourage people who have never cycled before to get on their bikes. This will also include a small grants fund for the improvement of existing cycling facilities and supporting opportunities to ride in communities across England.  Applications can be submitted at any time and decisions will be made every 12 weeks.  

The Yorkshire Cricket Board Development Grant can provide funding of up to £250 (50% of project costs) to support affiliated clubs that are starting a junior section, starting a women/girls’ team or section, starting a disabilities team or to help a Special Needs individual within the club. Funding can be used for coach bursaries (to attend UKL1, L2 or relevant workshops); equipment; and other innovative ideas approved by the YCB GAG Committee.

The Yorkshire Cricket Board Emergency Relief Fund can provide grants of up to £500 towards the cost of emergency repairs, vandalism, theft of cricket equipment (i.e. machinery, cricket tackle etc) and help with insurance excess. Applications must be made no later than 4 – 6 weeks after the emergency.

Localgiving has teamed up with the Postcode Community Trust to provide the Magic Little Grants programme. The fund provides small charities and community groups with grants of £500 for projects that meet either of the following themes: Overcoming barriers to participation in physical activities in creative ways; Increasing social cohesion through developing access to sports and other recreational activities. 

Enovert Community Trust (formerly Cory Environmental Trust in Britain) is an Environmental body which supports community and environmental projects. The Trust awards grants under the terms of the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF), providing funding to a broad range of projects that have a positive impact on local communities. The Trust is committed to supporting community and environmental projects across the UK. These include improving community halls, the creation of new play areas and skate parks, and restoring green spaces. Fundraising by applicants is looked upon favourably by the Trustees. Applicants will need to secure a 10% third party contribution which will be payable to Enovert Limited prior to the project commencing.

The Angling Trust is the organisation that represents all game, coarse and sea anglers and angling in England and Wales. The Angling Trust, supported by the Environment Agency has launched the Angling Improvement Fund which re-invests part of the proceeds of coarse, trout and eel fishing licence sales in England in projects that directly benefit anglers. The types of projects supported include: Fish protection and predation management; Spring Maintenance and fishery improvements; Health amd Wellbeing benefits for older people.

BlueSpark Foundation is a registered charity which supports the education and development of children and young people by providing grants for educational, cultural, sporting and other projects. Community groups, colleges and schools in England can apply for grants for relatively small-scale projects which are for the public benefit and which otherwise might not happen or would only happen on a lesser scale. In schools, the projects which are supported may relate to intra or extra-curricular activities. The foundation is particularly keen to support projects which the Trustees consider will help enhance the self-confidence, team working skills and future employability of children and young people.

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) wants to help fund any project that makes it easier for new and existing players to actively participate in tennis. With a large focus on creating more covered and floodlit courts, we're working towards two major aims: Double the number of children playing tennis: Double the number of times infrequent adults play tennis.

Any sports club that is registered with its sports' National Governing body or local authority can apply for up to £2,000 for staff and or volunteers to take part in training, gain qualifications and certifications related to sport or to help with the renovation of current facilities. Previous clubs supported include a new female basketball team and a sailing club wanting to kit out its new Yeoman 20 keelboat. No preference is given to types of sport or the age of people involved with the club, but sports clubs that play an active role in the community are preferred.

The National Lottery Community Fund's Youth Investment Fund will support voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) youth organisations to deliver, expand and create high quality local youth provision in targeted communities across England. Grants can fund current services and activities but priority may be given to organisations looking to expand existing services and develop new ones. Proportionate overheads are eligible, and up to £50,000 of the grant can be used to help with the refurbishment of existing youth facilities, the development of new ones, and the purchase of equipment.

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.

Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation's aim is to provide funding that will directly address the needs of Oxfordshire's most vulnerable people and communities. Support generally falls under the broad heading of social welfare. There should be a genuine need for the project, and its purpose and benefit to the community in Oxfordshire must be clear. OCF prefers to award funds to projects that will leave a permanent legacy and will continue after the grant is spent. OCF is able to fund a wide range of project costs including capital purchases or revenue costs such as venue hire, promotional costs, start-up expenses, activities or training. Applications for core costs will be considered.

Buckinghamshire Community Foundation (Heart of Bucks) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation's aim is to provide grant and loan funding that will directly address the needs of Buckinghamshire's most vulnerable people and communities. Support generally falls under the broad heading of social welfare and, wherever possible, the applicant organisation or project will be user led and make a real difference to people within the community. BCF is able to fund a wide range of costs for new and existing projects e.g. core running costs and capital expenditure. Loans of between £1,000 and £25,000 are also available with applicants required to submit a project/business plan to demonstrate community benefit to Buckinghamshire residents and the ability to repay the loan.

Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation (LRCF) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. The Foundation's aim is to provide funding that will directly address the needs of Leicestershire and Rutland'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. LRCF is able to fund a wide range of project costs including capital purchases or revenue costs.

The Premier League Fans Fund is a three year commitment from the Premier League and aims to improve the relationship between fans and their clubs, improve the way football supporters engage with each other and improve fans' experience of the game. There are two tiers of funding available, up to £5,000 or up to £20,000 and total costs for a project must not exceed £50,000. Funding is available for both one off events/campaigns and also for projects with duration of up to three years. Priority will be given to projects that strengthen the relationship between professional clubs and their fans, projects must have support from associated clubs before an application is considered.

The Medlock Charitable Trust makes grants to organisations is the areas of Education &Training ; Medical & Health/Sickness ; Disability & Special Needs ; Accommodation & Housing; Arts & culture; Sport & recreation; Environment, Conservation & Heritage; and Economic, Community Development &Employment. Both primary and secondary schools in the eligible areas are able to apply.

The Canoe Foundation is a grant making trust which aims to ‘positively change lives through canoeing'. The foundations purpose over the next few years is to support all to enjoy and benefit from the experience of paddling on our water in a sustainable manner. They aim to do this by: Facilitating suitable launching and landing points to water and providing more opportunities for a modern diverse community to enjoy canoeing with improved facilities; Promoting and supporting the conservation of inland waterways, rivers, oceans and the environment whilst allowing water users to have an enjoyable and readily accessible experience.To acheive this the foundation is looking to support projects with grants of between £500 and £10,000 which create new or improved launching points in urban or rural locations or as part of a water trail, such as steps or pontoons; Incorporate better accessibility or facilities at waterside locations which might improve the parking or changing aspects of a s...