Grant Directories

The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation is a grant making foundation that give grants to small and medium sized local organisations in the UK with a demonstrable track record of success working to address local issues in communities of extreme urban deprivation and deprived rural districts. Through the small grants programme the foundation provides funding of between £2,000 and £10,000 to charitable organisations with an income of less than £250,000 for projects that focus on Community Support. Examples of the kind of projects that can be funded include: CommunityServices; CommunityCentres; Alternative Education; Training, mentoring, employment and volunteering opportunities; Youth; Counselling; Family Support Services; Substance Misuse.

Food for Life Get Togethers are part of a bigger movement, led by the Soil Association, to make good food the easy choice for everyone. The  Food for Life Get Together initiative aims to get more people eating healthily, strengthen communities and reduce experience of loneliness and social isolation. Grants of up to £150 are available for ideas that use good food to connect and bring together people of all ages and from different backgrounds.

Alcohol Change UK is a charity that is dedicated to funding work that improves understanding of what causes excessive drinking, how it can be prevented and the best ways of tackling the problems it causes. Through the New Horizons programme the charity aims to explore how people’s experience of alcohol harm is affected by their membership of, identification with, or exclusion from groups and communities, and how constructions of meaning within a community may promote or prevent alcohol harm amongst its members. The charity welcome proposals that address any aspects of alcohol use, harm and treatment services, and how these relate to groups, communities and meaning.

Nottinghamshire 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 JF Mortimer Fund the foundation provides grants to support people in Nottingham City and County by making grants to community and voluntary groups who work to improve their communities. Grants are available for projects covering exclusively or mainly one of the following themes: Children & Young People; Stronger and Safer Communities; Greener and Cleaner Communities; Healthier Communities; Older and Vulnerable People.

Nottinghamshire 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 Wesleyan Foundation Grants Programme the foundation provides funding for registered charities, constituted voluntary and community groups  that will promote or improve health, education, innovation or social development in Nottinghamshire.

Foundation Derbyshire 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 William and Griselda Kerr Fund the foundation provides grants of up to £2,500 to support groups that use the arts,  such as music, dance and drama, to work with and help some of the most vulnerable in society. The Fund will also look at bids from groups using horticulture to develop skills, health and opportunities – this could be anything from gardening and allotments to farming.

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 Northampton Queen's Institute Relief Fund the foundation provides grants of between £500 and £5,000 to projects based in Northampton that are all about improving health and wellbeing especially those living with an illness or health condition.

The David Cock Foundation exists to benefit disadvantaged communities by making grants to support stronger, healthier communities. Through the Growing Communities Programme the foundation provides small grants to enable communities within Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland to connect with nature with a specific focus on: community growing i.e. fruit & veg; tree planting; access to nature in towns and cities.

The Newby Trust funds local, regional or national charities registered and operating in the UK within the broad categories of education, health and social welfare.  Through the Social Welfare programme the Trust provides grants of up to £10,000 to improve people’s quality of life in disadvantaged communities. 

Each year Loughborough University sets aside £15,000 for its Community Donations Fund to provide financial support to community groups and organisations to support the social, educational, cultural and physical well- being of people living in Charnwood. In addition the Fund makes grants of up to £1,000 to community groups and organisations across postcodes surrounding the Olympic Park.

Voluntary or community organisations in the Severn Trent Water region are eligible to apply to the £10 million Severn Trent Community Fund for funding to increase community wellbeing.  This includes support for projects that help people to lead a healthier life and gain new skills; help to create better places to live in and use; and Projects that will help look after the natural environment, give people greater access to that environment or help look after water.

The Allen Lane Foundation is a grant-making trust with a focus is on funding unpopular causes. The overall aims of the Foundation are to make a lasting difference to people’s lives; reduce isolation, stigma and discrimination; and to encourage or enable unpopular groups to share in the life of the whole community. The Foundation aims to fund work benefitting people affected by mental health problems – lessening their isolation and feelings of stigma, improving wellbeing and promoting recovery, and enabling people to feel included in their local communities. The Foundation funds organisations that provide general services and activities to people with mental health conditions; as well as groups working with people affected by specific or particular issues – such as bipolar disorder, or depression, or self-harm, or eating disorders for example.

Grants totalling £250,000 per year are available to registered charities in the UK for projects with a social welfare focus and those working with disadvantaged people. The Directors are particularly interested in supporting the following areas of charitable work: Medical research; care of the elderly; general welfare; hospices; the deaf and blind; care of the physically & mentally disabled; and the Armed Forces.

The Hodge Foundation provides grants of up to £100,000 to UK registered or exempt charities such as special needs schools and universities for projects that address the objectives of the Foundation.  This includes supporting charities working with people who may be vulnerable or disadvantaged and who need assistance to improve their lives;  education and learning, both within formal school settings and practical approaches to learning which support young people to fulfill their potential and thrive including those with special needs; medical related charities specialising in the treatment and support for specific illnesses and research; and providing funds towards projects such as facilities in church buildings and inclusive activities for the wider community.

The Prince's Countryside Fund gives grants to projects that have a positive impact upon rural areas. The Rural Four – Catalyst, collaborate, create and champion grant programme aims to: Reinvigorate community networks by assisting with rebuilding community assets; Improve the health and well-being of 200 socially isolated people through providing access to improved community assets and a network of support; Create a lasting legacy of support and community spirit in the areas where support is provided. The programme will support up to 10 rural communities a year with funding of up to £25,000

The fund provides £500,000 to support charitable organisations in their response to holiday hunger. Applications are encouraged from organisations delivering projects that offer both short-term interventions to stop holiday hunger and longer term support to help reduce food poverty.

The aim of the City Health Care Partnership Foundation's small grants programme is to support projects that contribute towards the health and wellbeing of people throughout the United Kingdom. The small grants programme provides grants or donations of up to £2,500 to local voluntary and community organisations, schools and/or other not-for-profit organisations to carry out activities, projects or one-off events that contribute towards the health and wellbeing of people throughout the UK.

The objectives of The Edgar E Lawley Foundation are for general charitable purposes with particular reference to medicine, the needs of elderly persons, and to educational purposes with reference to the arts, commerce and industry. Traditionally the Foundation has given particular assistance to charities in the West Midlands area. The current annual grants programme amounts to approximately £200,000 per annum with a typical grant being in the region of £2,000 per successful applicant. 

The Alan Babette Sainsbury Charitable Fund Grant provides grants to registered charities that focus on: arts and education projects which help young people to achieve their potential, particularly within Southwark, from where proposals are particularly encouraged; support for UK charities which defend civil liberties and human rights; projects in the developing world, especially Africa, which maximise educational and employment opportunities for young people; areas of scientific and medical research on Type 1 diabetes. The funding amount is discretionary and applications can be submitted at any time.

The Sport England Small Grants Programme has been set up to support local community sport projects which seek to increase participation, sustain participation or develop opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport. For example, Sport England might provide a grant to a sports club to expand its age range by helping it to buy extra team kit or pay additional coaching fees. Or Sport England may help youth clubs work together with local sports clubs to get more young people playing sport. Not-for-profit clubs or associations, statutory bodies or educational establishments can apply for grants of between £300 and £15,000. 

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.

Derbyshire Community Foundation is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. It's aim is to provide funding that will directly address the needs of Derbyshire's most vulnerable people and communities. Support generally falls under the broad heading of social welfare and applications must demonstrate a strong case for support, clear aims and objectives, wherever possible the organisation or project is user led and the grant will make a real difference to people within their community. Grants available for core and revenue costs, new or continuing projects, one-off initiatives and capital costs and transport.

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.

Heart Research UK (HRUK) provide grants of up to either £5,000 or £10,000 to new, original and innovative projects that actively promote Heart Health and help to prevent, or reduce, the risk of heart disease in specific groups or communities. Funding is only available for non- profit making organisations and can pay for equipment, travel costs, contributions to staff salaries or consultant fees. In the past grants have been awarded to fund cooking sessions, theatre workshops, multi-sport activities, classroom based learning, circus skills, and tandem biking, etc.