Grant Directories

The Ogden Trust are a charitable trust that exists to promote the teaching and learning of physics. The School Partnerships programme offers funding and support to groups of schools that are committed to enhancing physics teaching and learning. In secondary education the programme aims to: increase the number of students taking physics at GSCE, A-level and at university, particularly for under-privileged and under-represented students; support teachers of physics, particularly for those without a subject specialism and those teaching in state schools in remote rural areas, or areas of social deprivation. In primary education the programme aims to: raise the profile of science in the primary curriculum, with the emphasis on physical processes enhance teachers’ confidence in the planning, delivery and assessment of primary science (physical processes); support science subject leaders in creating a sustainable network.

The Ogden Trust are a charitable trust that exists to promote the teaching and learning of physics. The Trust do this by enabling innovative physics teaching to take place in, and collaboratively between, schools, often forging links to universities. Through the Physics Education Grants programme the trust awards a small number of grants (of up to £5,000) to schools, colleges and other organisations who wish to carry out projects or activities that support the teaching and learning of physics. Projects must be clearly based around physics and developed with current evidence in mind – part-funding may be considered for general science projects where there is a clear physics component.

The Selective Schools Expansion Fund (SSEF) is available to selective schools that demonstrate how they’ll attract more disadvantaged pupils. The capital funding is available where there is a need for additional places, both in terms of a shortfall of secondary places in the local area and a demand from parents for more selective places; and they have ambitious but deliverable plans for increasing access for disadvantaged pupils and they have plans to work with other local schools to increase access for
disadvantaged pupils and to raise attainment.

State funded schools that cater for pupils of military service families can apply for to help meet the needs of pupils that are subject to exceptional mobility as a result of the family moving from one location to another resulting in a change of school for the child and/or have service children whose parents are subject to deployment such as on operational tours, long exercises, training courses etc. 

The Emergency school improvement fund (non-capital) provides grants to support schools facing unexpected or imminent failure.  Applications can be made for short-term support while a longer-term sustainable solution is developed, for example through the support of a new academy sponsor. Applications can also be made for longer-term whole school support where no other sustainable solution can be found to address the school failure.  Applications can be put forward by teaching schools, national support schools and multi-academy trusts to support schools that meet the eligibility criteria. Applications must have the approval of either the relevant regional schools commissioner or local authority.

The Education and Training Foundation was established in 2013 to support the continuing transformation of the technical and vocational education system by ensuring that the sector has world class leaders, teachers and trainers. The taking teaching further fund is a national initiative to attract experienced industry professionals with expert technical knowledge and skills to work in Further Education. The focus is on priority sectors, including the first T Level routes, and a fund of up to £5m will be available.

The Strategic College Improvement Fund (SCIF) provides grants to colleges that need to improve the quality of their provision of education and training. The SCIF is part of a broader strategy to ensure that England’s further education (colleges help learners develop the knowledge and skills that drive individual success, social mobility and economic prosperity. It’s intended that the SCIF will support colleges to deliver better outcomes for learners, employers and local communities. It will enable colleges to access resources that they need to improve their provision for students, including the best practice of other colleges, while at the same time mobilising and strengthening improvement in the FE sector.

The Royal Society of Biology (RSB) Regional grant scheme allows individual members of the RSB to apply directly for funding to help run an event or activity in their region. All events that promote biology, and engage people with subjects in the life sciences, their study or application, will be considered. Grants of up to £500 are available and funding can be used for: Promotion, publicity and marketing materials; Room equipment and facility hire; Equipment and resources to increase capacity to deliver events and activities; Speaker or presenter costs; Travel Costs

Waitrose Community Matters allows those who shop in Waitrose to select a good cause they wish to donate too by placing a token in a box at the end of their shop. The more tokens a cause gets the bigger the donation they receive. Each month every Waitrose branch donates £1,000 between 3 local good causes chosen by shoppers. Local charities, schools and not for profit organisations who would like to be considered for Community Matters should go to their local branch, complete an application form and hand it in to the Welcome desk. If you are successful the branch Community Matters champion will contact you.

The NINEVEH Charitable Trust supports a broad range of UK based projects and activities that promote: The health, welfare and education of the general public; The study and appreciation of agriculture, horticulture, silviculture and land and estate management; The study and appreciation of ecology & land conservation; The study and appreciation of forms of agricultural practice or land management that would encourage the preservation of the countryside. UK Registered charities and Community Interest Companies can apply for one-off payments or funding to support longer-term more complex projects.

The Degree Apprenticeships Development Fund (DADF) provides funding to support new degree apprenticeships by: Creating new higher-quality apprenticeships; establishing capacity and expertise to deliver them and making broader educational opportunities available to learners. This funding is available for the development of degree apprenticeships courses only.

UK-German Connection is offering schools special partnership bursaries of £1,000 (to UK and partner German schools). Grants are available to UK schools to help to sustain their existing partnerships with German schools. Schools that have had joint activities with German schools can apply and to be eligible for funding the school must show evidence of joint plans.

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.

The Edge foundation is an independent education charity who believes that "learning by doing" should be valued equally with academic learning and that all learners should experience a mix of both. The Edge Foundation Innovation and Development Fund is a new £1million grant programme with the objective of supporting innovation and development within technical, practical and vocational learning. All applications for funding must address at least two of the following: support the creation of new institutions; support the development of profound employer engagement; address areas of skills shortages for the UK economy. Grant amounts vary by project but previous awards have been up to £100,000.

The Royal Institution (Ri) STEM E&E Grant Scheme offers UK-registered state schools a grant of up to £500 to experience a STEM activity taken from the STEM Directories. The scheme is designed to help integrate STEM Enrichment and Enhancement activities into school practice and to support teachers' professional development. The Ri manages the STEM Directories, which are an online catalogue of STEM E&E (Enrichment and Enhancement) activities offered by organisations across the UK. The activities are described as Enrichment and Enhancement because they enrich or enhance the school curriculum. The activities are usually events or experiences that cannot be delivered with standard school resources. Funding can be used to cover fees and expenses of the activity provider as well as travel expenses incurred by the school.

The Bedgebury Foundation is a grant-making charity supporting access to education for children and young people in Kent and East Sussex, where lack of funding is a barrier to achievement.  The Foundation offers three categories of grant. Programme for Individuals - For children and young people under the age of 25 with additional learning needs, showing excellence or needing a second chance with vocational training; Teaching and Training - For those adults involved with helping children and young people with additional needs such as SpLD or trauma, gain access to education and learning. Inspiring Young Minds - For schools planning innovative projects to benefit specific cohorts and/or whole school learning including mental health and wellbeing.

The Frazer Trust makes grants in a wide range of areas including special/primary and secondary schools. In recent years almost a quarter of funding has gone to medical and other research. During 2019/2020 the Trust awarded 360 grants with a total value of £553,350 to organisations in the UK.

The St James Place Foundation supports projects which fall within the following themes: Supporting Young People with special needs - supporting projects that provide directly for young people (under the age of 25) within the UK who suffer from physical or mental health difficulties or conditions, or a life threatening or degenerative illness, or are disadvantaged; Supporting disadvantaged young people; Supporting people with cancer. Funding of up to £10,000 is available to registered charities and special needs schools

P Leigh Bramwell Trust provides grants for the advancement of the Christian religion, education, the RNLI, the advancement of health or saving lives and any other legal charitable institutions. Grants are made across the UK but priority is given to North West of England especially Bolton and Manchester

The Ormonde Foundation provides grants mainly to local (Oxfordshire) charities and voluntary bodies that work for the blind, people with autism, parochial church councils, care and welfare of children and older people, as well as educational establishments.

The Woodland Trust has free tree packs to give away to schools, community and youth groups. The free tree packs are available for planting on one publicly accessible site. Packs will be awarded on a first come first serve basis. All applicants need to do is find a suitable site and supply the volunteer planters and tree protection. Tree packs for schools and communities offer the perfect opportunity to bring people together to plant trees - encouraging local wildlife, protecting our landscape against tree disease and creating beautiful wooded areas that people can enjoy for years to come.

The Trust makes one-off and recurrent grants to large UK organisations and small local projects for a wide variety of causes. Although grants can be awarded UK wide, the trust favours local causes in Oxfordshire. Trustees meet 3 times a year to consider applications.

The object of the Alice McCosh Trust is to advance education by providing or assisting with grants for work or study related to natural history and/or the environment. It is anticipated that the Trustees will award a grant in the region of £600 to £1000. The grant could, for example, cover the cost of a school field trip or project, an expedition as part of a research project or the development of new teaching materials for schools or institutes of higher education.

Through the Biochemical Society Science Outreach Grants Programme grants of up to £1,000 are available to support scientific outreach events that communicate the excitement of molecular bioscience to young people and the community. Applications for funding are invited to assist with the direct costs associated with an event and expenses incurred (e.g. transport and/or teacher cover).  The Biochemical Society must be acknowledged at the event and in the resources produced. Copies of all materials generated should be submitted to the Society to disseminate to others where appropriate. A short report of the activity and list of attendees is a condition of the grant. There are two round of applications per year, in September and April.  

The Institute of Physics is a leading scientific society and charitable organisation, their aim is to advance physics education, research and application by providing positive and compelling experiences of physics to public audiences through engaging and entertaining activities and events. They also engage with policymakers and the general public to develop awareness and understanding of the value of physics. The Institute's public engagement grant scheme is designed to give financial support of up to £5,000 to individuals and organisations running physics-based events and activities.

Take it away aims to make musical instruments and tuition more affordable for aspiring musicians, especially younger people and those on lower incomes.  The scheme allows individuals to apply for a loan of between £100 and £5,000 for the purchase of any kind of musical instrument, completely interest free. Take it away loans are now available through a network of over 300 +  musical instrument retailers across England. All instruments are included in the scheme and, to help musical development and manage costs, equipment and services such as amplifiers, sheet music and tuition can be included within the loan where available. The scheme is only open to individuals so schools or organisations cannot use it for multiple purchases.

Through the Awards for Young Musicians, grants of between £100 and £2,000 are available to support major costs of the musician's training such as; lessons; buying instruments; travel; specialist's courses. Grants will be made directly to institutions, music organisations music teachers and other suppliers. The Awards for Young Musicians programme supports young people aged between 5 and 17 living in the UK and who are instrumentalists, are in financial need or have exceptional musical talent and potential.

Each year, the JMK Trust provides talented young and emerging theatre directors with awards, guidance and development opportunities. Applicants must be UK residents under 35 years of age, must not have directed more than two professional productions, including fringe, have professional training in performing arts and must not be a student. As the basis of their proposal, applicants must choose one play from a new list of plays available by emailing jo@jmktrust.org. The Award constitutes a production budget of £25,000 plus space for your production at the Orange Tree Theatre. Runner up prizes of £2,000 may also be awarded.

The Skinners' Company Lady Neville Charity aim is to provide grants that will make a clear and significant contribution to grassroots charitable organizations working in designated priority areas. The priority areas are: Local Heritage - projects which help local groups to conserve and restore their landmarks, landscape, traditions and culture; Performing & Visual Arts Groups; Any charitable activity taking place where the Skinners Company has existing works or historical links (The city of London, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Hounslow, West Kent, Romney Marsh). One off capital grants for non-recurring expenditure of up to £1,000 are made to small registered charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Action Medical Research is a grant giving charity that provides funding for vital medical research in hospitals or research institutions across the UK. The focus is on child health to include problems affecting pregnancy, childbirth, babies, children and young people. A broad spectrum of research is supported with the objective of preventing disease and disability and alleviating physical disability. The emphasis is on clinical research but the research and development of equipment and techniques to improve diagnosis, therapy and assistive technology (including orthoses, prostheses and aids to daily living) can also be funded.