Grant Directories

The Goalposts Grant provides financial support for purchasing new or replacement goalposts for grassroots football. Grants of up to £25,000 are available to eligible non-profit organizations, including football clubs, local authorities, and educational establishments that serve the community. The grant covers specific types of goalposts and aims to enhance football facilities at the community level. The grant aims to support football clubs and related entities in acquiring goalposts. 

The Peter Harrison Foundation provides the Active Lives Grant Programme to support projects that help disadvantaged or disabled people in the UK lead active lifestyles. The programme focuses on using grassroots sport and physical activity as a catalyst to develop personal and life skills, assisting individuals in discovering and fulfilling their potential.

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 Mortgage Advice Bureau Foundation funds sustainable community projects throughout England, Scotland and Wales by making grants to support charities and community interest companies. The Foundation, has teamed up with Crowdfunder to make £100,000 in funding available. Organisations can apply for up to 50% of their crowdfunding target, up to a maximum of £5,000, to support projects that match one or more of the following themes: the environment and conservation; health and wellbeing; and the prevention or relief of poverty. Projects could include rewilding projects, community gardens, social inclusion and mental health projects, sports projects, community food banks, money management and budgeting skills, and educational projects for communities to reduce their carbon footprint. No deadline given.

Love Rowing, British Rowing’s Charitable Foundation, provides grants to support rowing clubs, community organisations and charities that are working to make the sport of rowing more inclusive and to reach new and diverse communities across the UK. Grants of up to £3,000 are available to support organisations to get more people involved in rowing, create better awareness around the benefits of the sport, and make the sport more accessible. Preference is given to activities focused on children and the young, people with disabilities, ethnic minority groups, LGBTQ+ and socio-economically disadvantaged communities underrepresented in the sport of rowing. Rowing clubs must be affiliated with British Rowing.

Active Thames is a partnership programme led by the Port of London Authority, which aims to support the development of watersports on the tidal Thames and inland waterways in London, Kent and Essex. Through the Active Thames Fund, grants are available to not-for-profit and statutory organisations for projects that improve access, diversity and inclusion particularly among under-represented groups, and support the growth and development of the workforce (coaches, volunteers and administrative support). Funding will also be provided to support increased use of the Thames Path National Trail. This might involve walking tours for community groups, walk leader training or accessibility improvements. 

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 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 South 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 Hargreaves Foundation is a grant-making charitable foundation set up in 2020 by Peter Hargreaves and his family.  Applications are open for charities and educational institutions seeking funding to support those under the age of 18, and living with a mental health problem, physical disability or growing up in poverty through the mediums of sport and education.

Groundwork is a federation of charities working nationally and locally to transform lives in the UK’s most disadvantaged communities. Through the Mayor of London EURO 2020 Grants programme Groundwork is working with the Mayor of London to provide funding of up to £10,000 so that all Londoners to have the chance to engage with EURO 2020 by creating positive, meaningful opportunities for local communities across the capital. Successful grant applications will enrich and bring communities together, tackle prejudices, improve health and break down barriers.

Groundwork is a federation of charities working nationally and locally to transform lives in the UK’s most disadvantaged communities. Through the GLA Grants - Stronger Communities Fund programme Groundwork is working with the Mayor of London to provide grants of between £2,000 to £10,000,  to projects that encourage and facilitate social integration between different groups through physical activity.

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 Peabody Community Fund provides grants of between £500 and £30,000 for up to 2 years to fund local activities which improve the quality of life of Peabody residents and the wider community. Priority will be given to projects addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged members of the community, projects led by Peabody residents and youth led projects which run for a period of at least six months. Examples of the type of project that can be funded include After school clubs; Sports, dance, creative arts and leisure activities for young people; literacy and numeracy projects for children and young people

The City Bridge Trust (CBT) Connecting the Capital fund aims to make London’s Communities stronger, more resilient and thriving. To achieve this a healthy and vibrant voluntary sector is required that works with communities and across sectors. Applications to this programme must achieve at least one of the following: Local Communities have better, more sustainable assets (financial, physical, environmental); Civil society organisations are more effective and resilient; Londoners experiencing inequality or disadvantage are better heard and represented; Londoners experiencing inequality or disadvantage have greater well-being and independence through improved access to arts, sports and other community facilities and services. Up to five years funding is available and funding for core costs will be considered

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. 

The Dream Fund has been developed to give charities the chance to deliver the project they have always dreamed of, but never had the opportunity to bring to life. The Dream Fund allows charities to apply for up to £1 million to deliver their ‘dream’ project over 24 months. Applications must come from a collaboration of at least two organisations. The fund supports charities to develop innovative solutions to society’s most challenging problems. Applications that can score highly in their originality, ambition and collaborative nature stand the highest chances of being successful.

Walking and Cycling Grants London is a programme which supports London’s diverse communities to walk and cycle more oftennot only as a means of transport but also a route to greater personal freedom, better health and more cohesive communities. The programme, funded by Transport for London and administered by Groundwork London, offers grants to projects of up to £10,000 over a three year period. The programme aims to increase walking and cycling and aims to make sure all Londoners benefit from the joys of walking and cycling.

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 Veolia Environmental Trust is a Distributive Environmental Body that awards grants as part of the Landfill Communities Fund. Constituted, not-for-profit groups within the vicinity of a qualifying Veolia site, can apply for grants for projects that support the natural, social and built environment. The type of activities that can be supported include Community buildings and rooms: such as community centres, village halls, community spaces within religious buildings, Scout/Guide buildings; Outdoor Spaces: e.g. public parks, nature reserves, community gardens, footpaths, or cycle-paths; Play and recreation: e.g. play areas, skate-parks, sports facilities.The maximum grant is £75,000 for projects with a total cost of under £250,000.

The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports’ charity. Youth football in England is enormously popular, there are over 55,000 teams and every weekend most players, coaches and referees have an enjoyable experience of the game. There are however occasions where some spectators fail to recognise that youth football is a time to learn the game and are aggressive, sarcastic and disrespectful. Some young players will imitate this behaviour whilst others will fail to fulfil their potential. The Football Foundation Respect scheme offers your club, school or league the opportunity to purchase Respect equipment (captains’ armbands, marshals’ bibs and Respect Signage) which, if used effectively, will help to promote the beautiful game. The scheme offers 75% off the normal cost price of these items. 

Boost Charitable Trust was created in 2005 to Build on Over-looked Sporting Talent. Their aim is to give opportunities to those who wish to fulfil their sporting ambitions, at any level. In particular, the Trust wants to fund projects that promote access to sport for socially or economically disadvantaged individuals, people with disabilities.Since inception, Boost has supported a number of organisations, with grants totalling in excess of £2 million. The majority has been focussed within the United Kingdom.  

The Kelly Family Charitable Trust was founded in 2004 as a grant-giving body. The Trust is interested in funding charities whose activities involve the whole family in initiatives that encourage and nurture a supportive structure within the family unit, and whose aims include the development of strong and supportive family bonds by helping all elements of the family unit to grow together and support each other. Applications are also welcomed from sports and health-related charities whose activities meet the trust's criteria. Grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 are available, but higher grants may be considered.

The Dickie Bird Foundation was founded by former Test Cricket umpire Harold "Dickie" Bird MBE in March 2004, and provides grants, to assist financially disadvantaged young people under 16 years of age to participate in the sport of their choice irrespective of their social circumstances, culture or ethnicity. The aim of the grant is to help young people, who, through no fault of their own, are disadvantaged or underprivileged due to the financial situation of their family/guardians or carers and therefore are unable to follow or continue in the sport of their choice. The grants are to help with the cost of essential sports equipment.

The Sport England Small Grants Programme focuses on using sport and physical activity to bring communities together and tackle inequalities. Projects eligible for funding can include activities that enhance physical health, promote community cohesion, and reduce social disparities. The programme aims to make physical activity accessible to diverse groups, especially those who face barriers to participation.

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.

Awards for All, England offers grants of between £300 and £20,000 for projects that improve communities, and the lives of people within them. It is for voluntary and community groups, schools and health organisations, parish and town councils.  To do this Awards for All fund projects that meet 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.