Grant Directories

The London Marathon Foundation funds projects and initiatives that inspire children and adults across the UK to lead active lives. Through the Active Spaces Fund the foundation provides grants of between £10,000 and £80,000 to capital projects to help with building and renovating facilities, spaces and places for sport and physical activity which is essential to ensure that children, young people and underserved communities can lead active and healthy lives.

The Asda Foundation aims to transform communities and improve lives by providing independent grants and support to locally relevant community projects throughout the UK. Through the Investing in Spaces and Places Grant the foundation provides grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 towards improving community spaces in local communities across the UK. The group needs to own or lease the land/premises and it must be located within the community that the group is based. There are three options within this grant, groups can apply for one option or a mixture of all three: Building Repairs; Building Improvement/Development; Outdoor Improvement/Development.

London Community Foundation (LCF) is one of 48 community foundations across the UK. LCF is dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged Londoners. Through the Thamesmead Community Fund the foundation provides grants of up to £3,000 to support charities and community groups or individuals to deliver activities in Thamesmead that connect the community and support social and cultural activities.

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 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.

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.

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. 

Calor is the UK’s leading LPG supplier. The Rural Community Fund offers rural off-grid communities the chance to win funding for projects that will improve local life. Support is available for community centres, village halls, sporting venues, youth clubs, scout groups and initiatives to support the elderly. Funding is available for renovations, redecorating, equipment, or new LPG heating systems. Projects must be in a rural off mains gas location in the UK and be for the benefit of an off-grid rural community in England, Scotland or Wales and must benefit the wider community and not an individual. Once a project has been accepted it will need to gain as many votes as possible from its supporters. Projects with the most votes will become finalists. Finalist entries will then be reviewed and scored by a panel of judges. Previous winners have included a school garden project, a Music Instrument Bank and a Village Hall facelift.

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 fund was launched in November 2014 to provide £5million of funding over 5 years to support the work of charities that operate lifeboats and other rescue boats in UK inshore and inland waters. £1 million has been allocated to the fund for 2018/19 and grants are available to meet the costs of equipment and other items that support rescue operations (including flood rescue). Equipment supported by the fund last year included rescue boats and other craft, launch equipment and launch vehicles, personal protective equipment and other crew equipment. The Fund will not contribute more than 90% of the (ex-VAT) costs of these funded items. Applicants will need to demonstrate the ability to meet the remaining 10% costs.

Persimmon Homes Charity Foundation is providing grant funding of up to £1000 to registered charities, clubs, schools and other organisations which have already raised vital funds themselves towards projects to enhance their local community.  The type of projects supported to date have included support for foodbanks; projects within schools; and sports projects; etc.

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.

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.

Millward Charitable Trust makes grants to organisations involved with community buildings, facilities and open spaces, social welfare projects, for the performing arts, medical research and animal welfare.

The Playing Fields Legacy Fund (PFLF) provides grants to local community groups, sports clubs and charities. Applications can be made for grants towards some or all of the following types of projects with the intention of growing capacity to reach more young people: The development and improvement of playing fields and other facilities; The development and training of volunteers including the provision of qualifications; The purchase of specialist disability equipment; The development of long-term sustainability, for example marketing and finance expertise; The organising, coaching and other key operational costs of running sports activities. Grants will typically be in the range from £2.5k - £5k although a larger grant may be possible in some circumstances. Where it can be demonstrated that a grant will help unlock additional funding from other funders, this is encouraged.

FCC Communities Foundation is a not-for-profit business that helps benefit the lives of people who live close to landfill sites by awarding grants for community, biodiversity and heritage projects. The FCC Community Action Fund is designed to deliver amenity projects within 10 miles of a FCC Environment landfill site in FCC Communities operating area. The following types of amenity can be funded: Village Halls, community centres, public play areas. multi sport games areas, sport and recreation grounds, churches, nature reserves, public gardens and woodlands, Museums. Funding is available of between £2,000 and £100,000 for projects with a maximum total project cost of £500,000.

Under this scheme, Biffa look to award grants to projects that provide or improve biodiversity, community spaces, cultural facilities, and places for outdoor recreation. The type of activities that could be funded could be to improve community buildings; site-based projects to protect and enhance a species or habitat; improving an open space such as a park, play area or woodland that needs transforming to benefit local people of all ages.  Between £10,000 and £75,000 is available for projects of less than £200,000. Ten percent of the award needs to be third party sourced.

The principal objective of the Charles S French Charitable Trust is to provide grant giving support to a wide range of charitable activities, primarily within Essex and North East London. The trust aims to maximise the value of annual grants made, by supporting charities which demonstrate that they make a worthwhile contribution to the needs and lives of others, whilst keeping costs and overheads low. In the financial year ending 31 March 2022 grants totalling £579,989 were distributed to numerous projects in the following sectors: Community & arts; Disabled & disadvantaged; Medical; Hospices; Children & youth; Sports & holidays; Educational; Elderly.

The SUEZ Communities Trust provides funds to not-for-profit organisations to realise physical improvement works for community and environmental improvement projects. Through the Landfill Communities Fund the SUEZ Communities Trust can offer grants of up to £20,000 (for projects costing up to £40,000) to improve an amenity that is available for leisure and recreation use by the general public.

SUEZ Communities Trust provides funds to not-for-profit organisations to realise physical improvement works for community and environmental improvement projects. Through the Landfill Communities Fund the SUEZ Communities Trust can offer grants of up to £50,000 to improve an amenity that is available for leisure and recreation use by the general public.

The Bernard Sunley Foundation aims to raise the quality of life in England and Wales, particularly for the young, disadvantaged and older people. Under the Community Funding strand the Foundation gives grants towards the building or refurbishment of scout huts, village halls, community centres, youth clubs, boxing clubs, outdoor activity centres, farm and outdoor learning centres, sports centres and pavilions, playing fields and playgrounds. The Foundation also fund the purchase of new minibuses that assist those most in need in their local communities.

The Football Foundation is the UK's largest sports' charity. Funded by the Premier League, The Football Association and the Government, the Foundation directs £30m every year into grassroots sport. The Foundation's Grow the Game Scheme provides grants of up to £1,500 for projects that use football to increase participation by both players and volunteers. Not for profit organisations can apply for funding for the creation of new football teams. 

The Peter Cruddas Foundation gives priority to programmes calculated to offer disadvantaged and disengaged young people in England and Wales pathways into education, training and employment. The Foundation can only donate to registered charities in the UK for use in the UK.  Current priorities are for Charities in England and Wales.  Revenue grants will be made in three priority areas: Pathways and support for disadvantaged young people aged 16 to 30 into education, training or employment: Work experience for 16 - 30 year olds: Youth work in London particularly evening work for 16 - 30 year olds. The funding amount is discretionary and projects can be funded for more than one year, although the Foundation does not intend to continually repeat funding organisations. Deadline dates of the 1st March and 1st September have been introduced.  Charities are encouraged to apply at any time and before the twice yearly deadline dates.

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.

UnLtd is the leading provider of support to social entrepreneurs in the UK and supports individuals who have their social ventures firmly rooted in delivering positive social change. It operates a unique model by investing directly in individuals and offering a complete package of resources; from awards of funding to ongoing advice, networking and practical support. UnLtd resource community entrepreneurs to start-up; support those with more established social ventures to scale up; and are committed to developing an eco-system of support to make it easier for those who need help to find it. UnLtd offers a number of programmes with varying levels of funding and support. Please refer to the funder's website for details.

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.

The Quartet Community Foundation is an independent charity that supports small, community-based charities and voluntary groups in the West of England (Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire) whose work benefits local people. The Foundation gives grants to a broad range of causes and welcome applications from both new and established groups. The Foundation runs its own grants programme called the Express Programme which awards grants of up to £5,000. The Foundation also manages a range of other grants programmes with their own priorities, criteria and closing dates.

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.

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.