Grant Directories

The Benefact Trust (formerly known as the All Churches Trust) offers grants to Christian charities and organisations across the United Kingdom and Ireland that aim to help communities thrive and tackle social issues such as helping vulnerable families, homelessness and poverty to climate change and cultural cohesion. Through the General Grants Programme the Trust supports the repair, restoration, protection and improvement of churches, cathedrals and other places of Christian worship where changes support wider community use and enable greater impact.

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.

Foundation Scotland 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 Volant Charitable Trust, Foundation Scotland provides grants of up to £15,000 per year to support women affected by hardship or disadvantage and on tackling the issues they face in order to make a lasting difference to their lives and life changes.

The aim of the Corra Foundation is to help improve the lives of individuals and communities experiencing disadvantage all across Scotland and in developing countries.  Through the #ShiftThePower Scotland Comic Relief Programme the Corra Foundation supports organisations with passionate people to make meaningful change in their communities.  The fund is open to grassroots organisations and charities with an income of £400,000 or less whose work fits one of two strategic themes: Gender Justice – contributing to gender equality by reducing violence and discrimination based on gender and sexuality alongside increased opportunity, empowerment, and understanding for women, girls, and LGBTQI+ community; A Safe Place to Be – supporting people who have experienced homelessness or have been forced from their homes in order to live safely. This includes enabling people who have faced or are facing homelessness to resolve their situation and get support as well as supporting those who ...

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 Social Cohesion programme will support grassroots organisations at a very local level where there are issues which identify marginalised groups of people (especially those from within the Foundation’s priorities, but not exclusively) who are excluded. Project applications should seek to propose ways to make communities more inclusive for the betterment of all.

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.

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 supports projects aimed at education and the prevention of abuse, and the provision of practical alternatives to violence and conflict resolution. 

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.  Funding is available to reduce loneliness and isolation, improve physical and mental wellbeing, help maintain independence and a quality of life for older people. The Foundation recognises the growing impact of dementia within the older population and on families, especially those who care for people with dementia. The Foundation is keen to support projects that seek to develop community initiatives that offer sustainable, long term support for older people in communities.

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 supports the work of groups and organisations that work with people in prison, ex-offenders, and those at risk of offending. The Foundation is especially keen to support the rehabilitation of people, and work that helps reduce the likelihood of re-offending behaviour.

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.

Through the Sustainable Future Programme, the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) aims to support work that develops and promotes sustainable, low-carbon alternatives to the current consumerist and growth-based paradigm. Funded projects will focus on: Better economics that reflect the true costs and risks of resource depletion, climate change and other environmental problems: Campaigns, initiatives and work that promote alternatives to consumerism: Campaigns and movements that give a voice to young activists and marginalised groups on issues of economic and environmental justice.

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.

Voluntary and community groups, schools, community and town councils and health bodies can apply for grants of between £300 and £20,000 for projects which help improve local communities and the lives of people most in need. Projects must meet at least one of their three aims: bring people together and build strong relationships in and across communities; improve the places and spaces that matter to communities; help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage. Funding is available for activities including: putting on events, activities or performances; buying equipment; running training courses; starting a new group; educational toys and games; volunteer's expenses or professional fees; transport costs and refurbishment.

Foundation Scotland (formerly Scottish Community Foundation) is one of the largest funders of the voluntary sector in Scotland and last year was responsible for distributing over £9million on behalf of their donors. The foundation runs a diverse range of funding programmes for organisations across Scotland who work to benefit a range of interests, causes and communities, and they are particularly interested in supporting organisations where a grant will have a significant impact and enable them to achieve their objectives. The Foundation Scotland website enables you to search for grants available in each area of Scotland; funding amounts vary for each programme and start from as little as £250.