Grant Directories

Through this programme the National Lottery Community Fund aims to support activity that reduces the impact of or prevents financial insecurity. In particular, the fund wants to support activities and projects that enable people to have more resilience and are more able to identify ways to deal with the impact of the increased cost of living in their lives; can shape activity in their community to address the increased cost-of-living; and have more access to support and services that will help them to deal with the increased cost of living.

In response to the current cost of living crisis, the Volant Charitable Trust is for the foreseeable future prioritising the focus of its awards on charities and organisations who are particularly addressing poverty and deprivation, helping to support vulnerable groups who are most affected, with an emphasis on women, children and young people.

The Community Awards provide a total of £50,000 in funding to local groups, charities or good causes. The donations of up to £1,000 per store help food pantries provide essential food and other supplies to people in need. 50 winning causes will be selected by a panel of judges.

The Individual and Families Fund provides eligible applicants with a grant of up to £1,500 to clear outstanding arrears with their energy supplier. Unlike some other funds, eligibility is not limited to British Gas customers. However, customers of Eon, Eon Next, EDF, Scottish Power, and Octopus should apply to their respective funds instead.

The Cosaraf Charitable Foundation Hardship Grant provides funding of up to £500 to help with the following: Household items (white goods and occasionally other items i.e. sofas, wardrobes etc.); Basic Living Expenses (Utilities or food); Work- or education-related expenses (interview clothes, school uniforms, laptops); Rent arrears and Council tax arrears, but only where there is a clear and obvious risk of homelessness (for rent arrears involving a social landlord please outline what support has already been offered to the tenant); Contribution to immigration-related costs, where the current immigration status directly causes financial hardship to the applicant. Applications will only be accepted from recognised social organisations such as charities, housing associations, schools and social services acting on behalf of a family or individual in need.

The Royal British Legion Cost (RBL) of Living Grants are available to all serving and ex serving armed forces personnel, their dependents and carers. The programme is designed to allow the RBL to assist people who need help in a quick and easy way with everyday essentials such as kitchen appliances, clothes, and energy costs.

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 Edith Murphy Foundation was established in memory of Hughie Murphy. Its purpose is to support other organisations (predominantly, but not exclusively, other registered charities) that: carry out research; support individuals who by reason of their age, youth, infirmity, disablement, poverty or social and economic circumstances are suffering hardship, distress or are otherwise in need; relieve the suffering and care for unwanted animals. The value of grants made is normally between £500 and £5,000 although larger grants are made in some circumstances. Since its inception in 1993 the charity has supported over 650 organisations with grants of around £17.5 million enabling these groups to carry out ground breaking research as well as providing much needed support to those in need of care.

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 Annandale and Nithsdale Community Benefit Company the foundation provides grants of up to £20,000 to support charitable activities that support the rural regeneration and sustainability of communities within the area of benefit. Applications that address any of the following issues are particularly welcomed: Community facilities, services, rural transport, affordable housing, community development; Community or local events; Environmental projects; Heritage; Skills, employment, tourism, reducing poverty and disadvantage, improving rural business opportunities, building the capacity of community and voluntary organisations, supporting innovation and social enterprise; Sport, recreation and improving the health of residents; Youth and education, tackling out-migration of young peop...

The Robertson Trust is an independent Scottish grant-making Trust which exists to improve the lives of people and communities experiencing poverty and trauma. The Trust provide funding for organisations and initiatives that address: Financial wellbeing - tackling the financial and material effects of poverty on people and communities; Emotional wellbeing and relationships - ensuring people have emotional wellbeing, and confidence and strength in their relationships with others; Educational and work pathways - equipping people for the future by supporting learning and skills. Through the Wee Grants programme the trust provides grants of up to £2,000 to constituted community groups and small charities with an annual income of under £25,000.

The Institute of Physics (IOP) 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. The Benevolent Fund provides financial help to IOP members, or their dependants, facing a critical need that cannot otherwise be met.

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 Community Led funding programme aims to support communities in improving the areas in which they reside and the well-being of those most in need. Organisations are funded to deliver work that enables everyone in the community to have the opportunity to influence and participate in community-led activities and to ensure that people within the community are better connected and cooperate to enhance their well-being.  This can include projects that tackle problems associated with the cost of living crisis.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by the National Lottery to support local communities. The Grants for Improving Lives programme provides funding of between £20,001 and £200,000 to organisations with projects that address the following types of activity: supporting children, young people and families currently experiencing challenging circumstances; supporting people that have experienced abuse; tackling loss, isolation and loneliness; challenging discrimination and supporting people affected by it. Funding is available for up to three years.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by the National Lottery to support local communities. The Grants for Community-Led Activity programme provides funding of between £20,001 and £150,000 to support voluntary and community organisation to improve the places in which they live and the wellbeing of those most in need. Projects should have the following outcomes: Everyone in the community has the opportunity to influence and get involved in community-led activity; People in the community are better connected and work together to improve their well-being.

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.

The Henry Smith Charity is one of the largest independent grant making trusts in the UK. The Improving Lives grant programme provides grants to charitable organisations that help people in need when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available. Funding of between £20,000 and £70,000 per year for a maximum of three years is available to established organisations delivering services directly to beneficiaries. The Henry Smith Charity are looking for services which can demonstrate a track record of success, and evidence the effectiveness of the work.

The Henry Smith Charity is one of the largest independent grant making trusts in the UK. The Strengthening Communities grant programme is designed to support small charitable organisations working at grassroots level and aims to ensure that funding reaches the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. Funding of between £20,000 and £70,000 is available for up to three years to support work that enables: people from across the community to participate in activities which improve connectedness, opportunities and wellbeing; people who are excluded, vulnerable or facing hardship to have access to community-based services that support positive lasting change; a stronger, active, more engaged community. Funding is available for running costs which may include salaries, project costs, and small capital costs needed to support the work.

Stop Hunger is a worldwide Sodexo initiative active in more than 40 countries. Through the initiative, the Sodexo Foundation donate time, skills and money to tackle hunger, support good nutrition and promote life skills in local communities. In the UK and Ireland the Stop Hunger Foundation is a grant giving organisation and its vision is to work with very best charities that exist to tackle hunger and malnutrition; promote healthy lifestyles; and develop life skills such as cooking. Previous grant awards have ranged between £1,500 and £120,000, however first time applicants can only apply for a maximum of £10,000. Organisations who have previously received funding include Fare Share who redistributes surplus food destined for landfill to local charities and community groups across the UK and Focus Ireland who support homeless people in Dublin by providing hot nutritious meals.

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.

Tesco Stronger Starts programme supports thousands of schools and  local community projects across the UK, helping to fight holiday hunger, tackle mental health, support young people, host community events and much more. The scheme has supported over 40,000 community groups with more than £90 million in grants. Tesco Community Grants is open to charities and community organisations to apply for a grant of up to £1,500. Every three months, three local good causes are selected to be in the blue token customer vote in Tesco stores throughout the UK.

The EDF Customer Support Fund helps those that are vulnerable with electricity or gas bill debts, and can also provide essential white goods such as a fridge or cooker. To be eligible you must be registered with EDF's Priority Services you will also need to have sought independent advice before you apply.

Kellogg’s has teamed up with Forever Manchester to award grants of £1,000 to school Breakfast Clubs, to help them provide breakfast to those children who need it most.  Schools must be based in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. priority will be given to schools that have either 35% and above of children eligible for pupil premium funding or eligible for free school meals or schools that are based in an area which is classified as falling in the 10% of most deprived areas according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

The Columba Trust makes grants to charitable organisations for the advancement of the Roman Catholic religion; education and for the relief of poverty. The trust's main aims are to support students studying theology or related subjects, charities working with people who are homeless and projects associated with significant Catholic properties. The Trust supports a smaller number of charities each year and offer longer term funding of three to five years.

The Leng Charitable Trust makes grants for the prevention or relief of poverty, the advancement of education, religion, health, citizenship & community development, the arts, heritage, culture or science and the advancement of animal welfare. The Trust supports organisations working in Tayside, primarily Dundee. It will also support 'significant national Scottish causes' with a Tayside involvement. Applications can be made at any time.

The Trust supports the relief of poverty, education and religion as well as general charitable purposes in Glasgow and the West of Scotland.

The Trust funds projects concerned with the relief of poverty or distress, particularly those relating to children, and the advancement of the evangelical Christian faith, both at home and abroad. The Beatrice Laing Trust offers grants to UK registered charities working throughout the UK, in developing countries and overseas. Grants are generally awarded on a one-off basis for capital purposes such as the purchase or construction of new premises, building extension, redevelopment or refurbishment, or the purchase of equipment and vehicles.

The first Greggs funded breakfast club was established in 1999 as part of a Business in the Community ‘Seeing is Believing’ event. The event was in response to growing concerns that children were attending school without having breakfast. The Greggs Foundation now oversees 380 clubs, providing a healthy breakfast to over 22,000 school children each day, over 4 million each year; encouraging the use of parent volunteers in breakfast club. Research has shown many benefits including improved parent/teacher relationships, increased confidence, self-esteem and social mobility.

The Community Food and Health Scotland (CFHS) aims to ensure that everyone in Scotland has the opportunity, ability and confidence to access a healthy and acceptable diet for themselves, their families and their communities. The CFHS has grants from £500 to £3,000 available to groups and agencies who would like to tackle one or more of the barriers to healthy eating, such as affordability or availability, and the negative impact of culture and lack of food skills. CFHS welcome applications from groups or agencies working with and within low-income communities throughout Scotland.

The charity aims to fight financial and consumer illiteracy and is dedicated to educating and informing adults and children about consumer and debt issues. It provides grants of up to £500 to help individuals to eradicate this illiteracy through self-development or innovative projects. Eligible groups can apply for grants of up to £7,500. Using funding provided by annual donations from the MoneySavingExpert.com website and proceeds from sales of books written by the website's founder Martin Lewis, MSE Charity aims to help communities break the cycle of debt by helping people to become more financially aware.

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.

The Tudor Trust is an independent grant-making trust which supports voluntary and community groups working in any part of the UK.  The Trust particularly want to help smaller, community-led organisations which work directly with people who are at the margins of society: organisations which support positive changes in people’s lives and in their communities. The Tudor Trust don't have specific funding programmes designed to advance a particular agenda as they believe that the groups they support are best placed to identify problems and develop solutions.