February's funding news

Welcome to February’s funding update.

This update is split into two parts. Section A features funders with a local or regional focus. Section B features funders who work across England. In both sections, funders are listed in order of deadline date, soonest first. Funders without a deadline date appear after this.

This update can only provide a snapshot of these funders so we recommend visiting the funders’ websites for full details before you apply. Most funders in this list have a website, which you can access by clicking on the name of the funder. Full contact details have been provided for funders that do not have a website.

A. Funders with a local/regional interest

Cole Charitable Trust

Deadline: 14th March 2025
Who can apply: Applications will be considered from small and local registered charities (as opposed to regional or national charities) working in the fields of:

Social welfare, all age groups
Housing/homelessness
Community and environmental development
Opportunities for young people
Promotion of improved quality of life
Personal or community empowerment

Charities are expected to have safeguarding policies in place
Size of grant available: Approximately £172,000 was awarded in grants last year. Grants are typically between £1,000 and £2,000. The Trust will occasionally consider applications for grants outside of this range. Grants are normally awarded on a one-off basis
Priorities: The funding is intended to support social and community work in the Greater Birmingham area, Cambridgeshire and Kent as well as support for other charities where the Trustees have a particular interest
How to apply: An application form can be downloaded from the Cole Charitable Trust website. It is preferred that application forms are submitted by email. Contact the Trust for further information.

Midcounties Co-operative – Doing Good Together Fund

Who can apply: Applications will be considered from local community groups that are either a registered charity and/or a fully constituted community group. To be eligible, applicants must:

Have been established for at least three months
Have their own bank account
Be a member of The Midcounties Co-operative
Be from the UK

Size of grant available: No minimum or maximum grant value given. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the Midcounties Co-operative
Priorities: Funding is available for not-for-profit voluntary and community organisations that can show that their project will build their capacity and bring benefit to the local community. Projects should address at least one of the Midcounties Co-operative’s four key social goals, which are:

Supporting Communities.
Defending the Environment.
Developing Young People.
Developing Co-ops.

How to apply: Applications can be made at anytime. Applications for £100 or less will be considered by a Midland Cooperative Site Manager. Larger grants will be considered by the Doing Good Together Fund committee, made up of senior leaders and board/MEC members. Guidance information and the application form are available from the Midcounties Co-operative website.

Owen Family Trust

Who can apply: Eligible organisations must be a UK registered charity, however applications from ‘umbrella’ bodies that hold funds are also acceptable. Organisations must be operating in Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton
Size of grant available: Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees, but grants tend to range from £1,000 and £5,000
Priorities: Funding is intended to support Christian youth centres, community associations and national schemes and organisations undertaking a variety of charitable activities
How to apply: Applications should be made in writing and should include:

A project budget
The organisation’s annual report
A copy of the organisation’s accounts

Apply in writing to: Owen Family Trust, Mill Dam House, Mill Lane, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 0NB. Tel: 01213531221 |Email: owenmdh@btinternet.com

Alfred Haines Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Smaller charities based and working in Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, and Solihull
Size of grant available: The majority of donations are made on a one-off basis and are normally in the range of £250 to £2,000. Occasionally, the Trust may agree to fund a project annually for up to three years subject to receipt of satisfactory project reports
Priorities: The Trust offers one-off grants to small charitable organisations based in the West Midlands, to support projects and activities which improve the quality of life of local people
How to Apply: Applications may be submitted at any time and are considered quarterly. All appeals should be made in writing. Email applications are not accepted. Applicants should be aware that the Trust does not acknowledge receipt of applications, nor does it enter into any correspondence unless more information is required in order to make a decision. Successful applicants will be issued with a cheque and covering letter. Refusals are not notified. Apply in writing to: The Alfred Haines Charitable Trust, Dale Farm, Worcester Lane, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B75 5PR. Tel: 0121 323 3236 | Email: ahct@quothquan.org

IM Properties Community Fund – Heart of England

Who can apply: Applications are accepted from:

Registered charities
Constituted community groups
Companies limited by guarantee with charitable aims
Community interest companies
Co-operatives – registered community benefit societies and registered industrial and provident societies
Social enterprises

Applicants must have an annual income of less than £500,000 To be eligible, applicants must be able to provide proof of:

A management committee/board of trustees/board of directors with at least three unrelated people as members (a list of those directors will be required showing who has bank authorisation)
A written constitution/articles/set of rules
Their most recent annual accounts or financial records showing the organisation’s balance of funds, income and reserves
A bank account in the name of the organisation with at least two unrelated signatories, and bank statement from the last three months
Their safeguarding and equal opportunities policies

Size of grant available: Grants of up to £3,000 are available
Priorities: The aim of the fund is to support organisations with projects that will benefit communities in the midlands region including Birmingham, Black Country, Solihull, Coventry and Warwickshire
How to apply: The panel meets on a rolling basis and applications can be made at any time. The application form is available to complete on the Heart of England Community Foundation website.

Sheldon Holiday Fund

Who can apply: Registered charities and CIOs may apply.
Size of grant available: No minimum or maximum award values are stated but the average grant is approximately £1,000.
Priorities: The Fund aims to enable disadvantaged residents in the West Midlands and Greater London areas to have a holiday.
How to apply: Applications are accepted for April 2025 to March 2026. Submissions are only accepted via the online application form. A signed copy of the most recent accounts and a budget for the proposed project should also be included. Submissions are considered throughout the year but applicants should allow up to eight weeks for decisions.

Heart of England Community Foundation – Women and Girls Fund

Who can apply: Applications to the Heart of England Community Foundation are generally accepted from:

Registered charities
Charitable incorporated organisations
Constituted community groups
Companies limited by guarantee with charitable aims
Community interest companies
Co-operatives – registered community benefit societies and registered industrial and provident societies
Social enterprises

Groups must have an income equal to or less than £500,000 and be working in the area of benefit. Social enterprises and CICs should review the additional guidance for them, which can be found on the Foundation’s website
Size of grant available: The foundation has seeded the fund with £50,000 from the Foundation’s own resources and aims to raise an additional £100,000, with donations matched up to £50,000 to maximise impact
Priorities: This fund aims to support the unique and diverse issues faced by female communities in the Heart of England region. From lack of access to sports, domestic violence, income inequality, reproductive rights, to mental health and self-esteem challenges – the needs of women and girls are multifaceted and often overlooked
How to apply: This fund is managed by Heart of England Community Foundation and full guidance and the online application form are on its website.

Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust

Who can apply: The Trust supports registered charities, with a particular focus on supporting the voluntary sector in the Midlands region
Size of grant available: Grants are typically between £3,000 and £20,000 and are for one-off projects. Larger grants are occasionally made on an exceptional basis
Priorities: The Trust intends to support general charitable purposes and is primarily focused on supporting the local voluntary sector in the Midlands region.
How to apply: Applications can be submitted at any time and are typically considered within a three month period. An online application form can be found on the Edward Cadbury Trust website.

B. National Funders

Asda Foundation – Young Futures Fund

Deadline: 13th March 2025
Who can apply: Not-for-profit groups and organisations based and working within the UK can apply. To be eligible, applicants must:

Have an income of below £250,000
Have a signed governing documents outlining their not-for-profit status
Have a bank account set up in the group’s name which accepts cheques
Have a safeguarding policy in place that covers all service users of their organisation
Have an existing service for young people within the 13-21 age group
Predominately support young people within the 13-21 age group as part of their core service

Applicants need to meet at least one of the following objectives:

Provide services that support, educate and empower
Connect young people to their peers
Support rehabilitation and recovery and provide shelter
Deliver activities / programmes that improve physical health and wellbeing

Applications are encouraged from sports clubs, youth clubs, Explorer Scouts, Cadets & Rangers who are specifically carrying out projects/activities to engage and improve the wellbeing of marginalised and at-risk 13 to 21-year-olds
Size of grant available: Grants of between £500 and £1,000 are available. Funding must be used, and projects completed, by September 2025.
Priorities: The funding is for community groups who are looking to deliver activities for teenagers and young people (13 years to 21 years), helping to improve mental health and wellbeing, and create positive life opportunities. There is particular interest in groups that:

Provide specialist services for marginalised or vulnerable groups of young people
Increase access and participation in activities that would otherwise not be available
Address prevalent social issues in their community such as: knife crime, gangs, bullying, personal safety etc.
Challenge inequality through awareness, training and education

How to apply: The criteria and eligibility checker are available now on the Asda Foundation website.

The application window opens on 27 February 2025 (noon) and closes on 13 March 2025 (noon).

Please note: The application window may close early if there is a high level of applications. If a geographic region is oversubscribed, individual areas may close before the deadline for the total grant programme. Applications will be reviewed within eight weeks of the grant window closing. Projects should start no earlier than 10 weeks after submission.

Innovation for All Foundation

Deadline: 31st March 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities based in the UK or overseas may apply. Applicants must supply:

An up-to-date governing document
Evidence of charity registration
A copy of their most recent set of accounts
A list of all current trustees and biographies

Size of grant available: A very small number of grants of £10,000, £20,000 and £30,000 are available annually. Last year, four grants were awarded
Priorities: The funding is for activities that meet the Fund’s theme of ‘Innovation for good’ and its objective of ‘through innovation, to sustainably provide benefit for those in need’. Successful applicants will be selected by employee vote
How to apply: This is an annual awards programme.The deadline for 2025 applications is 31 March 2025. The guidance and application form can be found on the Innovation for All Foundation website.

npower Business Solutions Foundation

Deadline: 31st March 2025
Who can apply: To be eligible, applicants must:

Be based within a 50 mile radius of the npower Business Solutions office in either Solihull or Leeds
Be a not-for-profit organisation
Have been operational for two years

National organisations based outside these areas but with projects located with the 50 mile radius may also be eligible.

Size of grant available: Funding is available in three bands, up to £100,000.An organisation with a turnover of more than £50,000 can apply for:

Up to £19,999
£20,000 to £39,999
£40,000 to £100,000

An organisation with a turnover of less than £50,000 can apply for up to £19,999
Priorities: The funding aims to help create stronger, greener and more sustainable local communities within a 50-mile radius of the npower Business Solutions (nBS) Foundation Leeds and Solihull offices
How to apply: The online application form, frequently asked questions and two short videos can be found on the npower Business Solutions Foundation website. The videos explain the eligibility criteria and provide an overview of the application process. Award decisions are made on a quarterly basis. Applications submitted from:

1 January to 31 March 2025 are reviewed in April 2025 with awards in May 2025
1 April to 30 June 2025 are reviewed in July 2025 with awards in August 2025
1 July to 30 September 2025 are reviewed in October 2025 with awards in November 2025
1 October to 31 December 2025 are reviewed in January 2026 with awards in February 2026
1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026 are reviewed in April 2026 with awards in May 2026.

Oak Trust

Deadline: 1st April 2025
Who can apply: UK registered charities are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to small charities with a turnover below £1 million
Size of grant available: Grants are made between the values of £250 and £4,000
Priorities: The Trust supports people who are disadvantaged, plus medical and environmental charities are funded
How to apply: Applications may be submitted at any time and are considered twice a year:

Spring application deadline: 1 April
Autumn application deadline: 1 October

An online application form is available at the Trust website. Applicants will be notified within 10 days of the meeting.

The Fore

Deadline: 3rd April 2025
Who can apply: Applications are accepted from the following types of organisation with an annual revenue of less than £500,000 in the previous completed financial year:

Registered charities (including those constituted as charitable trusts, charitable unincorporated associations, charitable incorporated organisations and charitable companies limited by guarantee)
Charitable incorporated organisations
Community interest companies (CICs) limited by guarantee
Community benefit societies
Social enterprises that are charitable companies limited by guarantee

Size of grant available: Grants of up to £30,000 which may be spread over one to three years are available. In addition, non-financial support such as access to a network of skilled, pro-bono volunteers, online training workshops and seminars are available to successful charities for life
Priorities: The Fore provides unrestricted grants to small charities and social enterprises based in the UK. The funding is intended to have a transformational impact on the organisations being supported by unlocking exponential growth, sustainability, efficiency or some other major step forward. There is particular interest in grassroots organisations working with underserved communities. The Fore funds work across the following charitable sectors:

Arts and culture
Disability
Economic development and employability
Environment
Health and well being
Housing and homelessness
Human rights, law and justice
Poverty and disadvantage
Sport
Women and girls
Youth and education

How to apply: There are three funding rounds each year (Spring, Summer, Autumn):

The Spring 2025 round has closed for registration
The Summer 2025 round opens for registration at 12pm (midday) on 27 March 2025 and closes at 12pm (midday) on 3 April 2025
The Autumn 2025 round has yet to be announced

Once open for registration, the application process is as follows:

Register an interest on the Applying for Funding page which takes about two to three minutes
Registered applicants will receive confirmation that they have been allocated a place on the funding round. Details of how to apply will be included
If there are more applicants registered than places available, places will be allocated at random
There follows a three-stage application
- Stage 1 – confirmed applicants have around three weeks to complete their application.
- Stage 2 – online meeting for long listed applicants who are invited via email for a meeting with one of the Fore’s Strategic Applicant Consultants.
- Stage 3 – shortlisted applications go to the funding panels.
Announcement of successful applicants is typically within 12 weeks of the application deadline
Unsuccessful applicants are offered feedback and can apply for future rounds

The eligibility quiz, guidelines, frequently asked questions and case studies can all be found on The Fore’s website.

Veolia Environmental Trust

Deadline: 3rd April 2025
Who can apply: Community grant applications will be accepted from:

Constituted not-for-profit organisations with governing documents that state members or directors receive no financial benefit, have a minimum of two directors, and have been established for a minimum of two years
Local authorities

Applicants must use the Postcode Checker to check that their project is located within the proximity of a qualifying Veolia site.

Habitat and Biodiversity Grant applications will be accepted from:

Constituted not-for-profit organisations with governing documents with at least two unrelated trustees that has been established for a minimum of two years.
Environmental bodies already enrolled with ENTRUST.

To be eligible for an Environmental Improvement Grant, organisations must:

Be already enrolled with ENTRUST as an Environmental Body, and a registered charity.
Have experience of delivering projects funded through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF).
Have a track record proven expertise in delivering similar successful environmental improvement projects.
Have a project located in England that meets ENTRUST requirements.

Size of grant available: Three different grants are available:

Community grants of between £10,000 and £75,000 for:

Projects with a total cost of no more than £350,000 (including VAT and professional costs).
Projects where the 10% Contributing Third Party (CTP) payment has been secured.

Habitat and Biodiversity Grants of between £10,000 and £75,000 for:

Projects with a total cost of no more than £350,000 (including VAT and professional costs).
Projects where the 10% Contributing Third Party (CTP) payment has been secured.

Environmental Improvement Grants start at £75,000. There is no upper limit. CTP payment is applicable.

Grants will be paid by BACS transfer in three separate payments.
Priorities: The Trust currently offers three grant schemes:

Community Grants are for constituted, not-for-profit organisations and local authorities to create or improve community buildings or outside spaces for the benefit of the community.
Environmental Improvement Grants are for Environmental Bodies that are enrolled with ENTRUST, the regulator of The Landfill Communities Fund, and are a registered charity. Grants are available to enable landscape scale improvement projects such as habitat creation/management, and/or species protection.
Habitat and Biodiversity Grants are for constituted, not-for-profit organisations that are enrolled with ENTRUST to support structural improvements to a single habitat, such as a waterway, woodland, or nature reserve.

The funder is looking for projects that:

Protect and enhance biodiversity and natural habitats
Inspire the creation of a sustainable carbon neutral space.
Promote community action and wellbeing.
Are inclusive and accessible to everyone and anyone to use.

How to apply: There are usually four funding rounds each year. It is important that groups apply at the right time, as only one grant application may be submitted per project site, in a 12-month period.

Applicants should refer to the current guidance notes/criteria which are available to download from the Trust’s website.

Please note the criteria is reviewed quarterly. Applicants need to read the criteria that is current at the time that they are making an application to ensure their grant request remains eligible.

Community grant applications will be reviewed against the following:

How much the project will benefit the general public
What evidence has been provided that the project is needed
The opportunities for volunteering and community involvement that will be created or maintained by the project.
The effect the project will have on the environment.
The financial viability and sustainability of the project.
Index of Multiple Deprivation

Limited funding is available each round and grants are awarded to the projects which most closely match the Trust’s funding priorities. Approximately 25% of the organisations who apply are awarded a grant.

Environmental Improvement Grant applicants will need to submit a proposal. Full details can be found in the guidance notes on the Trust’s website. The Trust will contact applicants within five days to discuss the proposal and the next steps.

Learning through Landscapes – Local School Nature Grants

Deadline: 4th April 2025
Who can apply: The following are eligible to apply:

Nurseries and other early years providers
Pre-schools
Primary schools
Secondary schools

Priority will be given to applicants that include children in the decision-making process. Applicants must be employed by the school. Applications on behalf of the school from PTA’s, Governors, ‘Friends of’ groups will not be accepted
Size of grant available: Grants provide an assortment of nature equipment up to the value of £500 and a two hour training session. Note: the scheme does not provide cash grants
Priorities: The aim of this fund is to promote outdoor learning among young children by providing schools and early years providers with outdoor resources and training. Successful applicants will include children in their decision making, whilst incorporating local communities
How to apply: Guidance and the application form are available on the Learning through Landscape website.

Steel Charitable Trust

Deadline: 15th April 2025
Who can apply: To apply for the UK Under 26 Fund, groups must:

Be a UK-registered charity or exempt charity
Be seeking funding for work that will be delivered in any part of the UK, except Luton
Have a minimum income of £50,000 in the previous financial year
Be able to produce at least one full year of accounts, that confirms the required income threshold

Unless specifically invited to do so, groups may only make one application within any 18 months (on the month of application), whether successful or not
Size of grant available: The minimum grant size is £10,000. Most one-off grants will fall in the range of between £10,000 and £25,000
Priorities: UK Under 26 Fund – This fund aims to improve outcomes for children and young people in the UK (regardless of their nationality, culture or ethnic origin) who are wholly or mainly under 26 years of age
How to apply: Applications must be made using the Trust’s online application form.

AbbVie UK Grants

Deadline: 30th April 2025
Who can apply: Healthcare organisations and charitable institutions in the UK can apply. AbbVie provide the following definitions on what constitutes a healthcare organisation and charitable institution:

Healthcare organisations: Healthcare, medical or scientific association or organisation such as a hospital, clinic, foundation, university or other teaching institution or learned society whose business address, place of incorporation or primary place of operation is in Europe or an organisation through which one or more health professionals or other relevant decision makers provide services
Charitable institution: Any not-for-profit institution which does not fulfil the definition of a healthcare organisation.

Size of grant available: Up to £10,000
Priorities: Grants are intended to support health and science projects as well as those that have a community or educational aspiration in the UK
How to apply: Applications are reviewed from February to October only. Any application received following the 30 September cut-off will be reviewed the following year if applicable. An application form is available to download from the AbbVie website. The completed application form should be submitted by email to: ukgrantsanddonations@abbvie.com
Further deadlines: 31st July and 30th September

Bruce Wake Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Charitable organisations (or equivalent groups). Applications on behalf of individuals will only be accepted through a charitable organisation or equivalent recognised body
Size of grant available: No minimum or maximum level of grant is specified. However, for projects to improved access for wheelchair users, up to £3,000 is available for projects with a maximum budget of £25,000 are considered
Priorities: The scheme supports projects to encourage and assist the provision of leisure activities for the disabled in the United Kingdom
How to apply: Applications may be submitted at any time and are considered quarterly. Preliminary applications should be submitted online and include a copy of the latest financial statements. Contact the Bruce Wake Charitable Trust for further information

Youth Endowment Fund – Open Call

Who can apply: YEF is interested in proposals from both:

Delivery organisations currently delivering an evaluable project, service or intervention
Partnerships between delivery organisations and YEF Evaluator panel members

Applications will be considered from registered charities, companies, statutory bodies and community interest companies (CICs) supporting children and young people in England and/or Wales. Organisations need to fit one of the following:

Delivering an intervention or service which should be evaluated
A partnership between an organisation delivering an evaluable intervention or service, and an independent evaluator
Leading a consortium or partnership which delivers an intervention or service which should be evaluated
A lead organisation proposing a multi site trial of an intervention or service which should be evaluated

To be eligible, applicant organisations must:

Have experience of being involved in a large-scale evaluation
Have experience of delivering at scale to the children and young people they are intending to work with
Have demonstrable experience of delivering in a culturally sensitive and equitable way
Be prepared to work with an independent evaluator
Understand they will be asked to randomise allocation of children and young people between a control group and those who take part in the activity, meaning that some children and young people will not receive the intervention

Size of grant available: Grants are at the discretion of the funder
Priorities: The aim of this open call is to fund and evaluate projects that will help YEF build strong evidence for practices and approaches in areas where clear gaps exist.The funding is available to organisations across England and Wales that are working to reduce children’s involvement in violence and have the potential for rigorous impact evaluation. Projects need to primarily support children and young people (aged 10 to 18 years) who are either:

At risk of crime or violence (‘secondary prevention’), or
Already affected by violence, offending or exploitation (‘tertiary prevention’)

Projects also need to be working in one of the following sectors:

Youth sector
Children’s services
Youth Justice
Policing
Neighbourhoods
Health
Education

How to apply: There are no deadlines for this open call. Applications are ongoing. The guidance notes and online application form are available on the YEF website.

Foux Foundation

Who can apply: Registered charities with an annual income of less than £3 million per annum can apply. Applicants must include the following information:

Organisation history and activity
Team structure
Progress and impact to date (quantitative where possible)
Full proposal or brief
Budget breakdown
Funding to date

Size of grant available: There is no minimum or maximum award amount specified. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees. In 2023, 11 grants were awarded between £10,000 and £40,114
Priorities: This fund aims to support projects and activities that are focused on the areas of health, education, youth opportunity, and poverty
How to apply: Applications can be submitted at any time. Guidance notes and an online application form are available from the Foux Foundation website.

Ruth and Stuart Lipton Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Charitable organisations operating in the UK
Size of grant available: Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees. Annually, the Trust awards a total of between £60,000 and £80,000 in grants
Priorities: The Trust supports a small number of charitable activities each year
How to apply: The application process is ongoing and interested applicants may apply at any time. Applicants should note that this trust does not have a website. Applicants are advised to contact the Ruth and Stuart Lipton Charitable Trust for further information at Enquiries
Ruth and Stuart Lipton Charitable Trust, Lewis Golden & Co, 40 Queen Anne Street, London, W1G 9EL, Tel: 020 7580 7313 | Email: Charity@LewisGolden.com