January's funding news

Welcome to January’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

Audible – Future Stories Fund

Deadline: 23rd February 2025
Who can apply: Any type of constituted not-for-profit (such as charities, community groups and social enterprises) as long as they work with historically marginalised 16-to-25-year-olds
Size of grant available: Up to £15,000
Priorities: The funding is for local organisations and projects in the West Midlands that engage with young people through storytelling, using the power of language to amplify their voices, share their stories and create a brighter future for them and the people around them. This means that eligible projects may involve reading, writing, podcasts, poetry, theatre, acting, playwriting, and anything else relating to literacy. These approaches are to be used to improve levels of literacy and/or aspiration, whether this is achieved through literacy skills development, networking opportunities, mentoring, confidence building, platform provision or anything else
How to apply: The 2025 guidance notes and an online application form can be found the Audible website.

Saintbury Trust

Deadline: 28th February 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities that are both based and operate (wholly or mainly) within the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and North Gloucestershire are eligible to apply. To be eligible, charities must be:

Within the counties of the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and North Gloucestershire.
Within the following postcodes: B, CV, DY, GL, WR, WS and WV (see Trust’s eligibility criteria for specific eligible postcodes).
Have at least four unconnected trustees.
Be up to date with their Charity Commission filing obligations.
Not be newly registered; the Trust requires that some history of the charity’s operation is publicly available before it will be considered.

Applicants are advised to check their location eligibility on the Trust’s website before applying
Size of grant available: Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees. The majority of grants awarded are in the £1,000 to £5,000 range. Larger grants tend to be awarded to charities that the trustees (or at least one of them) have special knowledge of or if they have particular interest in the charities’ work
Priorities: The scheme is intended to support charities undertaking a wide range of activities taking in the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and North Gloucestershire. The Trustees have a particular interest in the arts, heritage, the environment and helping those with disabilities
How to Apply: The trustees meet twice a year to consider applications; the usual closing dates for applications for the spring and autumn meetings are 28 February and 30 September respectively. Application forms are available to download from the Trust’s website. Applications should be submitted by email; the Trust no longer accepts postal applications.

Sir John Middlemore Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Any type of constituted not-for-profit such as community groups, voluntary associations and charities
Size of grant available: Grants of up to £2,000
Priorities: Funding is available for activities that will clearly be of direct benefit to children or young people under the age 18 (or under 25 for those with a disability). The Trust’s particular areas of interest include the following:

Disadvantaged children and young people
Disabled children and young people
Looked after children and young people
Looked after children and young people leaving care
Young carers

How to apply: Applications may be submitted at any time and are considered four times a year in March, June, September and December. Application forms can be downloaded from the Trust’s website or requested by email. The Trust prefers completed application forms to be returned by email, but will accept postal applications if this is not possible.

Oakley Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Registered charities with a priority for those based in the West Midlands
Size of grant available: Average size of grant is £1,000
Priorities: Funding is available for charitable activities in a wide variety of areas including the arts, heritage, welfare and education
How to apply: Applications must be made in writing and the letter should be posted to the Grants Administrator. The Trustees generally meet in March, July and November to consider applications. Visit the Oakley Charitable Trust website for more information.

Clive Richards Foundation

Who can apply: Charities and not-for-profit community groups
Size of grant available: Up to £100,000
Priorities: The Foundation aims ‘to make a difference’. The funding is intended to provide support to charitable organisations, especially where it can seek to be a catalyst to unlock other funding sources for good causes and ensure sustainability and transformational change. The Foundation prefers to focus on smaller charities or projects where if the CRF was not involved it probably would not happen. The funding is for projects that sit within the following categories:

Education
Medical including hospitals and hospices
Heritage
Arts

How to apply: The first step is to complete the initial tick box request on the Foundation’s website, under ‘How to Apply’. Once the Foundation agrees that the group appears to be eligible for funding, a two-stage application process is initiated:

Stage 1 – the relevant application form will be emailed to the prospective applicant. The completed forms are reviewed at monthly meetings throughout the year and applicants will be notified as soon as possible
Stage 2 – the Trustees will invite those who are successful at stage one to provide further information. Full Trustee meetings are hold every two months

Birmingham and the Black Country Communities Fund

Who can apply: Any constituted not-for-profit (such as community groups, charities and CICs) with an annual income of £500,000 or less
Size of grant available: Up to £3,000
Priorities: Funding is available for projects that can be completed within one year and that meet one or more of the following criteria:

Promote health and wellbeing
Tackle disadvantage
Support local solutions to meet local needs
Promote community cohesion
Develop sustainable and supportive communities

Funds may be spent on a wide range of purposes, including:

Start-up costs for new organisations or projects
Extension and development of existing projects
Pilot projects (to gather research and evidence)
The purchase of equipment and resources

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.

George Henry Collins Charity

Who can apply: Registered charities operating within a 25-mile radius of Birmingham city centre
Size of grant available: Most grants range from £250-£500
Priorities: Funding is intended to support charitable projects that relieve the suffering of those who are ill, infirm, old or lonely
How to apply: This charity does not have a website. Contact the Clerk to the trustees for more information: Clerk to the Trustees, George Henry Collins Charity, Shakespeare Martineau, 1 Colmore Square, Birmingham, West Midlands, B4 6AA | Tel: 07799 784019 | Email: chrissy@georgehenrycollinscharity.org.uk

Grantham Yorke Trust

Who can apply: Registered charities in the West Midlands that work with people aged 25 and under
Size of grant available: There is no minimum or maximum funding level. Applicants are advised to contact the Trust directly to confirm the funding level available (contact details below)
Priorities: Grants to support young people in the West Midlands. Eligible projects could include:

Education and physical and social training to prevent juvenile delinquency, the abuse of drugs, alcohol and gambling, the procreation of unwanted children and the neglect or ill-treatment of children
Providing financial assistance, outfits, clothing, tools, instruments, equipment or books to help those leaving education to enter, a profession, trade or calling
Apprenticeship schemes
Providing parenting advice, training or support
Developing people’s capabilities so that they can become self-reliant

How to apply: Groups are advised to contact the Trust directly to discuss the likelihood of their project being eligible for a grant. The Trust may then offer to send out an application form. Contact: Grantham Yorke Trust, The Estate Office, Wharf Cottage, Broombank, Newnham Bridge, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, WR15 8NY | Tel: 07799 784019 | Email: chrissy@granthamyorketrust.org.uk

Angus Irvine Playing Fields Fund

Who can apply: Sports clubs and community groups:

Based in Greater Manchester, Oxfordshire, Greater London or the West Midlands Combined Authority, supported by Access Sport’s Changing Places programme, and
Based in or serving a borough or ward within the top 20% Indices of Multiple Deprivation

Size of grant available: The average grant range is £2,500-£5,00
Priorities: The funding is intended to improve the lives of children and young people (up to the age of 25 years), enabling them to access the transformative benefits of inclusive community sport. Applications can be made for grants towards some or all 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.

Activities should focus on including young people (age 5 to 18 years old) who otherwise be excluded from sport such as:

Disadvantaged young people.
Women and girls.
Disabled children and young people.
Young people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

The funders will be looking for projects that provide a competitive cost per new participant from within the designated target groups and that have a commitment to long-term sustainability
How to apply: An online application form is available on the Access Sport website.

B. National Funders

Screwfix Foundation

Deadline: 10th February 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities, community benefit societies and community interest companies (CICs) only
Size of grant available: Up to £5,000
Priorities: To be eligible, applicants must:

Be supporting people in need in the UK by reason of financial hardship, sickness, disability or other disadvantage or distress. The main beneficiaries could be:
- People suffering from sickness or disabilities
- People from diverse groups
- Disadvantaged or vulnerable people
- People suffering from financial hardship
- People suffering from mental health issues
Be looking for funding to support projects that relate to the repair, maintenance, improvement or construction of homes, community buildings and other buildings
Have suitable governance to manage funds, eg, financial reporting, committee meetings, etc

The funding is for projects which improve a physical building (or land attached to it) that is used by people in need.

The funding is to be used for the following types of projects:

Improved energy efficient lighting and heating
Installation of new kitchen, bathroom etc
Installation of a sensory room
General painting and decorating
Improving safety and security of a building

How to apply: The guidelines and online application form can be found on the Screwfix Foundation website
Further deadlines: 10th May, 10th August, 10th November.

KFC Youth Foundation Community Grants Programme

Deadline: 14th February 2025
Who can apply: Constituted not-for-profit groups such as community associations, charities and community interest companies as long as the have a turnover of less than £400,000. Uniformed groups (Scouts, Guides etc.) are not eligible to apply
Size of grant available: Up to £3,000 per year for two years
Priorities: Grants for projects and activities that:

Benefit young people aged 11-25 years old
Support those in a position of economic disadvantage (ie, care leavers, those experiencing homelessness, young carers, young parents, refugees, and young people at risk of or with experience of the criminal justice system)
Empower young people to fulfill their potential and build a positive future by providing spaces that allow them to feel safe and secure, helping them unlock talent, build life skills, provide mentoring, and improve their chances to gain meaningful employment
Empower all young people to fulfill their potential and build a positive future
Will demonstrate positive results within 12 months of the receipt of funding

How to apply: There is a two-stage application process:

Expression of interest: Applicants should first submit a two-minute video about their organisation and complete an expression of interest form, via the link on the KFC Foundation’s website
Successful groups will be notified of their outcome and invited to complete a full application

Guidance notes are available on the KFC Foundation’s website.

Naturesave Trust

Deadline: 27th February 2025
Who can apply: Any type of not-for-profit organisation (like charities, community organisations, voluntary groups and social enterprises) as long as they are entirely based in the UK and have a website or social media presence
Size of grant available: Up to £5,000
Priorities: Funding supports small environmental projects across the UK. The latest round of funding is targeted towards projects and initiatives that actively promote sustainable and eco-friendly approaches to travel and transport. The funders are looking to support the following types of projects:

Vehicles – clean fuel, batteries or both. This can include electric vehicles, hybrid power systems and fuel cells
Infrastructure – such as public transportation systems
Energy source – using renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels like coal
Activity – walking, cycling or using a scooter instead of driving

How to apply: Full guidelines and application are available on the Naturesave Trust website.

Kelly Family Charitable Trust

Deadline: 1st March 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities only
Size of grant available: Grants usually in the region of £5,000
Priorities: Funding is for charities to support initiatives that encourage families to work together to overcome challenges. The overall objective is to reinforce the potential benefit and support that family members as a unit can give to each other. The three principal areas that the charity wishes to support are:

Interventions that support families and help them in ways that prevent the fracture of the family unit, eg relationship counseling, mediation
Families where sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence, alcohol abuse and drugs abuse threaten the integrity of the family unit
Prisoners and in particular their families, during and after the period of imprisonment

Applications are also considered for core funding from relatively new organisations seeking to become established
How to apply: Application forms are available to download from the funder’s website and should be returned by email along with the organisation’s latest annual accounts
Further deadline: 1st September.

Henry Smith Charity – Holiday Grants for Children

Deadline: 19th March 2025
Who can apply: Not-for-profit organisations like youth groups and charities
Size of grant available: Up to £2,800
Priorities: The Charity aims to provide children aged 13 years or younger who are disadvantaged, disabled or from areas of high deprivation with a short recreational holiday or outing they would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience. The funder’s three main priorities are as follows:

Increasing resilience: Empowering people, encouraging integration and personal independence, helping people to recover and move on
Creating opportunities and life chances: Raising aspiration – equipping people with new skills, unlocking and enabling potential, and providing the means to improve life circumstances
Empowering communities: Strengthening and connecting communities and making people feel valued, providing opportunities for social connections and relationships, encouraging participation and inclusion

Applications can be made for grants towards a single trip, which could be a day trip or a longer residential of up to seven days in length. This could be to a countryside or city location but must be outside the children’s immediate locality and in the UK. Day trips should not involve a disproportionate amount of time spent travelling. The funders will consider trips which are more local but these should have an emphasis on providing a new experience for the children and broadening their horizons. Examples include camping, trips to adventure activity centres or the seaside
How to apply: An online application form and a set of guidelines can be found on the funder’s website. This fund is open for applications three times a year and accept applications based on when the trip is happening. The next rounds are:

2 December 2024–19 March 2025 (for trips taking place 13 January–30 April 2025)
20 March 2025–21 July 2025 (for trips taking place 1 May–31 August 2025)
22 July–19 November 2025 (for trips taking place 1 September–31 December 2025)

Children’s Alliance

Who can apply: Any type of constituted not-for-profit including community groups, charities and social enterprises
Size of grant available: Up to £15,000
Priorities: Grants are available to give children and young people under the age of 18 access to water for learning, developing and playing. The objective of the programme is to give essential life skills and build children’s confidence and resilience, both physically and emotionally through water-based activities. Priority will be given to grassroots initiatives delivering water based projects for disadvantaged children. The Children’s Alliance is committed to supporting:

Free swimming lessons and swim nappies for children who need them
Online learning to teach valuable life skills for parents and children
Water splash areas to encourage play as well as water confidence and safety

Examples of previously supported projects include:

Swimwear for five inner city schools in Birmingham for Muslim children
Ongoing hydrotherapy sessions for severely disabled children
Surf therapy to support 50 children in North Yorkshire with their mental health
Over 400 swimming sessions for disabled children
Swimming lessons for children with AS or ADHD, aged between seven to eleven
Water-based messy play session for babies and toddlers

How to apply: Applications can be submitted at any time and are considered twice a year in March and September. An application form is available to download from the Children’s Alliance website and once completed should be submitted by email.

Barchester Healthcare Foundation

Who can apply: Although most funding is awarded to individuals, small community groups and small local charities can also apply
Size of grant available: Up to £2,500
Priorities: Grants to help small community groups and local charities with the following:

Activity projects
Equipment and materials for use by members
Member transport
Day trips, outings and group holidays in the UK

Priority will be given to innovative projects that help older people and those with a disability to get active, meet people, and reduce isolation
How to apply: Guidance notes, FAQs and the online application form are available on the Barchester Healthcare Foundation website.

Bernard Sunley Foundation

Who can apply: Registered charities as uniformed youth groups, housing associations and registered community benefit societies
Size of grant available: The Foundation offers three levels of grants:

Large grants of £20,000 and above
Medium grants of up to £20,000
Small grants of £5,000 and under

Priorities: The funding is for one-off capital projects (not running costs) such as purchase of leaseholds, new buildings, major refurbishments and transport. Rented premises must have a lease of at least 10 years remaining. Applications for transport should be for new, not used, vehicles. Applications are invited under the following themes:

Community: Grants are awarded 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. Also funded are the purchase of new minibuses that assist those most in need in their local communities
Education: The Foundation supports improvements and new facilities at special needs schools and the purchase of new, adapted minibuses that benefit children with special needs and disabilities. Also funded are educational nature centres and to new education and learning centres at museums, galleries and other arts organisations
Health: The Foundation supports building and refurbishment projects, specialist new transport and the creation of outdoor or recreational spaces for care homes, hospices, day centres and other facilities that provide relief and sanctuary for patients, their families and those with special needs. The emphasis is on helping charities that are providing an excellent standard of care and support within their communities
Social Welfare: The Foundation supports projects for veterans, the elderly, ex-offenders and those in prison and schemes that enable people with mental and physical disabilities to live fuller lives in the community.

How to apply: Visit the Bernard Sunley Foundation website for full guidelines, FAQs and the application form.

BT Group Apprenticeship Fund

Who can apply: Small and medium enterprises, charities and public sector organisations
Size of grant available: Discretionary
Priorities: The BT Group Apprenticeship Fund aims to support SMEs, charities, and public sector organisations across England by providing access to £4 million in apprenticeship funding over four years. The Fund is designed to support up to 550 apprentices, focussing particularly on developing digital skills. It can also support organisations that want to improve the skills of their current workforces. The programme also seeks to promote local economic growth, reduce the digital divide, and enhance social mobility by providing fast access to apprenticeship funding for smaller organisations. It aims to help develop local skills and create opportunities for businesses and individuals alike. Organisations will be matched with appropriate training providers and guided through the application process. Successful applicants will be provided with access to funded apprenticeship training within 20 days, subject to meeting funding criteria
How to apply: For further information and the application form, visit the BT Group Apprenticeship Fund website.

Rayne Foundation

Who can apply: Constituted not-for-profit organisations including community groups, charities and community interest companies
Size of grant available: Grants are typically £10,000-£30,000 per year for up to three years
Priorities: The Rayne Foundation’s open grants programme is focused exclusively on its areas of special interest:

Children and young people’s improved mental health and wellbeing – the Foundation prioritises work that:
- Supports early childhood (0-5 years including the perinatal period) with family/carer interventions that aim to reduce the impact of early childhood trauma
- Supports the care-experienced, those on the edge of care, or leaving care, with interventions that prioritise improved mental health and wellbeing
Refugees and asylum seekers – the Foundation prioritises work that:
- Creates significant new opportunities relating to employability, entrepreneurial endeavours and personal development for refugees and asylum seekers
- Supports the mental health of survivors of torture
- Open to arts and creative endeavours which actively encourage building community between migrants and the wider community

As well as being within one of its priority areas, the proposed work must meet the following essential criteria:

Approaches issues differently and enables innovation
Has potential for wider application beyond the funded proposal
Is informed by direct delivery and has a clear, positive impact on people’s lives
Can demonstrate match-funding contributions to the project

And ideally the following three desirable criteria:

Enables and encourages collaboration between sectors and silos
Develops best practice and captures learnings to share with others
Adds to sector expertise and leadership

How to apply: There is a two-stage application process. Applicants must first complete the online expression of interest form on the Foundation’s website. Successful expressions of interest will then be invited to complete a full application. A typical grant application takes 4–6 months to complete.

Energy Resilience Fund

NB: This is a mix of grant (40%) and loan finance (60%)
Who can apply: Incorporated not-for-profit organisations and charities (such as companies limited by guarantee, community interest companies, charitable incorporated organisations and registered community benefit societies with minimum turnover of £100,000
Size of grant available: Funding of £25,000 to £250,000 is available via a blend of grants (40%) and loans (60%). The loan repayment term is one to ten years. Loans have a 2.5% arrangement fee and an interest rate of 8.5% fixed per annum
Priorities: The Energy Resilience Fund provides eligible charities and social enterprises in England with a blended funding package of loan (60%) and grant (40%) to improve their energy resilience. They may need this support for many different reasons, for example reduced carbon emissions, energy cost savings, upgrading energy efficiency ratings to meet future regulations, increased use or comfort of buildings, replacing older vehicles and equipment with modern energy efficient versions. The funds can be used for:

Installing energy-saving measures or generation technology to buildings or land (including new builds)
Purchasing energy-efficient or environmentally friendly vehicles or equipment

This includes paying for a wide range of aspects that may be required to successfully undertake the projects, and can include but is not limited to:

Capital costs
Labour costs
Project management costs
Revenue losses from disruption
Building management systems
Training in buildings management for staff
Contingency

How to apply: An online application form is available on the Social Investment Business website.