March's funding news

Welcome to March’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

Hays Travel Foundation

Who can apply: Registered charities operating in area where Hays Travel has a branch (Stourbridge and Halesowen)
Size of grant available: £2,000-£15,000. The average grant size is £3,500
Priorities: Applicant organisations must be working to help young people (up to 25 years) in at least one of the following areas:

Education
Prevention of poverty
Health
Arts, culture or sports

How to apply: Applications can be made at any time and are considered at periodic trustees meetings. Due to the high volume of applications, the funder recommends groups request funding for projects starting in late 2025/2026. An online application form is available on the funder’s website.

Bernard Piggott Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Registered charities operating in the Greater Birmingham area, including Dudley borough
Size of grant available: Previous grants have been in the range of £250 and £5,000
Priorities: Funding is for projects that address the following areas:

Elderly
Care
Youth
Education
Theatre/arts
Heritage/buildings
Faith
Community
Health/medical
Disabilities
People
Poverty
Animal welfare
Environment

How to apply: Applications can be submitted at anytime and are considered twice a year by the Trust in May / June and in November / December. An online application form is available on the funder’s website.

Anthony and Gwendoline Wylde Memorial Charity

Who can apply: Charitable organisations based in Dudley and Staffordshire. In Dudley borough there is preference for the Stourbridge area
Size of grant available: Mostly small grants up to £1,000
Priorities: The funder favours community or social projects and is particularly interested in projects that support further educational needs
How to apply: Guidance and application packs are available on the funder’s website. Applications must be submitted by email or post.

B. National Funders

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.

National Grid Community Matters Fund – Future Skills

Deadline: 23rd April 2025
Who can apply: The following types of organisations may apply:

Registered charities.
Non-profit companies limited by guarantee.
Constituted charitable organisations with no charity number.

Organisations must be based and projects must be delivered in the National Grid’s electricity distribution area in one of the following regions:

East Midlands.
West Midlands.
South West England.
South Wales.

Applicants can confirm they are eligible by using the National Grid postcode checker
Size of grant available: A total of £250,000 is available for this round.

There are two funding levels:

Grants of up to £5,000 for registered charities or non-profit companies limited by guarantee.
Grants of up to £2,000 for constituted charitable organisations with no charity number.

All projects must be completed and funding spent by 31 October 2025.
Priorities: The Spring 2025 funding aims to support groups that deliver focussed programmes to develop the practical skills and improve employability levels for people furthest from the job market.

This round (Future Skills) is committed to supporting key groups that would most benefit from assistance, including:

Youth (16-25, not in full time education)
People from ethnic minority backgrounds
People with health conditions or disabilities
Armed forces veterans
Ex-offenders
People returning to work after a long-term absence.

How to apply: Applications open on 19 March and close on 23 April 2025 (17:00).

Full guidelines and an online application form can be found on the Localgiving website.

Contact Localgiving for more information.

Home Instead Charities

Deadline: 30th April 2025
Who can apply: Small community groups and charities that support people aged 55 and over
Size of grant available: Up to £500 for small community groups | Up to £1,500 for registered charities
Priorities: The funding is intended to support local community events that enhance and enrich the lives of people over the age of 55 to combat loneliness and sometimes isolation ensuring they stay fit, active, healthy and connected and contributing to their local communities. Grants are for wellbeing activities and projects that benefit people aged over 55 years and reduce social isolation and/or loneliness. Funding can be used for:

Regular weekly or monthly events and activities such as weekly cinema club, weekly knit and natter or Thursday lunch club
One off activities such as a day trip or a Christmas lunch
Activities such as yoga or a guest speaker for the group such as a local historian

How to apply: Applicants should complete the online form on the Home Instead Charities website. Small registered charities must attach their governing document and last set of accounts to their application.

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.

Leathersellers’ Company

Deadline: 30th April 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities only. To be eligible organisations must:

Deliver activities to meet an identified need for vulnerable people in their community
Have a planned expenditure of under £200,000 during the financial year in which they are applying for funding
Have at least one year’s published accounts

The funder is looking for organisations that:

Understand the needs of their local community
Are open and transparent about their work and finances
Are working in partnership with others

Size of grant available: The following funding is available:

Small Grants Programme grants of up to £5,000
Main Grants Programme unrestricted grant (core costs) of between £20,000 and £25,000 per year for a period of up to four years

Priorities:

Small Grants Programme:
- One-off grants can be used to support the activities of small UK registered charities that are currently supporting vulnerable people and working in geographical areas of high deprivation in the UK
- There will be 8 application rounds, with submissions accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and the total number capped at 40 per round
Main Grants Programme:
- Applications are invited from charities that work to prevent the occurrence of and/or support recovery from adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) by providing services to children and young people and/or adult survivors in recovery. The term ACEs is used to recognise traumatic events that occur during childhood that can have a significant impact on a person’s physical, emotional and mental health throughout their life. Examples include:
  - Abuse – physical, sexual or psychological/emotional
  - Neglect – physical or psychological/emotional
  - Domestic abuse
  - Substance misuse by a close family member
  - Mental illness of a close family member
  - Having a close family member serve time in prison
  - Parental or caregiver separation or divorce on account of relationship breakdown
- Charities should use a a trauma-informed approach and evidence-based interventions. The foundation recognises that some communities suffer from a greater likelihood of ACEs due to systemic barriers. It welcomes applications from charities who support under-represented groups

How to apply:

Main Grants Programme: The 2025 application round is expected to open to expressions of interest from 26 March 2025 to 30 April 2025 (5pm). The foundation expects to make 15–20 multi-year grants
Small Grants Programme: The fund is a rolling funding programme. The next application window will open 31 March 2025 (10am). There are 8 application windows throughout the year. Submissions are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. As soon as 40 applications have been received, applications will close for the round. (This can occur with one hour of the application window opening.) Applicants who have started an application form and then find that the maximum applications have been reached can save a draft and return to the application when the next round opens.

Applications are made using the online application form on the Leathersellers’ Company website.

Congregational and General Charitable Trust Grants

Deadline: 1st May 2025
Who can apply: All churches of the Protestant tradition in the UK, but particularly those of the United Reformed and Congregational denominations
Size of grant available: Grants will range between £1,000 and £25,000 at the discretion of the funder
Priorities: Funding is normally for church capital projects involving building work: repairs, improvements or extensions. Applications will also be considered from church community projects for funding towards capital costs (but not for ongoing work). The trust encourages churches to take professional advice (eg from architects, quantity surveyors, site management) in preparing for and undertaking building projects. These costs can be included in the total project costs when applying for a grant
How to apply: An application form and guidance are available on the Trust’s website. Applications should be submitted by email to admin@candgtrust.org.uk.

Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation

Deadline: 1st May 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities that have been operating for at least three years
Size of grant available: Up to £10,000
Priorities: The will give grants under the following themes:

Access a place to call home. Projects should help people to have:
- Access and support into a safe and secure permanent or temporary place to call home. The funder wants to support charities that enable people most in need to live independently
- Access and support into a safe and secure home in times of crisis. Enabling people into temporary accommodation in emergency situations such as homelessness or a health crisis
- Access to a safe and secure place in the community. When ‘home’ doesn’t feel like home – people need somewhere to go to receive appropriate help and wellbeing support. For some people a community centre, charity hub or simply a safe space feels like home, so the funder wants to make sure these services continue to thrive
Improve financial wellbeing. Projects should help people to have:
- The support needed to prevent and/or address financial difficulty. Support for charities who provide help and guidance on how to manage money and improve financial wellbeing
- Access to financial education. Support for charities whose work will support financial independence and education
- Better digital competence to enable financial wellbeing. Support for charities who support people to navigate the digital world especially where it relates to managing money

For both focus areas, priority will be given to charities supporting people in the top 50% of the UK Index of Multiple Deprivation
How to apply: The online application form can be found on the Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation website
Further deadline: 31st October 2025.

Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales – Racial Equity Programme

Deadline: 29th May 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities and CICs with annual income between £25,000 and £500,000. Applicant organisations must have a track record of supporting racial minoritised communities and be led by and working for communities experiencing inequity because of their race or ethnicity: at least 75% of their Directors/Trustees, and at least 50% of staff self-identify as belonging to the communities being supported
Size of grant available: Unrestricted grants of £75,000 over three years (£25,000 per year), alongside tailored development support, are available
Priorities: The funding is for organisations that are led by the communities they serve and alongside providing immediate crisis support and working with people over the longer term to help them break free from poverty and achieve their potential. Unrestricted funding to help deliver services. Applicants must be delivering their services in the following way:

In-depth services – delivering a range of services supporting individuals through a structured pathway over a prolonged period. This could include services to overcome immediate needs but will also lead to longer-term support
Trusted relationships or partnerships
Person-centred services and personal plans – support for charities that structure their support around each individual, focusing on their strengths while meeting their needs and helping them to overcome the barriers they are experiencing

How to apply: The guidance notes and all other relevant documents can be found on the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales website. A live webinar will be held on 3 April 2025 (10:30 to 12noon). Register here to access the webinar.

Military Order of the Collar Foundation

Who can apply: Registered charities and other not-for-profit organisations which benefit disadvantaged people
Size of grant available: At the discretion of the trustees
Priorities: The scheme is intended to support organisations undertaking projects which aim to help those who are in need. In particular, the scheme wishes to support projects with the following themes:

Relief and prevention of poverty
Relief of sickness
Advancing education
Religion
Preservation of good health, saving lives
General charitable purposes
Overseas aid and famine relief
Accommodation and housing

In particular, the welfare of children and the emergency services sector are supported by the Foundation
How to apply: The application process is ongoing and interested applicants may apply at any time. Applications should be made in writing and be accompanied by the annual accounts and referees. Further guidance is available on the funder’s website.

Benefact Trust – Community Impact Fund

Who can apply: Churches, cathedrals, denominational bodies, Christian charities, schools, and theological educational institutions with a clear Christian ethos
Size of grant available: The grant size is at the funder’s discretion, but multi-year grants up to a maximum of three years are available
Priorities: This fund aims to support Christian organisations to deliver projects that will make a positive and transformative impact on lives and communities. Funding is available under the following programme areas:

Growing congregations and Christian communities – Projects that focus on growing church congregations and communities across all ages, including:
- Outreach and wider engagement focused on mission, growth, and faith development
- Projects aiming to engage more young people with faith and the church community
- Delivery of training programmes focused on faith development
- Church planting projects
- Construction of new chapels for hospices or other charities
Addressing social challenges facing communities – Projects focusing on the following types of issues:
- Food poverty
- Debt/financial issues
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Children and families
- Young people
- NEET (not in education, employment or training)
- Older people’s needs
- Homelessness
- Refugees & asylum seekers
- Offenders / ex-offenders
- Addiction/substance misuse
- People with disabilities
- Modern Slavery/human trafficking
- Inclusion
Enabling wider community use of church buildings – Projects that result in a clear increase in the use of church buildings by the wider community beyond the immediate congregation, such as:
- Redevelopment, expansion, or improvement projects resulting in new or improved facilities for wider community use
- Work that includes the provision of disabled access, facilities, or equipment
- Other activities or resources to support a sustainable transition to increased community use
Schools and educational institutions – For schools and theological educational institutions with a clear Christian ethos, the following types of projects will be considered:
- New spaces or facilities to improve collective worship or spiritual reflection among students (eg chapels, outdoor worship spaces, prayer gardens, etc)
- Repairs/refurbishment of a chapel or other worship space used by students for worship or spiritual reflection

Applicants are expected to have secured at least 30% of their total project costs before applying
How to apply: Guidance notes and an online application form are available from the Benefact Trust website
Other funding programmes from this funder: Benefact Trust has a range of other funding programmes for churches and other Christian charities. To see the full range, visit: www.benefacttrust.co.uk/grants

Anton Jurgens Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Registered charities that have been registered with the Charity Commission for at least three years
Size of grant available: Up to £10,000
Priorities: The funder will consider projects that can demonstrate that they will benefit people who are socially excluded and / or disabled
How to apply: The funder only accepts applications that are submitted via the online form available on its website.

Cuthbert Horn Trust

Who can apply: Voluntary and community organisations
Size of grant available: Grants tend to be in the region of £4,000
Priorities: The scheme is intended to support charitable organisations undertaking general charitable purposes. Previous grants have been for a range of activities such as conservation, education, environmental protection, help for disadvantaged children, music, research and transport
How to apply: The Trust does not have a website or a formal application form. Applications should be made in writing with details of the project to: Ian Woodhouse, Cuthbert Horn Trust, Arnold Hill & Co, Craven House, 16 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5AP | Tel: 020 7306 9100 | Email: ian.woodhouse@arnoldhill.co.uk

Dischma Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Registered charities only
Size of grant available: £1,000-£3,000
Priorities: The funding is for work in the following areas:

Wildlife and conservation
General medical, mental health and disability
Children and youth welfare
General
Elderly welfare
The Arts, theatres and museums
Animal welfare
Homelessness

How to apply: The Trust does not have a website or a standard application form. Applications must be made in writing. There are no restrictions on the length of the application. Send an application to: Stephanie Williams, Dischma Charitable Trust, Rathbones Trust Company Limited, 30 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7QN | Tel: 0207 399 0000 | Email: stephanie.williams@rathbones.com