May’s funding news

Welcome to May’s funding update.

This update is split into two parts. Section A features funders with upcoming deadlines. You’ll find funders with a local or regional focus first, and national funders second. The funders are listed in order of deadline date, soonest first.

Section B features funders who welcome applications at any time. Again, you’ll find funders with a local or regional focus first, and national funders second.

Many grants to support groups and individuals with the cost-of-living crisis have now closed. You will find those that our still open in our previous funding update.

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. Get in quick – deadlines are coming up!
1. Funders with a local / regional interest

Bentley Advancing Life Chances Small Grants Programme

Deadline: 23rd June 2023
Who can apply: Charities, CICs and constituted voluntary and community groups within 20 miles of a Bentley location (nearest is Birmingham, postcode B24 9HF)
Size of grant available: £150-£500
Priorities: To support organisations working with vulnerable people, disadvantaged and under-represented communities. The programme’s areas of focus are:   

• Access – Remove the barriers and improve access to services, education and employability 
• Empowerment – Development of the life skills that enable people to be more self-confident, successful and thrive in life 
• Quality of Life – Provide support to live a healthier life both physically and mentally 
• Better Future – Safeguarding the environment, improving nature-deprived areas, drive improvement to ‘place’ and boosting community spirit   

How to apply: Guidance and a link to the online application form can be found on the Bentley website 

Baron Davenport’s Charity

Deadline: 15^th September 2023
Who can apply: Grants are awarded to charitable organisations within 60 miles of Birmingham Town Hall for special projects, equipment and running costs for alms houses, hospices, residential homes for older people, children’s charities, and individuals in need
Size of grant available: Discretionary
Priorities: The Charity awards grants in the following categories:

• Alms houses, hospices, and residential homes for older people
• Organisations for the benefit of children/young people (under 25 years of age)
• Organisations supporting older people
• Single woman and mothers living alone, and fatherless children

How to apply: There are two rounds of funding each year. The deadlines for applications each year are as follows:

• 15 March for consideration in spring
• 15 September for consideration in autumn

Applicants must register online with the charity before applying for a grant. An application form is available to complete at the Charity’s website

Cole Charitable Trust

Deadline: 29^th September 2023
Who can apply: Applications will be considered from small and local registered charities based in the Greater Birmingham area (as opposed to regional or national charities). Charities are expected to have safeguarding policies in place. Local branches of a national charities may apply if they hold their own accounts and have an annual income below £1.5 million
Size of grant available: up to £2,500
Priorities: The funder will support projects 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

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

 Saintbury Trust

Deadline: 30^th September 2023
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. Dudley groups must be based within the DY1, DY2 or DY4 postcode areas
Size of grant available: Discretionary
Priorities: The trustees have a particular interest in the following:

• The arts
• Heritage
• The environment
• 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.

2. National funders 

Learning Through Landscapes – Local School Nature Grants Scheme

Deadline: 9^th June 2023
Who can 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: Up to £500
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

 Hedley Foundation

Deadline: 14^th June 2023
Who can apply: Small to mid-sized registered charities only
Size of grant available: The size of grant is at the discretion of the trustees, but

• Typically, grants of up to £5,000 are regularly made and occasional larger sums are given to charities where high impact can be achieved
• Smaller charities may receive smaller grants of £250 upwards

Priorities: The Foundation supports the following:

• Youth: to help disadvantaged young people, supporting youth projects through education, the arts, sport and adventurous activities
• Disabled: to improve the quality of life of those with a mental or physical disability
• The elderly and terminally ill: to improve the quality of life of the elderly and those receiving end of life care
• Miscellaneous support: other social welfare projects such as those for carers, the homeless and ex-offenders

How to apply: Applications are considered at trustee meetings which are held four times a year. The next meeting is 26 July 2023. Submissions should be received at least six weeks before the meeting. An application form can be downloaded from the Foundation’s website. Additional information to be submitted includes:

• A copy of the most recent set of audited accounts
• A breakdown of the costs demonstrating how the grant will be spent
• The anticipated outcomes/impact and who/how many people will benefit

Completed application forms should be sent by post to the Foundation

 Community Business Trade Up Programme

Deadline: 26^th June 2023
Who can apply: Community businesses in England are eligible to apply, including:

• Charitable incorporated organisations
• Community benefit societies
• Community interest companies
• Companies limited by guarantee
• Companies limited by shares
• Co-operative societies
• Charitable trusts
• Charitable unincorporated associations

Size of grant available: £5,000
Priorities: In general, the programme is for early-stage businesses in England, ideally less than four years old, that are working towards these criteria:

• Locally rooted – i.e., existing to benefit the local neighbourhood, village, or town
• Accountable to the local community – i.e., consulting and communicating with local people about what they do
• Trading for the benefit of the local community – i.e., wanting to increase their income from trading, with profits being re-invested to benefit the local community
• Making a broad community impact – i.e., engaging different groups of people from the local area

There is particular interest in supporting community businesses which are:

• Led by a board or team who are mostly from a racialised and minoritized community
• Led by a board or team who are mostly young people (aged 16-35)
• Located in and giving support to very deprived or disadvantaged local communities

How to apply: The online application form and guidance notes can be accessed by registering on the School for Social Entrepreneurs website

The Adamson Trust

Deadline: 30^th June 2023
Who can apply: Applications are accepted from individual families and on behalf of groups of children, registered charities, and other organisations
Charities and other organisations must provide a copy of their latest audited accounts in addition to other information. There must be evidence of a disability from a medical or social services professional
Size of grants available: Discretionary
Priorities: The funding supports organisations and registered charities that provide assistance with the cost of holidays or respite breaks for disabled children (aged 3 to 17 years) with physical, mental, or emotional impairments
How to apply: Application forms can be found on the Trust’s website

 Artemis Charitable Foundation

Deadline: 30^th June 2023
Who can apply: Registered charities operating both in the UK and internationally can apply. Priority will be given to small-and-medium-sized charities with an income of between £100,000 and £1 million per annum. Organizations must have been running for a minimum of three years to apply
Size of grants available: up to £5,000
Priorities: Unrestricted funding is available for projects in the following key areas:

• Health
• Education
• Poverty
• Environment

Preference will be given to projects that are innovative and can be scaled up or replicated.

How to apply: Applicants must provide:

• A covering letter
• A brief proposal
• Basic financial information, including a summary of income and expenditure from their latest annual accounts

Completed applications must be submitted by email. Guidance notes are available from the Artemis Charitable Foundation website

 Fat Beehive Foundation

Deadline: 30^th June 2023
Who can apply: UK registered charities with an annual average income of less than £400,000 may apply
Size of grant available: £2,500
Priorities: The funding is intended to support the creation of websites or digital products that enable small charities to carry out their work in a more efficient and effective way, resulting in positive social benefit. During the current funding round, priority will be given to charities working in the field of human rights
How to apply:  Applicants will need to provide at least one quote as part of the application process, which will be assessed by Fat Beehive Foundation, to ensure value for money and the realistic prospect of development. All applications will be subject to an initial assessment to ensure they meet the basic criteria for funding. Contact Fat Beehive Foundation for further information

 UnLtd – Awards for Social Entrepreneurs

Deadline: 30^th June 2023
Who can apply: Applications will be accepted from social entrepreneurs aged 16 and over who are living in the UK and who are the founder of the social business. The social entrepreneur must:

• Have identified a social issue and developed a business model that works to solve it
• Be committed to, and have a track record of, delivering local, regional, or national social impact at scale
• Be experienced, ambitious and capable of growing their venture
• Have a realistic growth plan
• Be committed to working full-time in their social venture

The social venture must:

• Be at least one year old and less than four years old
• Have a turnover of less than £250,000 in their last financial year
• Be dynamic and ready to grow to local, regional, or national scale and have a logical and appropriate plan to deliver this
• Have a compelling performance to date and/or a logical and appropriate plan for rapid growth to reach local, regional, or national scale
• Not solely exist to secure investment in the year ahead
• Target beneficiaries predominantly based in the UK

UnLtd is committed to 50% of its awards going to Black, Asian and minority ethnic social entrepreneurs, and/or disabled social entrepreneurs across its funding programmes
Size of grant available: £18,000
Priorities: The funding is intended to support social entrepreneurs by helping them   nurture their social ventures and grow their impact
How to apply: Guidance notes and the online application form can be found on the UnLtd website

C. No deadlines
1. Funders with a local / regional interest  

The Harry Payne Fund

Who can apply: Applications are accepted from registered charities, CICs and voluntary and community groups with a constitution
Size of grant available: £250 to £2,000
Priorities: The fund aims to:

• Help those who are disadvantaged
• Helping smaller causes where modest donations can make a difference
• The funding can be used for a wide range of projects and activities. The fund will support core costs

How to apply: The application form is available to complete on the Heart of England Community Foundation website

 Edward Cadbury 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: £500 – £10,000
Priorities: The Trust intends to support general charitable purposes and is primarily focused on supporting the local voluntary sector in the Midlands region. The Trust provides grants in these main areas:

• arts and culture
• community projects and integration
• compassionate support, conservation, and environment
• interfaith and multifaith relations
• education and training
• research

How to apply: Applications can be submitted online 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

Grimmit Trust

Who can apply: Registered charities and other charitable organisations based and working in Birmingham City, Dudley, Walsall, Solihull and Wolverhampton can apply
Size of grant available: £3,000
Priorities: Grants are awarded to support a wide variety of community projects in and around Birmingham including, but not limited to, the following areas:

•             Arts/culture/heritage
•             Science
•             Economic/community development (including the prevention or relief of poverty)
•             Employment
•             Education/training
•             Environment/conservation
•             Human rights
•             Religious or racial harmony
•             Equality and diversity
•             Health/saving of lives
•             Children/young people
•             Older people
•             General charitable purposes

How to apply: Applications can be made at any time and must be made in writing to the Secretary at the Grimmitt Trust. The Trust does not maintain a website or a formal application form. Contact them at admin@grimmitt-trust.org.uk or by phoning 07576195955

2. National funders 

BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials

Who can apply: Applications must be made through an organisation that is supporting a family or young person and is capable of assessing their needs, and that can also administer the grant
Size of grant available: Up to £300
Priorities: This programme provides items for the most basic needs of vulnerable children and young people who may be:

• Living in severe poverty and suffering deprivation as a result
• Affected by additional social issues such as domestic abuse, substance misuse, estrangement, disability or serious illness, mental health or behavioural difficulties, abuse, or neglect

The support is for the following:

• Children aged under 18 years who are experiencing a crisis or emergency.
• UK or EU citizens who are normally resident in the UK.
• Where the child or young person’s family do not have access to support and have insufficient resources to meet their needs.
• Where a child or young person’s family are experiencing poverty or destitution or are in receipt of a means tested benefits.
• Where vulnerable low income families have been affected by the recent severe floods.

Consideration may be given where a child or young person, or their family, have an asylum application under assessment or in circumstances where residency criteria is not consistent across the family unit. Due to the high demand for BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials grants, only one application per household within a 12 month period will be accepted. The application for each household will take into account the needs of all children under the one application, it does not mean only one child per household can be supported

Types of costs covered: Funding is available for critical household items as follows:

• Electric cookers
• Furniture, kitchen equipment and small appliances
• Clothing
• Baby equipment
• Fridges and freezers
• Washing machines
• Tumble dryers
• Children’s beds and bedding, including cots
• Support may also be available for vulnerable low income families have been affected by the recent severe floods

How to apply: The guidance notes and online application form can be found on the Family Fund Business Services website

The Francis Winham Foundation

Who can apply: Eligible organisations must have registered charity status or have charitable aims which are compatible with the charitable objectives of the Trust and which are exempt from the requirement for charitable registration
Size of grant available: Discretionary
Priorities: Grants are intended to support charitable organisations undertaking social welfare projects for elderly people
How to apply: The Francis Winham Foundation does not maintain a website. Groups should write to the Trust for further information on how to apply: Mrs J Winham, Francis Winham Foundation, 18 Gilston Road, London, SW10 9SR / Tel: 0207 795 1261 / Email: francinetrust@outlook.com

The GD Charitable Trust

Who can apply: UK registered charities based and working in England and Wales
Size of grant available: Discretionary
Priorities: The scheme is intended to support charitable organisations undertaking projects with the following themes:

• The relief of animal suffering
• The preservation of the environment
• The promotion of equal opportunities for disabled people
• The relief of the homeless.

How to apply: The G D Charitable Trust does not maintain a website or an email address. Groups should write to the Trust for further information on how to apply. Write to: Jonathan Brinsden, The G D Charitable Trust, Bircham Dyson Bell, 50 Broadway, Westminster, London, SW1H 0BL / Tel: 0207 227 7000