May's funding news - Dudley CVS

Welcome to May’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

Severn Trent Community Fund – New Project Funding

Deadline: 31st July 2025 for applications between £20,001 and £100,000 and 31st August for applications between £2,000 and £20,000
Who can apply: Any kind of constituted not-for-profit organisation, including voluntary and community groups, charities and CICs can apply for the smaller grant. Only registered charities or registered companies can apply for the larger grant
Size of grant available: Two levels of grants are:

£2,000-£20,000
£20,001-£100,000

Priorities: The funding is for local projects, charities and community groups across the Severn Trent region to improve community wellbeing, linked to at least one of these three elements:

People – projects that support healthier lifestyles and skills development.
Place – projects that help create better places for communities.
Environment – projects that look after the natural environment, rivers and water.

There is also interest in applications for projects that have a connection to water (although not essential). This might mean creating sustainable drainage, installing grey water recycling or creating water efficient green spaces. The funding can be used for both capital and revenue projects as long as the project can evidence it will be sustained
How to apply: The criteria and full details of how to make an application are given in the guidelines which can be downloaded from the Severn Trent website.

Enovert Community Trust

Deadline: 5th Septmber 2025
Who can apply: Not-for-profit organisations such as charities, CICs, constituted community organisations located within 10 miles of the landfill site operated by Enovert Limited in Kingswinford
Size of grant available: There is no fixed maximum grant value, however the Trust give a figure of £50,000 as a guide. The Trust requires all applicants to secure 10% independent third party funding (e.g. for a grant of £20,000 a third party must be found who will be willing to contribute £2,000 to Enovert Management Ltd to reimburse it for the tax credit)
Priorities: Funding for capital and environmental projects in community spaces. This includes improving community halls, the creation of new play areas and skate parks, and restoring green spaces. Before applying, applicants must:

Have secured all permissions and consents required for the project before submitting their application
Be able to deliver their project within six months of receiving a grant

How to Apply: Application forms and guidelines can be found on the Enovert Trust website.

Harry Payne Fund

Who can apply: Registered charities and constituted community groups with annual turnover less than £500,000
Size of grant available: Up to £2,000
Priorities: The funding is aimed at community and social welfare projects taking place in Birmingham and within a 25-mile radius of the city centre. 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 as well as specific projects. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate evidence of need and – particularly in the case of project finance – where the balance of the required funding is coming from
How to apply: Further guidance and the application form are available on the Heart of England Community Foundation website.

West Midlands – Access Programme

Who can apply: Social enterprises and charities based in specified areas of the West Midlands. To be eligible, organisations must be seeking to diversify and root their service models in enterprise activity. They must be providing one or more of the following critical services:

Food and emergency supplies (e.g., food and baby banks or the provision of hot meals, clothes or toiletries)
Emergency shelter (e.g., night shelters or other accommodation for people experiencing homelessness)
Safe spaces (e.g., domestic abuse services and youth services)
Warmth – warm rooms and spaces
Financial and housing advice – giving people advice because of the increased cost of living

Support available: Two types of funding are available:

Grants of between £5,000 and £7,500
Blended finance payments (combined loan and grant) of between £20,000 to £40,000. Grants can make up to 50% of the total blended finance payment

The repayment term for loans is 60 months and there is an arrangement fee of 5% of the loan value. The annual interest rate for loans is 9.75% (fixed)
Priorities: The programme is aimed at charities and social enterprises supporting people impacted by the cost-of-living crisis in the 30% most deprived areas of England. A combination of grants and loans are available to support charities and social enterprises in expanding their activities to meet rising demand from the cost-of-living crisis in the following areas of the West Midlands:

Coventry
Warwickshire
Birmingham
Solihull
Sandwell
Dudley
Wolverhampton
Walsall
Worcestershire
Staffordshire

How to apply: Applicants should complete the enquiry form on the Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust website to start the application process.

Dumbreck Charity

Who can apply: Registered charities based and working within the West Midlands
Size of grant available: Grants tend to range from £500 to £2,000. The average grant is £1,000
Priorities: The majority of grants are awarded for the following charitable purposes:

Animal welfare and conservation
Children’s welfare
Care of the elderly
Care of those who are physically or mentally disadvantaged
General medical
Social welfare

How to apply: Groups must apply in writing and include a copy of their accounts. Apply to: Enquiries, The Dumbreck Charity, 41 Sycamore Drive, Hollywood, Birmingham, B47 5QX | Tel: 07976848390.

Eveson Trust (West Midlands)

Who can apply: Registered charities supporting communities in the West Midlands, Hereford and Worcester
Size of grant available: The Trust supports activities which aim to support or relieve any of the following:

People with physical disabilities including visual and hearing impairment
People with special educational needs
People in need of support with their mental health (through a therapeutic programme)
Children and young people up to the age of 25 who are disadvantaged or disabled
Older people (aged 55 and over)
The homeless
Hospices
Hospitals (including NHS charities; charities working in hospitals; charities supporting patients enroute to hospital such as First Responders, Air Ambulance charities or ambulance charities; and charities supporting patients when they are discharged from hospital)

‘Disadvantaged’ children and young people refers to:

Children and young people living in poverty
Children and young people facing social disadvantage, perhaps due to the area they live in having a lack of facilities
Young carers
Bereaved children and young people
Children and young people in the care system or leaving the care system
Children and young people with a parent in prison
Children living in refuges
Child victims of sexual abuse
Children and young people at risk of gang exploitation
Young people in the justice system
Children and young people who are refugees or migrants

How to apply: The application form and guidance are available on the Eveson Trust website.

B. National Funders

Toy Trust

Deadline: 13th June 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities in support of disadvantaged children aged below 13 years.
Size of grant available: Generally up to £5,000
Priorities: The funding is intended for UK based children’s charities who are working for the benefit of disadvantaged children under the age of 13 years and their families
How to apply: Applications can be made at any time throughout the year and will be considered at the next Trustee meeting.

The following deadlines normally apply:

Mid February for the March meeting
Mid June for the July meeting
Mid August for the September meeting
Mid November for the December meeting

The online application form and application guidance can be found on the Toy Trust website.

Cycling UK – Big Bike Revival Grants Programme

Deadline: 14th June 2025
Who can apply: Any type of constituted not-for-profit, including community groups, charities and social enterprises
Size of grant available: Up to £3,500
Priorities: Funding is for projects that aim to encourage people who do not usually cycle to take up cycling. The fund will support events and activities that use the ‘fix-learn-ride’ model to provide sessions on fixing unused or broken bikes, learning sessions such as maintenance workshops or cycle training/upskilling, or offering low milage-led rides on local routes to build up the confidence of participants. Funding can be used for:

Staff costs, including paying for qualified professionals, bike mechanics, skilled ride leaders, or trained cycle instructors
Volunteer transport and refreshments
Equipment purchases, including items like tools, cycles, locks, helmets, high-viz jackets, and pumps. However, this cannot include fixed investments or infrastructure costs
Equipment hire, such as cyles, helmets, or obstacle items like cones
Consumables, including brake pads, inner tubes, cables, lubricant, or small parts
Venue or location hire fees. However this cannot include rent or utility bills
Participant incentives, such as puncture repair kits, local maps etc
Participant refreshments, such as tea, coffee, and soft drinks
Promotional costs, such as posters and social media posts. However, this should not exceed 10% of the total grant request
Transport, including the transportation of goods to and from event locations. However, this should not exceed 5% of the total grant request
Other costs, including costs associated with delivering events, such as PPE

Funding is for activities delivered between 18 April 2025 and 31 October 2025
How to apply: Guidance notes and an online application form are available from the Cycling UK website.

Barclays Community Sport Fund 2025 to 2027

Deadline: 22nd June 2025
Who can apply: Constituted not-for-profit groups such as community groups, charities and social enterprises that operate in the areas of the most deprivation and can deliver football, cricket or tennis activities for women and girls
Size of grant available: Up to £1,000
Priorities: The funding supports community groups and grassroots sports organisations who are working within the most deprived areas of the UK and are making sport more accessible to women and girls, as well as engaging people from other under-represented groups including people with disabilities, from racially diverse communities and from the LGBTQ+ community
How to apply: The FAQs, application guidance, and online application form can be found on the Sported website. Groups who are not a Sported member or existing grantee will need to create an account to start their application. Please note it is anticipated that the fund will be extremely popular and applications may close earlier than the deadline. Groups should apply early to avoid disappointment.

Adamson Trust

Deadline: 30th June 2025
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
Size of grant available: At the funder’s discretion
Priorities: The funding is to help with the cost of holidays or respite breaks for disabled children (aged 3 to 17 years). Funding is available for the costs associated with holidays and/or respite breaks. The holiday must be taken by the day preceding the child’s 18th birthday and applications must provide evidence of a disability from a medical or social services professional
How to apply: Application forms and guidelines can be found on the Adamson Trust website.

Bupa Foundation Green Community Grants

Deadline: 30th June 2025
Who can apply: Any type of constituted not-for-profit including voluntary and community groups, registered charities and CICs
Size of grant available: Grants range from £500-£2,000
Priorities: The funding is intended for registered charities, not-for-profit organisations, schools, local authorities and social housing providers for practical projects which help with both people and planet health. Priority will be given to projects that:

Improve (or create new) green spaces in cities
Benefit and involve the local community
Are located in disadvantaged areas (i.e. high indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) scores for the postcode, or a school with a significant proportion of children benefitting from free school meals)

Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

Improving a local community garden for community use and recreational activities
Volunteer-led tree or flower planting to improve air quality and biodiversity
Creating an outdoor classroom or ‘forest school’ on school grounds
Creating a community food growing space

How to apply: Applications open on 1st June and more information will be available on the Bupa Foundation Green Community Grants website.

UnLtd – Awards for Social Entrepreneurs

Deadline: 30th June 2025
Who can apply: 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 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

Size of grant available: There are two levels of grant:

Starting Up – funding of up to £8,000 for social entrepreneurs with an idea for a venture which has not yet been established, or which has been running for less than a year
Scaling Up – funding of up to £18,000 to grow an existing social enterprise that has been operating for between one and four years

Together with funding, award recipients will be assigned to one of UnLtd’s dedicated programmes to provide support aligned with the needs of their social venture for up to one year
Priorities: The funding is intended to support social entrepreneurs by helping them nurture their social ventures and grow their impact. Funding for start-up ventures is intended to cover essential start-up costs (not including wages). Funding for scaling up ventures is intended to support wages and living costs as the venture grows
How to apply: Guidance notes and the online application form can be found on the UnLtd website.

Wolfson Foundation

Deadline: 1st July 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities only
Size of grant available: The funder’s priorities have different grant sizes as follows:

Charities working with disability – £25,000–£75,000
Charities working in mental health – £25,000–£75,000
Charities working with older people – £25,000–£75,000
Historic buildings and landscapes – £15,000–£100,000
Hospices and palliative care – £25,000–£150,000
Libraries and archives – £15,000–£100,000
Museums and galleries – £15,000–£500,000
Performing arts – £15,000–£150,000
Public engagement with science – £15,000–£750,000
Secondary schools and sixth form colleges – £15,000–£50,000 (for equipment); £15,000–£100,000 (for new build and refurbishment)
Special needs schools and colleges – £25,000–£75,000
Universities and research institutions – £100,000–£1 million

Priorities: The main grants programme provides support for places. These grants are for capital initiatives, ie buildings (new build or refurbishment) and equipment in the themes listed above
How to apply: Tthe Foundation operates a two-stage application process. The deadlines for Stage 1 applications are generally 5 January and 1 July each year but these can vary between specific categories, so applicants are advised to check the Foundation’s website before applying. Stage 1 determines whether a project is eligible and applications should be submitted online through the Wolfson Foundation website. Applicants who are successful at stage 1 will be invited to submit a stage 2 application.

Henry Smith Charity – Holiday Grants for Children

Deadline: 21st July 2025
Who can apply: Any constituted not-for-profit organisation, including voluntary and community groups, youth clubs and registered charities
Size of grant available: Grants range from £500-£2,750
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. 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. 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. The funders will sometimes consider applications for groups of children living in deprived circumstances within more affluent areas. In this case, it is essential that the need for support is clearly explained
How to apply: Grants are made on a first come, first served basis until the available funding for that round has been fully allocated. All applications should be received at least five weeks before the date of the trip to allow for administrative processing and decision making. An online application form and a set of guidelines can be found on the Henry Smith Charity’s website.

Leeds Building Society Foundation

Deadline: 11th August 2025
Who can apply: Registered charities with a turnover under £1million
Size of grant available: £250-£1,000
Priorities: The funding is intended to support projects to improve the health, wellbeing and financial literacy of people who are experiencing homelessness. Grants may only be used for capital expenditure (that is, to purchase items used to directly help those in need)
How to apply: Guidance notes and the application portal can be found on the Leeds Building Society Foundation website.

Heritage Revival Fund

Deadline: Various, depending on the type of grant
Who can apply: Unincorporated charities can only apply for the Project Viability Grant. Incorporated not-for-profit organisations (CIOs, charitable companies, companies limited by guarantee, CICs limited by guarantee and registered societies can apply for all levels of grant
Size of grant available: There are three different grants:

Project Viability Grants up to £15,000 for up to one year
Project Development Grants up to £100,000 for up to one year
Capital Works Grants up to £350,000 for up to one year. The work must be complete by June 2027

Priorities: The funding is intended to help communities across England rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings. The programme will focus on regenerating historic buildings in town centre locations by supporting community organisations to take ownership of, adapt and reuse the local heritage assets that matter to them, transforming them into thriving spaces that meet their needs. The Heritage Revival Fund aims to:

Maximise the regeneration benefits of community ownership and control of heritage assets, assisting in making communities fit for the future
Protect, enhance and safeguard historic buildings across England, offering viable new uses for disused and underutilised properties
Build capacity within local community groups, social enterprise, and charities
Pilot innovative, alternative uses, ownership structures and investment models to facilitate long term regeneration
Maximise the positive social and economic impacts around restoring historic buildings

How to apply: There are different timetables for each of the grants:

Project Viability Grants have a two-stage application process:
- Expressions of interest can be submitted at any time from 3 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 (midnight). Notification of decisions within six weeks
- Those who are successful at stage one will be invited to submit a full application (stage two). Notification of decisions with two to three months of receipt of application
Project Development Grants have a two-stage application process:
- Expressions of interest can be submitted at any time from 3 April 2025
- Those who are successful at stage one will be invited to submit a full application (stage two) by the following deadlines:
  - 21 April 2025 for a decision in June 2025
  - 14 July 2025 for a decision in September 2025
  - 13 October 2025 for a decision in December 2025
  - 19 January 2026 for a decision in March 2026
Capital Works Grants have a two-stage application process:
- Guidance for Capital Grants issued: 12 May 2025
- Expression of interest deadline: 27 June 2025
- Application deadline: 29 September 2025
- Decision: December 2025

Full details, including the guidance notes and expression of interest forms, can be found on the Architectural Heritage Fund website.

Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) – Project Development Grants for England

Deadline: 13th October 2025
Who can apply: Only not-for-profit organisations that are incorporated. This includes charitable incorporated organsiations (CIOs), charitable companies, companies limited by guarantee, community interest companies (CICs) limited by guarantee, registered societies
Size of grant available: Up to £100,000. The average grant is likely to be £70,000–£80,000
Priorities: Project Development grants are intended to help not-for-profit organisations with development work on historic building projects. Grants can contribute towards the costs of developing and co-ordinating projects and taking them towards the start of work on site. To qualify, an organisation must have established that the end use of the project is likely to be viable and have decided to take the project forward. The grants typically will support appointing professional advisors to work with the organisation to advance the plans. This can include architects, surveyors, and engineers to develop the designs and plans for the historic building; additional support to build the capacity of the organisation by employing or contracting a project manager; and support with refining the business plan, building community engagement and preparing funding bids
How to apply: There is a two-step application process:

Step one: complete the short online Expression of Interest form on the AHF website. This can be done at any time and outcomes will be communicated within 6 weeks
Step two: eligible organisations and projects will be invited to submit a full application.

Access Without Limits Grants for Community Organisations

Who can apply: Incorporated voluntary and community organisations only (this includes CIOs, charitable companies, companies limited by guarantee, CICs and registered societies)
Size of grant available: Up to £10,250
Priorities: Grants to help organisations to set up and deliver the Duke of Edinburgh Award to create more opportunities for marginalised young people (14 to 24 years) to access the Award. To be eligible, organisations must fit into either of the following criteria:

Delivery location is in a top 20% area of deprivation (IMD 2 or below)
Carry out work where the majority of young people are from one or more of the following marginalised groups:
- Those who have additional needs
- Those who are deemed ‘at risk’
- Those who receive Free School Meals (FSM)
- Those who are eligible for Pupil Premium (PP), Pupil Equity Funding or the 16- 19 Bursary
- Young people at risk of exclusion from education
- Those who are looked after or in care
- Young people who are responsible for caring for someone else
- Parents under the age of 18
- Young people whose first language is not English, Welsh or Gaelic
- Asylum seekers
- Refugees
- Young people in custody

How to apply: Applicants will need to initially discuss their project with an Operations Office and should contact Georgina Harper at DofE for further information about how to go about this. Grant guidance and contact details are available on the Duke of Edinburgh website.

Banister Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Registered charities working to promote the conservation and preservation of the environment
Size of grant available: Grants are usually in the £5,000-£50,000 range
Priorities: The funding is intended to be used for charitable projects that promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in the UK. In the past, this has included:

The purchase of land
Improving access to a nature reserve
Creating a lakeside path
Orchard projects
Protecting and recovering threatened plant species
Habitat restoration
Conservation, research and education
Education centre gardens and wildlife areas
Bird boxes for churches and village halls
Volunteering projects

How to apply: Write to Trustee Department, Banister Charitable Trust, Ludlow Trust Co Ltd, Tower Wharf, Cheese Lane, Bristol, BS2 0JJ | Tel: 0117 313 820 | Email: charitabletrusts@ludlowtrust.com.

Adint Charitable Trust

Who can apply: Registered charities only
Size of grant available: Grants are typically for £5,000 or £10,000
Priorities: The funder has no set priorities. It gives grants for general charitable work
How to apply: Applications should be in writing and incorporate full details of the charity for which funding is requested. No acknowledgements will be sent out to unsuccessful applicants. For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following: Trust Administrator, The Adint Charitable Trust, Hazlewoods, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3AT | Email: adintct@btinternet.com