September’s funding news

Welcome to September’s funding update.

This update is split into three parts. Section A features funders that can support organisations and individuals with the cost-of-living crisis.

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

This update can only provide a snapshot of these funders. 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. Grants to support groups and individuals with the cost-of-living crisis 

ASDA Foundation Cost of Living Grant 

Deadline: 1st February 2023
Types of organisation supported: Any constituted not-for-profit community group that has a good presence in their local community
Size of grant available: £500-£2,000
Priorities: The aim of the grant is to help local community groups cope with the increase in their running costs between September 2022 and February 2023. This includes ‘warm banks’ where groups are planning to keep their facilities open for longer hours to provide local people with a warm, safe place to be rather than heating their homes or living in a cold property. The priorities for funding are: 

• Rent and utility bills. 
• Food costs, such as community cafes, food parcels, delivered meals, soup kitchens, etc. 

How to apply: ASDA Foundation recommends that applicants contact their local store’s Community Champion first, using the store locator on the website, where full guidance is also available. 

Aviva Community Fund – Cost of Living Boost (with Crowdfunding) 

Please note this is a match-funding initiative delivered in partnership with Crowdfunder and thus not a traditional grant scheme (funds awarded are conditional upon applicants first securing crowdfunding via Crowdfunder’s platform)
Who can apply: Registered charities, community benefit societies and social enterprises
Size of funding available: A maximum of £50,000 match funding is available for each organisation
Priorities: This initiative forms part of Aviva’s Financial Wellbeing area of focus. This aims to help people take control of their wellbeing by giving them the tools to be more financially independent
How to apply: Full details on how to apply can be found on the funder’s website including full eligibility criteria and terms and conditions. 

British Gas Energy Trust 

Who can apply: Individuals who are being supported by a money advice organisation
Size of grant available: Up to £1,500
Priorities: There are two funds available which aim to tackle fuel poverty. Successful applicants will not receive payment, but their household account will be credited. The two funds are: 

• Individuals and Families Fund 
• British Gas Energy Support Fund – British Gas customers only 

How to apply: Full guidance and applications are provided on the British Gas Energy Trust website, where you can also find information about money advice organisations that can offer support. 

Crowdfunder UK/Sport England 

Who can apply: Local sports clubs, Charities, community, voluntary and social enterprise sector organisations that deliver sport and/or physical activity in their local community, including organisations that are not solely or primarily sports organisations, town or parish councils delivering activity within their communities and educational establishments that provide access for their whole community
Size of grant available: Up to £10,000
Priorities: You will need a crowdfunding project in order to apply for this funding. If your application is approved, you will receive match funding of 50% up to a value of £10,000. To receive a pledge, you will need to have raised 25% of your initial target and raised it from a minimum number of supporters. Following receipt of a pledge, you will need to raise 100% of your target in order to receive the funds from Sport England. 
The fund is focussed on recovery, reinvention and building resilience for organisations facing a broad spectrum of issues, including the emerging energy crisis
How to apply: Full guidance how to start a crowdfunding campaign and more details on the eligibility criteria can be found on the Crowdfunder website 

Energy Saving Trust Energy Redress Scheme 

Who can apply: Charities, Community Interest Companies, Co-operative societies and Community Benefit Societies
Size of grant available: The amount of funding available through the scheme is reviewed on a quarterly basis. The minimum grant amount that can be requested is £20,000. The scheme can fund 100% of project costs and can cover revenue and capital costs
Priorities: The Energy Saving Trust has been appointed by Ofgem to distribute payments from companies who may have breached Ofgem rules. Eligible organisations can apply for funds to deliver energy related projects. These include:  

• Supporting energy consumers in vulnerable situations – This core priority aims to help people who are most at risk from cold homes and high energy bills. Occasionally there may be additional priorities linked to a funding round e.g., a specific geographical focus or type of energy consumer. Any additional priorities will be made clear to applicants when a funding round opens
• Innovation projects – Innovative products and services related to energy that have a realistic prospect of delivering benefits to existing and/or future energy consumers and that help to reduce the environmental impact of energy use
• Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund – energy-related activities aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions from energy use. These projects must focus on energy generation, distribution or energy use. 

The scheme is not presently designed to support energy saving improvements or energy generation technology in individual community buildings or facilities. 
How to apply: More information about applying for funding, including online registration and an application/guidance pack can be found on the funder’s website 

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

The Roger & Douglas Turner Charitable Trust 

Deadline: 21st October 2022 

Types of organisation supported: Registered charities based in Birmingham, the Black Country and Worcestershire
Size of grant available: £1,000 – £3,000
Priorities: There is a focus on providing support in the following key areas: 

• Children and young people 
• Disabled and health 
• Environment and heritage 
• The arts 
• Work in the community  
• Social support 
• Hospices  

Types of costs funded: core costs, project costs and capital costs
How to apply: via the funder’s website 

Sport England (Places and Spaces) 

Deadline: 22nd December 2022
Types of organisation supported: Not-for-profit organisations in the West Midlands
Size of grant available: £1 – £10,000 Note that these awards are ‘pledges’ rather than grants. You must set up a crowdfunding campaign before the funder will consider a pledge towards it
Priorities: The aim of the programme is to unite communities and create a legacy for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. All campaigns should be a celebration of the Games and provide information on how the place or space will unite the community and leave a legacy
How to apply: more information on how to apply and how to run a crowdfunding campaign can be found on the funder’s website 

2. National funders 

National Lottery Community Fund – The People’s Projects 

Deadline: 7th October 2022 (stage one deadline)
Types of organisation supported: Any type of not-for-profit including constituted community groups, charities and social enterprises that are happy running a public campaign that could bring lots of publicity
Size of grant available: 57 winners will receive grants of up to £70,000 and up to 38 runners-up will also receive grants of up to £10,000
Priorities: The National Lottery Community Fund, in partnership with ITV, UTV and the Sunday Mail, is looking for imaginative ideas from organisations that have already done good work in their local community. Projects should:

• Bring people together and build strong relationships in and across communities 
• Make communities stronger and more inclusive 
• Help people or communities develop the skills and capacity they need to achieve their ambitions 
• Involve the people the project aims to support in the design, development and delivery 
• Support people to create meaningful change in their local community or help it thrive 
• Help people and communities connect by engaging with nature 
• Build connections across different cultures, different communities, or both 

How to apply: For full guidelines and the first stage application form, visit the National Lottery Community Fund website 

Cycling UK – Big Bike Revival Programme 

Deadline: 10th October 2022
Types of organisation supported: Any kind of not-for-profit organisation including community groups, charities and social enterprises
Size of grant available: There are 2 levels of funding: 

• Up to £1,500 for the delivery of five events or more that focus on at least one element of the fix-learn-ride model 
• Up to £3,000 for the delivery of ten events or more that focus on at least two elements of the fix-learn-ride model 

Priorities: 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 mileage-led rides on local routes to build up the confidence of participants. Funding is for projects that: 

• Inspire and encourage the substantial proportion of the population who do not cycle, to start cycling 
• Increase the number of people that cycle by addressing the fact that a high proportion of adults in England own bikes but are not making use of them 
• Increase the number of trips made by bike by addressing the fact that adults in Britain appear to be aware of cycling and its potential for shorter journeys but have safety concerns about using it as a form of travel 
• Improve the perception of cycling safety by providing opportunities for people to access supported cycling activities, training on how to cycle safely and how to keep bikes in safe working order 

Types of costs covered: Funding will cover a range of costs such as buying or hiring cycling equipment, including bikes, venue hire, instructors and promotional materials
How to apply: The guidance notes and application form are available on the funder’s website. 

Jeans for Genes Grant Programmes 

Deadline: 16th October 2022
Types of organisation supported: For the core costs grant registered charities that focus on genetic conditions and have annual income between £20,000 and £250,000. Applicants must have received a Jeans for Genes project grant within the last three years. For the project grant registered charities or constituted patient groups
Size of grant available: £3,000 for the core costs grant and £5,000 for the project grant
Priorities: The 2022 Jeans for Genes Grant Programme will have two funding strands: 

• Core costs – single year grants of up to £3,000 for front line, genetic condition charities towards their organisation’s core costs to enable them to be in a stronger, more resilient position to continue to provide vital support to their communities, in the long term 
• Project funding – single year project grants of up to £5,000 to a wide range of organisations working within the genetic condition community so that individuals living with a genetic condition and their families can access the right support at the time they need it. 

How to apply: The application packs for each funding strand are available on the Jeans for Genes website

Leeds Building Society Charitable Foundation 

Deadline: 24th October 2022
Types of organisation supported: UK registered charities with turnover less than £1million 
Size of grant available: Small grants up to £1,000 and large grants of over £1,000
Priorities: The funder will support projects that will improve the health, wellbeing and financial literacy of people experiencing homelessness. Small Grants may only be used to fund capital expenditure. Grants may be used to support projects and activities in the following areas: 

• Sustainability – projects that help with fuel poverty, energy efficiency or climate action 
• Health – projects that help those with health needs with housing, adaptations or advice 
• Financial stress – projects that help with bills or debt stress 
• Accessibility – projects that reduce loneliness, provide supported living services or adapt homes to make them safer for those with accessibility needs 
• Education and advice – projects that support money management or provide advice services 
• Security and refuge – projects that support emergency accommodation 

How to apply: Full guidance and the application form are available on the Leeds Building Society Charitable Foundation website 

Triangle Trust 1984 Fund (Young Offenders applications) 

Deadline: 28th October 2022
Types of organisation supported: Registered charities and community interest companies with income less than £1.5 million over the last three years
Size of grant available: £10,000-£60,000 for projects lasting between 6 months and 2 years. A maximum of £30,000 a year can be requested
Priorities: The funding for this round is for projects solely working with young people (up to the age of 25 years) with criminal convictions to find meaningful and secure employment. To be eligible, projects should:  

• Have specific outcomes and targets related to securing employment for young people with criminal convictions 
• Show that they will also work with employers and provide post placement support to both employee and employer 
• Demonstrate that they understand the wide range of challenges and issues that will need to be addressed to help a young person succeed on their employment journey 
• Show existing work with young people who have been in the criminal justice system is already taking place and can evidence a track record of helping them to achieve positive outcomes. Applicants might already provide employment support or want to add this focus to the current support they offer young people 

Priority will be given to projects that provide specialist support to target those who are particularly disadvantaged: 

• Young people who are from Black or minoritised/racialised communities, often referred to as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities (BAME) 
• Young women and girls 
• Young people who have been looked after 

How to apply: Full guidelines and application instructions are available on the funder’s website 

LGBT+ Futures: Equity Fund 

Deadline: 30th October 2022
Types of organisation supported: Not-for-profit organisations run by and for one or more of 5 LGBT+ groups: 

• D/deaf, disabled, neurodivergent LGBT+ people 
• LGBT+ people of colour and people from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnicities 
• LGBTQI+ women 
• Older LGBT+ people 
• Trans and non-binary people 

Size of grant available: £100-£25,000 
Priorities: To build the capacity of LGBTQ+ not-for-profit organisations that work with at least one of the five communities of focus listed above. Grants can cover running costs, projects and organisational / leadership development
Additional help: Potential applicants can access a weekly funding drop-in virtual event via Zoom every Wednesday 2-3pm by sending an email to events@consortium.lgbt
How to apply: At the funder’s website  

Arthur Bate Fund 

Deadline: 31st October 2022
Who can apply: Individuals and groups that want to be more engaged in advocacy and peer support for disabled people
Size of grant available: Up to £2,000
Priorities: Funding is intended to strengthen the voluntary sector by offering opportunities for individuals to become volunteers or Trustees and by supporting community organisations to reach more people. Individuals may receive: 

• Support to become a trustee  
• Support to become a volunteer  
• Support for employment (e.g. job interview) 
• Support for education (e.g. college course) 
• Support for your health (e.g. health appointments) 

Groups may receive: 

• Support to create an advocacy group 
• Support to create a peer support group 
• Support to create a self-advocacy group 
• Support to create a volunteering group in the community 

Types of costs covered: Venue hire, refreshments, promotion, technology and/or training
How to apply: Download and complete an application form from the funder’s website 

Vodafone charities.connected scheme (free SIM cards for charities) 

Deadline: 1st November 2022 or until supplies last
Types of organisation supported: Registered charities only
What’s on offer: Free SIM cards loaded with 20GB of data per month and unlimited calls and texts for charities to support digital inclusion for their beneficiaries
How to apply: At the funder’s website 

British Science Week – Community Grant Scheme 

Deadline: 7th November 2022
Types of organisation supported: Not-for-profits including community groups who work with communities not currently well represented or engaged in science activities
Priorities: The funding is intended for community-based groups and organisations in the UK to run their own science activities during British Science Week (10th-19th March 2023), working directly with people who are traditionally hard-to-reach and currently not engaged in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activity. The aim is to expand the audiences that engage with science and self-identify as having an interest in science. Applications will be considered from community groups that work directly with audiences who are traditionally under-represented and currently not engaged in science activity. Groups that are underrepresented in science include: 

• People from ethnic minorities 
• People with low socio economic status (SES), including people disadvantaged in terms of education and income 
• People with a physical or mental condition or impairment 
• People living in a remote and rural location, defined as settlements of less than 10,000 people 
• Girls and women 

How to apply: Further information is available on the British Science Week website 

Human Resource Professionals Charitable Trust 

Deadline: 1st December 2022
Types of organisation supported: Any type of constituted not-for-profit organisation, including community groups and registered charities
Size of grant available: £250-£1,000
Priorities: Grants should be used to help members of the public to gain employment at the start of their careers of following a career break or to support diversity and inclusion in the workplace
How to apply: At the funder’s website 

Church Urban Fund – Refugee Support Small Grants 

Deadline: 9th December 2022
Types of organisation supported: Christian churches or registered Christian charities that are members of Churches Together in England
Size of grant available: £500-£5,000
Priorities: Funding to support refugees primarily from Ukraine, but work that supports Afghan refugees will also be considered. The funder will support projects that: 

• Provide basic needs such as safe accommodation, clothing, food, mobile phones, baby care items and hygiene items 
• Help with settlement into life in England via UK life courses, befriending, English language classes, baby and toddler groups, welcome parties and drop-in sessions 
• Provide safe spaces and networks of support 

How to apply: Full guidance and application form is on the Church Urban Fund website. 

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

George Henry Collins Charity 

Types of organisation supported: Registered charities within a 25-mile radius of Birmingham City Centre
Size of grant available: Usually £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: For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the Clerk to the Trustees, George Henry Collins Charity, Shakespeare Martineau, 1 Colmore Square, Birmingham, B4 6AA. Tel: 07799 784019 / Email: chrissy@georgehenrycollinscharity.org.uk  

Alfred Haines Charitable Trust 

Types of organisation supported: Smaller charities working in Dudley borough
Size of grant available: £250 to £2,000
Priorities: Specific projects that help people improve their quality of life
How to apply: Applications should be made in writing only. They can be made at any time and are reviewed quarterly  

Heart of England Community Foundation Positive Futures Fund 

Types of organisation supported: Not-for-profit organisations based in Birmingham and the Black Country with an annual income under £500,000
Priorities: The aim of the fund is to support organisations who are working with disadvantaged young people aged 13-25 years old in Birmingham and the Black Country. The fund will prioritise and focus on: 

• Projects that work in innovative ways to inspire young people and keep them out of the criminal justice system 
• Projects that that create lasting change for young people 

Grants are intended for projects which meet one of more of the following aims: 

• Practically helping young people to develop skills so they are prepared for work (eg opportunities to gain work experience and mock interviews with employers) 
• Supporting young people who are in the process of leaving care so that they develop skills to live independently 
• Raising aspirations of young people by offering mentoring opportunities – these placements should have outcomes for each individual and an individualised plan which shows growth 
• Projects supporting mental health of young people on the periphery of crime 

The fund will prioritise projects which support education, learning and training
How to apply: The full criteria, guidance and application form is available on the Heart of England Community Foundation website 

2. National funders 

Allen Lane Foundation 

Types of organisation funded: Any constituted not-for-profit
Size of grant available: One-off grants of between £500 and £15,000 are available. The average grant is between £5,000 and £6,000. Grants repeated for more than one year vary from around £500 per annum up to £5,000 per annum, for a maximum of three years
Priorities: The Foundation aims to help organisations to become sustainable. The funding will support running and core costs to enable them to have flexibility, security and longevity. To be eligible, the work must directly benefit adults from the following groups, or generalist work which includes significant numbers from more than one such group: 

• Asylum seekers and refugees (but not groups working with a single nationality) 
• Gypsies and Travellers 
• Migrant communities 
• Offenders and ex-offenders 
• Older people 
• People experiencing mental health problems 
• People experiencing violence or abuse 

How to apply: Comprehensive guidance, application instructions and contact details are provided on the Allen Lane Foundation website 

Rix-Thompson-Rothenberg Foundation 

Types of organisation supportive: Registered charities what work with learning disabled people and their families
Size of grant available: Average grant size is £2,000-£6,500
Priorities: The Foundation makes grants to a variety of organisations which aim to benefit people with a learning disability and their carers. A special emphasis is given to grants that will enhance opportunity and lifestyle
How to apply: Applications are considered twice a year, normally in June and December. All applicants must complete an application form and provide a copy of their latest audited accounts. In the first instance the applicant should discuss the proposed work either by telephone, email or letter to the administrator, a minimum of four months in advance of a board meeting. Contact the Rix-Thompson-Rothenberg Foundation for further information: R T R Foundation, c/o PAMIS, University of Dundee, 15/16 Springfield, DD1 4JE. Tel: 07532320138 / Email: rtrfoundation@gmail.com