Funding Opportunities – October

Newly Opened: Barclays/ Sported Community Football Fund
Sported have partnered with Barclays to launch the new Barclays Community Football Fund, offering small grants, training, kit and exclusive ticketing offers to make football more accessible in communities across the UK.
Barclays believe in creating opportunities for all through access to football. Through the Barclays Community Football Fund, we want to grow participation in football at every level.
Grants of £500 are available for groups wishing to start offering football, those keen to expand their existing provision to new audiences or those already delivering football to under-represented young people.
Alongside the grants, the programme will be offering training and support resources to groups to help reduce inequalities in the participation of football.
The programme will focus on including girls and young people from lower socio-economic and under-represented groups: including racially diverse communities, people with disabilities, and people from the LGBTQ+ community. Further details here.

Newly Opened: Alzheimer’s Society Accelerator’s Programme

Engineers, designers, developers, innovators, entrepreneurs, or anyone with a good idea – we want to hear from you.
Your idea could be a simple product that makes an everyday task easier for a person living with dementia. You may have an innovative idea for a new service or way of working for care home staff.
To bring your idea to life, our programme offers a 12-month partnership including:
• investment up to a value of £100,000
• an expert innovation buddy from Alzheimer’s Society to develop their idea during a 12-month partnership
• an opportunity to test your product or service with people affected by dementia.
We are looking for applications from teams or individuals at any stage of the product development journey, from a great idea that needs testing through to proven products that need a push to maximise their reach.
By backing passionate people with innovative ideas, we’ll accelerate the development of new products and services with the potential to benefit thousands of people.

The application process is as follows:

  1. Visit the Innovation hub and register as this is where you will be uploading your application.
  2. Create a two-minute video introducing yourself and your idea for a product or service. Your video doesn’t need to be professional – a recording from a smartphone uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo would be suitable.
  3. Complete the application form and include a link to your video. Make sure you’ve thought about the details of your idea, and really focus on the benefits for people affected by dementia.
  4. Fill in our project partnership plan and budget template to outline how you will work and forecast how you will use the investment across 12 months.
    Further details here.
    Deadline: Our Accelerator Programme will open for new applications from 20 September to 25 October 2022.

Newly Reopened: Music for All

1) BBB Trust School Orchestras Award
This new annual award is for state schools (primary and secondary) that already have an orchestra or are in the process of trying to establish a school orchestra. Through the generosity of our donors, the BBB Trust, this award will support music education through orchestras in schools and should be used to create a self-sustaining environment that allows more pupils to access music making. Applicants for this award will need to demonstrate how the award will expand their existing music education programme and how they propose to involve the whole school and the wider community and ensure increased access to the benefits of music making.
A grant of up to £8,000 is available for this award.
2) Supporting those with Degenerative Conditions
Apply for this award if you are a community-based group using music to support those with degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy and Motor Neuron disease. A grant of up to £1500 is available for this award.
3) Electric Guitar Award
Apply for this award if you are a community-based group using electric guitars to support communities in deprived or marginalised areas and improving the availability of music education for those living in these areas. Please note that the electric guitars are not supplied with amplifiers.
4) Acoustic Guitar Award
Apply for this award if you are a community-based group using acoustic guitars to support communities in deprived or marginalised areas and developing the availability of music education for those living in the area. These acoustic guitars are high quality instruments best suited for non-novice music makers.
5) Bass Amps and Cabs Award
Apply for this award if you are a community-based group in need of bass amps and cabs and using music to support an underprivileged or marginalised community group.
Funding for Music Projects | Youth Music Grants – Music for All
Deadline: The closing date for this round of funding is 25th November 2022.

Morrisons Foundation

The Morrisons Foundation awards grant funding for charity projects which make a positive difference in local communities. In the main grants are available to fully fund projects up to £25,000. Before submitting an application please read the following criteria and answer the eligibility questions below.

The Morrisons Foundation awards grants to UK registered charities to support projects which make a positive difference in local communities. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a continual basis, there is no deadline for requests to be submitted. In making an application you agree that the terms and conditions set out below apply to the application process and to any grant we may make to you
Overall funding in any year is limited. As such the Morrisons Foundation reserves the right to limit and/or withdraw all or part of a charitable grant at any point.
Charities that have previously received a grant donation can apply for further funding after completing and submitting a post-grant report.

Heathrow Community Trust

Heathrow Community Trust are pleased to open their Projects for Young People grant programme to new applications.  This round will open on 1 October and will close on 1 December.  Grants of up to £7,500 are available for 1 year projects with a total cost of £30,000. Projects must not start before 9 February 2023.  Applications are open to new organisations and those previously funded by Heathrow Community Trust. 

Your project must support one of the programme’s three themes:

Y1 – Supporting the local community by creating opportunities for young people up to age 24 to make a positive change to their behaviour about their future (e.g. raised aspirations, improved attitude to learning, increased knowledge of progression opportunities)

Y2 – Supporting the local community by creating opportunities for young people up to age 24 to break down barriers to employment through skills development.

Y3 – Supporting the local community by creating opportunities for young people up to age 24 to improve their quality of life (e.g. increased resilience, improved mental health)

For more information please visit https://www.heathrowcommunitytrust.org/need-funding/projects-for-young-people

Newly Reopened: Comic Relief (Groundwork)

We are pleased to be managing this new fund on behalf of Comic Relief in England. It will provide grants of up to £10,000, supporting project delivery and organisational capacity building, helping organisations flourish.

The funding is split as follows:

  • Up to £1,000 for capacity building
  • Up to £9,000 for project delivery

We will fund applications from grass roots, community led organisations that can demonstrate how people with lived experience of the issues being tackled are involved in the organisation and the project.

Applications must sit within one of the four key themes:

A Safe Place To Be: Supporting people to rebuild their lives because of homelessness or forced migration.

Children Survive & Thrive:  Supporting children up to the age of 11 to grow, play and learn

Gender Justice: Championing those who identify as women and girls, including initiatives tackling domestic violence, abuse or exploitation

Mental Health Matters: Supporting good mental health in communities and tackling stigma and discrimination.Comic Relief – Groundwork

Deadline: Round 2 of the Comic Relief programme will open on 31st October 2022 and will remain open until 30th November 2022. If you applied to our first funding round, you should have now received your decision.

Reopening Soon: Postcode Society Trust
 This will be the final the final opportunity to apply this year.

We have been listening to feedback from previous applicants and to the need in the third sector as the pandemic continues.

We are delighted to offer an increase in the value of grants this year. The higher level of grant available (£25,000) is now open to Community Interest Companies and community benefit societies for the first time. The amount available to other types of non profit organisations has also grown to £2,500.

Organisations now have a longer period in which to deliver activities – 18 months from payment of the grant. In order to better serve good causes we are also challenging ourselves to deliver funding within two months of an application.

Finally, 2022 is the year in which we venture into unrestricted funding for smaller charities and good causes. Organisations that undertake activities that we do not fund (Funding Guide) are still able to apply for project-based funding.

We provide funding for smaller charities and good causes in the south of England under the themes:

  • Improving mental wellbeing Enabling community participation in the arts
  • Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty
  • Supporting marginalised groups and promoting equality
  • Improving biodiversity & green spaces
  • Enabling participation in physical activity
  • Responding to the climate emergency & promoting sustainability
  • Increasing community access to outdoor space

Apply for a grant | Postcode Society Trust

Deadline: Opening 9am 3rd October, to close after 100 applications received

Asda Foundation

Grants of £500 – £2,000 to support local community groups who are facing an increase in their running costs (rent, utilities and food costs) between September 2022 and February 2023.

The funding is intended for local not-for-profit community groups who are facing an:

  • Increase in rent/utility bills: support to keep community buildings open to the public or increase opening times to help people stay warm (known as ‘warm banks’).
  • Increase in food costs: support for people most affected by providing meals, support community cafes, food parcels, delivered meals, soup kitchens, etc.

Groups must contact their local Asda Community Champion to discuss their proposed project. Please note, applications cannot be made directly to the Asda Foundation. They must be submitted to the Asda Community Champion who will sign and submit it to the Foundation.

Applications will be accepted until the budget cap is reached (estimated to be February 2023).

Read more 

GBA Together (Previously Tackling Inequalities) Fund
Sport England will be providing Get Berkshire Active with extra funding to support and distribute to community organisations who support vulnerable groups to be active including lower socio-economic groups, people with long term conditions, people with disabilities and ethnically diverse communities. This fund will focus on supporting organisations to reach and engage their audience in movement/physical activity, in order to create a line of sight to movement / physical activity / sport. Find out more. >>

Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust – deadline 14 November 2022

JRCT is keen to support work that responds to the dual harms of the Covid-19 pandemic and systemic racism. Specifically, they wish to encourage work within or across our existing programme areas that scrutinises the responses and policies of powerful institutions and actors, and which envisions and builds support for transformative social change based on justice, peace and sustainability. Further information here.

Magic Little Grants – deadline 31 October 2022

Localgiving is the UK’s leading independent non-profit online fundraising platform for charities and community groups. They are incredibly excited to announce that Magic Little Grants 2022 is going to be even bigger and better than ever before.

This fund gives local charities and community groups the chance to apply for grants to deliver projects across Great Britain that encourage people to be physically active.

What are the funder priorities?

This year’s funding aims to support 2,650 projects that address the following themes:

  • Improving mental wellbeing
  • Enabling community participation in the arts
  • Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty
  • Supporting marginalised groups and promoting equality
  • Improving biodiversity and green spaces
  • Enabling participation in physical activity
  • Responding to the climate emergency and promoting sustainability
  • Increasing community access to outdoor space

Hubbub – Community Fridge Food Hub Fund

Grants are available to non-profit organisations with an open community fridge to develop additional ‘food hub’ activities across the UK.
Application deadline:  7 November 2022

Groundwork: One Stop – Community Partnership

A partnership programme providing grants to support not-for-profit organisations who are working to tackle food poverty or supporting the elderly within the local community.
Application deadline: N/A

Greenham Trust Football for Fitness Fund

Grants are available to local not-for-profit groups for projects which encourage people of all ages and abilities to get involved in informal, recreational football-based activities in West Berkshire and the surrounding wards of West Hampshire.
Application deadline: N/A

With thanks, as always, to Berkshire’s wonder CVS’s for the information contained in this update – West Berkshire Volunteer Centre, Slough CVS, Wokingham & Bracknell InVOLve and Reading Voluntary Action.


NEW PROJECT: Rural Hubs – Village Halls for the 21st Century

Today (03/10/2022), we launch an exciting new project thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund (5 years) and The Princes Countryside Fund (1 year.)

This project will support Village Halls across Berkshire through a process of transformation, so they can meet the needs of their communities for the next 100 years.

Village halls come in all shapes and sizes. They represent a living history of community ambition to create spaces where people can meet. They are snapshots in time, reflecting the materials, technology and needs of the community at the time of their creation.

Rural communities rely on their village halls for many things: social events, fitness classes, pre-schools, clubs, polling booths and much more. They are the heart of the community and are run by unpaid, dedicated local people. It can be really hard work, complying with legislation and red tape while running and maintaining often aging buildings that don’t meet the needs of the 21st Century.

This project will enable us to help village hall trustees to identify where they need to make changes to improve their venues, e.g. offering free Wi-Fi, improving insulation, upgrading heating systems, improving accessibility etc. Our role is to support hall volunteers to prioritise the changes they want to make, implement their plans and help them access funding for their upgrades.

As a result of this project, people in rural communities will have access to improved community halls that are warmer, more welcoming, inclusive and vibrant. Rural isolation and loneliness will be reduced and a sense of community enhanced.

Supporting village halls has been at the heart of CCB’s work since the charity was formed nearly 50 years ago. We work closely with the other 38 charities in the ACRE Network to ensure that every village hall in England can access appropriate advice and guidance. 

To find out more about our work and this significant new project, please visit the webpage: https://ccberks.org.uk/our-projects/rural-hubs-village-halls-fit-for-the-21st-century/


Could Rural Warm Hubs be set up in Berkshire?

At CCB we know through our work with rural village halls that they can always be relied upon to offer familiar, safe, and friendly environments which communities can enjoy to get together for a huge variety of events.

We are only too acutely aware through our Energy & Water Advice project of the need to provide local ‘warm hubs’ due to the current cost of living and energy crisis which is having a huge impact on households to effectively heat their homes

‘Warm Hubs’ have been created by our sister rural community council in Northumberland – Community Action Northumberland, they have shown that Warm Hubs can provide a much-needed crucial resource where people can meet in a warm environment to enjoy refreshments, social activity, information, advice, and the company of other people. The short film below outlines how these war hubs can work, though they may work differently depending on the local need.

“The aim of the warm hub is to provide support to those most vulnerable this winter to help mitigate the cost of living crisis.”

“The hubs offer a warm, friendly and inclusive environment with access to hot food, tea and coffee (sometimes lunch); somewhere to socialise, take part in activities and receive information on how to reduce bills, access financial support, and stay healthy and well.”

We know there will be an increased need for this kind of offering in isolated rural areas especially in the coming winter and next year or two due to the cost of fuel and rise in cost of living generally. We are currently scoping possible funding solutions and are actively seeking support so that we can start to set bring Warm Hubs to rural communities in Berkshire.

Village Hall Charity Trustees are telling CCB’s Community Buildings Advisor, Kate, the following:

  • A warm hub may be needed in their area
  • Village Hall Charities are treated as businesses and as such are experiencing energy price hikes which have a big impact as they are not ‘profit’ making businesses – so who will fund the cost of energy for opening a Hub?
  • Warm Hubs would need managing – Trustees usually just hire out the hall to local groups. It would be good to have a county co-ordinator to support the governance issues around Hubs e.g. need for safeguarding? Food hygiene? Risk assessments etc.
  • Warm Hubs could be supported by volunteers – could CCB partner with a CVS to find volunteers?
  • If providing food or hot drinks, this would need funding

Look out for further information soon regarding this and if you are interested in supporting us or partnering with us in this project please contact us on admin@ccberks.org.uk


Funding Opportunities – September

Reading Lions Club ‘Lions Den’ Community Grant Scheme – deadline 7 October 2022

READING LIONS CLUB is once more reaching out to small local community groups and small local charities in the Reading area to offer financial support. Many local community groups do not have access to grant funding or the manpower / resources to invest in significant fundraising and yet they continue to provide a valued service to our community even during these challenging times. Through our own fundraising events we have set aside £10,000.00 to give away in small community grants, each of up to £750.00 to support local community projects. For further details please click here.

#OneSlough Community Fund

Slough CVS is looking to issue grants to support local voluntary and community groups to deliver projects to meet local needs/priorities that will benefit Slough residents to enhance their health and wellbeing. This will be financed by Slough Borough Council and administered by Slough CVS.
Voluntary and Community Sector groups are being asked to complete this funding application form which will be submitted to the funding panel. The funding panel will consist of key representatives from Slough CVS, Integrated Care Board (ICB), Slough Borough Council, Public Health Slough and a member from the Slough Borough Council Co-production Board. For further details please click here.

The Fat Beehive Foundation

Grants up to £2,500 for websites and digital products to UK registered charities, to help them carry out their work in a more efficient and effective way, resulting in positive social benefit.
They fund only charities with an average income of less than £1 million a year, and have specific priority areas:
• Environmental protection or climate change mitigation
• Human rights
• International development
• Equality and Diversity
• Social justice / Refugees / Housing
• Education
• Art & culture
• Health and wellbeing
• Prisoner rehabilitation
Read more

The Thomas Wall Trust

The Trust believes that communication skills are critical capabilities for people who want to improve their employment prospects, self-confidence, resilience, and life chances.

They offer grants up to £5,000 to specific projects or core activities that develop these critical life skills for people from disadvantaged groups. They will fund charities at least three years old with an income between £10,000 and £500,000

The inclusive charity welcomes proposals which target people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups demonstrably facing major hurdles to employment, especially; women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers.

Read more

Adint Charitable Trust

Grants are available to UK registered charities for general charitable work.
The Trust does not maintain a website or a standard application form. The Trust requests that applicants ‘make their case in hard copy by post or by e-mail in the manner that they think is best. Their request should show their registered charity number, the name and sort code of their bank and their account number. It will be considered by the Trustees at their next meeting. For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following: Trust Administrator Email:adintct@btinternet.com

Independent Age – Cost of Living Grants Fund
A limited number of grants are available for local charities and community organisations across the UK for projects to help ensure that older people do not have to make the choice between buying food to eat and heating their home this winter.
Application deadline: 16 September 2022. For more information please click here.

National Lottery Community Fund – The People’s Projects
Grants are available to local not-for-profit groups for projects which engage communities and create strong networks across the UK and have been voted for by the public.
Application deadline: 7 October 2022. Further info here.

Aviva Community Fund – Cost of Living Boost (with Crowdfunding)
Grants are available through this match funding scheme to assist local not-for-profit organisations in the UK that are working to help local people in financial need. Further details are here.

Newly Opened: Little Lives UK
 There are a significant number of organisations and businesses that are struggling financially, as a result of Coronavirus. Due to lockdowns, and social distancing children across UK have been unable to access the services they used to. There will no doubt be long-term negative effects because of the pandemic, but Little Lives UK wants to guarantee that children’s services and activities are not one of them. Hence, we are launching our Children’s Community Support Programme. We’re offering to support organisations that work with children, who are in need of support during these challenging times. Further information here.

Screwfix Foundation

We are passionate about making a difference to those in need. We are a grant-making charity with a clear charitable purpose to support projects that improve, fix and repair buildings, homes and facilities specifically used by PEOPLE IN NEED throughout the UK. We donate grants in the region of £5,000 to charities and not for profit organisations. Prioritising those that will create a longer-term difference and where our donation will make an impact and fund the total cost (or the majority) of a project. Click here for more information.

Supporting & Sustaining Safe Community Spaces
Applications close on 16th September.
The National Survivor User Network will be awarding grants of £500-£1000 to user-led organisations and groups facilitating community spaces where people with shared identities and experiences come together in support of one another’s wellbeing. For eligibility criteria and application details, please visit our website.

Financial & Digital Empowerment
Applications close on 23rd September.
Grants are available from Santander to charitable organisations for projects to improve people’s digital confidence, knowledge and skills, enabling them to access financial services and to make more informed decisions about money.
Visit their website for more details.

Empowering Young People
Applications close on 25th September.
The KFC Foundation loves its community, so we support grassroots organisations in the heart of our restaurant’s communities. This includes those focused on empowering young people in the UK to fulfil their potential and build a positive future. By providing mentoring, offering safe spaces and helping to unlock talent, we can help young people to build life skills and improve their chances of gaining meaningful employment.
We make grants of up to £2,000 to groups with a turnover of less than £300,000. Learn more.

Arts For All Funding
Applications close on 30th September.
We believe in arts for everyone and will use our grants to make a positive contribution to people’s lives through the arts. Grants are available for charitable projects and activities that engage young people in the arts, promote skills development in the arts and heritage sector, and support local and regional arts organisations and museums. Click here to learn more.

With thanks to Berkshire’s fantastic CVS’s for the information contained in this article’ West Berkshire Volunteer Centre, Wokingham & Bracknell In VOLve, Slough CVS & Reading Voluntary Action.



Energy Crisis threatening Village Halls

Village Hall Charities are becoming increasingly concerned about how they will continue to operate due to the increase in their energy bills. There is currently no energy price cap in place for village halls, meaning many operate under the same “business tariff” guidelines that a large company turning profit does.  In addition, Village Hall Charities are penalised by the Climate Change Levy which results in an added taxation of 20% if they use over their ‘de minimis’ value of energy.

Village Halls are charities whose objects are to provide local provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship, or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the conditions of life of the inhabitants.

At CCB we are receiving stories of Village Hall Charities who are concerned about how they will be able to afford to pay energy bills and keep facilities and local activities going over the next few months. There is a concern that passing on price increases through hire charges to those providing activities and services will ultimately fall at the feet of locals who may not be able to afford to continue using the hall. It will be the most vulnerable, elderly, young families and socially isolated who will be the ultimate victims of this crisis.

 It is interesting that the government have prioritised funding within the Department of Transport for transport in rural areas to limit social isolation, as many of the village halls that would host the events and activities necessary to combat social isolation and loneliness are on the verge of closing. Tackling loneliness with transport fund

Focus and investment are needed to ensure that village halls and charities can continue to operate – starting with a charity tariff on energy bills so charities and village halls are not stung by business tariffs. The current system where charities are regulated by the same terms as businesses is unsustainable.

CCB want to ensure that more is done to protect charity properties from closure as their services are vital for the community – not only in Berkshire but across the country.

We are asking our stakeholders, partners, beneficiaries and influencers to;

•          Support & endorse this issue on social media and within your contacts. Use the hashtag #VillageHallEnergyCrisis

•          Support for CCB (Connecting Communities in Berkshire) to open this conversation with energy providers.

Write to your local MP requesting that they;

•          Help to explore the possibility of a charity tariff for charity premises including village halls.

•          Acknowledgement of the importance of charity premises and Village Halls in your area. 

•          Lobby for grants programmes, to be offered to SMEs and Charities with premises for greener energy solutions. 

If you want to know more about the issues facing village halls, please contact us or our Community Building Advisor Kate on Kate.Meads@ccberks.org.uk