New Year, New Funding Opportunities

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The Arnold Clark Community Fund

We want to give back to the communities that we serve. The Arnold Clark Community Fund is here to help registered UK charities and community groups close to our branches. We believe that by caring for these communities today, we can help them create a better future for generations to come. The Arnold Clark Community Fund is only accepting applications from registered charities and community groups that are within a 50-mile radius of an Arnold Clark branch.

The amount of funding you receive will depend on the strand of funding you apply for, If you apply for our Cost-of-Living Support, you can apply for up to £2,500 per application and for Community Support, you can apply for up to £1,000.

Deadline: Funding will continue on a rolling monthly basis. However, we’d recommend you apply as early as you can once the fund is open, as applications could be paused due to high demand.

Bernard Sunley Foundation

Our funding categories:

Community
Education
Health
Social Welfare
We award three levels of grants:
Large – £25,000 and above
Medium – Up to £20,000
Small – £5,000 and under

What we fund: Capital projects.
Project costs between £10,000 and £5 million.
Charities with an annual income of under £10 million.

Our capital grants are one off, single payments.
We do not fully fund projects. Our grants are offered as a contribution to overall project costs.
Trustees decide on the amount to be pledged. We do not ask you to specify an amount.
We fund around 50% of all applications received.

Deadline: We hold three Trustees’ meetings a year in March, July and November.

Finnis Scott Foundation

The Trustees ONLY make grants to charities registered at the Charity Commission.

We will consider applications for one-off grants up to £10,000, but because of the high demand, most grants are currently £5,000 or less. Exceptionally, when funds permit, grants of as much as £60,000 are made, payable over several years.

The Trustees are keen to support horticultural training through bursaries and apprenticeships. Applications should be made by the sponsoring institution: individuals may not apply.

Grants are not offered for covering salary commitments (except for horticultural traineeships/ apprenticeships), nor for expenditure already incurred. In general, the trustees only consider applications up to £10,000. Exceptionally, larger grants may be made. The Foundation’s resources are modest: preference is given to helping smaller charities, where a grant can have more significant impact.

The Foundation funds both capital and revenue projects. We do not fund projects which have already been completed. We are unlikely to fund newly established organisations which do not yet have a track record, or have not yet produced accounts.

Deadline: Rolling

Small grants for village halls – Defra and ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural Areas)

Grants up to £5,000 are available to help make modest improvements to rural community buildings in England such as boiler replacements, insulation, toilet upgrades and new kitchens.

Awards can be made to cover 20% of eligible project costs, up to a maximum amount of £5,000. The balance of funding for the works proposed must be in place or at least confirmed within 6 weeks of making an application to the small grants fund.

Project expenditure must take place before 31 March 2026.

Anchor Fund – Alliance for Youth Organising

The Alliance for Youth Organising will provide anchor grants of £40,000 a year for two years to UK-based organisations that are supporting youth organising.

The purpose of the funding is to support wider access to youth organising and strengthen the youth organising field.

Groups will also receive an additional £5,000 to support learning and to provide strategic insight to the Alliance to shape its future strategy. This means that the total grant awarded is £85,000 over two years.

The Fund will close to applications on 26 January 2026 and between seven and ten grants will be made by April 2026.

Quaker Housing Trust

QHT gives advice, support, loans and grants to small charitable organisations to help them provide safe, decent and affordable homes.

They currently offer two separate restricted funding programmes:

?Best practice grants up to £6000 for early in the development of a project to enable projects to reach the highest possible standards.
?The Main Grants and Loans Programme to fund projects which create homes.
For capital projects generating income from rent, trustees will award interest-free loans up to £30,000 with a 5% administration fee payable at the end of the loan period.

The deadline for expressions of interest for the main grants and loans programme is 29 January 2026. The deadline for applications for best practice grants is 26 March 2026.

Apply for funding

Engagement grants – National Archives

The Engagement Grants Programme offers grants of up to £3,000 for organisations to conduct outreach and engagement projects that will connect archives with their communities in places across England and Wales.

Engagement grants are often responsive to cultural events and days of national importance.

The theme for the current application round is ‘Belonging’. The funder states: “By collecting records relating to our shared past and present, archives play an important role in helping people feel a sense of belonging.”

The closing date for applications is 19 January 2026.

About these grants – Archives sector

Awards for All, and Reaching Communities – The National Lottery Community Fund (TNLCF)

Awards for All: TNLCF offer funding from £300 to £20,000 and can support your project for up to two years. You can apply for funding to deliver a new or existing activity or to support your organisation to change and adapt to new and future challenges.

They can fund projects that’ll do at least one of these things:

bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities
improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage
support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis.

Reaching Communities England: With this funding, TNLCF want to help strengthen communities and improve lives across England. Their funding is available to all communities, but their priority is the places, people and communities that need it most.

When they say ‘community’, they mean people who live in the same area. Or people with similar interests or life experiences, even if they do not live in the same area.

They offer funding that starts at £20,001. Your project must help achieve one of these missions. Which are to support communities to:

come together through inclusive places, spaces and activities (either physical or virtual), especially for communities where people are least able to come together
help children and young people thrive by developing positive social and emotional skills
be healthier by addressing health inequalities and helping prevent poor health
be environmentally sustainable by engaging with climate issues, having a positive environmental impact, and improving access to quality natural spaces
Funding programmes | The National Lottery Community Fund.

Football Foundation grants

Football Foundation grants are available to football clubs, schools, councils and local sports associations under the following categories:

Lionesses HERe to Play Fund
Goalposts
Catering units
Portable floodlights
Storage containers
Changing pavilions and clubhouses
3G pitch maintenance machinery and equipment
Fencing
3G pitches
Creation of new grass pitches
Small-sided facility improvements
Grass pitch improvement
Grass pitch drainage
Grass pitch maintenance machinery and equipment
Premier League defibrillator fund
Premier League stadium fund
Looking for funding | Football Foundation

Further useful funding resources can be found on the Rural Services Network website.

Alliance for Youth Organising- Anchor Fund

The Alliance for Youth Organising will provide anchor grants of £40,000 a year for two years to UK-based organisations that are supporting youth organising.

The purpose of the funding is to support wider access to youth organising and strengthen the youth organising field.

Groups will also receive an additional £5,000 to support learning and to provide strategic insight to the Alliance to shape its future strategy. This means that the total grant awarded is £85,000 over two years.
The purpose of the Alliance is to shift power and money to young people, so they can organise together to create change.

This funding is for organisations that already have a track record of supporting youth organising and with Alliance funding would have more impact.

It recognises the challenges facing organisations that support youth organising in securing long-term sustainable funding which allows them to focus on their core work – building youth power.

The Alliance also recognises that there are many ways that organisations can support young people to organise.

These include place-based support to organise to address local issues, national or regional leadership training programmes, support for networks of young organisers through mentoring and coaching, incubating youth organising initiatives and providing fiscal hosting.

Deadline: 26th January 2026

Berkshire Community Foundation- Vital for Berkshire Fund

Our Vital for Berkshire fund aims to support charities, community groups and projects that work to tackle the most salient and pressing issues within Berkshire’s communities at any given time.

We invite applications from charities, community groups and projects that support vital needs in Berkshire, such as (but not limited to): physical and mental health, supporting young and vulnerable people or groups, combating isolation, tackling poverty and disadvantage, offering equal opportunities for all, and more.

Applications are also invited to enable groups to fund their essential resources in order to secure services for their beneficiaries in the current cost of living crisis.

Deadline: 29th January 2026

Paul Hamlyn – Youth Fund

We want to fund organisations who work with young people (14–25) to drive change so that future generations of young people can thrive.

We believe that services, systems, structures, processes and practice can support young people to thrive. We want young people to have their voices heard, and to have agency and autonomy to drive changes and improvements which transform their transitions to adulthood.

This fund achieves this by:

Focusing on young people (14–25) who experience systemic inequity. For these young people, transitions are harder due to the way society, systems and structures operate. This often compounds the inequity they experience.
Driving change in systems, processes, structures and practice to create more equitable, inclusive, asset based environments and experiences for young people.
Tackling the root causes of inequity and injustice which creates barriers and challenges for young people as they transition to adulthood.
Centering young people voice, insight and power. Recognizing that many young people are marginalized or excluded, their experiences hidden or less well known and their voices often erased or ignored.
We provide funding:

  • up to £50,000 per year for three years (max grant £150,000). We prefer to fund organisations at the maximum amount and term. We do not make grants of less than £30,000 per year
  • to cover core operating costs (salaries, organisation and delivery costs)
  • and to grow the impact of what you already do. We are not looking to fund new or untested approaches, projects or finite pieces of work.
    Deadline: Rolling

The Aviva Community Fund

We’re on a mission to build a brighter future. Our ambition is for the UK to become the most climate-ready large economy by 2030 and help people and communities feel positive about their financial futures. This is why our two key focus areas are:

Climate action—promoting healthy, thriving communities by preventing, preparing for and protecting against the impacts of climate change.

Financial wellbeing—helping people take control of their wellbeing by giving them the tools to be more financially independent and ready for anything.

And it’s about more than money – the Aviva Community Fund also gives causes access to volunteers, as well as tools and resources to help build their capabilities and achieve long-term sustainable success.

Building stronger, more resilient communities across the UK: that’s what we’re striving towards at Aviva, and it’s how we’ll continue to help small charities and community causes.

We know the causes that make the biggest impact are those that are given the opportunity to test innovative ideas and explore new sustainable strategies without fear of risk. That’s why the Aviva Community Fund backs the clever ideas that move communities forward and provides these amazing causes with vital support and resources.

Aviva will match each donation you receive up to £250. This means that if someone gives £5, we’ll double it to £10. If they give £250, we’ll match it, so the cause gets £500. Organisations can receive up to £50,000 in match funding and eligible causes can apply at any time.

Got an idea that will move your community forward? Organisations must be one of the following types of organisations:
Charity*
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO);
Community Interest Company (CIC);
Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG); or
Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC);

Deadline: Rolling

SNG ConnectED Communities Fund.

The fund is now open and closes on 23rd February 2026. 

Grants of up to £2000 will be available for projects and initiatives designed to empower local groups to take action, driving projects that champion fairness and equality, celebrate diversity and create places where everyone feels they truly belong

We will prioritise applications from:

  • Smaller grassroots groups (income under £250,000)
  • Groups that specialise in delivering services for people from marginalised groups such as ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, religious groups, people with disabilities, women’s or men’s groups
  • Those led by or incorporating lived experience
  • Groups that operate within defined SNG communities where we have homes and whose work will directly benefit SNG communities

We will be focussing our ConnectED Communities Fund on the following priorities:-

Cohesive communities  

  • Activities which celebrate, encourage or raise awareness of diverse cultures/identities by bringing people together with an aim to build strong and cohesive communities and/or reduce prejudice or hate crimes and incidents. 
  • Bringing communities together for improved community cohesion and improving connections across generations. 
  • Creating safe spaces individuals feel comfortable and supported, free from discrimination, harassment, or judgment.  

Social inclusion 

  • Investing in the development of more inclusive and age friendly communities. 
  • Encouraging and supporting young people from under represented groups to achieve their aspirations and transition from where they are to where they want to be. 
  • Providing mental health support or promoting mental and emotional health, including holistic activities like creative arts to build confidence and reduce stigma around mental health challenges. 
  • Activities which provide support for protected characteristic, minority, disadvantaged groups by reducing isolation, building resilience and independence, helping people stay safe, or helping people stay healthy 

Raising awareness/education 

  • Workshops/networking events that amplify those from under represented backgrounds 
  • Support for events or speakers that raise awareness and deepen understanding of the multiple dimensions of EDI 
  • Events celebrating heritage through story telling, food and intergenerational activities 

THINKING OF APPLYING?

This fund is an ACTIVE APPLY FUND – which means you must select the fund on Actionfunder and APPLY as your projects will not automatically match.

If you would like to discuss an application with us or have any questions please contact me or the grants team grants@sng.org.uk

With thanks to Rural Services Network, Slough CVS and Involve Bracknell & Wokingham for the information contained in this article.

Funding Opportunities in December

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Calisen Impact Charitable Trust

About Us: We fund charitable initiatives that champion sustainable energy solutions and foster inclusive, safe, and diverse educational and work environments.
Criteria: This Manchester based charity offers grants to UK registered charities based and working in England, Scotland or Wales. The funding will support the costs of projects that align with the Trust’s core objectives which are:
Youth Empowerment,
Children’s Play and Safe Spaces – supporting schools, youth clubs and programmes that actively reduce social exclusion, improve physical and mental wellbeing, and equip young people with life and employment skills through hands-on engagement.
Hospice and Palliative Care – support for projects that complement and enhance the essential work of hospices, focusing on initiatives that improve comfort and dignity for patients and families. (Core clinical operations or NHS-run hospices are not eligible).
Community-Based Social Benefit Projects – support for initiatives that strengthen local communities through direct support, such as food banks, befriending schemes, accessible transport services, or improvements to shared facilities that promote inclusion and wellbeing.
Community-Led Environmental Action – support for hands-on projects that enhance local environments and foster community wellbeing, including but not limited to tree planting, habitat restoration, community gardens, and the creation or improvement of outdoor spaces designed for public use.
Net-Zero and Energy Efficiency Projects – invests in infrastructure for charities whose core mission aligns with one of the other funding priorities that drives immediate carbon reduction – including but not limited to solar panel installations, heat pump systems, and retrofit schemes – with demonstrable environmental and cost-saving benefits.
Grant Size: up to £10,000
Deadline for applications: 31st December 2025

Radcliffe Trust

About Us: The Radcliffe Trust supports music, heritage and crafts.
Criteria: Grants for not-for-profit groups, and exempt organisations across the UK to support projects in the areas of music or heritage and crafts.
Grant Size: up to £7,500
Deadline for applications: 31st January 2026

Heathrow Community Take Off Fund

About Us: The Heathrow Community Take Off Fund (HCTOF) supports part of our ‘Giving Back Programme’ which sets out our goal to make the areas around Heathrow better places to live.​
Criteria: HCTOF funding will be allocated to support projects delivering:​

  • ​Health & Wellbeing​
  • Community Collaboration & Inclusivity​
  • Environmental Improvement​
  • Children/ youth, learning & development​
  • Legacy projects that support communities for years to come​

If you have a community project that would benefit from Heathrow funding, based on the above criteria, please contact communityrelations@heathrow.com
Grant Size: Not stated
Deadline for applications: Rolling programme

Schroder Charity Trust

Following a strategic review of the Schroder Charity Trust’s grant-making programme, we are only considering applications for work under the following two objectives:

Objective (1): Enabling children and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds to thrive and achieve their potential in education and employment.

Objective (2): Strengthening communities through services and opportunities which enhance the wellbeing and life outcomes of vulnerable and disadvantaged people.

The Schroder Charity Trust typically makes grants of up to £5,000. We fund both core costs and project (restricted) costs. Grants are for a one-year period and not over multiple years.

Deadline: The eligibility questionnaire and application form for the next application window will go live at 9am on the 1st October 2025 and the window will remain open from 1st October – 30th November 2025. We anticipate making decisions on grants within four months of the application window closing. Application window dates for 2026 will be published on the Schroder Charity Trust website by the 31st December 2025.

The Kelly Family Foundation

The Kelly Family Charitable Trust is a grant-giving body founded in 2004 by members of the Kelly family.

We’re interested in funding charities whose activities involve all or most family members, where possible, in initiatives that seek to tackle problems facing one or more of its members. We’ve funded charities working in fields including early intervention, mediation, prison services and services for families affected by sexual abuse, physical abuse and domestic violence, among others.

We generally offer grants worth up to £5,000 – though trustees will consider requests for higher amounts. We’re happy to fund charities’ core costs and we encourage applications from relatively new charities to help them become established.

The trustees take a close interest in the progress of the charities they support, and projects shortlisted for grants will be contacted by the trust’s grants administrator Stuart Armstrong, or a trustee. The Trust only make grants to organisations whose activities take place within the UK.

The trust has decided to prioritise its funding in favour of charities whose activities involve all or most family members where possible, in initiatives that support and encourage the family to work as a cohesive unit in tackling problems that face one or more of its members. The objective is to reinforce the benefit and support that family members as a unit can give to each other.

The three areas of activity that the charity wishes to support are:

Interventions that support families and help them in ways that prevent the fracture of the family unit, eg practical family support, relationship counselling, mediation
Families where sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence, alcohol abuse and drug abuse threaten the integrity of the family unit
Prisoners and in particular their families, during and after the period of imprisonment
The trust prefers to support charities whose income is below £500,000. However, larger charities with pioneering pilot projects will be considered.

The trust will consider both capital and revenue grants. The trust is happy to support requests for core funding as well as project-based grants, and actively encourages applications from relatively new organisations to help them become established.

Community and Shared Transport Grants Available From the Motability Foundation

The Motability Foundation are currently accepting applications for their Community and Shared Transport grants. These are intended to help community transport providers make an immediate impact in their local area by developing, expanding and improving transport options for disabled people.

Available over a period of one to three years, grants can be used to address local needs and challenges by organisations that have been active for at least three years.

There are two different grants available depending on the level of funding required:

Small Grants

1- Suitable for small community transport operators.

2- Requests can be up from the value of £50,000 to £149,999 to help cover the costs of staff, vehicles & their associated costs, as well as training.

Apply for a Small Grant

Large Grants

1- Suitable for medium-large community transport operators

2- Requests can be up from the value of £150,000 to £1 million to help cover the costs of staff, vehicles & their associated costs, as well as training.

Apply for a Large Grant

Applications must be received by 23 December 2025.

Funding for Charities Working with Older People Programme

This initiative aims to support UK-registered charities and local authorities that provide care and services for older individuals, particularly those with neurodegenerative conditions or experiencing social isolation.

The grant focuses on capital projects that enhance the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of services.

Eligible organisations must be UK registered charities or local authorities. If applicable, they should have at least a ‘Good’ rating from a regulator such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Projects should also aim to increase the financial sustainability of the organisation.

Applicants can request grants ranging from £25,000 to £75,000.
Applications deadline : Applications follow a two-stage process. The deadline for Stage 1 applications is 5 January 2026. Organisations invited to proceed will have until 1 March 2026 to submit a full application.

Arts Council National Lottery

Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants is our funding programme for arts, museums and libraries projects.

The programme supports a broad range of high quality creative and cultural projects that benefit people living in England.

Projects can range from creating and delivering creative and cultural activity to projects which have a longer term positive impact, such as organisational development, research and development, and sector support activity.

We aim to broadly reflect the diversity of England through the grants we make.
Applications are open for the £30,000 and under strand of our National Lottery Project Grants programme. We’re currently using alternative online systems to support you in making your application. All questions remain the same in our new process, and the guidance below can support your preparation.

Deadline: Submit your full application, ensuring that you use the link at the bottom of this webpage. We’ll get back to you with a decision within 12 weeks of your submission date for applications submitted from 3 November, or within 10 weeks for applications submitted before 3 November. For applications we receive between 20 December 2025 and 4 January 2026, when our offices are closed, the turnaround time will be 14 weeks.  

The Calisen Charitable Trust

We’re committed to supporting projects that deliver maximum impact with minimal waste. We believe that small, well-targeted grants can unlock significant change, especially when driven by organisations that know their communities best.

That’s why we look for:

  • A well-defined problem and a practical solution
  • Direct action with clear, measurable outcomes
  • A commitment to social or environmental benefit through physical delivery; not through education or awareness alone
  • Efficient use of funds with transparent reporting of the impact achieved
  • Tangible and direct interventions with clear and immediate benefit

We want every pound we invest to stretch as far as possible – creating real impact for people, places, and the planet.

Our funding priorities are geographically targeted across Great Britain, with a particular focus on where Calisen operates and where our employees live. This approach ensures our support is rooted in the communities we know best. The fifth category, Net-Zero & Energy Efficiency Projects, is open to eligible charities across Great Britain, provided their core mission aligns with one of the other four funding areas.
The Trustees will accept applications for funding based on their alignment with the Charity’s core objectives which are detailed as follows:

Youth Empowerment, Children’s Play & Safe Spaces

  • Supporting schools, youth clubs and programmes that actively reduce social exclusion, improve physical and mental wellbeing, and equip young people with life and employment skills through hands-on engagement.
    Hospice & Palliative Care
  • We fund projects that complement and enhance the essential work of hospices, focusing on initiatives that improve comfort and dignity for patients and families. We do not fund core clinical operations or NHS-run hospices.
    Community-Based Social Benefit Projects
  • Enabling initiatives that strengthen local communities through direct support, such as food banks, befriending schemes, accessible transport services, or improvements to shared facilities that promote inclusion and wellbeing.
    Community-Led Environmental Action
  • Funding hands-on projects that enhance local environments and foster community wellbeing, including but not limited to tree planting, habitat restoration, community gardens, and the creation or improvement of outdoor spaces designed for public use.
    Net-Zero & Energy Efficiency Projects
  • Investing in infrastructure for charities whose core mission aligns with one of our other funding priorities that drives immediate carbon reduction – including but not limited to solar panel installations, heat pump systems, and retrofit schemes – with demonstrable environmental and cost-saving benefits.

Maximum Grant Available: £10,000 per project.

The Ironmongers Charity

The Ironmongers’ Company wishes to support projects that provide opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people to fulfil their potential.
​​
We are looking for projects that deliver clearly defined educational benefits to a specific group of children or young people. Projects could, for example, support special educational needs, or foster social, emotional or life skills. Preference will be given to projects piloting new approaches where the outcomes will be disseminated to a wider audience.

Grants range from £3,000 up to around £10,000. Preference will be given to requests where the grant would cover a significant element of the project costs (at least 50%) and to applications from smaller charities.

Grants must be spent within twelve months from the date of the award.

Recipients are expected to submit a written evaluation report within three months of the completion of the project.

Grants are only given to registered charities. We do not give grants to community interest companies.​

All of the criteria must be met. Projects must:

Have a commencement date after 31 October 2025 (Spring 2025 round) or 30 April 2026 (Autumn 2025 round)

Be for children and young people under the age of 25 who are disadvantaged

Consist of educational activities that develop learning, motivation and skills

Have clear aims and objectives to be met within a planned timescale

Be carried out within the UK.

The National Churches Trust’s Medium Grants Programme (UK)

About Us: Protecting church heritage.
Criteria: To listed and unlisted Christian places of worship, of any denomination, across the UK towards project development and investigative work up to RIBA planning stage 1, to support churches preparing for a major project, and in developing their project to the point at which they can approach a major grant funder.
Grant Size: Up to £10,000
Deadline for applications: 16th December 2025

Friends of the Elderly

About Us: Friends of the Elderly provides grants to older people living on low incomes.
Criteria: To support vulnerable older people living on low incomes in England and Wales. The funding which is being made available through the charity Friends of the Elderly assists individuals and couples who are of or over the state pension age, have savings of less than £5,000, and do not meet the criteria for other funders. The funding aims to assist with various needs such as purchasing a new fridge, paying unexpected bills, obtaining food and clothing, or covering gas and electricity costs. To apply for these grants, individuals must submit their applications through a third-party Referral Agent. Acceptable Referral Agents include charities, local authorities, housing associations, community organisations, Information, Advice and Guidance providers, as well as social services representatives.
Grant Size: up to £600
Deadline for applications: Rolling programme

Calisen Impact Charity Trust

About Us: We’re committed to supporting projects that deliver maximum impact with minimal waste.
Criteria: The Trustees will accept applications for funding based on their alignment with the Charity’s core objectives which are detailed as follows:
Youth Empowerment, Children’s Play & Safe Spaces

  • Supporting schools, youth clubs and programmes that actively reduce social exclusion, improve physical and mental wellbeing, and equip young people with life and employment skills through hands-on engagement.
    Hospice & Palliative Care
  • We fund projects that complement and enhance the essential work of hospices, focusing on initiatives that improve comfort and dignity for patients and families. We do not fund core clinical operations or NHS-run hospices.
    Community-Based Social Benefit Projects
  • Enabling initiatives that strengthen local communities through direct support, such as food banks, befriending schemes, accessible transport services, or improvements to shared facilities that promote inclusion and wellbeing.
    Community-Led Environmental Action
  • Funding hands-on projects that enhance local environments and foster community wellbeing, including but not limited to tree planting, habitat restoration, community gardens, and the creation or improvement of outdoor spaces designed for public use.
    Net-Zero & Energy Efficiency Projects
  • Investing in infrastructure for charities whose core mission aligns with one of our other funding priorities that drives immediate carbon reduction – including but not limited to solar panel installations, heat pump systems, and retrofit schemes – with demonstrable environmental and cost-saving benefits.
    Grant Size: £10,000 per project
    Deadline for applications: Rolling programme

With thanks to Wokingham & Bracknell InVOLve, West Berkshire Volunteer Centre and Slough CVS for the information contained in this article.

Funding Opportunities in November

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WCIT Grants

About Us: Our purpose is to use the power of tech for impact through digital inclusion, education, charitable, and public engagement initiatives across the entire UK.
Criteria: Available for educational establishments and constituted not-for-profit organisations across the UK to support IT projects and activities.
Grant Size: up to £15,000
Deadline for applications: 6th February 2026

The Gardens Trust

About Us: The Gardens Trust offers a grant scheme for volunteer projects supporting historic designed landscapes.
Criteria: For volunteer-led projects that support historic designed landscapes across the UK. Provided through the Gardens Trust Community Grants programme, the funding helps volunteer groups promote the conservation, understanding, and enjoyment of these landscapes, which can include historic parks, gardens, and cemeteries. Intended as seed funding, the grants aim to help kick-start or develop initiatives such as restoration planning, establishing Friends groups, conducting research, or delivering volunteer training schemes.
Grant Size: up to £8,000
Deadline for applications: 14th November 2025

Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme

About Us: Apply for security to protect places of worship and associated community centres.
Criteria: The Home Office is offering funded security measures (like CCTV, alarms, and secure doors) to places of worship and faith community centres in England and Wales that are at risk of hate crime. The scheme covers installation and one year of maintenance.
You can apply to the scheme if you are a:

church
gurdwara
temple
faith community centre (linked to a place of worship and host regular, active worship)
other place of worship
You will also need to be a registered charity (or exempt from registering as a charity).
Grant Size: Not stated
Deadline for applications: 8th December 2025

The Paddle Trust

About Us: We support the Clear Access Clear Waters campaign to improve sustainable places to paddle on UK waterways and coastline.
Criteria: Applications will be accepted from a range of organisations, including paddle clubs, community groups, charities, parish councils, and local authorities. We offer grants for projects across the UK that:

Increase or enhance existing public access points to water for all forms of paddlesport.
Create launching and landing sites, to and alongside water, for all sectors of the community and all abilities, that are designed to be durable and use sustainable materials when applicable.
Protect and enhance natural blue spaces such as rivers or coastline.
Grant Size: up to £10,000
Deadline for applications: 17th December 2025

Arnold Clark Community Fund

Our Communities Support is available to organisations who provide services which are widely accessible to those within our local communities and address the needs of the people living within them, supporting our local communities to a better future. Arnold Clark Foundation will decide on the amount given to successful applicants, up to £2,500.

Most organisations are eligible to apply, and we particularly welcome applications from smaller voluntary and community organisations who are working within our local communities. Please ensure you read and understand the below eligibility criteria before submitting an application.

We welcome applications from:

UK-registered charities.
Local community groups.
Social enterprises.
Community interest companies.
Groups of organisations that are community or voluntary-led.
Charitable incorporated organisations.
The following times show which categories will be open when:
Category 1 – December – Accommodation aid, food and utility banks, poverty relief and equal opportunities

Category 2 – November – Youth groups and clubs

National Lottery Awards for All England – Environment

Grants are available for voluntary and community organisations, schools and local authorities in England to carry out community-led projects that improve the environment and help people connect with and enjoy nature where they live.
Applications deadline: 17 December 2025.

Naturesave Foundation

Theme: Biodiversity
In 2022, the UK committed to protect at least 30% of land and sea for biodiversity by 2030 (30×30). Expanding and improving protected areas helps nature recover and creates healthier places for people—clean air and water, resilient soils, beautiful green spaces, and greater climate resilience.

Biodiversity underpins the processes that support all life on Earth. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we cannot have the healthy ecosystems we rely on for the air we breathe and the food we eat.

We’re inviting applications from charities, community groups, and organisations boosting biodiversity via:

Pollinator plans
Habitat restoration
Hedgerow management
Wildlife gardens
Pesticide alternatives
Conservation volunteering
Education
Influencing local councils
Citizen science
Community wildlife surveys
Got a fresh idea we haven’t listed? If you have a completely new approach to encouraging nature connection, we’re all ears. We offer grants up to £5,000.

Deadline: 12 noon on 27th November 2025

Englefield Charitable Trust

You do not need to apply on a special form but it would help us very much if you can answer the following questions as succinctly as possible in your application email. We receive hundreds of applications a year. We look at each one on its merit but we cannot wade through long and complicated applications, glossy brochures or sets of accounts.

A summary is respectfully requested. You will also appreciate that it is not possible for us to acknowledge receipt of every application or to notify unsuccessful applicants. We favour applications for projects either based in, or active in, Berkshire, together with certain areas of Hackney and Inverness-shire which are also connected with the Englefield Estate.

Grants are given entirely at the discretion of the Trustees. The criteria are broad and include education, sport, community, social welfare and medical support, churches and faith groups, agriculture and conservation, heritage and the arts and the armed forces.

Capital grants are preferred but revenue grants will be considered. Grants are generally between £500 and £5,000 and commitments are generally on a one-off basis rather than spread over a number of years.

Garfield Weston Foundation

The Foundation support a wide range of charities that make a positive difference, working in different sectors in the UK. These include welfare, youth, community, environment, education, health, arts, heritage and faith. They fund small local organisations and large national institutions. Grants range from £1,000 to several million pounds, depending on each charity’s size and scope of work. The grants can be for your organisation’s running costs, for a specific activity or for capital projects. The Foundation are flexible and fund what charities need the most. Normally, capital grants are no more than 10% of a total project cost. However, for local community projects (e.g. village halls, community centres, places of worship, etc.), grants are unlikely to be over £30,000 regardless of the project size. If your organisation wants to apply for £100,000 or over, they expect your annual income or project to be over £1 million. What we fund – Garfield Weston Foundation

Matthew Good Foundation

Grants for Good Fund Grants are available for local community groups, charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises in the UK for projects that have a positive impact on communities, people, or the environment. https://www.matthewgoodfoundation.org/grantsforgood

Information courtesy of Slough CVS, Volunteer Centre West Berkshire and Wokingham & Bracknell InVOLve.

Join our Team!

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Job Opportunity: Project Development & Research Officer

Connecting Communities in Berkshire (CCB) is an independent charity with a focus on developing strong communities. Our team is dedicated to achieving our vision for all communities in Berkshire to be strong, resilient, sustainable and able to take control of their own futures. We are looking for the next member of our highly committed team.

Location: Berkshire (hybrid working available)
Salary: Competitive, based on experience
Closing Date: 5pm Thursday 30th October 2025

Are you passionate about rural communities? Do you have a knack for turning grassroots insights into impactful projects? Join us at Connecting Communities in Berkshire as our new Project Development & Research Officer and help shape the future of community spaces across the county.

About the Role

This exciting and varied role sits at the heart of our 21st Century Community Halls programme, supporting village halls and community buildings to thrive. You’ll analyse evidence of need, develop innovative projects, secure funding, and lead research that informs our strategic direction.

What You’ll Be Doing

  • Developing and delivering community-based projects based on local action plans.
  • Leading research and evaluation activities to understand rural challenges.
  • Writing compelling funding bids and securing income for new initiatives.
  • Building relationships with stakeholders across sectors.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is:

  • Educated or experienced in community development or social sciences.
  • A confident communicator, both in writing and in person.
  • Analytical, proactive, and able to manage a dynamic workload.
  • Experienced in working with diverse communities and committed to Equality Diversity and Inclusion.
  • Knowledgeable about rural issues and passionate about making a difference.
  • Familiar with research techniques and able to translate findings into action.
  • Able to travel to rural locations (access to a car insured for business use is essential).

What We Offer

  • Hybrid working arrangements for better work-life balance.
  • 25 days annual leave (pro rata) plus public/bank holidays.
  • An extra day off for your birthday.
  • Contributory pension scheme.
  • Free office car parking.
  • Staff training and development opportunities.
  • A supportive and inclusive team environment.
  • The chance to make a real impact in Berkshire’s rural communities.

Want to know more?

Click here for a full job description

If you have questions or concerns about the working hours related to this role, please raise them in your covering letter and we will do our best to address them.

Please note this role requires a Basic DBS check.

Ready to apply?

Send your CV and a covering letter that clearly explains how your skills and experience fit with the requirements of this role, to admin@ccberks.org.uk or by post to:

Connecting Communities in Berkshire, Wyvols Court, Swallowfield, Berkshire, RG7 1WY

Initial interviews to take place week commencing 3rd November 2025.

Funding Opportunities in October

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Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation

Grants are available to UK registered charities for charitable work in the UK that helps people experiencing hardship and/or underserved groups to access a place to call home and to improve their financial wellbeing.

Application deadline: 31 October (17:00)

Cash4Clubs Opens for UK Applications

Unrestricted grants are available for community and voluntary sports groups across the UK and Ireland, delivering activities for a social purpose to under-represented communities.
Application deadline: Applications are accepted from 8 September 2025 to 8 December 2025.

Take the Lead Community Grants

Grants are available for community groups across the UK to deliver a standalone project, event, or series of activities exploring how data can support health and wellbeing in their communities.
Application deadline: The deadline for applications is 13 October 2025 (17:00) with notification of decisions by end of November 2025.

Scops Arts Trust

A limited number of grants are available to charities across the UK for new high quality projects that provide opportunities for people from all backgrounds to access, enjoy and participate in the arts.
Application deadline: The deadline for stage 1 applications is 9 December 2025.

Henry Smith Foundation – Christian Grants Programme

Grants are available to churches and charities for projects that support the wellbeing of Anglican clergy within the UK to ensure they remain healthy and effective in their ministry.

Ninevah Trust

About Us: The Nineveh Charitable Trust supports a broad range of UK-based projects and activities of benefit to the General Public, with an emphasis on promoting better understanding of the countryside.
Criteria: For UK Schools, PTAs and not for profit organisations that run projects promoting a better understanding of the environment.
Eligible projects include:

Environmental education schemes such as forest schools, farm visits, and nature trails;
Conservation and biodiversity initiatives;
School farms and tree planting programmes;
Activities that improve access to the countryside for young people/disadvantaged groups.
Grant Size: £3,000–£5,000
Deadline: Rolling programme

National Garden Scheme – Community Gardens Grants

Grants are available for community groups in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to create a garden or similar project with horticultural focus for the benefit of their local community.
Application deadline: 20 October 2025 (12 noon).


John Rayner Charitable Trust

Grants are available for smaller charities with a lower public profile undertaking general charitable activities in England.
Application deadline: 31 January 2026

Cumber Family Charitable Trust

Grants are available for grassroots organisations in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Developing Counties working in the areas of housing and welfare, children, youth, education, medica, disability, environment and overseas.

Arts Council England – Supporting Grassroots Music Fund

Grants are available to support the transition of artists, bands and industry professionals in England to sustainable careers in music, as well as the development of new audiences.
Application deadline: This is a rolling programme

The Andy Thompson Foundation

We look to make grants to small charities involved in helping disadvantaged people, whether this be as a result of poverty, illness, being disabled or substance abuse. As we are a small charity, our focus will be on one off capital needs.

We like to visit the organisations that we help and as we are based in the South East of England we will tend to choose charities in the Home Counties although not exclusively.

There is no minimum grants size you can request. However due to the amount of funding available our maximum grant size is currently £2,500.

Deadline: Rolling

Health Data Research UK – Take the Lead Community Grants

Community groups across the UK can apply for between £500 to £1500 to deliver a standalone project, event or series of activities exploring how data can support their health and wellbeing in their communities between January – March 2026. Importantly, the application must be led by and embedded in community organisations primarily working with at least one of the following under-served audiences:

People from low socio-economic backgrounds
People from minority ethnic backgrounds
Older children and young adults aged 11–25 (especially in areas of deprivation)
People over 65 (especially in areas of deprivation)
People living in rural areas (defined as settlements of fewer than 10,000 people in England and Wales, fewer than 5,000 in Northern Ireland, and fewer than 3,000 in Scotland)
People experiencing digital exclusion
We’ll be looking for community-led proposals that take a responsive, inclusive and creative approach. Examples could be a community step challenge, data-inspired arts and crafts, or a project to help gather trustworthy data to advocate for a community’s health and wellbeing needs. Community groups know their audiences best – we want to enable them to take the lead, providing support and guidance if needed.

Deadline: 5pm (BST) on 13 October 2025.

The Linnean Society – Our Local Nature Grant

The Our Local Nature Grant scheme is designed to provide young people with an opportunity to take the lead on projects that involve their local nature and natural spaces, to aid young people in realising their influence to affect positive change, to have their voices heard, and see their ideas come to life.

We therefore fund innovative projects that are designed and led by young people in the UK.

Adult applicants should develop their proposal alongside young people and the projects should seek to empower local young people to enact changes they want to see, such as increasing access to natural spaces and improving understanding of their local biodiversity.

The maximum award is £1,000 per proposal. We welcome and encourage applications for significantly lower amounts – in the last two years we have funded a wide spread of projects ranging from £150 to £1,000. The Society is happy to co-fund any project with other organisations.

This grant is purposefully broad and welcomes novel ideas. Some examples of possible proposals could be: running a school festival about nature; painting community murals showcasing biodiversity in the area; building a community garden; creating a nature walk; hiring a speaker to come and talk about local foraging.

Deadline: Midnight 25 October 2025

Architectural Heritage Fund

We are pleased to launch a new grants programme for England – the Heritage Revival Fund.

The Heritage Revival Fund has been created to help communities across England rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings. This programme will focus on regenerating historic buildings in town centre locations.

It will do this 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.

This grants programme has been made possible with funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Historic England, and forms part of the government’s wider £270 million investment in arts and culture.

Project Viability Grants: We are currently offering grants of up to £15,000 to support early-stage work on historic building projects. These grants should help you to establish whether a project is viable. Work will probably focus on understanding the condition of the building, how it might be used, and whether that intended use is appropriate for the building and likely to be sustainable.

Project Development Grants: We are currently offering grants of up to £100,000 to support development work on historic building projects. Please note that the average grant is likely to be £70,000 – £80,000. Project Development Grants can contribute towards the costs of developing and co-ordinating your project and taking it 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.

Deadline: 13 October 2025 for a decision in December 2025

Triangle Trust

About Us: We give grants to community organisations supporting those in need.
Criteria: The grants are for smaller community organisations that are led by women and whose beneficiaries are 100% women and girls for work that is taking place with young women and girls aged between 11 and 30 who have been in the criminal justice system or who are at a high risk of entering it. There is particular interest in applications that work with:
Girls who are either outside of education or are at risk of being excluded from school
Projects that run activities for girls who are vulnerable to becoming involved with gangs (these projects might run in evenings, weekends or through school holidays)
Projects that provide peer mentoring providing role models to girls and young women who are in crisis and need support
Work that goes into schools and other community settings to raise awareness of the risks to girls of exploitation and links to criminal justice outcomes.
The Trust is keen to receive applications from organisations working with young women and girls who are care-experienced, neurodiverse, outside education or close to exclusion, have known involvement in gangs or county lines or are from Black or minoritised/racialised communities.
Grant Size: up to £10,000
Deadline: 20th October 2025

Schroder Charitable Trust

About Us: The Schroder Charity Trust is an independent grant-making family trust which supports charitable activities.
Criteria: The Schroder Charity Trust typically makes grants towards core and project (restricted) costs to charities registered in the UK. Applications for work only under the following two objectives will be considered:
Enabling children and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds to thrive and achieve their potential in education and employment.
Strengthening communities through services and opportunities which enhance the wellbeing and life outcomes of vulnerable and disadvantaged people.
Grant Size: up to £5,000
Deadline: Opens 1st October, closes 30th November 2025

The National Lottery – Awards for All Environment

About Us: We fund community-led projects that improve the environment and help people connect with and enjoy nature where they live.
Criteria: Suitable for: Voluntary, statutory or community organisations. You can use the funding to:
start a new activity or continue an existing one
help your organisation adapt to new challenges
run one-off events that have a clear environmental benefit.
Grant Size: £300 to £20,000 for up to two years
Deadline for applications: 17th December 2025

Berkshire Community Foundation Surviving Winter

About Us: With the cost of living crisis continuing to put pressure on charities, we recognise that organisations need more support than ever to manage rising costs and keep vital services running through the colder months.
Criteria: Funding from this round can only be used to help with energy bills to ensure organisations can stay open and continue serving their communities this winter.
Priority will be given to organisations supporting the most vulnerable, including:

  • Babies and children
  • Young people
  • Older people
  • People with disabilities
  • Those with life-limiting illnesses
  • Grant Size: up to £2,500
    Deadline: 10 am on 30th October 2025


Home Instead Charities

About Us: Home Instead Charities’ mission is to end loneliness for ageing adults. The organisation exists to bring happiness and joy into the lives of Britain’s ageing population so that ageing adults are thriving, not just surviving.
Criteria: Funding to support local community events that enhance and enrich the lives of people over the age of 55 to combat loneliness and sometimes isolation, ensuring they stay fit, active, healthy and connected and contributing to their local communities. Small grass roots organisations and small local registered charities can apply. The funder will only fully fund a grant request where the applicant holds no more than three months operating costs in reserve.
Grant Size:
Grants of up to £500 for small grass roots organisations.
Grants of up to £1,500 for small local registered charities.
Deadline: 31st October 2025

Common Ground Award

About Us: The UK government’s £1.7 million Common Ground Award aims to recognise good practice across England, in promoting social cohesion, by directly investing in organisations making a positive impact.
Criteria: Voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations that are working to bring people together from different backgrounds will be able to apply for capital grants for community facilities and equipment.
Grant Size: up to £10,000
Deadline: Opens on 13th October 2025 and closes on 21st November 2025

Tesco Stronger Starts

About Us: £5m grant scheme launched by Tesco to support schools and children’s groups with funding for food and healthy activities.
Criteria: The grants will help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and equipment for healthy activities.
Grant Size: up to £1,500 available – organisations are chosen by Tesco’s customers via their blue token scheme.

Wokingham United Charities (Wokingham)

Christmas Cheer Grant Programme Now Open!

We’re delighted to announce that our Christmas Cheer! Grant Programme is back for its fourth year! This initiative provides a token contribution to local charities, community groups and organisations supporting individuals and families experiencing hardship over the festive season.

About the Christmas Cheer! Grant

For many, Christmas can be a difficult time without the means to enjoy gifts, a festive meal or a seasonal outing. The Christmas Cheer Grant helps spread joy and creates special moments for those who might otherwise miss out.

Grants can be used to fund festive activities such as:

Providing Christmas gifts
Hosting a festive meal or celebration
Organising seasonal outings and events
These small but meaningful contributions bring warmth, community, and the magic of Christmas to people who need it most.

Who Can Apply?

We welcome applications from local charities and organisations that support people living in poverty across the Wokingham Borough. If your work helps ensure more people can enjoy the spirit of Christmas, we encourage you to apply.

Deadline: Applications close at the end of the day on 12th October 2025.
The Grants Committee will be meeting on 21st October to review applications.
We aim to share the outcomes with applicants by 24th October.

Seed Corn Grants – The National Archives

Seed Corn Grants offer between £500 and £5,000 to support early-stage, exploratory projects that spark new ideas and approaches to community engagement with heritage.

These grants are designed for community groups, Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM) or other heritage organisations looking to test concepts, build partnerships, or pilot activities.

There will be two funding rounds. The current round closes on 28 November. A second round will then open on 2 February and close on 17 April 2026.

Energy Resilience Fund – Power to Change

The Energy Resilience Fund is an initiative assisting community businesses in retrofitting their buildings with energy-saving measures. The programme is funded by Power to Change and delivered by Key Fund.

Investment amounts are available from £10,000 to £150,000. Up to 40% of the total is available as grant, where justifiable to support cost stabilisation or reduction. The minimum loan term for the remainder is 12 months, with a maximum of 7 years.

Energy Audit Grants are also available between £500 and £2,500 where these have not been completed.

Contains content from Volunteer Centre West Berkshire, Wokingham & Bracknell InVOLve, Slough CVS and Rural Services Network online.