Funding Opportunities in August

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Click on headers for further information.

The Souter Charitable Trust

About Us: The trust supports projects for the relief of human suffering in the UK and overseas.
Criteria: UK-registered charities that work to reduce hardship and improve people’s lives in the UK and overseas. The Trust particularly supports organisations guided by Christian values, although charities without a Christian focus are also welcome to apply.
Grant Size: £1,000 to £3,000
Deadline for Applications: 13th August 2026

B&Q Foundation

About Us: The B&Q Foundation supports UK charities working to improve the lives of people in need by funding projects that make homes safe, welcoming, and comfortable. We provide grants for essential home improvements and home starter kits—helping individuals and families facing homelessness, domestic abuse, disabilities, illness, or financial hardship to feel more settled and supported in their living spaces.
Criteria: To UK registered charities for projects that improve homes and accommodation, or provide home-starter kits, for people in need.
Grant Size: up to £10,000
Deadline for Applications: Opens 20th July 2026 and closes 14th August 2026

Delamere Dairy Foundation

About Us: An independent, self-governing registered charity in Great Britain that provides financial assistance and grants to support local communities.
Criteria: For charities and other not-for-profit organisations working in England, Scotland and Wales. Funding supports projects that benefit communities by advancing agriculture and environmental protection, improving opportunities for young people, promoting education, and helping to reduce financial hardship and illness.
Grant Size: £1,000 up to £5,000
Deadline for Applications: 14th August 2026

King Charles III Charitable Fund

About Us: A major grant-making organization in the UK that supports environmental conservation, education, health, and social inclusion.
Criteria: UK registered not-for-profit organisations with an annual income of between £25,000 and £500,000 can apply for small grants for up to three years.

The next round is focused on projects working across the following two themes:

Heritage and conservation – the preservation of historic and culturally important buildings and traditional craftmanship, together with the sustainable regeneration of communities and the built environment across the globe.
Education – supporting education, training and employability opportunities through which young people and adults can fulfil their potential.
Grant Size: up to £3,000
Deadline for Applications: Opens 5th August 2026 and closes 19th August 2026

CHIP Community Chest

About Us: CHIP is a charity backed by CHIC that works with Local Employment Groups to help people who are distant from the workplace into employment.
Criteria: Eligible applicants include community groups, charities, social enterprises, Community Interest Companies, uniformed groups and sports clubs, among others.
Grant Size: up to £5,000
Deadline for Applications: 21st August 2026

Woodroffe Benton Foundation

About Us: A UK-registered charity that provides small grants to smaller charities, schools, and non-profit organisations.
Criteria: Eligibility: UK charities with annual income under £1 million; must provide services within the UK. Funding Themes: Relief of hardship; care for the elderly; education; environmental conservation.
Grant Size: £500–£2,500
Deadline for Applications: Opens 1st August 2026 and closes 31st August 2026

Hinrichsen Foundation

About Us: To support new, contemporary and experimental music.
Criteria: For charities and organisations across the UK to deliver music projects that focus on the performance, commissioning, or recording of contemporary music.
Grant Size: up to £3,000
Deadline for Applications: 1st September 2026

Thomas Wall Trust

About Us: The Trust offers grants for specific projects that improve communication skills for disadvantaged adults and supports NEET people into employment.
Criteria: Available to registered charities to support projects that equip people (18 or older in order) from disadvantaged groups with the communication skills necessary to gain employment. Priority will be given to projects that target people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups facing major hurdles to employment, especially women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers.
Grant Size: up to £5,000
Deadline for Applications: 11th September 2026
Website: https://www.thomaswalltrust.org.uk/grants-for-registered-charities-2-2/

The Adamson Trust

About Us: A small, independent, self-funded charitable organisation to assist with part funding of holidays or respite breaks for children aged between 2 years and 17 years who suffer from life limiting physical or mental health conditions.
Criteria: Individual families, groups of children, schools, organisations, and other registered charities can apply to the Adamson Trust for financial assistance towards the cost of holidays or respite breaks for disabled children with physical, mental, or emotional impairments. To be eligible, the child must be a UK resident and between the ages of 3 and 17. The Trust requires evidence of their disability or illness from a medical or social services professional. Grants from the Trust usually only cover a portion of the holiday expenses.
Grant Size: £250
Deadline for Applications: 30th September 2026

Veterans’ Foundation Small Grants programme

About Us: The Veterans’ Foundation provides grants to eligible organisations that provide assistance to serving and former members of the armed forces community, operational qualified seafarers and their immediate families.
Criteria: The programme is aimed mainly at small grassroots groups delivering community-based support, particularly those with low to medium income and those that have not previously received Veterans’ Foundation funding. Funding can support work addressing needs such as homelessness, employability, financial disadvantage, disability, welfare, mental health, family support and support in older age.
Grant Size: £500 to £5,000
Deadline for Applications: 30th September 2026

Wooden Spoon Grants

About Us: The charity funds projects that help disabled or disadvantaged children and youth under age 25.
Criteria: Schools, charities, and not-for-profit organisations in the UK can apply for Wooden Spoon Society Grants to support equipment for mentally, physically, and socially disadvantaged children.
Grant Size: under £5,000
Deadline for Applications: Rolling programme

The National Archives

About Us: The National Archives has opened applications for its Engagement Grants programme. This year’s theme is “Belonging”, supporting projects that use archives to help people and communities understand their place in shared histories, identities, and local life, while fostering connection, inclusion, and pride.
Criteria: Projects must use archives housed in museums, local authorities, universities, charities, community organisations, or similar institutions. Eligible costs include exhibitions, events, online or digital engagement, materials, staff time, travel and subsistence, and materials or software.
Grant Size: Up to £3,000
Deadline for Applications: 14th August 2026

Berkshire Community Foundation – Priority Grants

Funder: Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF). Programme: Priority Grants Round 2026. Funding available: Grants of up to £10,000.

Application window: 29 June – 13 August 2026.Who can apply: Charities, community groups and voluntary organisations delivering projects that benefit Berkshire residents and address local disadvantage and inequality.

Priority Theme 1 – Safety and Protection:

Domestic abuse and violence

Sexual exploitation and safeguarding

Trauma-informed support and crisis intervention

Safe accommodation and advocacy services

Prevention, education and early intervention

Priority Theme 2 – Homelessness and Basic Needs:

Homelessness prevention and support.

Poverty reduction and financial resilience

Access to food, essential goods and emergency support

Support for families facing multiple disadvantages

Child and young people’s poverty and wellbeing

Assessment priorities:

Strength of alignment with the priority themes

Evidence of local need

Measurable outcomes and impact

Readiness to deliver

Level of disadvantage being addressed

Not eligible if:

Applying for retrospective funding

Holding more than 12 months’ unrestricted reserves

Annual operating budget exceeds £2 million

Seeking funding for large capital projects

Applying as an individual

Application process: Completion of an eligibility quiz followed by an online application form and supporting documents.

Berkshire Community Foundation’s Priority Grants Round 2026 provides grants of up to £10,000 to support charities and community organisations tackling some of Berkshire’s most pressing social challenges. This year’s programme focuses on two key themes: Safety and Protection and Homelessness and Basic Needs, funding projects that support vulnerable people experiencing issues such as domestic abuse, exploitation, homelessness, poverty and financial hardship. BCF is seeking applications from organisations that can clearly evidence local need, deliver measurable impact and improve outcomes for disadvantaged residents across Berkshire. The programme offers an opportunity for local organisations to secure funding for projects that strengthen community resilience and provide vital support to those most in need.

Apply now for up to £1k through Veolia’s Sustainability Fund

Veolia, the UK’s leading resource management company, has launched this year’s Sustainability Fund.

The Sustainability Fund provides grants of up to £1,000 to connect people with their local environment and community.

Veolia works in partnership with West Berkshire Council in the treatment of recycling and waste disposal across the county.

The Sustainability Fund has reopened for 2026, following the Fund’s biggest year yet in 2025 with six projects being given a total of £6,000 funding across the county. This brings the total number of projects funded, since 2022, to 21 and £21,000 awarded.
Veolia’s Sustainability Fund is open to not-for-profit organisations, community groups, or individuals in areas where the company delivers recycling and waste treatment services for the community. Up to £1,000 in funding is available per project.
Funding criteria
The Sustainability Fund welcomes applications from a wide range of environmental and social projects. Projects should meet at least one of the following criteria:
● Enhances biodiversity
● Promotes sustainable waste behaviours
● Protects the environment by using recycled, reused or reclaimed materials.
● Strengthens and connects local communities, including but not limited to employment support programmes, rehabilitation projects and youth development initiatives
All projects will be assessed on merit, with particular recognition given to those that demonstrate long-term or ongoing community benefits.
How to apply
Applications can be made via Veolia’s website at veolia.co.uk/Sustainability-Fund.
Deadline for applications
The fund will be open for applications until Wednesday 30 September.

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

Join Connecting Communities in Berkshire: Supporting Rural Communities Across the County

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We are pleased to extend a warm invitation to parish and town councils to become members and support the vital work we are doing to strengthen and sustain communities throughout Berkshire.

CCB is dedicated to empowering rural communities through a variety of impactful initiatives. We help enable affordable rural housing, improve rural health and wellbeing, and address rural disadvantage. Additionally, we offer support and guidance to the volunteers who run village halls and community buildings, helping them to navigate challenges and maximise their impact. We also advise families across the county on how to reduce their utility bills, making life a little easier in these challenging times.

For more information on our work and how we are supporting communities, visit our website project pages.

Why Become a Member of CCB?

As a member of CCB, your parish or town council will join a network of communities working together to make a real difference in rural areas. Membership provides access to a range of valuable services and support that can help your community thrive. The benefits of membership include:

  • Free or discounted access to a wide variety of training courses designed to strengthen and support local communities.
  • Opportunities to participate in focus groups, giving you a direct voice in shaping the charity’s future priorities and work.
  • Exclusive invitations to our annual workshop/event and Annual General Meeting, with one vote per membership.
  • Regular e-bulletins providing updates on services, funding opportunities, and events that can benefit your community.
  • Promotion of your community events, news, or facilities through our e-bulletin, social media, and website.
  • Direct support from the CCB team for issues affecting your community.
  • Free job postings for local positions.

The membership fee for 2025 is £42 (£35 + VAT) for parish and town councils, as well as voluntary or community organisations. Your membership will help shape the direction of our work, ensuring that the needs of rural communities in Berkshire are heard and addressed.

Individual Membership: Free, but with a Request for Support

In addition to organisational memberships, CCB is also open to individual members. Individual membership is completely free, but we encourage members to consider making a small donation to help support our ongoing efforts and the essential work we do to improve the lives of rural communities.

We believe that by working together, we can create stronger, more resilient, and sustainable communities. Your support helps us continue providing essential services, from offering advice on energy efficiency to addressing health and wellbeing challenges, and much more.

We would be delighted to welcome you as a member of CCB and look forward to the opportunity to work alongside you.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. To join us, simply complete the online membership form .

Thank you for considering supporting Connecting Communities in Berkshire. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Activate Village Halls

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This week we were thrilled to hear from Bev, who has been attending seated exercise classes that we helped set up in Lambourn this year with the fantastic Moveability and Everyone Active Lambourn as part of our Activate Village Halls project.

Since 2020, our Activate Village Halls project has been working to ensure physical and mental health through exercise classes is available to all abilities. These seated exercise classes provide older individuals in rural communities with the opportunity to stay active, socialize, and have fun. These sessions combines exercise with social sessions, which help improve participants’ mental health.

Recent funding from Berkshire Community Foundation and SNG (formerly Sovereign Housing Association) has allowed us to support the setup and subsidise the ongoing cost of these enjoyable Seated Exercise classes.

Here you get to meet the fabulous Debbie from Moveability and a keen participant, Bev, who describes the difference attending just 6 weeks of classes has made to her life! 😊👍

The first session is free and the next session, in Lambourn, is at 2 pm on Friday so please share with any local family and friends and encourage them to come along and try it out! Further details of class delivery (including in rural Hermitage & Chieveley) can be found here: https://moveability.org.uk/seated-chair-exercise-classes-in-berkshire/

To read a report outlining the outcomes of our Activate Village Halls project and what it has achieved please click here.

Is your community looking for funding for a defibrillator?

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An Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable life-saving gadget that can zap someone’s heart back to its normal rhythm if it suddenly stops beating. It works by checking the person’s heart rhythm and giving them a shock if necessary. Using an AED before the ambulance shows up can significantly increase someone’s chance of survival.

We know through organising Essential Life Saving Skills workshops with British Red Cross the difference they can make to Berkshire’s rural communities so we thought we’d pull together a brief article on where you can find funding to support your community installing one.

AEDdonate offer support to help you fund, maintain, and register your public access defibrillator.https://www.aeddonate.org.uk/apply-for-funding/  – £400 towards a defibrillator anywhere in the UK

Defibrillator funding for community spaces across England
The Department of Health and Social Care is currently running a £1 million match funded Community Automated External Defibrillators Fund, aimed at increasing the number of AEDs in public places where they are most needed and to help save lives: https://www.defibgrant.co.uk/

The number of people surviving cardiac arrests outside of a hospital is 10.8%, which is the highest level it’s ever been and is twice the rate that it was a decade ago. London Hearts help fund defibrillators throughout the UK: https://londonhearts.org/

Berkshire Heart Foundation – opens again in September 2024. A limited number of funded defibrillators are available in each annual funding cycle. Applications will be reviewed monthly against a set of criteria so awards can be made to communities that need them most. Areas prioritised include those with fewer registered defibrillators and communities where local health needs indicate a higher risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.  – https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/defibrillators/apply-for-a-free-defibrillator-for-your-community

Adult Community Learning in West Berkshire

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We recently organized a Dementia Awareness session for adults in West Berkshire in Pangbourne. The session included presentations from the Alzheimer’s Society and Age UK Berkshire to help learners become a Dementia Friend and understand how to support someone living with dementia.

All learners were provided with Dementia Friends badge and a booklet explaining how to audit and adapt their Village Hall or space to make it easier and more comfortable to navigate for those living with Dementia.

We emphasized five key messages during the session:
1. Dementia is not just about memory loss.
2. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing.
3. Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain.
4. People can still live well with dementia.
5. There is more to a person than the dementia

Learners found the session informative and useful.


One learner said, “I especially found useful the information Georgia, from the Alzheimer’s Society, shared on the difference between factual and emotional memories. It increased my understanding of the huge variances that people experience when they have dementia.”

Another learner said, “I found the tips for improving living spaces very useful.”

In the last academic year (Sept 23 – April 24), we delivered a range of courses specifically designed for volunteers and people involved in running community buildings and spaces. These courses included Key Policies for Your Community Building, Fundraising for Your Village Hall, Financial Planning & Budgeting, Low Carbon Roadshow, and How to Effectively Engage with Your Community.

We also delivered two courses with British Red Cross that supported people living and working in West Berks rural communities to ensure they can have greater confidence to help and support in an emergency situation and use a defibrillator if required.

We are now planning our delivery for 2024-25. If there are any courses that you feel would be particularly beneficial to your rural community, please get in touch with us. admin@ccberks.org.uk