The Joanies Fund
Funder: The Joanies Fund (via Herefordshire Community Foundation). Grant size: Typically £500–£5,000
Focus: Children and young people facing disadvantage. Eligible organisations: Small, grassroots charities and community groups. Deadline: Opens Monday 13th April closes July 31st
The Joanies Fund is open to applications from projects across England and Wales. It supports a wide range of community projects working solely with young people aged 0 to 25. The fund has a particular interest in projects that are innovative or entrepreneurial and lead to employment, accreditation, further education or training. Projects need to show integration into their local communities and ensure that the project is open to all young people, regardless of ethnicity or religion. The fund will not consider applications from religious groups and organisations.
Michael Tippett Musical Foundation
Deadline: 30 September each year(Projects must start no earlier than January of the following year)
Who can apply: UK‑based charities, community groups, schools, colleges, universities, and other constituted organisations
Focus:
- Group music‑making
- Youth participation in creative music activities
- Projects where composition is a key element
- Performances or recordings of Michael Tippett’s works, especially lesser‑performed pieces
- Community or educational music projects with strong creative outcomes
Grant size: Typically £500–£3,000 (average around £2,000), One‑off grants (no multi‑year funding)
Eligible area: UK‑wide
The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation supports creative, group‑based music projects across the UK, with a strong emphasis on involving young people and placing composing at the heart of the activity. Grants of £500 to £3,000 are awarded annually to projects that encourage musical creativity, participation, and performance.
The Foundation also funds performances and recordings of Michael Tippett’s works, prioritising those that are less frequently heard or require additional support to proceed. Applications close on 30 September each year, with funded projects beginning no earlier than January. Funding is strictly for creative activity rather than equipment, and proposals must be concise, clearly costed, and focused on artistic development and participation.
The Hedley Foundation – Grants for Small Charities Supporting People in Need
Deadline: Rolling – applications accepted all year, reviewed quarterly (If you do not hear back within 4 months, the application is considered unsuccessful)
Who can apply: Small UK‑registered charities with annual income below £1 million
Focus:
- Raising aspirations of disadvantaged young people
- Support for disabled people (physical, mental, sensory, learning disabilities)
- Improving quality of life for older people and those with terminal illness
- Social welfare projects supporting carers, homeless people, ex‑offenders, and others facing hardship
- Education, arts, sport, training, adventurous activities, and wellbeing initiatives
Grant size: Typically £250–£5,000
Eligible area: UK‑wide
The Hedley Foundation provides small grants to UK charities working to improve the quality of life for people facing disadvantage, disability, illness, or social hardship. Grants usually range from £250 to £5,000 and support specific, well‑defined projects that deliver measurable outcomes—particularly those benefiting young people, disabled people, older people, and carers.
The Foundation does not fund core salaries, building construction, general running costs, transport, financial deficits, or overseas work. Applications are accepted throughout the year and reviewed quarterly, with decisions typically made within four months. The Foundation prioritises clear, concise applications that demonstrate strong impact and value for money.
The National Lottery Community Fund – The Solidarity Fund
Grant size: Awards large, long‑term grants ranging from £1 million to £5 million, to be delivered over 5 to 10 years.
Eligible applicants: Constituted voluntary and community organisations, registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs), not‑for‑profit companies limited by guarantee, community interest companies (CICs), co‑operative and community benefit societies, and partnerships with strong track records in addressing inequality.
Focus areas: Organisations in England that tackle the root causes of inequality, such as poverty, discrimination and disadvantage.
Application process: Decisions take approximately 3 months for Stage 1, and up to 5 months after progressing to Stage 2, making the total process around 8 months.
Deadline: The programme is open on a rolling basis, meaning there is no fixed application deadline.
Crucially, applicant organisations must ensure their work is led or shaped by people with lived experience, demonstrate community‑led governance, and show capacity to manage large, long‑term systems‑change projects. The fund prioritises initiatives that strengthen community power, shift decision‑making structures, and create sustainable, long‑term impact.
D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust
About Us: Increasing access to opportunity through the arts, creative health and heritage crafts.
Criteria: Provides funding to UK charities for arts, creative health, and heritage crafts projects that benefit disadvantaged people. Supports a wide range of activities including community arts, therapy programmes, and skills development.
Grant Size: £500 – £8,000
Deadline for applications:
8th May 2026 (first-stage for large charities)
1st June 2026 (small charities and shortlisted large charities)
Wise Music Foundation
About Us: Providing financial support for people experiencing hardship, distress and illness, with a focus on children, the homeless and people living in poverty.
Criteria: Supports small UK charities helping vulnerable people, including children, the elderly, homeless individuals, and those with disabilities. Also funds education, arts, health, and community initiatives.
Grant Size: £500 – £5,000 (average £1,500)
Deadline for applications: 31st May 2026
The Grocers’ Charity
About Us: The Grocers’ Charity awards around £1 million annually to UK-registered charities through its open grants programme. It typically provides one-off grants to support a wide range of charitable activities. The charity receives over 1,000 applications each year and funds around 14% of applicants.
Criteria: Applications must be submitted online, with support available for those unable to apply digitally. Funding is restricted to smaller charities (generally under £500,000 turnover, with higher limits for medical charities) and excludes individuals, non-UK charities, educational institutions, places of worship, and overseas beneficiaries.
Grant Size: Up to £5,000
Deadline for applications: 1st September 2026
Asda Foundation – community spaces grant
Programme Structure – Capital‑focused grant supporting the creation, improvement or repair of local community spaces.
Application Process – Applications submitted via your local Asda Community Champion; store‑level review followed by Foundation approval
Eligibility – UK community groups, charities, CICs and community benefit societies with a physical community space open to the public
What They Fund – Building repairs, room refurbishments, kitchen upgrades, accessibility improvements, outdoor community areas and essential equipment
Grant Size – Typically £10,000–£25,000 for major improvements; smaller awards available for minor works
Funding Priorities – Spaces that reduce isolation, improve community cohesion, support vulnerable groups and provide long‑term community benefit
Application Deadlines – 28th April
The Asda Foundation’s Community Spaces Grant supports the creation, improvement or refurbishment of community spaces that bring people together and strengthen local resilience. Eligible organisations include charities, CICs and community groups with a publicly accessible building or outdoor area. Grants typically range from £10,000 to £25,000 and fund capital works such as repairs, refurbishments, accessibility upgrades and essential equipment. Applications must be developed with a local Asda Community Champion, and the programme operates one main annual deadline, usually in late spring. Due to the scale of funding available, competition is strong, with priority given to projects that clearly demonstrate long‑term community impact and support for vulnerable or isolated group.
The Wildlife Trust- Green Community Grant
Programme Structure – One‑year flexible funding for not‑for‑profit groups in England, Scotland and Wales with annual income between £10,000 and £1 million
Application Process – Online application via Wildlife Trusts portal; guidance notes and application questions provided for preparation
Eligibility – Organisations operating for at least 12 months; core purpose must align with nature recovery, climate action, or improving nature‑rich spaces and access
What They Fund – Nature recovery, climate action, improving nature‑rich spaces, access to green areas, and wider sustainability activities such as recycling, litter picking and sustainable transport
Grant Size – Up to £25,000, capped at no more than 25% of the organisation’s most recent annual income
Funding Priorities – Organisations with income under £250,000; groups in the top 15% most deprived areas; organisations supporting marginalised communities (e.g., disabled people, racialised communities, LGBT+ groups)
Application Deadlines – Three annual windows for 2026: 25 March–22 April, 24 June–15 July, and 30 September–21 October; current window closes 22 April 2026
The Wildlife Trusts’ Green Community Grants Programme provides one‑year flexible funding of up to £25,000 for not‑for‑profit groups across England, Scotland and Wales whose core purpose aligns with nature recovery, climate action or improving access to nature‑rich spaces. Eligible organisations must have been operating for at least 12 months and have an annual income between £10,000 and £1 million. Funding can support a wide range of environmental and sustainability activities, from habitat restoration to community recycling initiatives. Priority is given to smaller organisations, groups working in highly deprived areas and those supporting marginalised communities. The programme runs three application windows in 2026, with high demand expected due to oversubscription in previous years.
Berkshire Community Foundation- Pargiter Trust Funds for Older People
Status: Open for applications
Opens: Thursday 23 April
Deadline: 10am, Thursday 21 May
Grant size: Up to £5,000
Beneficiaries: Adults aged 65+
Decision notification: August
Eligible Project Areas
Improving health and wellbeing
Reducing social isolation (including befriending schemes)
Improving access to facilities, advice and training
Providing respite for carers
Improving access to information and IT, especially intergenerational work
Supporting people facing illness, injury, disability, bereavement or financial difficulty
Summary
The Funds for Older People programme is now open, offering grants of up to £5,000 for initiatives that improve the lives of adults aged 65 and over. Managed by BCF, the fund supports projects that enhance wellbeing, reduce isolation, expand access to services and training, provide carer respite, and help older people overcome challenges such as illness, disability or financial hardship. Applications are open until 10am on Thursday 21 May, with funding decisions communicated in August.
The National Archives Project Grants programme
About Us: The National Archives Project Grants programme supports partnerships between GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) or heritage organisations and a community groups. The programme aims to strengthen relationships between communities and heritage organisations by supporting research, skills development, and resources that reflect diverse voices and experiences.
Criteria: Community groups and heritage organisations across the UK can appy for grants to deliver heritage projects. Projects must be community-led and co-designed, and may support new work or build on earlier Seed Corn activity.
Grant Size: up to £30,000
Deadline for applications: 12th June 2026
The Baily Thomas General grants programme
About Us: The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund is a grant making registered charity which was established primarily to aid the research into learning disability and to aid the care and relief of those affected by learning disability, by making grants to voluntary organisations working in this field.
Criteria: UK charities, voluntary organisations, and schools can apply for grants to support children and adults with severe learning difficulties, including autism.
Grant Size: The main programme for grants of £5,000 or more, and a small grants programme for appeals below £5,000.
Deadline for applications: 31st August 2026
King Charles III – Small Grants
About Us: The King Charles III Charitable Fund (KCCF) Small Grants Programme supports small UK non‑profits delivering meaningful community impact across six core themes: environment, countryside, education, heritage and conservation, social inclusion, and health and wellbeing.
Criteria: UK‑registered non‑profit organisations (charities, CIOs, CICs, CLGs, excepted charities, unincorporated groups with clear social purpose).
Grant Size: Up to £3,000 per year, for up to 3 years
Deadline for applications: 7th May 2026
The Fat Beehive
About Us: Digital funding for small charities.
Criteria: The funding is available to charities with an average annual income of less than £1,000,000 to support digital expenditures that other funders may not cover. The funding will help organisations build websites and apps, digitise services, and purchase digital products.
Grant Size: up to £2,500
Deadline for applications: 30th September 2026
Grassroots Grants is open for applications – apply for unrestricted funding of up to £2,000
In partnership with Postcode Lottery, Groundworks are offering this flexible funding to organisations across England. If your turnover is less than £25,000 and you’re making a positive difference in your community, you can apply for funding of up to £2,000.
Funding is unrestricted and flexible. This means it can be used to cover core organisational costs, equipment, staff training, wellbeing activities, and even community initiatives.
Applications are open to individuals, registered charities, CIC’s, and more.
Priority will be shown to:
Funding for communities that rank as being within the top 15% on the English Indices of Deprivation
Organisations that work with and support communities classed as marginalised or vulnerable
Applications are open until September 2026, and you will receive a decision within 10 weeks of applying. Successful organisations awarded up to £2,000 will have 12 months to spend the grant.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
With thanks to our local CVS’s for the information contained within this article – Involve, West Berkshire Volunteer Centre and Slough CVS
Connecting Communities in Berkshire 