Funding News - August 2025
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Information and Guidance
Ebay for Change
Funding Regulator - Practical guides
Lloyds - Report on Financial resilience and the role of small charities
Sports Governance Academy (SGA) - The Board Development Fund - Final Week
Government
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) - Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES)- Round 10
Government announces £500m Better Futures Fund to support Vulnerable Children and Families
Wealden District Council Funding Programmes
Lottery
Arts Council England (ACE) – National Lottery Project Grants - temporary pause for applications
National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) - Million Hours Fund
Trusts and Foundations
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust
Another Way Women's Foundation – re-opens September
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust-Refugees and Asylum Seekers - re-opens soon
Barclays Community Sport Fund – Female Coaches for Girls
BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme
British Council - Biennials Connect Grants
The Bromley Trust
Building On Overlooked Sporting Talent (BOOST)
Green Allotments Charity - New allotment sites fund
Green Hall Foundation- September round for small Charities
Hays Travel Foundation
Henry Smith Foundation - LGBT+ Youth Advocacy Fund
Henry Smith Foundation – Shout!
Henry Smith Foundation - Together We Begin Fund
Hollick Family Charitable Trust
Idlewild Trust – Arts and Conservation
Kelly Family Charitable Trust
King Charles III Charitable Fund - Small Grants 2025/26
McCarthy Stone Foundation - Creating Connections
Music for All – Community Projects
Peter Sell Award Scheme
Royal Academy of Engineering – Ingenious Programme
Royal Society of Chemistry - Inclusion & Diversity Fund
The Sylvia Waddilove Foundation
Tesco Stronger Starts
WH Smith Trust
The Woodroffe Benton Foundation
Funding Diary
Information and Guidance
Ebay for Change
In partnership with Social Enterprise UK and the World Fair Trade Organisation, eBay for Change helps social enterprises to set up and scale up on eBay.
Members of this free programme get 121 training and marketing support, and all selling fees waived for a full 12 months.
Applications are now open for social enterprises to join the next group of trainees in September and November 2025.
Social Enterprise UK is hosting an introductory webinar on Tuesday 26th August at 2pm where you can find out more about how the programme could work for your social enterprise, understand the package of support available and put any questions to the team.
The closing date for the September group is 1st September
Funding Regulator - Practical guides
To help fundraisers get ready for the new Code of Fundraising Practice (the code), which comes into effect on 1st November 2025, the Fundraising Regulator has published new guides on Fundraising events and Fundraising on social media
All guides give practical advice and tips for meeting the new code and include links to relevant code rules, and trusted sources of information and good practice. The guides are advisory and should be used alongside the code when it comes into force later this year.
Lloyds - Report on Financial resilience and the role of small charities
Lloyds Banking Group’s new report highlights how essential small charities are in strengthening financial wellbeing.
It draws on the Bank’s research with its four charitable Foundations to mark 40 years of supporting communities.
This research sets out their key findings. explores the experiences of those who turn to charities when facing financial challenges, identifies barriers charities face in delivering services, and highlights opportunities for deeper collaboration.
Sports Governance Academy (SGA) - The Board Development Fund - Final Week
This Fund from the Sports Governance Academy, enables organisations operating in the sport and physical activity sector to access - free of charge - development training for their boards which can be customised and delivered in-house (either in-person or online).
It allows successful organisations to identify areas of need for their board or aspects of particular focus for them which are not catered for by existing training provision.
The SGA’s application Window 2 for the SGA Board Development Fund 2025 closes Friday 8th August 2025.
Government
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) - Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES)- Round 10
The Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES) funds improvements to existing district heating or communal heating projects operating sub-optimally, resulting in poor outcomes for customers and operators.
Heat networks offer carbon emissions savings by supplying heat to buildings from a central source, avoiding the need for households and workplaces to rely on individual, energy-intensive heating solutions, such as gas boilers.
HNES provides capital and revenue grants.
- There’s no upper or lower limit for capital grants, and the scheme funds up to 50% of eligible projects costs
- Revenue grants typically range from £15,000 - £24,000 per project, covering up to 100% of eligible costs
This scheme is open to organisations responsible for operating or managing existing district heat networks or communal heating systems, e.g. NHS trusts, universities, businesses, government departments, charities and community investment companies.
Round 10 closes 19th September 2025.
Tel: 0207 090 1000
Email: hnes@gemserv.com
Government announces £500m Better Futures Fund to support Vulnerable Children and Families
Government has announced the Better Futures Fund will support up to 200,000 children and their families over the next ten years by bringing together government, local communities, charities, social enterprises, investors, and philanthropists to work together to give children a brighter future.
Delivered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the 10-year, £500 million Fund aims to give struggling and vulnerable families and children a better start in life by providing them with the support and funding needed to access a better education, a safe home, and the caring supportive environment they need to flourish.
Although details have yet to be released, the Government has indicated that it could fund providing support in schools to improve attendance and behaviour, intervening to free children from a life of crime, and offering employment support to secure their futures. This investment in early support to tackle challenges like school absence, addiction and re-offending will help give children the stability and opportunity they need to thrive.
Government will release further details about the Fund in due course.
Wealden District Council Funding Programmes
Wealden District Council is welcoming applications for the following programmes:
Wealden District Council’s Sports Infrastructure Fund will invest £600,000 over the next three years to improve outdoor sports pitches and facilities throughout the district. If you are an organisation looking to enhance or provide outdoor sports facilities and playing pitches to increase sports participation or physical exercise in Wealden, you may be able to apply for a capital sports grant.
The outdoor sports that could benefit from the funding programme include football, rugby union, tennis, cricket, lawn bowls, hockey, netball and stoolball. The amount of funding awarded will be between £5,000 and £50,000. 100% match funding is a requirement.
The Community Led Infrastructure Fund is due to launch Summer 2025. A new £2 million fund will support community buildings, green spaces, cultural infrastructure and other leisure/ sports projects across the district.
The money could be spent on adaptations to community buildings, energy efficiency measures, access improvements to outdoor spaces and installing new facilities and equipment. Expressions of interest can be sent to CLIF@wealden.gov.uk
Councillor Ward Budgets Scheme - The creation of dedicated ward budgets for councillors to spend on supporting improvements within their communities has been approved by Wealden District Council.
Each of the 45 councillors will be allocated £10,000 to fund projects and initiatives that directly benefit their wards. The funding, totaling £450,000, will come from General Fund reserves and represents a cost-effective mechanism for addressing local priorities identified by residents and councillors alike.
Lottery
Arts Council England (ACE) – National Lottery Project Grants - temporary pause for applications
Arts Council England (ACE) has confirmed they continue to face technical challenges with their application portal Grantium.
While they can make payments to grant recipients for all programmes, they have taken the decision to temporarily pause applications for National Lottery Project Grants.
ACE aims to restore the programme as quickly as possible and no later than the middle of September.
National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) - Million Hours Fund
The Million Hours Fund awards £30,000 - £100,000 to offer extra support to young people in areas with higher rates of anti-social behaviour by providing extra hours of youth work.
These extra hours could be used for things like learning, arts, and playing sports, or for activities like mentoring, and developing social or life skills.
Million Hours is open to not for profits (Companies limited by guarantee, Charitable Incorporated Organisations, Community Interest Companies, Registered Co-operatives or Community Benefit Societies), schools and statutory bodies. The Fund also accepts applications from partnerships if each partner is an eligible applicant.
Applicant organisation’s work must take place in or benefit young people living in eligible wards. The Lottery provides an eligible ward checker which lists eligible wards in East Sussex.
The deadline for applications is 22nd October 2025 (12 noon). Note – the Lottery encourages groups to apply as soon as they are ready and not wait for the deadline as the programme may close before the deadline if more applications are received than expected.
Tel: 0345 4 10 2030
Trusts and Foundations
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust is inviting applications for the following Programmes:
- Family Focus aims to improve the quality of life of family members - collectively and as individuals - of wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans, including those with hidden wounds. Family Focus awards £50,000 - £100,000 for projects delivered over 12-18 months. This programme is open to applications from registered not for profits (charity commission, companies house), local authorities and NHS organisations working in partnership with relevant organisations
- Hidden Voices aims to address the unique needs of seldom heard cohorts and their access to mental health and wellbeing support. Potential beneficiaries may include, for example: Individuals from ethnic minorities; Carers; People with disabilities; Members of the LGBT+ community; Those for whom English is an additional language. Hidden Voices awards £3,000 - £25,000 for projects delivered over 12 months. This programme is for registered not for profits and local authorities
The Trust’s deadline for Family Focus is 24th September 2025 (12 noon).
The Trust has two deadlines for Hidden Voices, which are 1st October 2025 (12 noon) and 21st January 2026.
Email: info@covenantfund.org.uk
Another Way Women's Foundation – re-opens September
Another Way Women’s Foundation (AWWF) is an independent, volunteer-led, grant-making charity dedicated to enabling a brighter and fairer future for women and girls through financial support, education, empowerment and advancement.
AWWF offers two grants:
- Another Way Women's Foundation awards up to £5,000. These grants are for any type of project, initiative, service aimed at advancing and empowering women, creating positive social change, sustainably impacting communities, or indeed anything that makes the world a brighter and better place for women and girls
- '£1000 for 1000 words' grants provide 'seed funding' to kick start things and show ‘proof of concept’, with a view to enabling partner organisations to go on to apply for further/larger grants from other funders to expand/increase the project scope, or to attain self-sustainability for the project
AWWF welcomes applications from registered charities and other not-for-profit organisations.
Their next application window opens from 1st September 2025 to 30th September 2025.
Tel: 07841975950
Email: hello@anotherwaywf.org
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust-Refugees and Asylum Seekers - re-opens soon
The Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust funds charities working to support people who face the greatest life challenges and who have limited opportunities.
The Trust operates a three-year rotation system, with different fields of interests funded each year. Their final round for 2025 (Round 4) focuses on Refugees and Asylum seekers. This round awards up to £5,000.
The level of grant awarded is determined by the income of the charity:
- Grants up to £1,000 are for charities with an operating income between £100,000 and £1 million
- Grants up to £5,000 are for charities with a minimum operating income of £1 million. There is no maximum level
To be eligible, your organisation must be registered with the Charity Commission, and your project must focus exclusively on refugees and/or asylum seekers as its beneficiaries, without extending services to other groups.
Round 4 opens 1st September and closes 30th September 2025.
Barclays Community Sport Fund – Female Coaches for Girls
Barclays’ Female Coaches for Girls Fund is still open for applications
This fund is available to all clubs and groups that run football, cricket or tennis activities for girls and aspire to get more female coaches qualified. You are eligible even if you have already received a grant from the Barclays Community Sport Fund.
You can apply for two grants per club to cover the cost of, or a contribution towards, a Level 1 or equivalent introductory qualification and any additional safeguarding and first aid requirements for your sport. You can apply to upskill up to two female coaches at your club or group.
The Fund awards Level 1 coaching grants as follows:
- Football – £160
- Tennis – £200
- Cricket – £200
The Fund welcomes applications from not-for-profit organisations, including community groups, youth groups, and traditional sports clubs, who are submitting on behalf of the individuals who want to undertake their coaching qualifications.
Their deadline for applications is 22nd August 2025.
Tel: 0203 848 4670
Email: barclays@sported.org.uk
BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme
BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme supports children and young people who are facing exceptionally difficult circumstances. This Fund is administered by Family Fund Business Services.
The Programme provides funding for critical household items as follows:
- Electric cookers
- Furniture, kitchen equipment and small appliances
- Clothing
- Baby equipment
- Fridges and freezers
- Washing machines
- Tumble dryers
- Children's beds and bedding, including cots
Applications must be made through an organisation that is supporting the family or young person and is capable of assessing their needs, and that can also administer the grant.
British Council - Biennials Connect Grants
The British Council is now offering Biennials Connect Grants up to £9,500 to UK and international biennials / festivals in eligible countries.
Biennials Connect Grants support visual artists’ participation in UK and international festivals and biennials. These grants are designed to directly benefit artists by facilitating opportunities for travel, the production of new work, networking, skills building and showcasing through biennial partners.
Eligible applicants include UK and international biennials, festivals and visual arts organisations working in partnership with a biennial or festival. Projects must support artists aged 18 and over and can involve multiple artists, though only one application per biennial organisation is permitted.
Funding can be used for travel, artwork production, professional development, networking, public engagement and access costs. Activities may take place in person or online.
The deadline for applications is 14th September 2025.
Tel: 0161 884 029
The Bromley Trust
The Bromley Trust supports registered charities working in either of the Trust's two designated focus areas:
1. Human Rights - The Trust's human rights programme currently focuses on specialist charities working to protect the dignity and rights of people seeking sanctuary (refugees and asylum seekers). The Trust is particularly interested in supporting work around immigration detention centres
2. Prison Reform – The Trust aims to support charities working to bring about a more humane and effective UK prison system that supports people’s rehabilitation. The Trust focuses on working with the most marginalised e.g., people in prison facing additional vulnerabilities or discrimination such as women, children, racially marginalised communities, foreign national prisoners, people who have committed sexual offences, people with disabilities or mental health needs, neurodiverse people and IPP prisoners
Applying starts with an initial eligibility quiz. Eligible applicants can then access the Trust’s online application form.
The Trust reviews applications twice a year.
The next deadline to submit applications is 26th September 2025.
Building On Overlooked Sporting Talent (BOOST)
Building On Overlooked Sporting Talent (BOOST) provides funding and support to inspiring programmes which help improve the lives of the disadvantaged and disabled through the power of sport.
Boost’s focus is on five areas of disadvantage: physical and learning disabilities, financial hardship, mental health, social exclusion and medical research and relief.
Boost offers two different levels of funding: Small Awards, up to £750 and Large Awards over £750. Most Large Awards have been in the range of £2,000 - £7,000.
This Fund accepts applications from charities and not-for-profit organisations that have a focus on sport.
Apply anytime.
Tel: 020 7078 1966
Email: sarah.johnson@boostct.org
Green Allotments Charity - New allotment sites fund
The Green Allotments Charity creates new, not-for-profit, private allotment sites for local communities in England at an affordable rent.
Its mission is to increase the provision of allotment gardens, securing land, by purchase or donation.
The Fund awards up to £50,000 per acre and will support new plot holders to manage their site, empower local communities, enable people to grow their own food and foster skilled garden allotment practices.
This funding is to be used for allotment sites that will be community-led and managed with a strong focus on environmental stewardship.
Green Allotments sets out the following criteria for suitable land for new allotment sites:
- Approximately 1 to 5 acres is a practical size for an allotment site, with space for additional biodiversity enhancements/improvements. A bigger size may cause too much disruption to the local community. A smaller size may mean there are insufficient plot numbers to get active community-led management and environmental stewardship going on the new allotment site
- They need to be close to where people live, so that they can get to their allotment often
- Road safety is a major concern for councils and residents. Land that cannot be safely accessed (e.g. on a fast road, or in an area with heavy traffic) might not be best suited to allotments
- Residents who live next to the land might not want increased traffic or extra cars parking in their streets
- Slightly to the edge of housing, or on the edge of a settlement, or in a very quiet area can be most suitable for allotments.
Green Allotments welcomes applications from constituted not-for-profit organisations and individuals over the age of 18.
You can apply anytime.
Email: info@greenallotments.org.uk
Green Hall Foundation- September round for small Charities
Green Hall Foundation’s objectives are to sustainably improve lives among the sick, the elderly, the disabled and the disadvantaged.
Green Hall’s grants typically range from £1,000 - £10,000. The Foundation supports special projects or the purchase of specific equipment that will make a tangible difference to the relevant charity (for example, where the Foundation can meet a significant proportion of the funding required), and which will make a lasting difference.
The Foundation’s September application round will only be open to registered charities with an annual income of £250,000 or less.
The next round opens on 1st September 2025 (9am). Only the first 150 applications will go forward to the Trustees. Once the limit has been reached, the application cycle will be closed, which is normally within two days.
Tel: 01534 487757
Hays Travel Foundation
Hays Travel Foundation supports groups operating or having an impact in areas where Hays Travel have a branch.
The Foundation focuses on projects helping young people up to 25 years of age develop in at least one of the following areas: education, prevention of poverty, health, arts, culture or sports.
Hays don’t specify funding amounts, but grants tend to range from £2,000 - £15,000. Their average grant value last year was £3,500.
The Foundation welcomes applications from registered charities and Community Interest Companies. To check if Hays Travel has a branch in your area, see their Travel Branch Finder.
Hays trustees meet periodically so you can apply anytime. If you’d like your application to be considered in time for the next trustees’ meeting, apply by 28th September 2025.
Tel: 0191 814 8092
Henry Smith Foundation - LGBT+ Youth Advocacy Fund
This Fund aims to enable organisations supporting LGBT+ youth across the UK to be well-resourced, sustainable, and resilient, to build confidence and independence in LGBT+ young people.
LGBT+ Youth Advocacy has a total of £500,000 and awards £10,000- £50,000. Eligible costs include project and core or running costs.
The Fund accepts applications from groups supporting LGBT+ young people aged 14 - 25 looking to fund a youth specific project led by and for the LGBT+ community, or groups looking to create a new recurring group or project within their current service.
Organisations must have been delivering youth work for a minimum of 2 years.
The Fund is prioritising organisations in historically underfunded areas within the LGBT+ sector, areas lacking provision, and/or work that supports intersectional LGBT+ communities.
The deadline for applications is 27th August 2025 (noon).
Tel: 020 7064 6500
Email: giving@consortium.lgbt
Henry Smith Foundation – Shout!
Shout! is for organisations that support young people aged 14 to 25 through independent, person-led advocacy. It focuses on helping young people make informed choices, speak up, and secure their rights.
The Foundation aims to fund organisations across all four UK nations and expects to make 20 grants.
Shout! will award up to £60,000 per year for up to four years (total £240,000).
This funding is for organisations whose work supports at least one of the following:
- Care-experienced young people – this includes those who have been in foster care, residential care, kinship care, or have left care
- LGBT+ young people – supporting young people across the full spectrum of LGBT+ identities. Applicants must be working work inclusively and affirming the rights, identities, and lived experiences of all LGBT+ people
- Young people with a learning disability and/or neurodivergence – organisations that offer support without requiring a diagnosis and take an inclusive approach
The Foundation prefers to make flexible grants to support an organisation's infrastructure to help them deliver strong, sustainable advocacy. This might include core costs, including rent, utilities, and staff salaries, as well as costs associated with staff wellbeing.
Shout! accepts applications from formally registered, not-for-profit organisations with a charitable purpose (e.g., registered charity, Charitable Incorporated Organisation Community Interest Company, Community Benefit Society).
Applying starts with completing a short eligibility quiz on the Foundation’s website. Eligible organisations will then be able to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI). Those who are successful will hear by 5th September 2025 if they have been invited to submit a full application.
The Foundation has published a webinar recording and transcript about this fund on their website.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 20th August 2025.
Tel: 020 7264 4970
Henry Smith Foundation - Together We Begin Fund
Henry Smith Foundation’s Together We Begin Fund is part of their Getting Started funding priority, which supports families to give young children the best possible start in life.
The Fund’s key aims are to:
- ·Strengthen parenting skills to improve children’s outcomes
- Build confidence and reduce stress in the home
- Connect families to their local community
The Foundation is looking to support not-for-profit organisations who:
- Support families with children aged 0-5 (including during pregnancy) who face financial hardship or social isolation, and:-
- Work in areas with high levels of child poverty - at least 24.9% of children live in poverty in their local authority area
Together We Begin awards £40,000 - £50,000 per year for up to three years (maximum £150,000). This funding is flexible and can support general running costs. The Foundation anticipates awarding 40 grants.
The Foundation’s grants are for work that helps achieve the following two objectives:
1. Enhanced parenting skills - families feel more confident and capable of supporting their children's development. This might include reduced stress and anxiety, better daily routines, and improved parent and child wellbeing
2. Better community connections - families feel less isolated and more connected to local services and other families. They can access resources and build relationships that continue beyond your service, ultimately helping children develop and thrive
The Foundation welcomes applications from formally registered, not-for-profit organisations such as registered charities and Community Interest Companies. They also welcome applications from consortia.
The Foundation’s Grant team has published a recording of a live webinar about the fund.
Applying entails a phased process, starting with a short eligibility quiz on the Foundation’s website.
The Foundation then invites eligible organisations to submit an Expression of Interest.
Their deadline for Expressions of Interest is 28th August (5pm).
Tel: 020 7264 4970
Hollick Family Charitable Trust
The Hollick Family Charitable Trust offers grants to charitable organisations working in the areas of Kensington and Chelsea, Camden, Kent and East Sussex.
The Trust’s interests posted on the charity commission, range across education and skills, human rights, housing, mental health, women and children and the arts through community-led organisations working directly with people at the margins of society and charities in the early stages of development looking for seed funding.
Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees. The trustees’ objective is to make a number of relatively small but significant donations to a range of charities each year and to identify at least one cause to which they are able to provide more substantial funding.
The Trust does not maintain a website.
David W Beech
Hollick Family Charitable Trust
Prager Metisx LLP
5A Bear Lane
Southwark
London
SE1 0UH
Tel: 020 7632 1400
Email: dbeech@pragermetis.com
Idlewild Trust – Arts and Conservation
The Idlewild Trust awards up to £7,000 to registered charities working in the following two areas:
- Arts (Nurturing Early-Stage Professionals) supports training opportunities for emerging professionals, working creatively and backstage, within the performing and visual arts, post-training, and at an early stage in their career. Applicant charities must work within the arts sector with the purpose of delivering high quality, professional performing arts of visual arts programmes. Eligible applicants include theatres, galleries, orchestras, opera, ballet and theatre companies
- Conservation Grants (Objects and Works of Art) supports the conservation of cultural heritage of recognised national and international importance in museums, libraries, galleries, historic buildings, or landscapes accessible to the public
The Trust runs two funding rounds a year.
Their current round closes 5th September 2025 (midday), followed by a funding round that opens 1st December 2025 and closes 13th February 2026.
Tel: 020 3909 040
Email: info@idlewildtrust.org.uk
Kelly Family Charitable Trust
Kelly Family Charitable Trust supports registered charities delivering initiatives that encourage families to work together to overcome challenges.
The Trust generally awards up to £5,000 (sometimes higher) for both capital and revenue costs. They also consider core funding relatively new organisations seeking to become established.
The Trust has three principal areas they wish to support:
- Interventions supporting families to prevent the fracture of the family unit, e.g. relationship counselling or mediation
- Families affected by sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence, alcohol abuse and drugs abuse
- Prisoners and their families during and after the period of imprisonment
The Trust prefers to support smaller charities (income below £500,000) and actively encourages applications from relatively new organisations to help them become established.
The Trustees take a personal interest in the progress of who they support, and projects shortlisted for grants will usually be visited or contacted by the Trust's Grants Administrator or other representatives of the Trust.
Their next deadline for applications is 1st September 2025.
Tel: 0131 315 4879
Email: mail@kfct.org
King Charles III Charitable Fund - Small Grants 2025/26
The King Charles III Charitable Fund Small Grants Programme supports activities failing within a range of its core funding themes.
The Fund is now open for applications for projects meeting either of the following themes:
- Environment – protecting and promoting the natural world through efforts including habitat restoration, species conservation, carbon savings and sequestration and circular economies
- Countryside – investing in the economic and environmental future of the countryside. This includes grants to support sustainable and regenerative agriculture, nature friendly farming practices and a brighter future for those who live and work in rural communities
The Fund awards up to £3,000 per year for up to three years. Its specifically aimed at small not for profits (annual income between £25,000 - £500,000). Your total project cost should not exceed £50,000.
The deadline for applications for Environment and Countryside is 20th August (12 noon).
Tel: 020 4551 9330
Email: contact@kccf.org.uk
McCarthy Stone Foundation - Creating Connections
McCarthy Stone Foundation’s Creating Connections Grant Programme has just opened for applications.
This is one of the grant programmes the Foundation runs throughout the year for small organisations supporting people over 65.
Our Creating Connections Grant Programme is for charities and community group projects to reduce loneliness and isolation among older people living in more deprived areas.
This Programme awards up to £7,5000 to support the following costs:
- Core funding for organisations (not Community Interest Companies) working exclusively with over-65s
- Project funding is available for broader organisations with dedicated work for the age group (but not dementia-specific groups)
Examples of activities the Foundation funds include (but not limited to):
- Befriending services, including meal delivery for those living independently
- Social groups (e.g. art classes, dance sessions, lunch clubs, coffee mornings)
- Community transport by connecting older people to local activities and services
The Foundation is open to registered charities, community groups and Community Interest Companies limited by guarantee.
Note, only organisations with an annual income less than £250,000 may apply and must have less than 12 months of running costs in reserve and a clear reserves policy in place.
The closing date for applications is 29th August 2025 (5pm) for notification in early October.
Tel: 01202 292480
Music for All – Community Projects
Music for All is dedicated to changing lives by improving access to music making.
The Fund’s Community Projects scheme is aimed at community groups in deprived or marginalised areas developing music education for those living in their area.
Round 4 is open for applications and focuses on the following distinct areas:
- Physical mobility or accessibility needs
- Choral groups (new or existing)
- Working with groups with mental health challenges and/or affected by loneliness/isolation
- Working with early years aged children (0–4 years)
- Descant recorder pack and music packs - suitable for beginners only and includes 'Walking in the Air' sheet music. No cases available. There are up to 60 recorder packs to apply for in this category
Music for All awards up to £2,000 and welcomes applications from not-for-profit groups, organisations and schools.
The next deadline for applications is 24th September 2025 (12 noon).
Tel: 0140 362 8892
Email: help@musicforall.org.uk
Peter Sell Award Scheme
The Peter Sell Award scheme aims to widen engagement in the Scout and Guide movements.
The scheme awards £5,000 to Scout or Guide group(s) which seek to do the following:
- Widen engagement and involvement in Scouting and Guiding – in particular, the Trustees welcome applications that will encourage people to engage with scouting or guiding who have not previously done so
- That will have a legacy beyond the initial expenditure of the grant – e.g. through a focus and engagement in environmental projects or by encouraging engagement of people in such projects, some of whom may then remain involved in the long term
This is a biannual scheme. The final deadline for applications this year is 14th September 2025.
Tel: 01727 843603
Email: admin@lesliesellct.org.uk
Royal Academy of Engineering – Ingenious Programme
The Royal Academy’s Ingenious Programme is a public engagement grants scheme for projects that engage the public with engineers and engineering while providing engineers with training and opportunities in public engagement.
Awarding £3,000 - £30,000, this Fund supports a variety of projects, ranging from after-school workshops to collaborations between artists and engineers.
The Fund prioritises projects reaching diverse and underrepresented audiences including communities in the most deprived neighborhoods, while engaging engineers and people of different genders, ages and ethnic backgrounds.
The Academy welcomes proposals from anyone interested in engineering public engagement, including universities, colleges, schools, youth charities and those working in the arts and cultural sectors who wish to collaborate with engineers.
The Academy’s deadline for applications is 24th September 2025 (4 pm).
Tel: 020 7766 0600
Email: engagement@raeng.org.uk
Royal Society of Chemistry - Inclusion & Diversity Fund
The Royal Society supports innovative products, activities and research projects help make the chemical sciences community more inclusive and diverse.
The Fund awards up to £5,000 to deliver a wide range of initiatives such as data collection and analysis, workshops, conferences and hackathons.
Previous recipients have included projects related to gender, disability, socio-economic background, language, race and ethnicity, the LGBT+ community and more. The Society provides a list of projects they’ve funded on their website.
Round two is now open for applications with a deadline of 15th September 2025.
Tel: 01223 432463
The Sylvia Waddilove Foundation
Sylvia Waddilove Foundation supports a broad range of themes, including:
- Visual and performing arts (specifically, visual arts, theatres and theatre productions, dance, ballet and opera). This strand awards capital costs only. Theatre projects can also apply for materials or equipment for an educational project, workshop or venue. This strand is for organisations with an income less than £500,000
- Relief of disability and severe illness supports capital costs and is for organisations with an income less than £500,000 (except for hospices)
- Preservation of buildings of architectural or historical significance – you must own, or lease (for a term of 10 years+) and your income must be less than £3m
- The accommodation of those in need supports costs towards buildings, materials and equipment. This strand is for organisations with an income less than £3m
The Foundation’s grants usually range from £1,000 to £5,000.
The trustees accept applications from registered charities, registered branches, Charitable Incorporated Organisations, Community Interest Companies, Registered Societies and exempt charities. They also accept applications from unregistered charities with an income less than £5,000.
The Trustees aim to meet quarterly. They open for applications shortly before each scheduled Trustees’ meeting. Note, the next closing date is 8th August (5pm). Monitor the Trust’s webpage for an announcement when the next cycle of applications opens.
Tel: 020 7821 8211
Tesco Stronger Starts
Tesco Stronger Starts is open to all schools, registered charities and not-for-profit organisations supporting children and young people.
Tesco’s provides examples of projects they support. few examples include:
- Supporting a local youth sports club to purchase equipment
- Contributing towards costs of a summer play scheme
- Helping young people develop skills and employment prospects
- A project that supports a uniform clothes bank
- Mother and toddler groups
- Emotional and mental health support for children
- Schools developing a food growing area
- Brownie or Scout groups needing funding for new play equipment or activities
You can apply online. Every three months shortlisted applications are put into a customer vote in local Tesco stores, using blue tokens when they shop.
The project that receives the most votes in its area is awarded a grant of up to £1,500. Second place receives up to £1,000. Third place up to £500.
Tesco Stronger Starts can fund 100% of your project costs so you don't have to have any match funding. However, if you secured additional funding, there's no limit to what this amount can be and any funding awarded by Tesco can form part of your wider project costs.
You can apply anytime. Please note, it can take up to 12 months to hear if your project has been shortlisted to go to the public vote.
WH Smith Trust
WH Smith Trust encourages WHSmith employees to be actively involved in their local communities and many colleagues fundraise or volunteer their time for charities, community groups and other good causes.
The WHSmith Trust matches employee fundraising or the value of time spent volunteering up to £1,000.
The Trust also makes grants to employees who are members of a school parent-teacher association or a Board of Governors.
Tel: 01793 616161
The Woodroffe Benton Foundation
Woodroffe Benton Foundation’s current funding round focuses on projects to improve the quality of life and social engagement for people with severe physical and/or learning disabilities.
Woodroffe Benton awards one-off grants ranging from £500 and £2,500. Woodroffe prefers to support smaller organisation’s core operating costs.
The Foundation accepts applications from registered charities (income less than £750,000).
The Foundation runs two funding rounds per year, usually in March and August.
This fund is open for applications until 31st August 2025 (or when 150 applications have been received).
Funding Diary
August 2025
Sylvia Waddilove Foundation – 08/08/2025
Parkinsons UK - Physical Activity Grants for Marginalised Communities (Hastings – eligible location) - 10/08/2025
Screwfix Foundation – 10/08/2025
Leeds Building Society Foundation Small Grants – 11/08/2025
Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust (Medium grants) – 13/08/2025
WCIT – IT4Good Grant Programme – 18/08/2025
Scops Art Trust (Round 2) – 19/08/2025
Henry Smith Foundation – Shout! Expressions of Interest – 20/08/2025
Kind Charles III Small Grants (Environment/Countryside) – 20/08/2025
Hilden Charitable Fund - 21/08/2025
Barclays Female Coaches for Girls Fund – 22/08/2025
Henry Smith LGBT+ Youth Advocacy – 27/08/2025
Hays Travel Foundation – 28/09/2025
Henry Smith Together We Begin-Expressions of Interest - 28/08/2025
McCarthy Stone Foundation Creating Connections Grant Programme 29/08/2025
Rewilding Britain -Rewilding Innovation Fund – 29/08/2025
Youth Music –Trailblazers Round 10 - 29/08/2025
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust – 30/09/2025
7Stars Foundation - 31/08/2025
September 2025
Institute of Physics Public Engagement Scheme (Main Grant Round 2) – 01/09/2025
Kelly Family Charitable Trust – 01/09/2025
Lloyds Bank Foundation - Deaf and Disabled People's Organisations – 04/09/2025
Grocers’ Charity Grant – 05/09/2025
Hinrichsen Foundation – 05/09/2025
Idlewild Trust – 05/09/2025
Theatre Trust – Theatre Improvement Scheme - 05/09/2025
Postcode Society Trust – 08/09/20235
Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust (Large grants) – 10/09/2025
Society Foundation – 12/09/2025
British Council Biennials Connect Grants- 14/09/2025
Peter Sell Award scheme – 14/09/2025
Help the Homeless – 15/09/2025
Royal Society of Chemistry-Inclusion & Diversity Fund-15/09/2025
Ulverscroft Foundation – 15/09/2025
Charles Hayward Foundation (Social & Criminal Justice Main Grants) -19/09/2025
Government Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (round 10) – 19/09/2025
Armed Forces - Family Focus - 24/09/2025
Music for All-Community Projects – 24/09/2025
Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious Programme – 24/09/2025
Bromley Trust – 26/09/2025
Groundwork One Stop Community Partnership Programme – 29/09/2025
Adamson Trust – 30/09/2025
Another Way Women’s Foundation – 30/09/2025
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust (Refugees and Asylum Seekers Round 4) – 30/09/2025
Different Foundation – AI for All – 30/09/2025
Hugo Burge Foundation – Creative Grants – 30/09/2025
Matrix Causes Fund - 30/09/2025
Sea-Changers Main Grants – 30/09/2025
October 2025
Armed Forces - Hidden Voices - 01/10/2025
JJ Charitable Trust - Literacy Small Grants – 01/10/2025
Armed Forces Families Fund: Early Years Programme 2025-26 – 08/10/2025
Veterans’ Foundation – 08/10/2025
Shackleton Foundation – 21/10/2025
Million Hours Fund (but check website for early closure) – 22/10/2025
Childwick Trust – 31/10/2025
Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation – 31/10/2025
Tree Council and Defra – Trees Outside Woodland Fund – 31/10/2025
November 2025
Leeds Building Society Foundation Small Grants – 03/11/2025
Weaver’s Company Benevolent Fund -13/11/2025
Tree Council Branching Out Fund – 14/11/2025
The Primary Club – 30/11/2025
December 2025
Homity Trust - 12/12/2025
International Tree Foundation - UK Community Tree Planting – 12/12/2025
Help the Homeless – 15/12/2025
Ulverscroft Foundation – 15/12/2025
National Lottery Awards for All England – Environment – 17/12/2025
Adamson Trust – 31/12/2025
January 2026
National Archives Resilience Grants (Round Two) – 15/01/2026
Armed Forces - Hidden Voices - 21/01/2026
Access Without Limits – 31/01/2026
Radcliffe Trust – 31/01/2025
February 2026
Idlewild Trust - 13/02/2026
Remediation Enforcement Support Fund – 28/02/2026
March 2026
Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme – 31/03/2026
March 2027
Wealden District Council - Sports Infrastructure Fund 2024-27