Focus on Funding – November 2025
October 28, 2025
Welcome to Focus on Funding – your monthly resource to keep you abreast of current and new funding opportunities, and the latest funding news and events.
As well as Focus on Funding, you can access our support, including dedicated funding assistance, identifying funding sources, offering advice on strong applications, application reviews, communication with funders, application development and the facilitation of partnerships.
Other resources on the Funding page on our website include:
- Funding Application Checklist: Enhance your application with expert advice.
- Funding Applications Letters: Guidance on writing persuasive letters for charitable trusts and foundations when no application form is provided.
- Funding Tips: Key tips to consider when creating your funding application.
- Are You Fit to be Funded? Ensure your organisation is prepared to receive funding by addressing key aspects of capability, health, and policy compliance.
- Details of our online self-service funding portal, which makes it easy to find funding for specific activities or services by category, geographic area and more.
- How to access unrestricted funding using easyfundraising.
- Information on applying to the Eric Wright Charitable Trust.
For personalised support with funding for your voluntary or community group, or social enterprise, please contact us at:
📧 CVSfunding@cumbriacvs.org.uk
📞 01768 800350
This page will be updated with new information as we receive it during the month. Please check back regularly. (Last update: 24/11/25 – items added on this date are marked as [NEW])
You can view previous Focus on Funding posts here to catch up on our archive of information.
If you’ve seen something you think we should be sharing, let us know! Email us: info@cumbriacvs.org.uk
Furness for You funding extended
The Furness For You partnership project, encouraging volunteering and building social connections in Barrow-in-Furness, has received a further £260,000 from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), after the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund was extended to March 2026.
Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice and Programmes at the Foundation, said: “A recent evaluation confirmed that Furness For You has had a significant impact on participants, many of whom reported increased social connection, improved mental health, and personal growth. This valuable funding, together with match funding of nearly £11,000 from the Pappagallino Fund, will help extend and develop delivery, and support even more people.”
Could you be missing out on free funding this month?
Did you know, more online shopping is done in November than any other month of the year – and if your organisation isn’t registered with easyfundraising yet, you’ll miss out on free funding when your supporters shop.
1 in 3 people across the UK will be shopping online that day, spending an expected £250 each. If those connected with your organisation shop Black Friday via easyfundraising, they’ll raise an average of £7.50 at no extra cost – with just 10 supporters that’s £75 raised in a single day, turning Black Friday into GIVE BACK Friday!
Make sure your organisation is registered and let your network know to join easyfundraising before they bag those bargains from over 8,000 retailers.
Find out more: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/cumbria
National Churches Trust
Deadline: 4th November 2025
Amount available: £10,000 – £50,000
Grants are available for urgent and essential structural repairs or the installation of kitchens and toilets. Funding is available for this type of work on buildings that were originally built as churches.
Due to limited funding, grants will typically be for less than £40,000, the average grant is around £15,000 and 50 per cent match funding is required.
Warburtons Families Matter Community Grants Programme
Deadline: Tuesday 4th November 2025
Amount available: £400
Small grants are available for local projects, activities and organisations that have charitable aims and that will be of real direct benefit to families and have a direct and tangible social impact on people’s lives.
Funding is available for projects that are working towards one of Warburtons’ outcome areas:
- Health – supporting families to care for each other and lead healthier lives
- Place – supporting families to flourish in communities that are safer, greener and more inclusive
- Skills – supporting families to gain useful skills for life and work
St Martin in the Fields Charity: Funds for local housing solutions
Amount available: up to £100k
Deadline: 5pm, 7th November
Funding for organisations with an annual turnover of less than £2 million per year that are “locally embedded”, working with people facing homelessness and seeking to develop new housing options.
DCMS/Wolfson: Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund 2025-27
Amount available: Up to £400,000 towards eligible capital projects
Deadline: 5pm, 14th November 2025
Who is the funding for? Accredited museums, museum services and galleries in England with at least one designated collection, or current Arts Council national portfolio organisations.
Bids submitted for consideration must meet at least one of the following criteria: material improvements to the display and interpretation of collections, in permanent galleries, exhibition spaces and public spaces, to enhance visitor experience; improvements to access and/or interpretation for visitors with disabilities, children and young people, and/or underrepresented audiences, or improvements to environmental controls, collections storage and conservation facilities to enhance the care of collections.
Active Travel Innovation Fund – funded by Department for Transport and administered by Active Travel England
Amount available: up to £100,000
Deadline: Friday 14th November, 12 noon
The fund aims to enable applicants to develop, deliver or scale interventions that increase walking, wheeling and cycling. Projects may involve innovative behaviour change initiatives, scaling proven solutions or developing new services that address gaps or opportunities in the sector.
Applications are invited for interventions that improve access to active travel, with a focus on underrepresented groups such as women and girls, ethnic minority communities, children, people with disabilities and those who are less physically active. Eligible projects could include community initiatives, partnerships between local authorities and businesses or digital tools that enhance safety and accessibility.
Branching Out Funding
Deadline: 14th November 2025
Amount available: £250 to £2,500
Exciting news for all green thumbs and community champions! The Tree Council is now accepting applications for the Branching Out Fund, This is a fantastic opportunity for schools, community groups, charities, and other organisations across the UK to embark on tree-planting projects during the 2025/26 Winter planting season.
What Can You Fund?
- Native Trees: Bare root, UK-sourced and grown, native trees
- Hedging Projects: UK-sourced and grown, bare-root whips and cell-grown stock
- Hedgerow Trees: Perfect for enhancing biodiversity
- Orchards: Fruit trees on various rootstocks
- Eco-Friendly Materials: Cardboard/bioplastic tree guards, non-plastic ties, and mulch
- Sustainable Stakes: Coppiced chestnut or hazel, or machined softwood
Project Completion: Planting must be completed, and claim forms submitted by 15 March 2026 (midnight).
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to green your community and contribute to a healthier planet.
For more details, visit The Tree Council’s website
NHS North East and North Cumbria Northern Cancer Alliance Living with and Beyond Cancer Fund
Amount available: £5,000-£10,000
Deadline: 16th November
Grants supporting the delivery of prehabilitation interventions and/or services for cancer patients across the Northeast and North Cumbria (NENC). The fund aims to enhance quality of life, health, and treatment outcomes for cancer patients by supporting initiatives that improve health and wellbeing for people living with and beyond cancer.
#iwill Fund 2025 – Strand 2 (National Lottery Community Fund)
Amount available: £30,000 and £5 million are available and can support projects for up to four years
Deadline: Wednesday 19th November (midday)
Organisations across England can apply for funding to either deliver youth social action projects directly or take on a funding role – supporting other eligible organisations to do the same.
This round of funding is especially focused on projects that bring new voices into the social action space – particularly those engaging young people for the first time, led and shaped by young people themselves, and actively challenging negative stereotypes about young people.
The funding is for work that will:
- Create opportunities for young people to take social action
- Help young people get involved, and stay involved as they grow up
- Reach young people who have not taken part in regular social action activities before
- Give young people a say in the work being done, and in running the organisation
The funded work must help achieve one of the NLCF missions:
- Bring people together and encourage social connections
- Help children or young people thrive
- Support of all ages to live healthier lives
- Support communities to be environmentally sustainable
Priority will be given to work that supports young people experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination.
Common Ground Award
Amount available: up to £10,000
Deadline: 21st November
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 of up to £10,000.
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.
The funding is intended to support new builds, refurbishment, and expansion of facilities used to build bridging social capital. Funding can also cover essential equipment, such as laptops or furniture for the property.
Tackling health inequities
Amount available: £50,000–£1m over five years
Deadline: 26th November (midday)
The National Lottery Community Fund (TNLCF) has announced a major new programme to address health inequities stemming from racism, discrimination and systemic injustice.
They are looking for 10 established organisations with a strong track record in tackling structural racism and involving communities with lived experience to join a £50m partnership. Partners will receive £50,000–£1m over five years to continue their work, and help shape future funding initiatives. An additional £40m has been set aside for the first year of further projects, which will be co-designed with partners.
Organisations applying should:
- Lead work tackling structural racism, discrimination, and health inequities.
- Involve people with lived experience in decision-making, governance and staffing (at least 75% of staff from target communities, with representation at board level).
- Be confident in driving wider conversations and working collaboratively.
Naturesave Trust – Biodiversity
Amount available: up to £5,000
Deadline: 12 noon on 27th November
Do you have a project that champions sustainability, conservation, or community-led environmental action? The Naturesave Trust is now accepting applications for grants that support innovative ideas tackling climate change and protecting our planet.
✅ Open to UK-based organisations and projects with a strong environmental focus.
✅ Grants available for initiatives that make a real difference in sustainability and biodiversity.
Youth Music – Shift the Scene Fund
Amount available: Up to £200,000 for work that is sustained over a four-year period.
Applicants are required to provide 20% total match funding or higher, of which at least 10% must be cash match funding.
Deadline: Friday 28th November, 5pm
Grants are available to organisations in England who provide creative opportunities for Disabled children and young people, to support activities designed to ‘shift the scene’ and create spaces where Disabled voices lead.
The funding is intended to promote equality of creative opportunities and outcomes for disabled young people. It aims to transform the way creative programmes are designed and delivered, ensuring they are inclusive and accessible, while also challenging perceptions and increasing recognition of the talent and contributions of young disabled creatives.
It is anticipated that funding will be provided to a number of music projects, but music will not be the majority focus of this fund.
The Schroder Charity Trust
Amount available: Up to £5,000
Deadline: 30th November
Following a strategic review of the Schroder Charity Trust’s grant-making programme, They 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.
[NEW] Creative Sustainability CIC – Boring Fund
Amount available: £200 per charity
Deadline: Midnight on Sunday 30th November
Funding for small charities, CICs or voluntary groups with an annual turnover under £150,000; a very small number of paid staff; no fundraising team or regular paid fundraising staff member, and no confirmed core funding.
The fund is specifically for ‘boring’ tasks such as administrative duties.
Supporting refugees, evacuees and people seeking asylum
Amount available: Variable, dependent on service
Deadline: Monday 1st December
Cumberland Council is looking to fund established voluntary and community sector organisations who can, or have capacity to begin, to support refugees (including new refugees), evacuees and people seeking asylum.
This grant scheme is to support VCFSE sector organisations, working alongside the council, to support refugees, asylum seekers and evacuees and ensure that the additional needs of these groups are met.
Funding is for specific and discreet services the Council feels are needed to execute the above needs. Applicants may apply for one or more of the grants that fit their capabilities and experience. Applicants will need to show how they will achieve the objectives listed under each service, alongside appropriate costings. Applications that focus on or include activities and initiatives that promote community cohesion are welcome.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation – Ideas and Pioneers Fund
Amount available: Up to £20,000 and a programme of support will be available to help individuals and organisations develop their skills and ideas.
Pre-application access support and a bursary of up to £750 are available.
Deadline: Tuesday 2nd December
Grants are available for individuals, groups and small organisations to explore a new idea for social change that has the potential to transform the way things are currently done.
The funding is for ideas that have a charitable purpose and for any activity that will help the applicant to learn about, test and explore an idea for social change.
The Foundation wants to support people aged 18-30 who have lived experience of the issues their ideas are looking to address or who have been let down or harmed by current systems.
Organisations of any legal structure with a turnover of under £150,000.
Energy Saving Trust – Energy Redress Scheme – Main Fund and Small Project
Amount available:
- Main Fund offers grants of between £50,000 and £2 million for projects that will support households in vulnerable situations.
- Small Project Fund offers grants of between £20,000 and £49,999 for projects that will support households in vulnerable situations.
Deadline: Tuesday 2nd December 2025 (5pm)
The priority of the scheme is to support energy consumers in vulnerable situations and to deliver benefits to the types of consumers that were negatively impacted by the specific issues that triggered the redress payment.
Applications will be accepted from:
- Registered charities in England, Scotland and Wales that are registered with the Energy Redress Scheme and have passed the due diligence process.
- Housing associations with exempt charity status based in England, Scotland and Wales.
- Community energy groups (a co-operative, community benefit society or community interest company) based in England, Scotland and Wales.
The grants can be used for capital or revenue costs and can provide up to 100% of the project cost. Projects lasting up to two years can be funded.
Before applying, organisations need to pre-register by visiting the Energy Redress registration page
Organisations that have not yet registered with the scheme must do so 10 working days before the relevant Fund closes to allow time for eligibility checks to take place.
Home Office – Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme
Amount available: Funded security measures (like CCTV, alarms, and secure doors).
Deadline: Monday 8th December
You can apply to the scheme if your faith community centre or place of worship has experienced hate crime or you believe it’s at risk of hate crime – for example, similar places nearby have been targeted.
Masonic Charitable Foundation Hospice Grants 2025
Amount available: up to £40,00 for projects running over 18 months
Deadline: Monday 8th December 2025 (5pm)
The programme is delivered by Hospice UK and funded by the Masonic Charitable Foundation, on behalf of Freemasonry in England and Wales, to provide funding with a significant and lasting impact on communities.
The funding is intended to support hospice projects that create sustainable change in care delivery for people experiencing financial hardship or socio-economic deprivation.
This programme will support hospices to:
- Work alongside people with lived experience and/or expert organisations to identify the barriers to their service experienced by people facing financial hardship or living in socio-economic deprivation and start to take tangible steps to breaking these down.
- Build a greater understanding of the experiences of people in their community facing financial hardship or living in socio-economic deprivation as well as their experiences or assumptions of the hospice’s services.
- Identify ways their services can be adapted, improved or integrated to better support people facing financial hardship or living in socio-economic deprivation that are sustainable within current financial constraints.
- Partner with local organisations to expand the hospice’s reach, strengthen its service provision, improve the accessibility of services or maximise resources for people facing financial hardship or living in socio-economic deprivation.
Kristina Martin Charitable Trust
Amount available: information not provided
Deadline: Friday 12th December
Grants are available for UK registered charities whose work supports those with mental health issues and provides support and activities which tackle, in particular but not exclusively, suicide, online bullying and grief, fostering hope and resilience, working both in the UK and beyond.
The current funding round is for the following themes:
- Breaking the link between homelessness and poor mental health
- Reduction in the effects of social media on mental health
- Reduction of Social Isolation
- Improving mental health outcomes for children and young people
Thomas Wall Trust
Amount available: up to £5,000 (must have an annual turnover of between £25,000 and £500,000)
Deadline: first stage applications is Monday 22nd December
Grants are available for UK registered charities for specific projects that improves communication skills for disadvantaged adults and supports NEET people into employment.
As an inclusive charity, the Trust welcomes proposals which target people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups demonstrably facing major hurdles to employment, especially women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, and refugees.
Sported Foundation – Barclays Community Sport Fund 2025 to 2027
Amount available: Level 1 coaching grants: Football – £160 grant; Tennis – £200 grant; Cricket – £200 grant.
Deadline: Wednesday 31st December
The funding supports community groups and grassroots sports organisations who are working within the most deprived areas of the UK and are making sport more accessible to women and girls, as well as engaging people from other under-represented groups including people with disabilities, from racially diverse communities and from the LGBTQ+ community.
The programme offers:
- Female Coaches for Girls Grants to support football, tennis, and cricket coaching courses to help increase the number of female coaches delivering sport to girls. Two coaching 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 the chosen sport. This is to upskill up to two female coaches at the club or group.
The Fund also offers:
- Exclusive match tickets, mascot places, and promotional opportunities.
- Access to advice and support and signposting to training and resource.
Projects must operate in an area of high deprivation. The Government Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) are used to establish eligibility and only organisations located in or supporting people from IMD areas 1-3 are eligible to apply.
Disability applications from groups that sit outside of IMD areas 1-3 will be considered as long as they groups offer activities for women and girls.
Weston Charity Awards
Amount available: Support packages worth over £22,000 each
Deadline: 5pm 9th January 2026.
The Awards aim to celebrate and support charities working in the fields of youth, welfare, community, and the environment, and to enable charities to develop, raise their profiles, become more sustainable and face the future with greater confidence.
The Awards offer a package of support, worth over £22,000, intended to deliver long-term benefit to the charity, including a fully funded year of support from Pilotlight and an unrestricted cash contribution of £6,500.
The 22 Award Finalists will receive:
- A fully funded year of support from Pilotlight.
- An unrestricted cash contribution of £6,500 to support the work with Pilotlight, this includes travel expenses to meetings.
- Access to a network of local charities working with Pilotlight.
- Two peer-to-peer sessions with other Award Winners across the year.
CABWI Lifelong Learning and Development Fund
Amount available: Between £266,666 and £1 million can apply for grants of up to £40,000. Up to £266,666 may apply for a maximum of 15% of their previous year’s turnover.
Deadline: Stage One – Applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest. Expressions of Interest will open on Monday 5th January 2026 and close on Monday 26th January 2026.
The fund supports small charities with projects that promote lifelong learning and development, address barriers to entering the labour market and allow people to gain additional skills to advance their careers.
Funding priorities are:
- Working with individuals with complex barriers to employment, enabling them to move closer or into employment, including but not restricted to ex-service personnel and ex-offenders.
- Working directly with young people and adults who are either not in employment, education, or training (NEET), or with young people who are at risk of becoming NEET, to improve their access to employment and the labour market.
- Increasing the life skills of people so that they may further develop their careers, with a particular focus on the water, utilities, and construction industries.
In this round, there is a particular interest in supporting innovative approaches that highlight new ideas/ways of tackling barriers to training and employment.
Radcliffe Trust
Amount available: Grants are generally in the region of £2,500 to £7,500
Deadline: Saturday 31st January 2026
Funding is available for UK charities, not-for-profit and Exempt organisations working in the areas of music, especially chamber music, composition and music education, or in heritage and crafts.
WCIT – IT4Good Grant Programme
Amount available: up to £15,000
Deadline: Friday 6th February 2026
This fund aims to support IT projects and activities that relate to one or more of the following priority areas:
- Education
- Inclusion
- Tech for charities
- Public understanding of Technology
Registered charities and organisations with a formal not-for-profit constitution, such as community interest companies (CICs), can apply.
[NEW] David Riddell Memorial CIO
Amount available: Between £5,000 and £25,000
Deadline: Applications taken on a rolling basis
Funding for charities running suicide awareness and prevention programmes for charitable purposes.
National Deaf Children’s Society – Community Grants
Amount available: £1,000 – £10,000
Deadline: Any time
The aim of the grants programme is to build communities that unite families of deaf children. For parents with a deaf child, having a strong community is vital, particularly during those first few years when families are still finding out what their child needs.
The early years are a crucial time for all children. For deaf children, this is even more true. Without adjustments, accommodations and the right support, young deaf children can find it more difficult to develop their language, communication and social skills.
This funding cycle is focused on projects that support deaf children in the early years (aged 0-5). This can be directly or indirectly, and projects can also involve older deaf children, deaf young people, families and professionals.
Wolfson Foundation
Amount available: To be agreed
Deadline: Two funding rounds per year
Applications are currently considered under four strands: the needs of older people; mental health needs; independent living for people with disabilities; palliative care and hospices.
The Foundation is also committed to funding projects that build, strengthen and sustain an organisation’s infrastructure for the longer term. Our grants will be for new build, refurbishment and equipment projects.
The Masonic Charitable Foundation
Amount available: Small grants range from £1,000 – £5,000, Large grants usually range from £10,000 to £60,000.
Deadline: n/a
The Masonic Charitable Foundation is dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and young people, as well as vulnerable older people, in England and Wales.
Priority areas:
- Children with special educational needs and disabilities.
- Children affected by domestic abuse.
- Early years (ages 0-5) with a focus on poverty and neglect.
The Leathersellers – small grants programme
Amount available: One-off grants of up to £5,000.
Deadline: Rolling
Charities and CIOs must meet the following criteria:
- Deliver activities to meet an identified need for vulnerable members of the community
- Provide evidence of effective impact/ difference made e.g. testimonials gathered from feedback and questionnaires
- Have a planned expenditure of under £200,000 during the financial year in which you are applying for funding.
- Demonstrate financial need. Due to overwhelming demand from charities with high financial need, we are unlikely to be able to prioritise applications from organisations holding more than 6 months’ free/unrestricted reserves.
- Have a publicly accessible website clearly showing who you are and what you do.
- Have a minimum of one year’s published accounts available via the Charity Commission. We do not accept management accounts.
Travel Actively Fund
Amount available: No limit
Deadline: n/a
The Travel Actively Fund (TAF) is open for applications from organisations in Barrow or Carlisle.
If your organisation has an activity or idea that will encourage and enable people from the fund’s targeted audiences to be more active by cycling, walking and wheeling (using scooters, wheelchairs) for everyday journeys you may be eligible to apply.
Joyce Wilkinson Charitable Trust Fund
Amount available: There is no minimum or maximum grant award
Deadline: n/a
Grants for voluntary and community groups operating or providing charitable activities in or close to the parishes of Rosley and Westward, Wigton, and Aspatria.
Cash4Clubs
The 2025 programme is focused on supporting adult participation in sport.
Priority will be given to applications from groups working in areas of high deprivation and engaging adults from specific under-represented groups. That means those who:
- Are supporting adults living in an area of high deprivation. (Using Government Indices of Multiple Deprivation and the Pobal HP Deprivation Index).
- Increase access to sport for one or more under-represented groups, including women, people from racially diverse communities, people with disabilities and people from the LGBTQ+ community.
- Encourage adults who would not usually engage in sport to take part. Examples include activities that support physical and mental wellbeing or tackle issues such as loneliness and rural isolation.
- Address broader social issues for the local community, for example tackling crime and anti-social behaviour or supporting community cohesion.
Please note you are only eligible to apply for funding if you are an adult group working with 18+ only. Applications cannot be accepted from any organisations with junior sections, delivering junior activities or working with young people in any way.
Amount available: £2,000
Deadline: Monday 8th December
Help the Homeless Grant Scheme
Amount available: £5,000
Deadline: Monday 15th December (5pm)
Grants for capital projects are available to small and medium-sized charities registered in the UK working to assist homeless people to rebuild their lives and return to the community.
Projects must assist individuals in their return to mainstream society, rather than simply offering shelter or other forms of sustenance.
National Lottery Awards for All England – Environment
Deadline: 17th December 2025
Amount available: £300 to £20,000 for up to two years
The climate and nature emergency affects us all, but local action can make a real difference. We fund community-led projects that improve the environment and help people connect with and enjoy nature where they live.
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.
We’re looking to fund projects that:
- help people connect with and care for nature in their area
- make a positive difference to the environment
COSARAF – Hardship Grants
Amount available: £2,000
Deadline: at any time
Grants are available for third party social organisations to support individuals and families across the UK who are in financial need and have exhausted all other sources of funding.
Applications will only be accepted from recognised third party social organisation, such as charities, housing associations, schools and social services who are acting on behalf of a family or individual in need.
Priority will be given to:
- The most financially excluded people.
- Families over individuals.
- Those with caring responsibilities.
- Items that will make the most difference to the individual/family’s long-term future.
Organisations can only apply once in a single year.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they are taking advantage of all support offered by local services, including the referring social organisation.
Football Foundation – Lionesses HERe to Play Fund
Deadline: Any time
Amount available: up to £25,000 for up to 75% of total project costs.
The fund aims to elevate the experience of women and girls in football by creating inclusive, welcoming, and high-quality environments that support female participation at every level.
Projects include:
- Signage.
- External lighting/CCTV.
- Toilets.
- Shower improvements.
- Baby change and breastfeeding facilities.
- Female officials’ and player privacy changing spaces.
- Changing room improvements.
- Clubhouse improvements.
- External covered spaces.
The Football Foundation requires a minimum of five years security of tenure for all applications, to be evidenced in the application.
Affiliated clubs need to have completed, signed up for or be on the waiting list for The FA’s Equal Game workshop.
Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation
Amount available: Previous grants have ranged from £5,000 to £2.25 million.
Deadline: The first step in the application process is to complete the online ‘eligibility test’ on the Foundation’s website. If the proposed project is eligible for funding, applicants will be sent a link to the Salesforce digital application form and given a deadline for submission for the next Grants Meeting.
The funding is for charitable work that meets one or more of the Foundation’s current priorities:
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- Victims of modern slavery: to provide facilities for and support to victims on their journey back to independent living, better mental health and employment.
- Victims of domestic abuse: to provide emergency safety and to support victims through associated poverty and mental health issues.
- Ex-offenders and their families: to support the ex-offenders back to work and contributing positively to society and to support their families whose lives can be severely impacted.
- Homelessness: to provide facilities for and support people, especially young people, on their journey back to independent living, better mental health and employment.
- Medical research: to support research that could lead to preventing or slowing the onset of a condition or to lessen the symptoms.
- Support for people with terminal illnesses / life limiting conditions and their carers: to provide hospice care to support individuals and give respite to their carers to assist them with their mental health and other ambitions.
- Drug and substance misuse: to support rehabilitation and the journey back to independent living and work.
- Support for people with intellectual disability: to provide support with personal care, job skills and supported living.
- Care leavers: to give them a chance to succeed on a par with other young people.
- Worship and associated community outreach: to ensure places of worship are energy efficient and watertight with an emphasis on wider community use of church halls or Church buildings where those buildings are redundant or too large and where the parish has a focus on non-conditional outward facing work.
- Amateur sport: to improve physical and mental health with a focus on sport provision for people with disabilities.
- Care for the elderly: to allow quality care for those who cannot afford private care or continue living at home.
Please note: this list is subject to quarterly review and may change.
Applications to the Foundation’s General Fund will be considered from registered charities with an annual expenditure of less than £10 million who are working to support communities in need.
Arnold Clark Community Fund – Community Support
Deadline: It is recommended that groups apply as early as they can as applications could be paused due to high demand
Amount available: up to £1,000
Funding to projects embedded in the communities in which Arnold Clark operates and is available to organisations who provide services widely accessible to those within Arnold Clark local communities, addressing the needs of those living within them. Organisations must be based/operate solely in the UK and located within 50 miles of an Arnold Clark branch.
Particularly welcome applications from smaller voluntary and community organisations who are working within Arnold Clark local communities.
Historic Houses Foundation
Deadline: Any time
Amount available: 1,000 to £250,000. Most grants are for less than £50,000.
This fund aims to support the repair and conservation of rural historic buildings and structures in England and Wales, including their gardens, grounds and outbuildings. Grants for the restoration and conservation of works of art in historic house collections open to the public will also be considered.
Funding is intended to support projects which are ready to proceed (i.e. can be started within 1-2 years) but which either do not qualify for funding from any of the mainstream sources or have been awarded only partial funding and require significant further funds to complete the resource package.
National Deaf Children’s Society Community Grants Programme
Deadline: Rolling
Amount available: Between £1,000 and £10,000
Funding is available for projects that support deaf children in the early years (aged 0-5). This can be directly or indirectly, and projects can also involve older deaf children, deaf young people, families and professionals.
B&Q Foundation
Deadline: Rolling
Amount available: £5,000/£10,000
The B&Q Foundation provides grants for a wide range of community organisations who are seeking funding to improve or develop spaces that benefit their community. Typically, the foundation provides up to £10,000 for building and indoor projects or £5,000 for garden projects. Using Neighbourly, the B&Q Foundation asks charities to complete a simple three step application process. Currently, its focus is on charities supporting people who are at risk of homelessness.
The Movement Fund
Deadline: Rolling
Amount available: between £300 and £15,000
Sport England has reserved up to £16 million from its £160 million Movement Fund to help the sector respond to the impact of climate change. Sports clubs and physical activity groups are being encouraged to apply for grants which can be used to fund projects that will improve sustainability by addressing at least one of six Every Move priorities:
- Just transition: inequalities, inclusion and participation
- Energy and resources: carbon emissions, travel and facilities
- Energy and resources: circular economy – supply chains, products and waste
- Nature: blue-green environment quality and use
- Nature: biodiversity
- Resilience: adapting to climate change and extreme weather events.
To be eligible, projects should also demonstrably improve physical activity in the community and have a clear, feasible and reasonable delivery plan. Projects in an area of high need will be prioritised.
Priority will also be given to work that benefits: people living on low incomes, disabled people or those with long-term health conditions, older people, people from culturally diverse communities, pregnant women and parents with very young children, girls aged 5-16, LGBTQ+ people and people in foster care.
The Anchor Foundation
Deadline: Rolling
Amount available: £500 – £12,000
Grants are on offer for Christian charities working to tackle social exclusion. The foundation has a particularly interest in charities working within “healing and the arts.”
Grants are only offered to registered charities. Applications for building work are rarely supported and charities are asked to apply for funds towards a specific project.
Walney Extension Community Fund
Deadline: Rolling
Amount available: Discretionary
Due to the extension of Walney Wind Farm, areas of Cumbria are eligible for funding from Orsted. The renewable energy giant has two funds available to charitable initiatives: The Walney Extension Community Fund and the Walney Extension Skills Fund.
Orsted’s Community Fund has two funding rounds each year, with its next deadline in January and is open to organisations in parts of Copeland, Barrow-in-Furness, the Walney islands and South Lakeland.
Calisen Impact Charitable Trust
Deadline: Rolling
Amount available: Discretionary
Grants are available for charitable initiatives in the UK that “champion sustainable energy solutions and foster inclusive, safe and diverse educational and work environments within the UK.” The funding is administered by Calisen, a British energy firm.
UK registered charities can apply for the funding to cover project costs. The fund’s objectives include achieving net zero and promoting inclusive workplaces.
Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust
Deadline: Rolling
Amount available: £1,000 – £10,000
Animal welfare charities in the UK can apply for funding to cover projects that benefit and protect animals; relieve the suffering of animals, address the conservation of wildlife and encourage a greater understanding of animals.
The funding is available from the Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust and can be used for: general running costs associated with the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of animals, donations towards capital purchases and assistance with vets fees.
Motability Foundation: organisation grants
Amount available: £50,000 to £150,000 for small grants; £150,000 to £1m for large grants.
Deadline: Not specified.
Charities and organisations can apply for grants to enhance existing services or launch new initiatives that improve transport access for disabled people. Funding can be used for staffing, vehicles, operational costs, and infrastructure. The foundation is welcoming applications from organisations that have been active for least three years and have a turnover of £50,000 or more.
Worshipful Company of Innholders: charity grants
Amount available: One-off awards of between £500 and £5,000
Deadline: Rolling basis
Who is the funding for? Smaller charities in England and Wales, with a preference for London, for work with the young, the elderly, and the hospitality industry. The funding committee meets in March, June and December of each year.
CiFR Community Flood Resilience Fund
Deadline: n/a
Amount available: up to £12,500
Grants for groups across Cumbria supporting communities to build resilience to future flooding.
The purpose of the fund is to (1) provide support, resources, and equipment to specified communities at risk of flooding; (2) to enable those communities to test and trial ways to become better prepared for flooding; and (3) be better able to respond to and recover from flooding, by building assets within their community.
Funds managed by Cumbria Community Foundation
Our funds have been created by our donors and each have their own criteria or area of interest. Most support locally based community and voluntary groups and some also support individuals.
To apply for a grant, you will need to complete an application form and send it to us with the supporting documents indicated. We encourage you to read the guidance of our funds before applying, but if you’re unsure about the eligibility of your application, give our grants team a call on 01900 825760.
Find out more about the funds available here
Storytelling: How to attract and nurture donors
Wednesday 5th November, online. FREE webinar (delivered by Directory of Social Change in partnership with the Benefact Group). Speaker: Paul Courtney, Director of Fundraising, Children’s Hospice South West & Director and Kairos Fundraising.
Storytelling for Fundraising – Bringing the Stories of Your Organisation to Life
Thursday 6th & Thursday 13th November, online. This course will support fundraisers to improve your fundraising confidence and success through effective use of storytelling.
Telling stories is a powerful tool that is too often overlooked. Stories are used to engage, inform, persuade, and create connections between people. As a fundraiser, storytelling is a valuable skill that can be used to influence your potential supporters and maximise your fundraising efforts. Storytelling skills bring your fundraising activities to life.
In this course, you will develop a key skill that will benefit the success of grant fundraising, corporate partnerships, crowdfunding, major donors, legacies, and many more!
Meet the Funder – Westmorland and Furness Community Development Team (Eden and South Lakeland) – Community Fund
Wednesday 12th November, online. Are you a not-for-profit group running community projects for local residents in Eden and South Lakes? Your project can receive up to £5,000 if it meets the priorities of your Locality Board. This online session allows you to Meet the Funder and find out all you need to know, in order to make an application.
Writing a Successful Funding Application
Wednesday 19th November, online. This 3 hour course provides a beginner’s guide to how to write a successful funding application, using the National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards For All online application form as an example.
In these 3 hours you’ll get:
- The chance to go through a successful funding application and understand how you can emulate it
- Advice on key elements such as writing project outcomes, evidencing co-production and creating an accurate budget
- Time to start sketching out your own application, ask questions and get expert advice
- The chance to step back and decide what you need to do next to lay the foundations for a strong application for your project
Understanding the National Lottery Community Fund: Priorities, Funding, and Application Tips
Wednesday 19th November, online. Join us for this one-hour online session led by a National Lottery Community Fund officer to learn more about Fund, the difference it aims to make, and the opportunities available to community groups and voluntary organisations.
We’ll take a closer look at the Environment Fund – a new funding opportunity with a deadline of 17 December 2025, aimed at supporting projects that help people and communities take action for nature and the environment.
You’ll also hear about National Lottery Awards for All and Reaching Communities, including:
- What types of projects and organisations can apply
- What funders are looking for in an application
- Practical tips for developing a strong proposal
There will be time for questions, and participants will leave with a clearer understanding of which fund might best suit their project ideas.
Mid Copeland Meet the Funders event
Thursday 20 November, Beckermet Reading Rooms. Mid Copeland GDF Community Partnership will be holding a Meet the Funders event – Come along and see how your organisation could apply for Community Investment Funding from the GDF programme to benefit people in the Mid Copeland GDF Community Partnership area.
There will also be a chance to meet other local funders and successful applicants who have provided new facilities and services through Community Investment Funding.
Find out more here or view a poster here
Using Data to Increase Your Fundraising Success
Thursday 4th and Thursday 11th December, online. The course will help you to incorporate freely available data into your funding applications to help you evidence and demonstrate the need for your work to funders.
It will also help you to use data to describe the changes that your work makes to your target beneficiaries through monitoring and evaluation reports.
During this online training course, you will:
- learn how to identify and explain the need for your project
- describe your activities and the change they will make
- learn how you will evaluate your project and measure your impact
- utilise data collected on current/completed projects to evidence need for your next project
- learn about using data effectively within your application writing and general
Launching Legacy Fundraising Masterclass
Tuesday 13th January 2026, online. Demystifying how to launch a successful legacy fundraising campaign for your organisation, explore practical tips to increase your legacy income with confidence, and understand how this could fit within your existing fundraising, maximising whatever resources you may have.
From Idea to Application: A Practical Workshop for New Fundraisers
Tuesday 27th January 2026, online. This 2.5-hour online workshop is designed for small organisations and community groups who are new to bid writing.
This workshop will support you in shaping and clarifying your project idea, exploring it with others, and gaining confidence in presenting it to funders. You’ll work through a simple, structured template in a supportive and interactive environment that helps you organise your thinking and refine your approach.
The session also offers a valuable chance to network, ask questions, and receive feedback ahead of the funding fair—so you can make the most of your time with funders and be better prepared to apply for funding. It’s especially helpful for early-stage project development.
Masterclass: How to master bid-writing
Wednesday 28th January 2026, online. A one-hour session to master bid-writing. For just £20, you’ll learn how to craft successful bids from one of the charity sector’s experts.
Grant expert and Director of Get Grants, John Ellery, will explore the process of grant funding, focussing on the core challenges faced by charities. John will cover, many among other things, the importance of ‘being fundable’, the right funders for you to approach, how to make an application stand out, and tips to increase your chance of success.
Barrow Funding Fair
Wednesday 4th February 2026, Barrow Town Hall.
An opportunity for small local voluntary and community groups to speak directly to Funders about their project to obtain funding.
Find out more and book your morning or afternoon slot here
Core Costs Applications Masterclass
Tuesday 3rd February 2026, online. This masterclass will explore how you could develop successful core costs grant applications, understand how to make your application stand out in a competitive funding landscape, and give you practical tips and information to build your confidence to ultimately maximise your fundraising success rate.
Donor Journey Mastery Masterclass
Monday 16th February 2026, online. In a competitive fundraising landscape, getting beyond the first donation is challenging and for many charities the relationship with a donor often ends after the first donation. We will look at the process of donor engagement from first donation to legacy gift, so you will leave with more confidence to develop lasting, long-term donor relationships.
