Published Wednesday 11 March 2020 at 12:01
This insight outlines a range of funding opportunities open to the public sector, businesses, community groups etc. Regular funding opportunities are also available via the websites below:
National Lottery Grant for Heritage
Community groups can now access potential grant funding opportunities through the free Blackburn with Darwen Open4Community online search tool.
For all Blackburn with Darwen Council funding bids
Please check whether match funding is required, if it is please contact and inform your Finance colleague.
Funding opportunities greater than £100,000
Grants of up to £750,000 Available for Heritage and Environmental Projects
Biffa Award has re-opened its Built Environment and Natural Environment Partnership Grants Schemes. Grants of £250,000 – £750,000 are available for partnership projects to restore and improve both the natural and the built environment.
Built Environment: projects should aim to restore, modernise and improve facilities such as cultural, heritage or visitor centres to engage and encourage tourists and/or day visitors. The facility should be inclusive and inspire and promote learning, creativity and participation.
Natural Environment: projects should aim to restore or improve the environment and the natural systems or habitats that support it. Projects should be working to Biodiversity 2020, A Strategy for England’s Wildlife and Ecosystem Services, its successor, or a Local Biodiversity Action Plan target.
To be eligible for funding projects should be of national or regional significance and make a significant impact on the quality of life within the specified area. This scheme is open to projects located within 15 miles of a significant Biffa operation or active Biffa landfill site.
Applicant organisations (and the project) must be eligible for enrolment and registration with ENTRUST and conditions will apply to any grant awarded.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest (Stage 1) is the 17th April 2020. Partnerships successful at stage 1 will have until the 7th August 2020 to submit their application.
Funding for Research and Projects that Address Severe Learning Disabilities
The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund is a registered charity which was established to provide both research and project funding in the area of severe learning difficulties, including autism for both children and adults.
Grants are made to cover capital projects and core costs to include staff costs, general running and office costs at charitable organisations, schools and centres.
Projects funded include:
- Capital works for residential, nursing and respite care, and schools
- Employment schemes including woodwork, crafts, printing and horticulture
- Play schemes and play therapy schemes
- Day and social activities centres including building costs and running costs
- Support for families, including respite schemes
- Independent living schemes
- Support in the community schemes
- Snoezelen rooms.
Applications will only be considered from voluntary organisations, which are registered charities or are associated with a registered charity. Schools and Parent Teacher Associations and Industrial & Provident Societies can also apply. Funding in the past has ranged in value from £250 to £150,000.
Applications for £10,000 and below are considered under the Small Grants procedure and can be submitted at any time.
Recent awards have been made to:
- Rose Road Association, £30,000 towards capital costs and funding of short breaks.
- Stepping Stones Play and Learn Group, £25,000 towards core costs of Play Group.
- Willow Tree Garden, £30,000 towards refurbishment and development of buildings connected with the woodworking workshops.
The next deadline for applications seeking funding in excess of £10,000 is the 1st August 2020.
Fund to Train Thousands More Customs Experts Extended to End of 2021
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has extended the deadline for businesses to apply for customs support funding. The funding is available to help businesses train staff in making customs declarations, and to help businesses who support others to trade goods to invest in IT. This is to ensure that trade with the EU continues as smoothly as possible after Brexit.
To date, applications have been made for around £18.5 million out of a possible £26 million – meaning there is at least £7.5 million left to claim from HMRC.
Customs agents currently help businesses who trade outside the EU. This funding will help increase the capacity of the sector as businesses trading with the EU consider whether to get an expert to complete customs documentation for them after Brexit.
Businesses based in, or with a branch in, the UK can apply for funding to support:
- training costs for businesses who complete customs declarations, or who intend to in the future
- funding for IT improvement, which is available to small and medium sized employers who are currently involved in trade as an intermediary
To ensure maximum impact, the second wave of the grant scheme allows businesses to apply for the full cost of training, within certain limits as set out in the guidance.
The deadline for applications is 31st January 2021.
£20 Million Available for New Railway Stations
Local authorities in England and Wales can bid for a share of £20 million of funding for the construction of new railway stations. This forms one part of the government’s £500 million drive to reopen former routes and stations closed during the Beeching cuts in order to improve links between communities and unlock the economic potential of towns, cities and regions.
The funding is being made available through the third round of Department for Transport’s New Station’s Fund. £40 million of funding has already been invested in building 10 new stations across the country, attracting over a million passenger journeys.
The closing date for applications is the 5th June 2020.
Grants of Up to £500,000 Available to Encourage Collaboration Between Further Education Colleges
Groups of Further Education colleges and sixth form colleges can apply for grants of between £80,000 and £500,000 to develop greater collaboration to address common quality improvement priorities.
The Funding is being provided through the Department for Education College Collaboration Fund and aims to:
- develop greater collaboration between FE colleges, usually, but not exclusively, in the same geographic place
- stimulate quality improvement through developing sector-led approaches peer-to-peer support and sharing good practice
- ensure sustainable FE provision through adopting process which supports high performance
- produce products and approaches to quality improvement that can be adopted by other FE providers
- stimulate the market and provider base to support ongoing quality improvement
- develop a stronger FE offer through improving the quality of FE provision and learner outcomes, including progression to level 3 qualifications
- better meet local and national skills priorities and improve labour market outcomes for learners
Applications need to be submitted by a lead college with up to four other colleges.
To be eligible FE Colleges will need to apply with colleges within a shared geographic area, for example, the same sub-regional level. If suitable partners are not available, other colleges can come from a wider area. For example, addressing provision for a vocational specialism, such as land-based or a particular student cohort, such as learners with high needs.
Colleges are expected to contribute match-funding equal to 25% of the total grant.
Email College.CollaborationFund@education.gov.uk for any questions about the programme or how to apply.
The closing date for applications is 12pm on the 8th April 2020.
New Fund Launches to Give House-Building Power Back to Local People
A new housing fund has launched, aiming to empower community groups to plan and build 1,000 affordable homes in communities across England.
The fund, led by CAF Venturesome, the social investment arm of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), is funded by a group of charities and benefactors including the Nationwide Foundation. The Community Led Housing Fund (CLH) is open for applications for loans, standby facilities and, in partnership with Power to Change, grants at every stage of the project.
The maximum amount of funding available is £150,000, including financial help in purchasing land.
Funding opportunities between £25,000 and £100,000
Funding to Provide 2021 Census Support Services
The Good Things Foundation has announced that there is an opportunity for partners to apply for funding to support the delivery of the 2021 Census. The Good Things Foundation is working with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to build a network of Census Online Support Centres who can support people to complete the census online, ensuring everyone has the chance to complete the census digitally.
The Foundation is looking for organisations who can deliver support to people wishing to complete the census online between March and May 2021. Successful applicants will be required to deliver the service across a set amount of hours each week with the possibility of additional delivery covering evenings, weekends and the census weekend.
Organisations interested in applying have until the 27 March 2020 to submit an Expression of Interest. Successful organisations will then have until April to complete a fuller application.
Funding Available for Money Advice Services
Partnerships of not for profit organisations and registered charities that provide money advice services can apply for funding of up to £32,500 through the United Utilities Trust Fund.
To be eligible for funding projects must:
- Enhance and develop the provision of money advice/financial literacy services to individuals within the United Utilities Trust Fund geographical area.
- Demonstrate that it will provide a benefit to customers of United Utilities who are in hardship and unable to meet the costs of water charges.
- Support a ‘deprived community’ where a significant majority of the residents live in the worst 10% Lower Super Output Areas or Wards in England and/or where there is a high incidence of debt.
Applications will be accepted from registered charities, voluntary organisations, not for profit organisations or public benefit entities.
For any questions about the application process please email Gay Hammett at: communitygrants@aurigaservices.co.uk
The closing date for applications is the 26th March 2020.
Funding to Change Food Waste Behaviour
Grants of between £25,000 and £100,000 are available to small and medium sized enterprises, not-for-profit organisations and public funded authorities for projects that change people’s behaviours with regards to food waste. The funding is being made available by the waste prevention charity WRAP.
WRAP is looking to support interventions that will specifically focus on two behaviours:
- Buy what you eat (BWYE), and;
- Eat what you buy (EWYB).
Examples could be interventions that:
- Help promote a better understanding of Best Before Date vs Use-By Date
- Promote and encourage consumers to buy/shop better – buying the ‘right’ quantity for what is required. For example, shopping planners
- Educate citizens on how to store or freeze food correctly
Funding can be for both capital and revenue expenditure.
There is a two-stage application process and the closing date for stage -1 applications is 1pm on the 25th March 2020.
Funding opportunities under £25,000
Funding for Projects that Help Young People Support Each Other through Bereavement
Co-op Foundation has launched the latest round of its #Iwill Fund. Through the fund charities, social enterprises or other form of not-for-profit voluntary or community groups can apply for funding to deliver peer support and/or youth-led advocacy projects to help young people up to the age of 20 experiencing bereavement.
In this round, £50,000 is available and the Foundation expect to make around five grants of up to £10,000 each, for 1 year. Priority will be given to organisations planning to operate in the 30% most deprived areas of the UK. Successful organisations will be able to apply for additional grants in year 2 and 3 of this fund.
Successful applicants can use funding to cover any costs related to carrying out your project, including but not limited to:
- salaries of staff involved in delivering or supporting the project
- costs of project activities
- contributions to organisational running costs
- costs for learning and evaluation activities.
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on the 3rd April 2020.
Funding to Projects that Promote Social Justice, Nonviolence and Environmental Sustainability
Grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 per year are available to registered charities in the UK for projects that contribute to the development of a just society based on a commitment to non-violence and environmental sustainability. Grants can be for up to three years.
The Foundation’s priority is to address systemic threats by seeking to change policy and attitudes at a national or European level. The Foundation also supports organisations or projects that are not UK registered charities if they can indicate a UK registered charity that is able to receive funds on their behalf. Priority will be given to small, pioneering organisations with an income of between 10,000 and £500,000.
Previous projects supported include:
- Conflicts Forum which received a grant of £24,000 over three years to promote understanding between the Western and Muslim worlds by challenging attitudes, values and ideologies that promote conflict.
- Airport Watch, which received a grant of £15,000 over two years to educate UK policy-makers about the dangerously unsustainable growth and levels of airfreight to the environment and communities, and the influences and interests that lie behind them.
The next closing date for applications to the Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation is midnight on the 11th September 2020.
Support for Environmental Outreach Education for Disadvantaged Young People
Schools, colleges and youth groups can receive up to 75% towards the costs of providing environmental outreach education for groups of disadvantaged young people through the Field Studies Council’s Kids Fund. The Field Studies Council is an independent educational charity committed to raising awareness about the natural world and works through a network of residential and day Centres in the UK to provide outreach education and training.
There are two types of Kids Fund course Wildlife and Environment focusing on wildlife habitats and the environment with team building activities and Eco Adventure, which combines environmental and personally challenging activities.
Groups who meet one of the following criteria will be eligible:
- Disadvantaged young people aged 4-18 years (or up to 25 years for those with special needs)
- Voluntary youth groups (either run by voluntary leaders, managed by a voluntary organisation, a registered charity)
- OR
- School groups may apply if they are aiming to provide benefits, which are additional to the statutory school curriculum or clearly show added value, depth and breadth to the taught curriculum. FSC Kids Fund will not pay for young people to attend standard curriculum-focused FSC courses.
All applicants must be based in the UK, Isle of Man, Channel Isles and Republic of Ireland.
One free staff/adult place is provided for every 12 young people; additional adults pay 20% +VAT. This includes all equipment, tuition and waterproof hire costs. Food and accommodation are included for residential courses.
The next closing date for applications is the 1st November 2020.
Holiday Grants for Disadvantaged and Disabled Children
Schools, youth groups, not for profit organisations and charities can apply for grants of £500 to £2,500 to support recreational trips or holidays within the UK for groups of disabled or disadvantaged children (aged 13 or under).
Previous visits supported include:
- All Saints Catholic Primary School which received a grant of £1,500 towards a two-night trip to Wales for a group of disadvantaged children from Merseyside;
- Bridgewater School which received a grant of £1,900 towards an overnight trip to London for a group of disadvantaged children from Newcastle; and
- 6th St Helens (Parr) Scout Group received a grant of £1,100 towards a two-night trip to an activity centre in Lancashire for a group of children from a disadvantaged area of Merseyside.
Priority will be given to applications coming from the 20% most deprived areas in the UK. Funded by the Henry Smith Charity, grants can cover up to two-thirds of the cost of a holiday or trip lasting one to seven days. In this round, trips must be taken before the end of August 2019. For more details and to apply, complete the eligibility quiz on the website and submit the application form online at least 6 weeks before the trip is due to take place. Although the next deadline is the 30th April 2020, decisions are made on a first come-first served basis until all the funds have been allocated. Trips must take place between the 1st May and the 30th June 2020.
Applications must be made at least six weeks before the trip or holiday is due to take place.
Fire Safety Fund Opens for Applications
Electrical Safety First, a leading UK consumer safety charity, has just opened its Fire Safety Fund. Grants are available to help reduce electrical fires and accidents in UK homes.
The Fire Safety Fund is open to community services such as local Fire and Rescue Services, Trading Standards and charities, as well as other organisations promoting an electrical safety message.
Electrical Safety First offers grants of up to £5,000 per organisation but, in exceptional circumstances, awards of up to £20,000 can be considered for collaborative and/or larger projects. Preference will be given to those applications addressing the risks of fires associated with the use of electrical products and appliances. Or those that show a particularly creative approach in raising awareness of these issues.
Applicants wanting further information and/or clarification on any aspect relating to Electrical Safety First’s Electrical Fire Safety Fund, please contact: ellen.vester@electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
The closing date for applications is the 3rd April 2020.
Funding for Songwriters and Producers to Develop their Careers
Songwriters and producers working in popular music genres can apply for grants of up to £10,000 to further develop their careers. Launched in 2017 as a response to the long-term career needs of those working behind the scenes,
The Hitmaker Fund was initiated by PRS Foundation with The Ivors Academy Trust.
Applications can be made by songwriters / producers directly or by their representatives. These include:
- Managers
- Music Publisher
- Lawyer
- Trusted advisor
This application is not for writers and producers just starting out, demoing and developing. Applicants must have at least 5 credited works registered with PRS for Music – this means a reputable cut / song that have national radio plays / streaming plays / from a reputable writing camp.
The next closing date for applications is the 14th April 2020.
PRS Music Foundation Composers’ Fund Opens for Applications
The Performing Rights Society (PRS) for Music Foundation, the UK’s leading funder of new music across all genres, has announced that a new round of applications to its Composers’ Fund is now open for applications.
The Composers’ Fund recognises the need for composers to have direct access to funding at pivotal stages in their career. It invites composers to make the case for support of any activity that would enable them to make a significant step change in their career.
Grants can be for up to £10,000 and it is anticipated that the Foundations will make 10 – 15 awards a year. The fund is open to composers with a strong track record in their field who are at a point in their career where access to funding could help move forward their career. To be eligible for support, composers must be based in the UK and must be members of PRS for Music or in a position to join. The next deadline for applications is 6pm on the 20th April 2020.
Read the Guidance and FAQs before applying.
Grants of up to £1,500 Available for the Professional Development of Musicians
Emerging and professional musicians of all genres and disciplines can apply for grants of £500 -£1,500 to help them access opportunities that will allow them to focus on developing their artistic and professional development at a crucial point in their career.
The funding which is being made available through the Help Musicians UK Transmission Fund is designed to help emerging and professional musicians of all genres and disciplines to build their careers by supporting the costs of formal and time limited training and mentoring opportunities. Eligible artists may for example be a solo instrumentalist, composer, vocalist, singer songwriter or a multidisciplinary artist. Bands or ensembles with 6 members or less can also be supported.
All artists supported must have an active career and be able to demonstrate the following:
- Exceptional ability within their discipline
- High quality musical output
- Regularly working (performances, commissions, releases) at a professional level (getting paid for your work)
- Achievement or the potential to achieve a national or international impact
- An impressive track record
- An entrepreneurial spirit and dedication toward their career
Group applicants must have 50% of their members meeting the criteria shown above and have been established and playing together regularly for at least 1 year.
Grants of £500 – £1500 are available and can support opportunities such as short courses, workshops, training and time limited periods of coaching with an expert in the artists chosen field both in the UK or internationally. Travel, accommodation and access costs can also be funded.
Eligible applicants will be:
- Aged over 18
- Based primarily in the UK and be eligible to work here
- Have been resident in the UK for at least 3 consecutive years
- In financial need and without significant backing
The next closing date is the 4th May 2020.
Grants to Promote the Teaching of Greek
The Hellenic Society Schools Sub-Committee makes grants to schools to assist projects concerned with the teaching of Greek or Greek civilization.
Typically, grants are made for:
- The development of new courses in Greek
- Books & other teaching materials
- Classics days or conferences
- Greek plays by schools
- Summer schools for school pupils
Applications from schools planning to start courses in Greek are especially welcome.
Applications on behalf of individual pupils or teachers are not normally considered, but a grant may be made to an institution for use as bursaries to individuals at the discretion of that institution. Most grants are in the range £100-£500, but larger awards are occasionally made.
The next closing date for applications is the 1st May 2020.
Childs Charitable Trust
The Childs Charitable Trust is a grant-making trust, supporting Christian UK registered and accepted charities and organisations both in the UK and overseas. During 2017 the Trust awarded grants to 81 different organisations all based in the UK but operating in more than 100 different countries worldwide.
Projects will be considered that fall into the following categories:
- Youth – the trust looks to support projects working in schools and with vulnerable and disengaged young people in the UK. Supported activities may include RE Lessons; School Assemblies; Lunchtime/After school clubs; Evangelism; Personal Development Programmes; Homelessness Prevention.
- Outreach – the trust works to share the gospel of Christ by supporting all aspects of Christian outreach both in the UK and overseas and can fund, for example, Church Plants; Overseas Mission; Training in Evangelism; Chaplaincy.
- Society – the trust believes people of faith bring a valuable contribution to social action and justice and support initiatives that have a positive impact in their society. Grants could support, for example: Counselling; night shelters; alcohol/drug rehabilitation; homelessness; or prison/ex-offenders work.
- Education – the trust supports initiatives involved in all areas of Christian education including Bible Translation; Media Initiatives; Bible Colleges; Literature; Apologetics.
Applicants must be registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator or the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland or be ‘excepted’ charities. Organisations with a turnover in excess of £5,000,000 should contact the office prior to submitting an application, to check eligibility.
No minimum or maximum funding amounts are specified, however in 2017, 16 grants of between £5,000 and £9,999, 18 grants of between £3,000 and £4,999 and 34 grants not exceeding £2,999 were made. Nine other grants ranging from £12,000 to £34,000 were also awarded.
The deadline for applications is the 31st May 2020.
Funding to Support Arts Projects
The Trust offers grants of up to £5,000 in support of the Arts, in particular Music, including:
- Opera
- Lieder
- Composition
- Dance.
The Trustees aim to help individuals and groups such as:
- Colleges
- Arts Festivals
- Other arts organisations who would not be able to carry out a project or activity without financial support.
Funding is available towards:
- Tuition or coaching costs
- To participate in external competitions
- To be supported for a specially arranged performance
- To receive support for a special publication, musical composition or work of art.
The Fidelio Trust has announced that the next closing date for applications is the 22nd May 2020.
The Ouseley Trust
Grants are available in the following areas:
- Courses for individuals or groups
- Endowment grants for scholarships or bursaries
- Fees for individual choristers having places at recognised choir schools
- Purchase of liturgical music
- Other projects (e.g. outreach) of an innovative kind that are likely to further the object of the Trust in a direct and effective way. In very exceptional circumstances, these may include music commissions.
No maximum grants size is specified.
Cathedrals, choral foundations, parish churches, choir schools and other relevant institutions which promote and maintain to a high standard the choral services of the Church of England, the Church in Wales and the Church of Ireland have until the 30th June 2020 to apply for funding from the Ouseley trust.
Grants of up to £1,000 Available for Projects that Improve the Wellbeing of Children
Grants of up to £1,000 are available to registered charities and non-profit organisations who work to improve the education and physical and emotional wellbeing of children.
Applicants applying for funding may focus on one or more of these areas:
- Living in Poverty
- Physical & Mental Health Problems
- Health & Wellbeing
- Living with Disability
Examples of grants awards in the past include:
- £500 Clydesdale Hockey Club – for coaching and equipment costs for primary school hockey competitions in Greater Glasgow
- £1,000 Shadwell Community Project – to develop its outdoor play space which is used by children and young people from deprived areas in the local community
The next closing date for applications is 5pm on the 28th April 2020.
Grants to Enhance the Teaching of Mathematics
The London Mathematical Society has announced that Mathematics Teachers in the UK can apply for grants of up to £400 to attend specific one or two-day conferences/events organised by professional mathematical organisations.
The aim of the grant is to facilitate mathematical professional development to allow teachers in UK schools/educational institutions to develop their subject knowledge. The grant can contribute to the costs of registration for the course and a proportion of the travel and subsistence expenses of attendees.
Any application for a grant under this scheme must be made by a teacher of mathematics or ITE provider based in the UK. The grants are open to teachers of mathematics from primary school to A-Level or equivalent (inclusive of STEP/AEA).
Queries regarding applications can be addressed to the Education Grants administrator, Katherine Wright, who can discuss proposals informally with potential applicants. Email education@lms.ac.uk or Tel: 020 7927 0801
The next closing date for applications is the 30th April 2020.
Project Development Funding for Churches
Grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 are available to listed and unlisted Christian places towards developing a church building project. This can include Churches, Chapels and Meeting Houses. The funding is being made available through the National Churches Trust’s Gateway Programme.
Applications are accepted from listed and unlisted Christian places of worship, of any denomination, across the UK. The Trust particularly encourages applications from priority areas i.e. North East England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
The Gateway Grant Programme also offers grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 to local church trusts to fund projects that support organisational development, increase their capacity to churches in their area or that deliver new ways of supporting churches in their area.
The first deadline to apply for a Gateway Grant is the 14th May 2020.
Science and Chemistry Equipment Grants for Schools
Teachers at primary or secondary schools can apply for a grant of up to £1,000 towards the purchase of equipment to support the delivery of Primary Science or Chemistry lessons. Bids are invited for the purchase of items of equipment that cannot be purchased through a school’s mainstream teaching budget and which would enrich the learning experience of students.
The Royal Society of Chemistry aims to support schools in presenting Chemistry lessons that enrich the learning experience of students in either primary (science) or secondary (chemistry) studies. The Biological and Medicinal Chemistry Sector (BMCS) of the Society awards Enhanced Equipment grants towards the purchase of equipment that supports delivery of the practical aspect of chemistry education. Applications will be enhanced by a demonstration of the diversity of application of the equipment within and between student cohorts.
A teacher at a primary or secondary school should make the application.
The funding is being made available through the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Enhanced Equipment grant scheme and applications to the scheme can be made at any time.
London Mathematical Society – Small Grants for Education
Grants of up to £800 are available to stimulate interest and enable involvement in mathematics from Key Stage 1 (age 5+) to Undergraduate level and beyond. The funding is being made available through the London Mathematical Society’s Small Grants for Education scheme and aims to enhance and enrich mathematical study beyond the curriculum; engage the public with mathematics; and encourage unusual ways of communicating mathematics.
The scheme is primarily intended for activities for which there is limited scope for alternative sources of funding. Applicants linked to universities should ideally be supported by a member of the Society and ordinarily the Scheme will not fund University outreach activity. However, anyone based in the UK is eligible to apply for a grant.
There are four application rounds each year and the next closing date for applications is the 30th April 2020.
Grants of up to £15,000 Available for Projects that Support Women
The Feminist Review Trust has announced that grants of up to £15,000 are available for projects both in the UK and internationally that support women and girls.
Applications will be particularly welcome from non-OECD countries that focus on campaigning and activism in the following areas:
- Lesbian and transgender rights
- Violence against women and girls
- Disabled women and girls
- Refugee women and girls
The closing date for applications for the current funding round is the 30th April 2020.