Published Monday 16 March 2020 at 16:12
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 £5 Million Available for Heritage Projects
The Heritage Fund provides grants to fund a broad range of projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK. This can include a broad range projects relating to:
- Nature – anything that connects people to nature and the natural world
- Natural and designed landscapes – landscapes are areas of ground which could be urban or rural in nature, and might include parks, or industrial sites that have been left
- Oral histories – such as voice recordings of people’s stories of times gone by
- Cultural traditions – Exploring the history of different cultures through storytelling, or things that you do as part of your community. This could be anything from dance and theatre, to food or clothing.
- Community archaeology – digs that lots of people can take part in
- Historic buildings, monuments and environments – from houses and mills, to caves and gardens. Areas that are connected to history.
- Collections – collections of objects, books or documents in museums, libraries or archives
- Historic events – histories of people and communities or places and events
- Languages – the heritage of languages and dialects
- industrial, maritime and transport – this might be places and objects linked to our industrial, maritime and transport history
Projects can be in development for up to two years and delivered in up to five years
The funding is available to both not-for-profit organisation (such as charities, community groups and local authorities, and faith based or church organisations, etc) and partnerships led by not-for-profit organisations. To be eligible applicants must contribute at least 5% of their project costs for grants up to £1million and at least 10% for grants of £1million or more.
The Heritage Fund can cover a wide range of direct project costs. A s an example, a project could include:
- the purchase price of collection items or property
- repair and conservation
- digital outputs
- new staff
- paid training placements
- professional fees
All applicants for a grant above £250,000 need to complete a short Expression of Interest (EOI) form. The Heritage Fund will use the information to decide whether or not to invite the applicant to submit a development phase application.
To apply, applicants will need to use the Heritage Fund online portal.
Funding to Bring Communities Together Regardless of Faith or Race
The Ministry of Housing has launched a £2 million Faith, Race and Hate Crime Grant Scheme to support projects that bring communities together, regardless of faith or race.
Charities and other established community organisations as well as consortiums can apply for grants of between £100,000 and £450,000 for projects lasting nine months. The aim of the scheme is to support organisations that are working to bring different faith and ethnic groups together and to tackle religiously and racially motivated hate crime.
Proposals must be targeted at achieving at least one of the two aims set out below:
- To promote shared values among people of all backgrounds through sustainable social interaction and meaningful civic participation.
- To effectively tackle and prevent religiously and racially discriminatory behaviour and those acting against others because of their race, faith or lack of faith.
Proposals are expected to cover activities taking place from July 2020 to 31 March 2021 only. Funding will be allocated throughout the 2020/21 financial year and all funding must be spent by 31 March 2021.
The deadline for applications is 11.50pm on the 17th April 2020.
Cure Parkinson’s Trust Grant
Commercial organisations, appropriately qualified scientists or clinicians based in an accredited university or hospital in any country worldwide can now apply for funding for laboratory or clinical research projects. Projects should have the potential to advance knowledge that might lead to a cure for Parkinson’s disease or that represent a substantial advance in treatment.
The Cure Parkinson’s Trust has a particular interest in projects that show the potential to delay, slow, stop reverse or prevent the progression of Parkinson’s disease. There are no specific limits to the amount of funding available but previous awards have been between £50,000 and £250,000 with a duration of 1-3 years.
Applications are considered four times a year; the next deadline for applications is the 4th June 2020.
Funding for Music Making Projects for Young People in Challenging Circumstances
Schools as well as other not-for-profit organisations can apply for grants to fund developmental music-making projects for children and young people in challenging circumstances as well as for projects that support the development of the workforce, organisations and the wider music-making sector. The funding is being made available through Youth Music, England’s largest children’s music charity, which provides funding for music-making projects.
Youth Making’s funding programme is made up of three separate funds. These are:
- Fund A which offers small grants (£2,000 to £30,000) for high quality music-making projects.
- Fund B offers medium-sized grants (30,001 – £150,000 per year for up to two years) for larger programmes of work.
- Music Education Hub Development Fund.
In applying for funding schools will have to justify how the activities to be funded do not duplicate Department of Education funding.
The closing dates for applications to Fund A is 5pm on the 3rd April 2020. Fund B and the Education Hub Development Fund are currently closed and expected to re-open for applications in Autumn 2020.
Funding opportunities between £25,000 and £100,000
Grants of up to £100,000 Available for Community Facilities
Registered Charities, churches, Parish Councils, Local Authorities and CASC registered sports clubs can apply for grants of between £2,000 and £100,000 for the provision, maintenance or improvement of community facilities.
This can include:
- Village Halls and Community Centres;
- Public Play Areas;
- Publicly available Multi use games areas;
- Skate parks and BMX tracks;
- Sport and recreation grounds including pavilions and clubhouses with full public access;
- Churches – community spaces only;
- Nature Reserves;
- Public gardens, parks, country parks and woodlands with at least dawn to dusk access;
- Museums.
The funding is being made available through the FCC Community Action Fund and is available to projects located within 10 miles of an eligible FCC Environment site.
The scheme is currently closed but is due to re-open for applications on the 18th March 2020 and will close for applications at 5pm on the 3rd June 2020.
Grants to Support Children’s Health and Education
The Foundation distributes a total of around £200,000 per quarter.
Grants of up to £30,000 are available per year for up to two years to registered charities for projects that improve education and health for young people in three key areas:
- Children and young people with disabilities
- Children and young people who are sick in hospital
- Children and young people who are life limited (requiring palliative care)
The Foundation is a small charity and generally will not make awards of over £30,000 (per year). Funding can be requested for one-off projects or for up to 2 years work.
Applications from schools and hospitals are welcomed as long as they are made through an appropriate registered charity.
If favoured, grant applications for up to £5,000 can be approved by the Director, up to £10,000 can be approved by the Grants Committee, and applications for more than £10,000 are recommended to the Trustees for final approval.
The next deadline to apply to the DM Thomas Foundation Central Grants Programme is the 5th May 2020.
Funding opportunities under £25,000
Funding to Make the Chemical Sciences More Inclusive and Diverse
The Royal Society of Chemistry has announced that the Chemistry Inclusion and Diversity Fund is open for applications. Through the Fund grants of up to £5,000 are available to individuals and organisations with ideas that will help make the chemical sciences more inclusive and diverse. This includes, but is not limited to, members of the Royal Society of Chemistry, member-led groups, researchers in academia or industry, museums, community groups, not-for-profit organisations, arts groups and libraries.
Funding greater than £5,000 may be considered for one project each year.
Innovative products, activities and research projects related to gender, disability, socio-economic background, language and the LGBT+ community have previously received funding. This has included data collection and analysis, workshops, conferences and hackathons.
There are twice yearly assessments and the deadline for the current funding round is the 6th April 2020.
Grants for Projects to Help Prevent, or Reduce, the Risk of Heart Disease
The Heart Research UK (HRUK) and Subway® Healthy Heart grant scheme has re-opened for applications. Grants will be awarded within each of the UK’s 12 Subway regions throughout the year. The current regions open for applications are:
- Meridian (Example of areas within the awarding region: Southampton, Brighton, Farnborough)
- Carlton (Example of areas within the awarding region: Gerrards Cross, Enfield, Croydon)
- Anglia regions (Example of areas within the awarding region: Cambridge, Clacton on Sea, Great Yarmouth)
Not for profit groups, voluntary organisations will be able to apply for up to £10,000 for projects that actively promote Heart Health and help to prevent, or reduce, the risk of heart disease.
Grants are awarded to innovative projects that run from 6 to 12 months and can also cover equipment costs up to £2,000 or 50% of the budget (whichever is less).
Previous projects supported include the “Have a Heart” projects, which received a grant of £9,000 to teach pupils from Bangladeshi community about healthy hearts.
This Round will close to applications at 5pm on the 3rd April 2020.
Funding to Encourage Conversations About Severe and Multiple Disadvantage
The Lankelly Chase Foundations has announced the launch of a new Connected Grants Programme to promote and support new conversations about severe and multiple disadvantage in their own sector or local area.
Charities, individuals and partnerships, community groups, networks, statutory organisations and educational institutions can apply for grants of between £1,500 and £3,000 to cover costs incurred in organising and running an activity or event such as venue hire, catering, materials and staff.
The events will be aimed at exploring and expanding on Lankelly Chase’s ‘Connected’ series of reports on the people who are affected by severe and multiple disadvantage and who are in contact with homelessness, substance misuse and criminal justice services.
The closing date for applications is 9th April 2020 for events to take place over Spring and Summer 2020.
Funding for Online Digital Learning
The Good Things Foundation is making grants of between £1,250 and £15,000 available to organisations who are members of the Online Centres Network to deliver the Make It Click programme. The programme aims to help working-age adults learn the necessary digital skills they need to progress in employment or find a new job. The programme is aimed at people who already have a limited use of computers and the internet who would like to increase their skills.
The Foundation are encouraging applications from organisations that can support learners who wish to progress in employment or find a new job; those who are socially excluded, or those who run small businesses. Successful organisations will need to deliver a programme of tailored support that engages learners, assesses their skills gaps and provides face-to-face and online support.
Learners can be supported in a group setting or on a one-to-one basis. Delivery for this round of funding runs from 1st May 2020 to 30th April 2021, and the Foundation is offering five contract sizes: £1,250, £2,500, £5,000, £10,000 or £15,000.
The closing date for applications is 5pm on the 27th March 2020.
Grants to Support Canoeing and Inland Waterway Conservation
The main purpose of the Canoe Foundation is to “support all to enjoy and benefit from the experience of paddling on our water in a sustainable manner”. The Foundation does this through grant making that facilitates improvements to suitable landing and launching points and by promoting the conservation of inland waterways for the benefit of all sectors of the community.
The Foundation awards grants to projects that:
- Increase and protect public access points, steps or platforms
- Improve the suitability of launching and landing sites, to and alongside water, for all sectors of the community
The Foundation invites applications for grants ranging from £2,000 to £10,000; although grants typically range between £2,500 and £5,000.
Funding applications are welcome from clubs, community groups and regions with an active interest in, and project purpose of, wider canoeing participation.
The Canoe Foundation has announced that the next closing date for applications is the 31st August 2020.
Rowing Foundation Grants Programme
The Rowing Foundation works to promote the participation in rowing of young people (those under 18 or still in full time education) and the disabled of all ages.
The Foundation gives grants of £500-£3,000 to help organisations and clubs involved in on water elements of the sport of Rowing who are individually affiliated to British Rowing (other than via their governing body) and whose requirements may be too small or who may be otherwise ineligible for an approach to the National Lottery or other similar sources of funds. The Rowing Foundation prefers to encourage participation in rowing by the young or disabled through the provision of equipment, such as boats, sculls, ergos, oars and essential safety equipment.
The Foundation’s makes grants of between £500-£3000 up to 50% of the cost, usually to initiate projects when a club, school or other organisation can demonstrate their ability to complete the project. Grants are made to support rowing only.
Applications must be for projects or work that is for public benefit; non-elitist; for the benefit of young people; those in full time education; or those who are disabled.
The next closing date is the 25th May 2020.
The Classical Association Grants
The Classical Association (CA) awards grants to support classical projects and conferences. The Association will consider applications for summer schools and to institutions offering courses in Greek, Latin, classical civilisation; and bursaries for teachers attending courses abroad to support their professional development. The Association will also support school teaching and outreach work such as Greek and Latin reading competitions, regional Greek/Roman days and school conferences; etc. The Grants Committee meets four times a year.
Schools and other organisations that are applying for more than £2,000 must submit their application in time for either the March or September deadlines.
The next closing date for applications is the 1st June 2020.
Magic Little Grants 2020
Online fundraising platform Localgiving, together with the Postcode Community Trust have announced that this year’s Magic Little Grants programme is now open for applications. Small charities and community groups can apply for grants of up to £500 to support and inspire people to participate in sports or exercise.
To be eligible applicant organisations will need to have an annual income of below £250,000 or be in their first year of operation. A total of 900 grants will be available.
Localgiving members will be able to complete the 10-minute application process via their charity account on the Localgiving website.
Organisations who are not members of Localgiving will also benefit from an annual membership funded by Postcode Community Trust, which will provide them with access to Localgiving’s suite of online fundraising tools.
Previous projects funded include:
- Flamingo Chicks, who received a grant to provide sensory kits for disabled children to attend dance classes.
- Featherstone Rovers Foundation, who received a grant to deliver a range of activities to encourage more young people to try Rugby League.
- Happy Wanderers Ambulance Organisation who received a grant to provide free transport for older people and wheelchair users to access local physical activities.
Applications can be submitted at any time until the 31st October 2020.
Grants for Urgent Structural Repairs to Churches
National Churches Trust has changed its grant programmes in line with the new Building Resilience Strategy for 2019-2023 and now offers three grant streams.
The Cornerstone Grant Programme supports the conservation and sustainable use of church buildings, focusing on larger and more complex projects.
Grants are offered towards the cost of urgent structural repair projects costed at more than £100,000 including VAT. The Trust will also consider projects that introduce kitchens and accessible toilets to enable increased community use, costed at more than £30,000 including VAT.
Grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 are awarded to represent a maximum of 50% of the project cost.
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 next deadline to apply for a Cornerstone Grant is 6th July 2020 for a decision in November 2020.
Funding for Projects That Improve Local Life in Rural Communities
Grants of up to £5,000 are available to support school and community projects in rural communities that are located in an off-grid location (any location that is not connected to a mains or natural gas grid and uses an alternative energy source).
The Calor Rural Community Fund offers rural off-grid communities the chance to gain funding for community projects that will improve local life. The total funding pot is worth £85,000 and this year Calor are partnering with Crowdfunder to give projects the opportunity to raise even more funds.
Applications for funding are divided into four categories: £500, £1,000, £2,500 and £5,000. Funding applied for must equate to 50% or more of the total project cost.
Winners from each category are carefully selected following a three-stage process:
- Organisations must first submit a proposal application and which will be screened by Calor to check that it has met the eligibility criteria. The submission deadline in the 9th April 2020.
- The general public will vote for the application that they would like to see win a grant. Applications with the highest number of votes from each grant category at the end of the voting period will be deemed as finalists. The voting will take place between the 7th May and the 18th June 2020;
- The winners from each grant category will be selected by an independent panel of judges with the highest score based on a number of criteria. The Winners will be announced on the 22nd July 2020.
Projects supported can be anything from schools, community centres, village halls and sporting venues to youth clubs and scout groups, or even initiatives to support the elderly.
Winners in 2018 included:
- East Worlington School Garden project
- Spaxton School Outdoor Environmental Learning Area
- New Kitchen for the Clubhouse at Ely Outdoor Sports Association (EOSA)
Greggs Foundation Local Community Projects Fund
Not-for-profit organisations developing local community projects are being offered the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to £2,000. Any not for profit organisation working to reduce disadvantage experienced by the most deprived people in the community such as the disabled, those living in poverty, voluntary carers and isolated older people can apply. The fund is open to applications to organisations with a turnover below £300,000 per year. Those organisations located near to a Greggs shop are most likely to receive awards.
The Greggs Foundation Local Community Projects Fund distributes around £1.8 million per year to organisations throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The Foundation supports projects that improve resilience within communities. This can include sessional activities/respite support, equipment for sessional activities, trips and residential breaks. New approaches and innovative ideas as well as sustainable approaches to supporting communities are welcomed. All projects must support a community of interest, i.e. people who are:
- Disabled or suffering chronic illness
- Living in poverty
- Voluntary carers
- Homeless people
- Isolated older people
- Other demonstrable significant need
Successful applicants will have demonstrated improvements against at least one of the following Key Performance Targets:
- Beneficiaries have decreased social isolation
- Beneficiaries report improved health and wellbeing
- Beneficiaries report improved resilience/coping mechanisms
- Beneficiaries have improved life skills
- Beneficiaries have improved opportunities
Use the shop locator on the Greggs website to find the nearest shop.
The closing date for applications is the 8th June 2020.
Funding for Projects that Support Disadvantaged and Disengaged Young People
The Peter Cruddas Foundation provides funding for projects that benefit disadvantaged and disengaged young people in England and Wales.
Priority is given to programmes designed to help disadvantaged and disengaged young people in the age range of 14 to 30, to pursue pathways to Education, Training and Employment with the ultimate aim of helping them to become financially independent.
There is no minimum or maximum amount and projects can be funded for more than one year. Priority is given to applicants able to demonstrate that they can manage the amount they have applied for and how they intend to continue (if appropriate) after the funding has been spent.
Please note that the Foundation is not accepting applications for Capital Projects.
Eligible applicants will be charities registered with the charity commission in England and Wales benefitting people living in England and Wales.
Projects previously supported include:
- The Enterprise Bootcamp programme. This funding helps Bootstrap deliver the programme to young people and connect them with the Bootstrap community. The latest programme culminated in a pitching event at the end of 2016 where 15 young entrepreneurs pitched for funding. Collectively they were awarded more than £23,500 to start their own businesses.
- The Challenge pilot scheme where young people were taken out of their “comfort zones” and challenged to devise viable and workable community projects for their community. The Challenge aims to put teams of diverse 16-year olds through a one-year training and community service scheme starting with a three-week summer camp and then 50 hours of social action to tackle local civic and youth-related issues.
The next closing date for applications is the 1st September 2020.
Funding Available to Schools to Raise the Attainment of Children from Disadvantaged Backgrounds
Schools in the North of England can apply for funding to help raise the attainment for children from low-income homes. The funding is available to try out new ideas to improve teaching and learning in schools and help, the best ideas grow to scale.
The funding aims to address the following priorities:
- Ready for School: improving the school readiness of children during the reception year, with a priority focus on language and communication skills (age 4-5)
- Bridging the Gap: supporting vulnerable children who may not meet Age Related Expectations at primary school to make better academic progress during Key Stage 3 (age 9-14)
- Flying High: supporting high attaining students to build on their achievements at primary school and stay on a high attaining trajectory during the first few years at secondary school (age 9-14)
The funding is being made available through the educational charity Shine and funding decisions are made four times a year typically in March, June, September and December.
Any grants to non-school organisations, including to other charities, will need to involve a strong element of co-delivery and/or training for schools, with the aim of the project becoming sustainable without SHINE over time.
On average, it takes 3-6 months between initial contact with the SHINE office to a grants decision being reached.
If you have an idea which you think may meet our funding criteria, please email info@shinetrust.org.uk with a basic outline detailing the following points, in no more than 3-4 paragraphs:
- An overview of the project and its aims, specifically related to academic attainment in maths, literacy or science;
- How it would meet SHINE’s core priorities;
- The number of beneficiaries and schools it would reach; and
- The overall project budget and size of request to SHINE.
The deadlines for applications are usually around the end of January, the end of April and the end of October each year.
Funding for Summer Play Schemes
The Hilden Charitable Funds Summer Play Scheme is now open for applications. The Fund supports community groups and voluntary agencies with an income of less than £150,000 that run summer play schemes for children between the ages of 5 and 18 in disadvantaged communities.
Supported schemes should be locally based, last between two and six weeks and have strong volunteer support. Some priority will be given to projects, which show that they are inclusive of children from refugee families and have BME involvement.
The closing date for applications is the 29th May 2020.
Women Make Music Grants Programme
The programme supports the development of outstanding women songwriters and composers at different stages of their career. It aims to:
- Break down assumptions and stereotypes
- Raise awareness of the gender gap
- Increase the profile of women who are creating new music in the UK
- Encourage women who may otherwise not have applied for PRS for Music Foundation funding.
Grants of up to £5,000 are available to support touring, recording, promotion and marketing, community projects involving high-quality music creators, music creator residencies and live performances featuring new UK music. Please note that the PRS for Music Foundation no longer support organisations through the Women Make Music programme.
Women songwriters and composers of all genres and backgrounds have until the 8th June 2020 to apply for the next round of the Women Make Music programme.
Small Grants for Summer Playschemes
Grants of between £500 and £1,000 are available to registered charities to fund summer playschemes for children between the ages of 5-16 years. To be eligible for funding, the charity will have to have an annual income of less than £100,000 and the playscheme must run for a minimum of 2 weeks or 10 days during the summer holidays.
Grants can only be paid to registered charities. Non-registered organisations must give the full name and address of a registered charity who has agreed to accept a grant on their behalf.
Around 35 grants are made each year with preference is given to:
- Small local playschemes that provide a wide-ranging programme of activities
- Schemes that involve a large number of children
- Schemes catering for those from disadvantaged backgrounds or that have a disability
- Schemes that are inclusive such as projects that work with children from a range of backgrounds, abilities and race
- Schemes where past users are encouraged to come back and help as volunteers
Priority is given to projects make good use of volunteers and encourage past and current users to participate.
The funding is being made available by the Woodward Charitable Trust and the closing date for applications is midday on Friday 3rd April 2020.
Awards for Young Musicians
Awards for Young Musicians (AYM), which support the UK’s most talented young musicians (aged 5 to 17) who, because of financial need, may be prevented from fulfilling their creative potential, has announced that it is seeking applications for its Awards Scheme is open for applications.
AYM supports young musicians, who make music in any genre, who can clearly show that they are really talented and committed and that they need financial help with their music expenses. Each year AYM make awards of up to £2,000, based on evidence of musical talent and financial need. The Awards cover the purchase or hire of:
- Musical instruments and accessories
- Music lessons
- Weekend music schools
- Music courses
- Orchestra fees
- Travel.
The awards are open to 5 to 17 year old’s that have achieved distinction in their last music exam, or, if they haven’t taken exams, show evidence of this level of ability; be recommended by their music teacher; and have evidence of financial need.
The deadline for applications is the 27th April 2020.
Leeds Building Society Charitable Foundation Grant
UK registered charities working to help those at disadvantage in society can apply to the Leeds Building Society Charitable Foundation for support. Grants of between £250 – £1,000 are available to cover the costs involved in directly supporting those in need including those with disabilities, affected by homelessness, or with serious health issues.
Previous grants have gone to organisations supporting young people in applying for jobs and towards the purchase of a portable multi-sensory environment that will turn any room into a sensory room.
Donations usually fund items of “capital expenditure” i.e. items must directly help those in need, rather than contributing to the charity’s running costs.
The Foundation accepts applications from UK registered charities with a turnover of less than £1 million per year.
Projects previously funded include:
- SASH, an organisation that provides guidance on creating CVs and applying for jobs to aid homeless 16 to 25-year olds, received £985.
- Byker Community Association received £500 to buy new books and build an interactive story hub designed by the children of Byker themselves.
Applications are reviewed every quarter. The next deadline for applications is the 27th April 2020.
Warburtons – Community Grants Scheme
Charities and organisations with charitable aims can now apply for up to £250 worth of funding for projects that have a direct and tangible social impact on families and solve significant social issues. Funding is available for projects that meet the following themes:
- Health, Health Education
- Financial Stability
- Worklessness
- Aspiration
- Employability and Skills.
The Community Grant scheme is being made available by Warburtons and is administered by the Charities Aid Foundation. Community investment funds are allocated to the local Warburton bakeries and depots. This helps to make the best decisions for the local community, the applicant’s postcode will be used to find the relevant bakery or depot. Application will then be sent to that site to make a decision.
The closing date for applications in this round is the 11th May 2020.
T Level Capital Fund Opens for Applications
The Government has announced that it is inviting existing T Level providers to apply to the T Level Capital Fund. The fund will be delivered in two parts. Eligible providers can bid for funding to refurbish existing buildings or create new spaces, while funding for specialist equipment such as digital and audio-visual kit, will be allocated to all providers in spring next year.
A total of £95 million will be available.
The funding is available to organisations that are on the list of providers selected to deliver T Levels and are an Academy, Further Education College, Higher Education Institution, School, Sixth Form College or University Technical College; and they have not previously been awarded a grant for the T Level route for which they are applying.
Organisations that are eligible for BFIG and intend to submit an application you can apply for up to £20,000 fee support to help fund the costs of making their application, including external technical advisers. Fee support applications must be submitted to TLevelsW2.Capital@education.gov.uk by 12 noon on 19th February 2020,
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on the 30th April 2020.