Published Tuesday 26 November 2019 at 13:50
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.
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.
The Heritage Fund has announced that the next closing date for its Funding Programme £250,000 – £5 Million is the 2nd March 2020.
Funding to Help Fuel Poor Households Heat Their Homes
The Warm Homes Fund will re-open for applications on the 2nd December 2019. The Warm Homes Fund is a £150 million grant scheme funded by the National Grid and administered by Affordable Warmth Solutions (AWS). The fund aims to help make households warmer, healthier and cheaper to heat. The Fund provides capital funding for the installation of affordable heating solutions in fuel poor households who do not use mains gas as their primary heating fuel. This can include:
- Condensing Gas
- Oil and LPG boilers
- Air and Ground Source Heat Pumps
- Bio Mass Boilers; etc.
This funding round is open to private sector bids and is split in to three categories:
- Urban homes and communities
- Rural homes and communities
- Specific energy efficient/health related solutions (including Park Homes)
Successful proposals will highlight:
- The number of fuel poor households supported
- Strategic fit with the Governments Fuel Poverty Strategy
- Value for money
- The benefit created i.e. energy efficiency increases and bill savings
- Strength of delivery plans, project management and assurance of delivery.
The closing date will be noon on the 24th January 2020.
Government Launches New Development Corporation Competition
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced the launch of a new £10 million capacity fund to generate innovative proposals for new business-backed development corporations and similar delivery models. Local authorities can apply for up to £10 million over three years for proposals focus on housing and economic growth to regenerate their areas.
Up to 10 proposals will be funded.
Local authorities are eligible to submit expressions of interest (EOIs), whether individually or in partnership with other local authorities. The Ministry strongly welcome applications from private or third sector organisations made in partnership with local authorities.
Applicants will need to:
- demonstrate that they can use the requested funding to progress work and generate proposals for innovative delivery models such as development corporations
- demonstrate that the delivery models being explored are intended to deliver a transformational housing or regeneration project
- endeavour to make key learnings from the funding available to other local areas and to central government in order that best practice and lessons learned can be disseminated, not including commercially sensitive information
To register an interest in applying for the competition, please contact Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government at newsettlements@communities.gov.uk. The competition is open to applications on a rolling basis.
Government Launches New Scheme to Boost Tree-Planting
The Government has announced the launch of a new £50million scheme to help boost tree-planting rates in the fight against climate change. The new Woodland Carbon Guarantee will encourage farmers and landowners in England to plant more trees and create new woodland in return for payments as those trees grow.
Successful applicants will be offered the option to sell Woodland Carbon Units to the government over a 35-year period at a guaranteed price set by auction, providing new income for land managers who help businesses compensate for their carbon emissions.
By planting more trees and creating new woodland, land managers also provide a range of other ecosystem benefits such as preventing flood risk, soil conservation and boosting biodiversity.
Applicants that would like to apply and are already registered for the Woodland Carbon Code and meet the other eligibility requirements please complete the Woodland Carbon Guarantee application form and return it to: wcag@forestrycommission.gov.uk
New Fund Announced to Tackle Loneliness
The Government has announced that a new £2 million fund is being launched to help organisations tackle loneliness. The funding aims to support frontline, grassroots organisations that bring people together and help them build social connections. These could include community cafés, street parties, coffee mornings or local walking groups.
The investment will help small organisations promote themselves more widely, help fund the use of suitable venues and accessible transport, and bring established groups together to best serve local people at risk of loneliness.
The funding marks one year since the publication of the Government’s landmark Loneliness Strategy which outlined almost 60 commitments to end loneliness.
This included funding 126 projects through its £11.5 million Building Connections Fund.
Further details on the funding application process, including eligibility and when it will open, will follow in due course.
Funding opportunities between £25,000 and £100,000
Thrive – Access to Employment Programme Opens for Applications
UnLtd, the support charity for Social Entrepreneurs has announced that is “Thrive – Access to Employment Programme” is now open for applications. This is UnLtd’s new social accelerator programme that helps ambitious social ventures to grow.
UnLtd will support over 25 social ventures a year through Thrive. Support will be provided to two groups of social ventures developing solutions in two distinct areas:
- Improving access to employment for those distant from the labour market
- Developing products and services for an ageing society.
The programme will combine six months of intensive support with the opportunity to secure investment of up to £50,000 for the social venture, either through UnLtd or their partners. This gives applicants the chance to grow their business, and ultimately deliver greater social impact.
The closing date for applications is the 31st January 2020.
New Funding Available to Implement Court Judgement with the Potential to Achieve Social Change
A new round of funding has been announced for civil society organisations to implement a court judgment or the outcome of a litigation process that has the potential to achieve social change for people facing discrimination and disadvantage.
The funding is being made available by the Baring Foundation and grants of up to £30,000 for a period of up to one year are available to charities and other not for profit organisations to help civil society organisation during the implementation phase after successful litigation.
The following range of activities may be involved in the implementation:
- advocacy and policy influencing;
- campaigning;
- awareness raising;
- research’ monitoring of implementation;
- further legal action.
Grants awarded under this fund are designed to support ongoing work by organisations who have played a part in the successful litigation they are applying for funding for; and usually for organisations for whom litigation is not their core business.
The closing date for applications in this round is the 29th January 2020.
Funding for Capital Projects in Secondary Schools and Sixth Form Colleges
From the 1st December 2019, secondary schools and colleges that have reached a level of excellence will be eligible to apply for a grant towards the cost of capital projects through the Wolfson Foundation’s Funding for secondary schools & sixth form colleges programme. Secondary schools and Sixth form colleges are eligible to apply for grants of between £15,000 and £100,000.
The Wolfson Foundation’s Secondary Education Programme is primarily dedicated to supporting the teaching of A-Levels and GCSEs at high-achieving state-funded schools and sixth form colleges. The Foundation funds capital projects and in the past allocated approximately £1.75 million each year to new build, refurbishment or equipment projects related to the teaching of science and technology
Schools and colleges that have reached a level of excellence determined by a combination of criteria, but mainly through the receipt of an outstanding Ofsted assessment (or regional equivalent) are eligible to apply.
Note: Special schools or special colleges should visit the Funding for special schools and colleges area of the Foundation’s website for grant opportunities.
Awards made in 2018 include:
- Biddulph High School, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire: £50,000 for New servers and network equipment
- Silverdale School, Sheffield, South Yorkshire: £50,000 towards a New science laboratory
- Shoreham Academy, West Sussex: £35,000 for IT equipment for music and art
There is a two-stage application process. Stage 1 applications are submitted online, via the online portal for applications. Please note applicants will need to register an account before starting an online application.
Stage 2 applications will be via invitation only.
Funding opportunities under £25,000
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 awarded 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.
Society for Microbiology – Science Education and Outreach Grants
The Society for Microbiology provides grants to support the teaching of microbiology. The scheme is open to Full, Full Concessionary or Postgraduate Student Members; including those working in schools residing in the UK or Republic of Ireland to support relevant science teaching or promotion initiatives, or to support developments likely to lead to an improvement in the teaching of any aspect of microbiology. The maximum grant available is £1,000.
Activities funded can include:
- Talks, workshops, demonstrations, posters, leaflets, broadcasts, activities at science festivals and audio-visual or computer-based packages;
- Activities that take place as part of a National Science and Engineering Week event at the applicant’s place of work;
- Running a school or college-based science week activity (e.g. hands-on or programme of talks);
- Supporting microbiology activities in an out-of-school science club;
- Buying materials and equipment outside of normal department resources to support a microbiology activity (no more than £500 can be used toward large equipment such as microscopes and incubators);
- A class visit to a microbiology laboratory to carry out activities; and
- Organising a visit to or from a working microbiologist.
The deadline for applications is 15th April 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.
Grants to Promote and Secure Better and Safer Roads
Grants and bursaries of between £5,000 – £25,000 are available for research, education and community projects with the aim of promoting and securing better and safer roads in terms of design, engineering and aesthetics including enhancements of the experience of road users. Funded activity includes courses leading to qualifications related to traffic engineering and transport planning, research projects and programmes or schemes to improve the highway network and the roadside environment, for example roadside parks and open spaces.
The Rees Jeffries Road Fund Grants awards grants that echo the Charitable Objects of the Fund which are:
- To contribute to the cost of lectures, studies and scholarship calculated to foster the improvement of design and layout of public highways and adjoining land
- To promote schemes for the provision of roadside parks and open spaces
- To encourage the improvement of existing and provision of additional public highways, bridges, tunnels, footpaths, verges, and cycleways…. to secure the maximum of safety and beauty.
Priority is given to projects which lie outside the scope of other funders such as government agencies and research councils. The Fund also welcomes applications that include contributions from other funders.
Eligible applicants include educational institutions, charities and social enterprises. There is no upper or lower limit for grant applications although grants most commonly fall in the range £5,000 – £25,000.
Grants awarded in 2018/19 included:
- CIHT: £10,000 towards an exhibition to promote Women in Transport
- SATRO: £2,500 to support work to help young people to be inspired and enthusiastic about their education and their future careers especially in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)
- Plantlife: £18,233 to develop a new national ‘best practice’ standard for the management of roadside verges.
Deadlines for applications to the Rees Jeffries Road Fund are a little over two weeks before trustees’ meetings. The next meeting is the 4th February 2020.
Funding for Road Safety Projects
The GEM Road Safety charity has announced that up to £10,000 of funding is now available to support projects which aim to increase road safety. Applications are accepted from registered charities, road safety organisations, universities and groups with a clearly defined and well-planned project. Support is available for projects which aim to increase road safety for all through research, education, engineering or enforcement.
The GEM Road Safety Charity aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads across the United Kingdom by making grants and providing financial assistance to support innovative projects that have regional or national significance.
The Trustees encourage applications that seek match funding for partnership-based road safety projects, activities or initiatives, where the outcome of the project is greater than could be achieved by the GEM Charity grant alone.
The closing date for applications is the 31st December 2019.
Grants for UK-German Partnership Visits
The Partnership Visit Fund supports new or on-going partnerships between UK and German schools by providing financial support of up to £1,000 for teachers’ visits to a partner school.
Teachers of primary and secondary schools can apply for a visit that revives an existing school partnership or develops a new one, or allows new teachers coming on board to familiarise themselves with the partner school. The focus of the visit must be on planning future activities between pupils, and developing an interactive project to take place within the year. Visits should not last longer than one week; the school must provide 25% of the required funding and a maximum of 3 teachers can be supported.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but the proposed visit must not start for at least 4 weeks after you submit your application.
Funding to Enhance the Quality of Life for People in Need
Registered charities, Hospices and state schools catering wholly for students with additional needs, can apply for grants to support their work that enhances the quality of life for people in need, specifically the mentally and physically disabled. Priority is given to small and medium size charities making a significant impact in their community and who may lack the time and resources to be able to focus on their fundraising.
The Edward Gostling Foundation’s grants are awarded to projects that have a significant impact across one or more of four life “themes” and priority is given to organisations that clearly demonstrate this within their application for grant funding.
These are:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Independent Living at Home
- Respite
- Transition.
Grants can support:
- Modifications to homes, state schools (wholly for students with additional needs), hospices etc
- The provision of specialist equipment such as the provision of specialised wheelchairs, other mobility aids and equipment including medical equipment to assist independent living
- Financial assistance towards the cost of short-term respite breaks at a registered respite centre.
Grants are awarded through two programmes:
- A fast-track Small Grants Programme for applications under £5,000
- A Large Grants Programme for applications of £5,000 or over.
There are no application deadlines; applications can be submitted at any time.
Grants to Enable Disabled People to Play Tennis
Individuals can apply for grants of up to £500 for support for sports wheelchairs, tennis rackets, coaching lessons with a Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) licensed coach or course fees for official LTA development/coaching courses.
Groups can apply for: Wheelchairs; Court hire; Coaching fees; and equipment packages which will include:
- Rackets
- Balls
- Mini net
- Coaching aids such as cones and throw down marker lines.
In the case of wheelchairs, a deposit will be required; for individuals, the amount of deposit required will depend on the wheelchair type requested, clubs will need to raise a deposit of between £200 and £250; depending on the type of wheelchair.
The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust has announced that the next closing date for applications the 7th January 2020.
Finnis Scott Foundation
Established under the Will of Lady Montagu Douglas Scott (Valerie Finnis) in 2006, the Finnis Scott Foundation makes grants for any charitable purpose, but their present policy is to focus grant-making in the areas of horticulture and plant sciences, as well as fine art and art history. The funding is open to charities and charitable organisations, including School Parent Teacher Associations.
Grants of between £500 and £10,000 are available. Exceptionally, larger grants may be considered at the Trustees’ discretion. Preference is given to making grants to smaller charities where the grant would have a significant impact. The Foundation funds both capital and revenue projects.
Previous organisations supported include;
- Flower Pod – a horticulturally based Social Enterprise in Southwell, Nottinghamshire.
- Rhyl Primary School PTA
- The Horticultural Therapy Trust
- Hestercombe Gardens Trust
For more information about The Finnis Scott Foundation, please email: administrator@finnis-scott-foundation.org.uk or telephone +44 (0)1604 233233
Apply by the 13th December 2019 for the next trustees meeting of the Finnis Scott Foundation.
Small Theatres Improvement Grants Available
To be eligible for funding, the theatre must be run by a charity or not-for-profit group that can clearly demonstrate the value capital improvements to their theatres would make to their work in local communities. Please note that applications for technical equipment and refurbishment of soft furnishings are a low priority for the scheme.
To be eligible the applicant:
- must own or manage theatres with titles or signed leases of more than 5 years on buildings;
- demonstrate that they run a regular theatre programme of professional, community and/or amateur work presenting no less than 30 performances a year;
- and have a bona fide UK charitable or not-for-profit legal structure and be able to provide certified or audited accounts for at least two years.
The Theatres Trust has announced that theatres across the UK have until noon on the 3rd February 2020 to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to address urgent building repairs, improve operational viability, introduce environmental improvements, and enhance physical accessibility.
Active Communities Programme Now Open
The Health Lottery has announced that it is seeking applications for funding through the Active Communities Programme in specific areas of the East Midlands of England.
Health Lottery East Midlands is part of the People’s Health Trust’s Active Communities programme which provides grant funding of between £5,000 and £25,000 per year (for up to two years) for projects designed and led by local people which target areas most affected by health inequalities.
Projects will be small and local and could cover a few streets, a housing estate or a small village. The programme also supports Communities of Interest. These are groups of people who have things in common and wish to come together to address something that is important to them. These ideas could be based in one neighborhood or cover a wider area but they must live close enough to each other to meet up regularly.
Projects that are applying as a community of interest, please contact the Active Communities Programme before completing the online application form. This is because the application process is slightly different for communities of interest. Applicants can either call the Active Communities programme on 020 7749 9100, or request a call back or email.
Projects can last for between twelve months and two years and will make neighbourhoods better places to grow, live, work and age.
Projects previously funded include:
- A group for local older and younger people to get together in a local area and do activities together (for example craft, technology, history)
- A group for adults to learn English and enterprise skills connected to sewing
- A local magazine written by and for the benefit of disabled people, giving information and calling for action on matters affecting disabled people locally
- A community cafe created and run by single parents as a space to meet, seek support and socialise
- A peer support group for families with disabled children
- A tenant’s action group for people living on an estate
The deadline to apply is 1pm on the 11th December 2019.
TDS Charitable Foundation
The TDS Charitable Foundation aims to improve private rented housing standards. Through its grants programme, the Foundation is looking to support bids that promote knowledge of inexperienced landlord’s obligations or tenant’s rights and responsibilities. Charitable organisations including housing associations and community interest companies (CIC’s) can apply for projects that will help to educate inexperienced landlords about the obligations of being a private landlord and which will help educate tenants about their rights and responsibilities.
The maximum grant available is £10,000 per project.
Previous projects supported include:
- 4 the community – a project to extend and improve the information, education, and support available to Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) tenants in Rhyl.
- Cardiff Tenants and Residents Federation – a tenant education programme that specifically informs tenants about the key differences about renting in Wales, as well as wider rights and responsibilities.
The next application deadline for applications to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) Charitable Foundation is 5pm on the 20th January 2020.
B&Q Community Reuse Scheme
DIY store B&Q operates a community re-use scheme through all its branches across the UK. The scheme donates unsellable products and materials for re-use by local schools, other educational institutions and community groups, for the benefit of the local community and the environment.
All items are donated on the understanding that they will be re-used or disposed of responsibly if they are not used.
The community groups B&Q have worked with for Community Reuse have included:
- Community garden projects
- Registered charities
- Schools and colleges
- Community Repaint
- Youth groups, Scouts and Guides
- Hospices
- Preschool groups and registered child minders
B&Q also works with Community Repaint, a network of schemes that collects any surplus, re-usable paint and redistributes it within their communities to individuals and families on low income, charities and community groups.
Charities, community groups, colleges or schools interested should get in touch with B&Q. B&Q will add the organisation’s details to their database of community groups. When a B&Q store has something to donate, they will use this list to get in touch with groups in their area.
Funding for Community Based Projects
The Hilden Charitable Fund awards grants of an average of £5,000 to causes working at community level in the UK and developing countries which are less likely to be able to raise funds from public subscriptions.
Current UK funding priorities are:
- Homelessness,
- Penal Affairs,
- Asylum Seekers and Refugees,
- Community-Based initiatives for Disadvantaged Young People Aged 16 to 25.
Overseas, Hilden concentrates on projects in developing countries working on community development, education, and health and particularly welcomes those that address the needs and potential of girls and women.
Only applications submitted on the form supplied on the website will be considered.
Projects funded in 2018 included:
- Community based initiatives for disadvantaged young people (aged 16-25) such as The Furniture Recycling Project, Gloucestershire and Watford Citizens Advice Bureau for their apprentice scheme
- Projects helping destitute refuges such as Azadi Trust Birmingham and the Destitution Project Bolton
Hilden accepts applications at any time but the closing date for applications to be considered at the January / February meeting of Trustees is the 11th December 2019.
Equipment Grants for Youth Clubs
Variety, the Children’s Charity, has grants of £250 to £600 available to youth organisations that are affiliated to either Ambition, UK Youth or the or National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs. The grants can be used to buy equipment to provide challenging activities that engage young people aged 8-18 and provide them with alternatives to becoming involved in the anti-social behaviour that often stems from boredom and peer pressure.
On occasion, applications for improvement of youth club premises, refurbishment of existing equipment or facilities will also be considered.
Applicants have to raise some of the funds and applications that have young people involved in the fund raising will be looked upon favourably.
There are no deadlines when applying and applications can be made at any time.