Published Thursday 30 July 2020 at 16:10
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
Business and Academic Partnerships: Apply for Funding
Up to £40 million of funding has been allocated to support businesses in collaborating with an academic or research organisation and a graduate on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). The KTP scheme enables businesses in the UK to innovate and grow by linking them with an academic or research organisation and a graduate.
A KTP enables an academic or research organisation as a partner to a business to recruit a suitable graduate (an Associate) to work at the company for the duration of the KTP. The business is thus able to access new skills and the latest academic thinking to deliver a specific, strategic innovation project. KTPs can last between 12 and 36 months, depending on the project and the needs of the business.
The KTP 3-way partnership will consist of:
- A UK-based business of any size or a not-for-profit organisation
- An academic or research organisation i.e. university, college or research and technology organisation in the UK
- A suitably-qualified graduate with the capability to lead a strategic business project
The KTP can be part-funded by a grant from Innovate UK with the business partner contributing to the salary of the Associate plus the cost of a supervisor who will oversee the scheme. Contributions will depend on the scale and length of the project and the size of the company i.e.
- Small and medium-sized enterprises contribute around £35,000 per year, about one-third of the project costs
- Large businesses contribute around £55,000 per year, or half of the project costs
Applications may be submitted either via a KTP Adviser who will check the feasibility of the idea and find the right partner or, where there is already a partnership with an academic or research organisation, via that organisation’s KTP office.
The deadline for applications to this round is the 7th October 2020.
£266 Million Housing Fund for Rough Sleepers and Vulnerable People Affected by the Covid-19 Crisis
The UK Government has announced a £266 million housing fund for rough sleepers and vulnerable people. The Next Steps Accommodation Programme makes funding available to councils and their local partners to help break the cycle of homelessness by ensuring as few people as possible helped off the streets and into emergency accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic return to sleeping rough.
£105 million has been allocated to cover property costs and support new tenancies to ensure they continue to have a safe place to stay. £161 million has been allocated to help people into long term accommodation by delivering 3,300 units of longer-term, move-on accommodation.
The deadline for submitting bids is 11:59pm on the 20th August.
Funding opportunities between £25,000 and £100,000
Funding to Support the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Veterans
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Positive Pathways programme has reopened for applications for projects that support the mental health and wellbeing of veterans by getting them out and active.
Armed-Forces-supporting charities or CIC’s can apply for grants of £35,000 for projects developed by and for veterans which have a clearly identified activity for veterans to take part in, and should come under one of four themes:
- sports;
- arts and culture;
- getting outside;
- and heritage.
Applications are encouraged from under-represented organisations in the West Midlands and West Scotland, and activities should be feasible with any social distancing requirements in place. The programme is funded by HM Treasury.
Applications for this round of funding close at noon on the 25th August 2020.
War Memorials Grant Scheme
The War Memorials Trust is providing grants for the repair and conservation of free-standing war memorials in England.
These grants are intended to help those who are responsible for the upkeep of war memorials. The grants support the care and preservation of war memorials to a high standard, and to prevent the decay of this important part of our built heritage. Grants will normally be for up to a maximum of 75% of eligible costs, with a maximum grant of £30,000.
The fund is open to anyone to apply; individuals or organisations, including councils.
The next closing date for applications is the 31st August 2020.
Defra’s Darwin Initiative Announces New Funding Round
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Darwin Initiative which aims to help developing countries to conserve biodiversity and reduce poverty is now open to applications for three of its programmes.
- Funding of between £50,000 and £500,000 is available for ‘Main Projects’ which tackle key threats to biodiversity in developing countries. Applicant organisations can be based in any country although applications should preferably have a UK connection, consistent with the UK Aid Strategy.
- Funding of around £20,000 to £25,000 is available for ‘Fellowship Awards’ which are aimed at building capacity in developing countries. The host organisation where the individual will carry out the training or research must be in the UK. Applications for Fellowship funding should come from the UK organisation.
- Small grants of up to a maximum of £10,000 are available for ‘Partnership Projects’ which are intended to help organisations who are new to the Darwin Initiative to develop a strong application by establishing new partnerships. Defra would normally expect applications from partnerships involving around 2-4 organisations.
Projects typically try to address threats to biodiversity such as:
- habitat loss or degradation
- climate change
- invasive species
- over-exploitation
- pollution and eutrophication
The deadline for applications for Main Projects is the 1st September 2020. The application deadline for Partnership Projects and Fellowship Awards is the 19th January 2021.
Foyle Foundation Re-opens it’s Main Grants Programme
The Foyle Foundation, which is one of the UK’s largest grant making charity, has announced that its Main Grants Programme has re-opened for applications to support charities with a core remit of the Arts or Learning.
Within the Arts programme, the Foundation seeks applications that make a strong artistic case for support in either the performing or visual arts. The Foundations seeks to support organisations to stabilize and recover from the impact of Coronavirus.
Within the Learning programme, the Foundation will support projects which facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and learning and which have a long-term strategic impact. Key areas for support are libraries, museums and archives; special educational needs; projects that encourage sustainability by reducing overheads or which help generate additional revenue. This might include environmental improvements to save energy and lower carbon emissions where a cost benefit can be demonstrated; projects and activities which increase access and widen the diversity of attenders/visitors.
In light of the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, the Foundation has revised its criteria and will change to make one-year grants only (no multi-year grants) to charities that can demonstrate ongoing financial stability for the next 12 months from the date of their application. In addition, more grants will be available to cover core costs, favouring those charities with no, or without significant, public funding.
Grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 are available and applications can be submitted at any time. There are no application deadlines.
The Arts Council Reopens its National Lottery Project Grants
The Arts Council has announced that its National Lottery Project Grants programme has re-opened for applications.
The fund is open to individuals, arts organisations, museums and libraries. Grants of between £1,000 and £100,000 will be available from the £59.8 million rolling funding programme until April 2021 to support those in the cultural sector and for work that has longer term positive impact such as Research and Development.
In response to the Covid-19 crisis, the programme will be improved to make it more responsive to the needs of smaller independent organisations and individual practitioners, whilst still including a budget for grassroots music venues, touring extensions and national activities over and under £100,000.
Public Libraries will now be able to apply for activity that aligns with any of the four Universal Library Offers;
- Creativity and Culture
- Reading
- Information and Digital
- Health and Wellbeing
Museums can now apply to National Lottery Project Grants for Subject Specialist Network activity. Arts Council England will also accept applications from a wider range of applicants for any activity that benefits at least one Accredited museum, its collections and its visitors.
Funding to Help Museums, Galleries and Cultural Organisations Affected by Coronavirus
UK public museums, galleries, historic houses, libraries and archives can apply for funding to help them respond to immediate challenges connected to the Covid-19 crisis, and to adapt and reimagine ways of working in the future.
Through the Art Fund’s Respond and Reimagine grants, funding of between £10,000 and £50,000 is available to support the priority areas of audiences, collections, adaptable digital skills and infrastructure, and supporting the workforce. Funding can be used to provide immediate practical support connected to reopening such as staffing, equipment, training, or planning for future activities, and to provide opportunities for organisations to help them adapt for the future.
There are three funding rounds for these grants:
- Round 1: Deadline has now passed
- Round 2: Apply by Monday 17 August 2020
- Round 3: Apply by Monday 12 October 2020
Funding opportunities under £25,000
Funding to Empower Marginalised Women and Girls in Zambia, Rwanda and Malawi through Sport
Comic Relief, in partnership with the Scottish Government, are launching phase 2 of their Levelling the Field Programme which uses sport to address social issues experienced by the most marginalised women and girls in Zambia, Rwanda and Malawi. Levelling the Field II will build on the strengths and learning from Phase I to empower women and girls through the development of essential life skills, fostering confidence and improving their self-esteem.
Technical support will be available to help build organisational capacity and to support long term sustainability for those who receive funding.
The focus will be on investing in organisations who are based in the three priority countries. Partnership across the Sport for Change and Women and Girls sectors will be encouraged.
The Programme will go live on the Comic Relief website in August 2020.
Funding to Help Small Charities and Social Enterprises Recover from the Covid-19 Pandemic
The Fore has launched the second round of their RAFT funding in response to the Covid-19 pandemic to support small charitable organisations and social enterprises as they recover and adapt to the post-lockdown world. The Transition Fund will offer grants of up to £15,000 in two rounds for organisations with an annual turnover of less than £500,000.
The funding can be used
- To adapt their services to meet changing beneficiary needs (for example, setting up a new programme for people experiencing increased stress or isolation)
- To build capacity for increased needs after the acute phase of the crisis has passed (for example, growing or upskilling the staff team in expectation of increased demand)
- To provide immediate services to vulnerable groups (for example, switching the organisation’s work to providing food to the hungry or urgent psychological support for those in distress)
- To switch existing programmes to remote delivery (for example, by purchasing equipment or software for working virtually).
Those charities working with marginalised groups and led by people in the community that have found it hard to access funding in the past are encouraged to apply.
The closing deadline from successfully registered organisations is 5pm on the 7th September 2020.
Funding to Support Local Health Projects
Specialist healthcare real estate investment trust, Assura, has launched a new Community Fund to support local health projects. Charities, local community groups, social enterprises and CICs can apply for grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 for activities targeted at improving mental and emotional health and wellbeing.
This might include supporting for life challenges that people may experience and providing increased activities and opportunities to learn new skill to enable improved self-confidence, self-esteem and a strong sense of belonging.
Funding will be provided for organisations supporting communities within a 15-mile radius of Assura GP surgeries, primary care and treatment centre buildings around the UK. The fund is managed by the Cheshire Community Foundation.
There is also a specific tranche of funding earmarked for strategic grant giving in Warrington.
The deadline for applications is the 14th September 2020.
Grants of up to £5,000 Available for Social Welfare Projects
The Inman Charity makes grants of around £325,000 per year. They support a wide range of UK Registered Charities.
The directors are particularly interested in supporting the following areas of charitable work:-
- Medical research
- Care of the elderly
- General welfare
- Hospices
- The Deaf and Blind
- Care of the physically & mentally disabled
- The Armed Forces
Applications must be received by the end of February or the end of August to be sure of consideration at the Spring or Autumn Meetings.
Volant Trust Announces Launch of Covid-19 Response Fund
The Volant Trust has announced that it will open its Covid-19 Response Fund on the 1st August 2020. The Trust will be accepting applications from registered charities, community interest companies, community organisations or social enterprises in the UK and internationally that demonstrate a strong focus on alleviating social deprivation and helping vulnerable groups who have been particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Funding will be available to support running and core costs as well as for medical equipment and the production or distribution of PPE will also be considered.
There are no funding levels indicated at the award of grants will be at the discretion of the Trustees.
The closing date for applications will be the 31st December 2020.
Funding for Financial Literacy Projects
The MSE Charity has announced that its grants programme will re-open for applications in September 2020. The MSE charity gives grants to not for profit organisations that deliver activities which make a lasting impact on how people think, behave and manage their money.
Grants of up to £5,000 will be available for projects that aim to make people living with ‘Long Term Challenges’ become more financially capable. The focus of this funding ground will be on “Building and Developing Resilience” in particular:
- Mental Health
- Well-being
- Cook Well for Less
- Training Others
- Independent Living Skills
- Peer Mentoring
Eligible applicants will be registered charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs) and other not for profit companies and Credit Unions. Preference is given to projects that break new ground in approach, delivery or in audience and are either capable of replication to a wider audience and/or are collaborative i.e. working with other organisations in the field, or geographical area as appropriate.
Potential applicants are asked to complete an Eligibility Quiz and read the Guidance Notes prior to application.
People’s Postcode Trust
The People’s Postcode Trust’s Grants Programme is due to re-open for applications on the 4th August 2020. The People’s Postcode Trust provides project-based funding in Great Britain under the themes:
- Promoting human rights;
- Combatting discrimination;
- Preventing poverty.
Registered Charities can apply for grants of between £500 and £20,000.
Small organisations and community groups that are not formally registered as a charity can apply for up to £2,000.
There is a two-stage application process and the closing date for stage 1 applications will be the 19th August 2020.
Funding to Support Adult and Children’s Hospices
Adult and children’s hospices across England and Wales who receive less than 60 per cent of their funding from the NHS can apply for grants to help fund essential services and enhance the support available for bereaved families and friends.
Through their Core Funding Hospice Grants Programme, the Masonic Foundation in partnership with Hospice UK, helps fund the core costs of providing care at hospices.
Applications are reviewed on a first come, first served basis. The deadline for applications is 5pm on the 7th August 2020.
Comic Relief Funding for Projects Which Deliver Change in Local Communities
Charities, constituted voluntary and community organisations, social enterprises, and CIC’s across England can apply for grants of up to £4,000 for projects which deliver change in their local communities. Through Comic Relief’s Project Delivery Grants, organisations with an annual income of less than £250,000 can apply for funding for projects that address one of their four strategic themes:
- Children survive and thrive;
- Fighting for gender justice;
- A safe place to be;
- Mental health matters.
Grants should fund direct work with beneficiaries, examples of which might include:
- Training for parents and carers to help support their children’s development before starting school
- Activities for girls or women to help them make healthier life choices
- Supporting people with mental health issues to improve an outdoor space or create a meeting space
- Setting up a peer support network for people experiencing homelessness
- Hire of room where homeless people can access support
Applications can be made at any time.
Government Scheme Launched to Support Universities at Risk of Insolvency
English Universities facing severe financial difficulties and at risk of insolvency as a result of the coronavirus will be able to apply for further Government support in the form of repayable loans.
Any funding offered through the Higher Education Restructuring Regime will come with conditions to be determined on a case-by-case basis to ensure institutions make changes that will enable them to make a strong contribution to the nation’s future, such as the delivery of high-quality courses, the reduction of administrative costs, and improving available qualifications.
Providers will be expected to work with the Department for Education on an open-book basis, and undergo an independent business review to draw up a restructuring plan. The government will then decide whether to support the plan with loan funding.
Small Theatres Improvement Grants Available
The Theatres Trust has announced that theatres across the UK can apply for grants of up to £5,000 to address urgent building repairs, improve operational viability, introduce environmental improvements, and enhance physical accessibility. In response to the coronavirus crisis, the scheme will now be able to support theatres to cover the additional costs of reopening after several months’ closure, including making adaptations for increased hygiene and social distancing measures.
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 closing date for applications is noon on the 5th October 2020.
Seafarers UK Launch COVID-19 Emergency Fund
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on merchant seafarers, fishers and their families, Seafarers UK has created a new Seafarers £2 million UK COVID-19 Emergency Fund. The new fund is intended for distribution in 2020/2021, with 75% allocated to the international merchant seafaring community and 25% to UK coastal fishing fleets.
Grants from Seafarers UK are offered to charities and other organisations providing frontline and support services to merchant seafarers, UK fishers and their families. It is anticipated that your application will be turned around within one month of receipt, and within 2 weeks if under £10,000.
Applications can be submitted at any time and should be made via email to grants@seafarers.uk
Capital Grants for Theatre Improvements
The Theatres Trust’s Theatre Improvement Scheme awards capital funding as grants of up to £20,000. The Trust works in association with the Wolfson Foundation and each year funds projects with a specific theme – in 2020 the theme is Improving Environmental Sustainability. From sedum roofs to new windows, building management systems to more efficient water heaters, funding will be given to projects that demonstrate how a small intervention can have a big impact.
Theatres and projects of all sizes are eligible as long as they can demonstrate excellence in the pursuit of becoming an accessible theatre. Applicants must also:
- Own or manage theatres with titles or signed leases of more than 15 years on buildings in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Run a year-round programme of live performance, of no less than 30 performances a year
- 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.
- Operate theatres that achieve excellence through their producing and programming or architectural significance
Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the Trust to discuss their project before applying. Application forms should be downloaded from the website and emailed to advice@theatrestrust.org.uk
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on the 14th September 2020.
Places of Worship Security Funding Boost
The Home Office has launched a new funding round through the Places of Worship (POW): Protective Security Funding scheme
The scheme provides protective security measures to places of worship that have been subject to, or are vulnerable to a hate crime attack.
Grants can cover security equipment but not the cost of recruiting security personnel and may include: CCTV; perimeter fencing; access control gates; window locks; intruder alarm; external lighting; and security doors and the appropriate labour cost to install the security equipment.
Places of worship including (but not limited to)
- Churches,
- Gurdwaras,
- Mosques
- Temples
- Associated faith community centres (This is defined as a community centre run by a place of worship or near a place of worship that is faith based, and where regular worship takes place)
The Jewish community are not eligible for funding from this scheme as a separate commitment was made to fund security measures at community sites through a grant administered by the Community Security Trust.
Places of worship can submit bids for projects costing up to £56,000 for protective security measures and will be required to contribute at least 20 percent of the total cost of the project.
Places of worship, including mosques, will also benefit from a new £5 million fund over 3 years to provide protective security training to build on some of the positive work already happening in communities.
The closing date for applications is on the 9th August 2020.