A monthly bulletin facilitated by your membership of the Rural Services Network highlighting a selection of current funding opportunities

- Download a printable version of the Funding Digest here

Grant schemes for electric vehicle charging infrastructure – Office for Low Emission Vehicles

The government offers grants to support the wider use of electric and hybrid vehicles via the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). This includes:

• The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) provides grant funding of up to 75% towards the cost of installing electric vehicle chargepoints at domestic properties across the UK.

Update: From April 2022, the EVHS will no longer be open to homeowners (including people with mortgages) who live in single-unit properties such as bungalows and detached, semi-detached or terraced housing. Installations in single-unit properties need to be completed by 31 March 2022 and a claim submitted to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) by 30 April 2022.

The scheme will remain open to:

• homeowners who live in flats
• people in rental accommodation (flats and single-use properties)
• The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based scheme that provides support towards the up-front costs of the purchase and installation of electric vehicle charge-points, for eligible businesses, charities and public sector organisations.
• The On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) provides grant funding for local authorities towards the cost of installing on-street residential chargepoints for plug-in electric vehicles.

For more information visit the website below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-grants-for-low-emission-vehicles

Carbon Innovation Fund – Co-op Foundation

The Foundation is offering funding of between £75k and £100k to support food and farming projects that are tackling the climate crisis by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Carbon Innovation Fund will support up to 10 projects in year one. Eligible organisations include charities, social enterprises, co-operatives and local, regional and national governments worldwide.

The Fund opened for applications on 22 November and will close on 10 December 2021.

Carbon Innovation Fund | Co-op Foundation (coopfoundation.org.uk)

The Platinum Jubilee Fund – National Lottery Community Fund

The Platinum Jubilee celebrates 70 years of Her Majesty The Queen’s reign and to mark this occasion, The National Lottery Community Fund will fund 70 projects across the UK.

They are looking for projects that go beyond simply celebrating but for those that create change for communities. They want to fund projects that create a greater legacy for places and spaces, and that support new opportunities, activities and build better relationships with one another, across generations and with the natural world.

Applications will be prioritised from organisations that have not received funding from the Fund before and are smaller or medium sized organisations or groups with an annual turnover of under £100,000.

The deadline for applications is 15 December 2021 or when 700 applications have been received.

The Platinum Jubilee Fund | The National Lottery Community Fund (tnlcommunityfund.org.uk)

Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage – DCMS and the National Lottery Heritage Fund

On 5 July 2020, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced a £1.57billion package to protect the UK’s culture and heritage sectors from the economic impacts of COVID-19. To date, over £1.2b has been allocated from the Culture Recovery Fund, reaching around 5000 individual organisations and sites.

At the 2021 Budget, the Chancellor announced an additional £300million to support the Culture Recovery Fund in 2021/22, to continue to support key cultural organisations; bridge the sector as audiences begin to return; and continue to ensure a vibrant future for the culture sector as the nation recovers from the pandemic.

The Heritage Fund, in partnership with Historic England, is distributing this funding based on criteria set by DCMS. 

The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage: Emergency Resource Support is for organisations that are in severe need. This strand was originally open from 7 July 2021 to 30 September 2021.

To continue to support the sector throughout the winter period, the Emergency Resource Support programme has been reopened. This will give more organisations at imminent risk of financial failure an opportunity to bid for support, protecting even more organisations so that they can continue to create jobs and contribute to the economy. This scheme will be open until noon on 11 January 2022.

Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage – Emergency Resource Support | The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Suicide Prevention grant fund – Department of health & Social Care

The government has launched a £5 million fund to support the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector on suicide prevention services.

Recognising the increased pressures, a £4 million grant fund will open on 2 December 2021 for applications from VCSE organisations that support suicide prevention.

The support will be targeted at high-risk groups who have struggled most during the pandemic, such as people with a pre-existing mental illness, children and young people, NHS and social care staff who’ve faced enormous pressure over the last 18 months, and people in contact with the criminal justice system.

The funding will provide organisations with additional resource that will enable them to either set up new projects or expand or sustain current services to ensure people are supported. The other £1 million of the funding has been set aside to support existing and ongoing voluntary sector suicide prevention programmes.

£5 million launched to support suicide prevention services - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Project Grants (time limited) – Arts Council England

The Arts Council are working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to create more and better volunteering opportunities for young people and others who experience barriers to have high quality opportunities.

Volunteering Futures will enable people to get involved in volunteering activities across the arts, heritage, museums, libraries, sport and physical activity, youth and other community settings.

They want to create more and better volunteering opportunities for people:

• who experience loneliness
• who experience barriers to volunteering
• in areas where there are fewer volunteering opportunities

The Fund opened for expressions of interest on 22 November and will close on 7 December, before full applications are invited in January.

To apply to Volunteering Futures your project needs to be for £100,001 or over. There is no maximum threshold for the fund. The total amount available for this time-limited priority is £4.7 million.

Project Grants: Time limited priorities | Arts Council England

Forestry England Woodland Partnership

The Forestry England Woodland Partnership offers long-term leases with guaranteed income for public and private landowners to create new woodlands. The partnership scheme supports government plans for woodland creation, nature recovery and progress towards net zero targets.

Forestry England are looking for sites of at least 50 hectares suitable for woodland creation for leases of between 60 and 120 years, and landowners will receive a guaranteed annual rent throughout the lease period. Forestry England will design, plant and manage every woodland created, ensuring each is resilient to a changing climate, supports wildlife, and provides wider ecosystem services.

All woodlands created through the partnership scheme will be open to the public, providing valuable health and wellbeing opportunities for communities.

Part of the Nature for Climate Fund to support the government’s tree planting commitment, the Forestry England Woodland Partnership aims to create at least 2,000 hectares of predominantly broadleaf woodland over the next five years.

Applications are open all year round. Full details and brochures for public and private landowners are available on the Forestry England website.

https://www.forestryengland.uk/woodland-creation

Social Enterprise Support Fund – National Lottery Community Fund

This fund is open for applications now. It provides grants to help social enterprises rebuild from COVID-19. It is established in partnership by The National Lottery Community Fund and five social enterprise support agencies.

Grants between £10,000 and £100,000 are available to social enterprises in England. They want to reach the most marginalised communities and to promote inclusion. They want to support social enterprises that are helping communities affected by COVID-19 to recover, and to help social enterprises themselves to recover and rebuild their trading.

The deadline for applications in Round 1 is 21 December 2021. Round 2 will open on 28 February and close on 24 March 2022.

Essential financial support for social enterprises recovering from COVID-19 | SESF (socialenterprisesupportfund.org.uk)

The Circular Future Fund – John Lewis Partnership

In partnership with Hubbub, the John Lewis Partnership has launched a £1 million fund to support trailblazing ideas and innovations that can accelerate the transition towards a more circular economy.  

Whether it's rethinking waste with new products or materials, finding creative ways to shift consumer mindsets or developing new business models and services, they would like to hear from you. 

The fund will provide grants between £150,000-£300,000 and the deadline to apply is 9 January 2022.

They are looking for innovators with pioneering new approaches to challenge the?outdated?'take, make, dispose'?model. If you feel you have a circular solution in the areas of food, textiles or household products, technology or services they would like to hear from you.

The Circular Future Fund

Community Business Crowdmatch – Power to Change

Power to Change has teamed up with Crowdfunder to launch Community Business Crowdmatch to back new or existing community businesses to deliver brilliant community-led projects.

Whether it’s launching new ideas to help your neighbourhood, help meet increased demand, save a community space or help bridge a funding gap, Power to Change will match fund up to 50% of your target, to a maximum of £10,000, as long as you can raise the rest through crowdfunding.

Through this fund Power to Change are particularly keen to support new and existing projects in more deprived areas of the country, and to work with communities experiencing racial inequity across England.

Crowdmatch - Power to Change

Arnold Clark Community Fund

In March 2020, Arnold Clark launched their first ever Community Fund in order to provide financial help to community groups and charities that had been significantly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

This winter, the Fund will focus on the following categories: poverty relief, food banks, toy banks, housing and accommodation.

The Arnold Clark Community Fund is open to UK registered charities and local community groups. The fund is also open to community interest companies, charitable incorporated organisations and social enterprises.

Grants up to £1000 are available and the Fund will suspend taking new applications on 31 December 2021.

The Arnold Clark Community Fund | Arnold Clark

Recovery Loan Fund – Social Investment Business (SIB)

The Recovery Loan Fund provides loans to UK charities and social enterprises who have been impacted by Covid 19 and need funds to help them to survive, recover and grow. It has been established by Social Investment Business (SIB) to make an existing Government guarantee scheme, the Recovery Loan Scheme, more easily accessible to charities and social enterprises.

The Fund will lend to organisations that are improving people’s lives, or the environment they live in, across the UK. All funding purposes will be considered including refinancing of existing debt onto more patient terms.

The Fund closes to submissions on 20 May 2022. Applications will be reviewed on a first come, first served. Eligible organisations can apply for loans of £100k-£1.5m.

Recovery Loan Fund (sibgroup.org.uk)

Event Funding – Armed Forces Day

The Ministry of Defence offers a grant for Armed Forces Day events up to the value of £10,000, depending on the size and format of the event. This grant is match-funded and can cover up to half the total cost of the event.

Grants are available to local councils, organisations, schools, ex-service organisations and individuals for Armed Forces Day events. Events must be held on or around Armed Forces Day (June 25th, 2022).

Grant applications open 1 November 2021and close on 1 March 2022.

To apply for this grant, you must first register your event on the Armed Forces Day website.

Event Funding – Armed Forces Day

Grants for Heritage – National Lottery Heritage Fund

The National Lottery Heritage Fund provide different levels of funding to heritage of all shapes and sizes. Their grants range from £3,000 up to millions of pounds.

Current programmes include:

• National Lottery Grants for Heritage - £3,000 to £10,000; £10,000 to £250,000; £250,000 to £5 million. The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic means?the Fund will prioritise heritage projects that:
• promote inclusion and involve a wider range of people (a mandatory outcome)
• boost the local economy
• encourage skills development and job creation
• support wellbeing
• create better places to live, work and visit
• improve the resilience of organisations working in heritage

Full information on all National Lottery Heritage Fund programmes is available on their website.

Welcome | The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Cornerstone, Gateway & Foundation Grants – National Churches Trust

The National Churches Trust has three grant programmes currently open:

• Cornerstone grants. The Cornerstone Grant Programme offers grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 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 will never exceed 50% of the project cost. The next deadline for applications is 7 March 2022..
• Gateway grants. The Gateway Grant Programme offers grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 towards project development and investigative work up to RIBA planning stage 1, to support churches preparing for a major project, and in developing their project to the point at which they can approach a major grant funder. Grants will never exceed 50% of the project costs for this phase. The next deadline for applications is 13 January 2022.
• Foundation grants. The Foundation Grant Programme will offer grants of between £500 and £5,000 towards urgent maintenance works and small repairs identified as high priority within a recent Quinquennial Inspection or Survey Report. Also, small investigative works and surveys. Project costs should not exceed £10,000. See the website for the next deadline for applications.
• Preventative maintenance micro grants. If the cost of booking maintenance services is a problem, the National Churches Trust, with its partner the Pilgrim Trust, can offer grants towards the cost of a building's maintenance services. You could receive up to 50% of the cost of works (excl. VAT) up to a maximum grant of £500. The cost of your service must not exceed £1,000 (excl VAT).

http://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/our-grants

Neighbourhood Planning Grant Funding – Locality

You can apply for three types of grant funding if you are preparing a Neighbourhood Plan:

• Basic Grant Funding: All groups undertaking a neighbourhood plan are eligible to apply for up to £10,000 in basic grant. As well as applying for a basic grant, you can also apply for technical support (provided you meet the eligibility criteria) to help you with your neighbourhood plan.
• Additional Grant Funding: Groups meeting the eligibility criteria are able to apply for additional grant of up to £8,000 (in addition to the basic grant). This will take the total amount of grant available to you to £18,000.
• Affordable Housing for Sale Grant Funding: This is a new element to the programme, and it is running as a pilot scheme. The pilot began in 2019-20 and will continue in 2020-21. If you are wishing to bring forward affordable housing for sale you may be eligible for further grant funding of up to £10,000 to help develop these ideas.

All grants are now open.

https://neighbourhoodplanning.org/about/grant-funding/#affordablehousing

Covid-19 Response Fund – National Heritage Memorial Fund

Launched in June 2021, this funding stream offers project grants to support any heritage asset which is:

• of outstanding importance to the national heritage
• at risk due to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)

A total of £40million is being distributed by NHMF, made up of two lots of £20m:

• NHMF has made a commitment of £20m, which is available to applicants from across the UK.
• A £20m Cultural Assets Fund has been made available by DCMS as part of the government’s wider Culture Recovery Fund. This funding will safeguard nationally important heritage assets within England.

Distributing NHMF’s own commitment as a single fund with the Cultural Assets Fund aims to ensure a UK-wide balance of funding.

This funding is available until the end of April 2023. There are no deadlines for applications.

COVID-19 Response Fund | National Heritage Memorial Fund (nhmf.org.uk)

Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme – Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme is a part of Defra’s Agricultural Transition Plan.

It will offer funding to farmers and land managers in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), National Parks and the Broads. It is not an agri-environment scheme.

The programme will fund projects that:

• support nature recovery
• mitigate the impacts of climate change
• provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage
• support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses

The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme has been developed by Defra with the support of Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and National Park staff from across England.

The programme runs from July 2021 to March 2024.

Get funding for farming in protected landscapes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

England Woodland Creation Offer – Forestry Commission

Landowners, land managers and public bodies can apply to the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) for support to create new woodland, including through natural colonisation, on areas as small as 1 hectare. EWCO opened for applications on 9 June 2021 and replaces the Woodland Carbon Fund, which closed for applications in March 2021.

The grant is administered by the Forestry Commission and is funded through the Nature for Climate Fund.

There are four types of payments available under EWCO:

• support for the capital items and activities to establish new woodland, at 100% of standard costs
• 10 years of annual Maintenance Payments to help establish the young trees once the capital works are complete
• contribution towards the actual cost of installing infrastructure to either enable the current and future management of the woodland, or to provide recreational access
• optional Additional Contributions where the location of the woodland and its design will deliver public benefits. You can apply for multiple Additional Contributions on the same land where it touches the right spatial layer and the design is compatible

EWCO is a criteria-based, competitive scheme, with funding offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

England Woodland Creation Offer - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Energy Redress Scheme – Energy Saving Trust

Energy Saving Trust has been appointed by Ofgem to distribute payments from energy companies who may have breached rules. The funds can pay for anything from making a home more energy efficient, to providing advice that helps consumers keep on top of their bills.

Energy Saving Trust has developed an open application process for charities seeking funding from the Energy Redress Scheme. Successful projects will be selected with input from an independent panel of experts and could cover a range of locations across England, Scotland and Wales.

The amount of funding available through the scheme varies throughout the year and will be reviewed on a quarterly basis in October, January, April and July. Eligible charities that have registered interest in the scheme will be notified when funds become available.

The minimum grant that can be requested is £20,000 and the maximum amount is the lesser of £2 million or the total value of the current fund.

The scheme can fund projects lasting up to two years, can fund 100 per cent of the project cost and can cover revenue and capital measures.

Round 13 of the Energy Redress Scheme is expected to open shortly. The previous round included the following elements:

• The Main Fund aimed at projects seeking grants between £50,000 and £750,000 that will support energy consumers in vulnerable situations.
• The Small Project Fund aimed at projects seeking grants of between £20,000 and £49,999 that will support energy consumers in vulnerable situations.
• Innovation Fund aimed at projects that will develop innovative products or services to benefit energy consumers. Applicants can apply for grants between £50,000 and £500,000.
• Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund is targeted at projects that can help domestic energy consumers participate in the just transition to Net Zero CO2 emissions. The fund awards grants between £50,000 and £500,000.

https://energyredress.org.uk/apply-funding

Garfield Weston Foundation

The Foundation supports UK registered charities working within the UK in the areas of Welfare, Youth, Community, Arts, Faith, Environment, Education, Health and Museums & Heritage.

The Foundation awards grants for Capital, Project and Revenue costs. Where they already have a funding history with you, the Trustees may consider a multi-year request for up to three years, provided you can demonstrate that a longer term commitment will add value to your organisation’s objectives.

There are no deadlines for applications under £100,000. Grants above this level are reviewed at one of 8 board meetings a year.

Grant Programmes - Garfield Weston Foundation

FCC Community Action Fund

The FCC Community Action Fund provides grants of between £2,000 and £100,000 to not-for-profit organisations for amenity projects eligible under Object D of the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF).

The following types or organisation can apply:

• Registered Charity which operates a community facility
• A Church or Parochial Church Council
• A Parish or Town Council or a Management Committee or User Association acting on behalf of a Parish or Town Council
• A Local Authority
• A CASC Registered Sports Club

Only applications for projects sited within 10 miles of an eligible FCC Environment waste facility can be accepted, you can check if you are located near an eligible site on their website.

The next round of applications opens on 15 December and closes on 2 March 2022.

FCC Community Action Fund / FCC (fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk)

Morrisons Foundation

The Morrisons Foundation awards grant funding for charity projects which make a positive difference in local communities. From support groups to children’s hospitals and homeless shelters to hospices, the grants aim to provide vital funding for good causes across England, Scotland and Wales.

In the main grants are available to fully fund projects up to £25,000.

Morrison Foundation Making a difference to people's lives (morrisonsfoundation.com)

Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme – Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

The Government is providing up to £210m worth of voucher funding as immediate help for people suffering from slow broadband speeds in rural areas.

Vouchers worth up to £1,500 for homes and £3,500 for businesses help to cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband to people’s doorsteps.

The new UK Gigabit Voucher launched in April 2021 and is only available through a supplier who is registered with the scheme. 

You can check whether your premises is eligible for a voucher, find a list of registered suppliers, and see those who are active in your area on the website below.

https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/

Lloyds Bank Foundation

The Foundation fund small and local charities, investing in their work helping people overcome complex social issues across England and Wales. They support charities with an annual income of £25,000 to £1 million with a proven track record of helping people on a journey of positive change through in-depth, holistic and person-centred support. The Foundation offer unrestricted funding, including around core costs, and tailored development support to help your charity be more effective.

The priority complex social issues are:

• Addiction and dependency
• Asylum seekers and refugees
• Care leavers
• Domestic abuse
• Homeless and vulnerably housed
• Learning disabilities
• Mental health
• Offending, prison or community service
• Sexual abuse and exploitation
• Trafficking and modern slavery
• Young parents

We Fund (lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk)

Transforming Places through Heritage Grants – Architectural Heritage Fund

This programme supports projects that will contribute to the transformation of high streets and town centres in England helping them become thriving places, strengthening local communities and encouraging local economies to prosper.  It is part of a wider initiative to revive heritage high streets in England, alongside Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zones.

This programme is for individual heritage buildings in, or transferring to, community ownership. They will support charities and social enterprises to develop projects with the potential to bring new life to high streets by creating alternative uses for redundant or underused historic buildings in town centres.

A range of grants are available:

• Project Viability Grants: up to £15,000, for early viability and feasibility work, open now for applications.
• Project Development Grants: up to £100,000, for capital project development costs, open now for applications.
• Crowdfunding Challenge Grants: up to £25,000, to match fund crowdfunding campaigns, open now for applications.
• Community Shares Booster Grants: supporting community share offers with development grants and matched investment.

http://ahfund.org.uk/england

Awards for All, Reaching Communities and Partnerships – The National Lottery Community Fund

The National Lottery Community Fund is open to all applications that meet their criteria, including support during COVID-19. With the COVID-19 pandemic still with us, they'll continue to support people and communities most adversely impacted by COVID-19. They can support you to:

• continue to deliver activity, whether you're supporting your existing users, responding to the immediate crisis or undertaking recovery activity
• change and adapt, becoming more resilient in order to respond to new and future challenges.

The Awards for All programme can provide between £300 and £10,000 for up to one year. The Reaching Communities programme offers larger amounts of funding (over £10,000) for up to 5 years. The Partnerships programme also offers a larger amount of funding (over £10,000) for organisations that work together with a shared set of goals to help their community thrive – whether that’s a community living in the same area, or people with similar interests or life experiences.

https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/covid-19/learn-about-applying-for-emergency-funding-in-england

Small Grants Scheme – Foyle Foundation

This Small Grants Scheme is designed to support charities registered and operating in the United Kingdom, especially those working at grass roots and local community level, in any field, across a wide range of activities.

Online applications can be accepted from charities that have an annual turnover of less than £150,000 per annum. Larger or national charities will normally not be considered under this scheme. 

The focus will be to make one-year grants only to cover core costs or essential equipment, to enable ongoing service provision, homeworking, or delivery of online digital services to charities that can show financial stability.

The priority will be to support local charities still active in their communities which are currently delivering services to the young, vulnerable, elderly, disadvantaged or the general community either directly or through online support if possible.

Grants are available between £1000 and £10,000.

Small Grants Scheme - (foylefoundation.org.uk)

Return to Play Fund – Sport England

There are two parts to this new fund which remain open.

• Return to Play: Small Grants – makes awards of between £300 and £10,000, from a total pot of £10m, to help sport and activity groups, clubs and organisations respond to the immediate challenges of returning to play in a coronavirus-safe way. Following national restrictions in November, it also offers up to £2,000 awards towards the running costs of organisations supporting the most deprived communities. The Fund will close on 23 December 2021.
• Return to Play: Active Together – is a crowdfunding initiative that can match fund, up to £10,000, successful Crowdfunder campaigns from a pot of £1.5m. The partnership with Crowdfunder also includes advice, guidance and training to help create a successful campaign.

https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/coronavirus/funding-innovation-and-flexibility

National Lottery Project Grants – Arts Council England

National Lottery Project Grants is an open access programme for arts, libraries and museums projects. The fund supports thousands of individual artists, community and cultural organisations.

Individual artists and practictioners, community and cultural organisations, museums and libraries can all apply. National Lottery Project Grants is open all the time, there are no deadlines.

Grants of between £1000 and £100,000 are available.

https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/projectgrants

Financial support for businesses during coronavirus – Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Public Health England

You can find out more details about the government’s support for businesses through this website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19

Rural Community Energy Fund – Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

The Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) is a £10 million programme which supports rural communities in England to develop renewable energy projects, which provide economic and social benefits to the community.

RCEF provides support to rural communities in 2 stages:

• stage 1: grants of up to £40,000 for a feasibility study for a renewable energy project
• stage 2: grants of up to £100,000 for business development and planning of feasible schemes

RCEF is being run by 5 regional Local Energy Hubs. If you would like to register your interest for the scheme, or would like further information, please contact the relevant hub for your area.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rural-community-energy-fund

Veterans’ Foundation grants

Many armed forces charities struggle to raise sufficient funding to support serving and former members of the British Armed Forces’ and sometimes their dependants who are in need. The Veterans' Foundation has been created to establish a new and nationwide source of funding to help these charities.  It acquires its funds through the Veterans’ Lottery and donations.

The trustees of the Veterans' Foundation will disburse funds to Armed Forces charities and charitable activities.

They will support projects that:

• Reduce homelessness
• Increase employment
• Provide welfare and medical support
• Increase confidence and social integration
• Reduce dependence on drugs and alcohol
• Support other charitable activities that may be needed

You can apply for grants of any sum up to a maximum of £30K. Trustees will also consider a bid for a spread grant, i.e. £30K as £10K for each of the next three years. Please note that the trustees are likely to award more small grants than large grants. They will consider a range of factors including the service or item being applied for, the number of beneficiaries, the importance of the grant to the applicant charity and the needs of the beneficiaries.

https://www.veteransfoundation.org.uk/

Church Conservation Grants – Morris Fund

Grants between £500 and £5000 are awarded to churches, chapels and other places of worship in the United Kingdom for the conservation of decorative features and monuments, but not for structural repairs.

Grants will be awarded to support smaller programmes of work concerned with the conservation of decorative or non-structural features such as:

• stained glass windows
• sculpture
• furniture
• internal monuments and tombs
• wall paintings

The decorative feature, monument, etc must date from no later than 1896 (the year of William Morris’s death). The next deadline for applications is 31 March 2022.

https://www.sal.org.uk/grants/morris-fund-conservation-grants/

Heritage Impact Fund – Architectural Heritage Fund

The HIF offers tailored finance for charities, social enterprises and community businesses across the UK to develop sustainable heritage at the very heart of vibrant local economies.

Loans from £25,000 to £500,000 are available for up to five years with tailored terms and both flexible and incentivised interest rates for impactful projects. These could include both capital and interest repayment holidays.

HIF supports applicants across the UK who are undertaking a capital project or are looking to build upon or scale-up an existing enterprise.

The HIF is a joint initiative with contributions from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Cadw and the Architectural Heritage Fund.

http://ahfund.org.uk/hif

Emergency Essentials Programme – BBC Children in Need

Family Fund Business Services are working in collaboration with BBC Children in Need to deliver the Emergency Essentials programme supporting children and young people living with severe poverty as well as additional pressures such as domestic violence, disability or poor health in the family.

The programme can deliver or fund critical items such as:

• Gas or electric cookers
• Essential household items
• Furniture and kitchen equipment
• Children’s beds and bedding
• Washing machines
• Fridges and freezers
• Baby equipment
• Clothing in exceptional or emergency situations.

Applications must be completed by a registered referrer who is part of an organisation that is supporting the family or young person and capable of assessing their needs.

https://www.familyfundservices.co.uk/emergency-essentials/

HS2 Community and Business Funds – Groundwork UK

Two funds are available to local communities to help with the disruption that will be caused by the construction of Phase one of HS2 between London and the West Midlands; the Community and Environment Fund and the Business and Local Economy Fund. The objective of these funds is to add benefit, over and above committed mitigation and statutory compensation, to communities and local economies along the route.

The administration of these funds is managed on behalf of HS2 Ltd by the charity Groundwork who will ensure both funds remain available for applications throughout the construction of Phase One.

https://www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/hs2funds

BlueSpark Foundation grants

Schools, colleges and community groups in England can apply for grants to Blue Spark Foundation for a wide range of projects. The Foundation value academic, vocational, artistic and sporting endeavour in equal measure but are particularly keen to support projects which will help enhance the self-confidence, team working skills and future employability of children and young people.

Many grants will be under £2,000 and none are more than £5,000.

Projects which could be supported include drama, music, sport, art and design, debating, public speaking, academic education, vocational training, community projects, enterprise projects and educational excursions. This list is illustrative and not exclusive as to the types of project that the Foundation support.

http://bluesparkfoundation.org.uk/

Family Fund – The Family Fund Trust for families with severely disabled children

The Family Fund helps families across the UK who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young person aged 17 or under. You can apply to Family Fund subject to a number of criteria which include that you are the parent or carer of a disabled or seriously ill child or young person aged 17 or under and that you have evidence of entitlement to one of the following: Universal Credit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Employment Support Allowance, Housing Benefit and Pension Credit.

See the website for more details.

https://www.familyfund.org.uk/

Landfill Communities Fund – SUEZ Communities Trust

SUEZ Communities Trust (formerly SITA) provides funding awards of up to £50,000 to not-for-profit organisations to undertake work that is eligible under the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF). Applications are considered for three areas of work which qualify for funding through the LCF. These include:

• Public Amenities
• Historic Buildings, Structures or Sites
• Biodiversity

Projects can be supported that make physical improvements at sites located in any of 100 funding zones around qualifying sites owned by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK.

http://www.suezcommunitiestrust.org.uk/

Help the Homeless grants

Help the Homeless makes grants to charitable organisations with the aim of helping homeless people return to the community and enabling them to resume a normal life. Grants are available to small and medium-sized charitable organisations to fund the capital costs of projects with grants of up to £5,000. The quarterly deadlines for grant applications each year are: 15 March, 15 June, 15 September and 15 December.

http://www.help-the-homeless.org.uk/

Grants to support repair and conservation of war memorials – War Memorials Trust

War Memorials Trust grants support repair and conservation works undertaken following best conservation practice. Almost all war memorials are eligible for support and custodians/owners can find information about eligibility and processes on the website.

Grants are available between 25% and 75% of eligible costs and are likely to be considered up to a maximum grant of £5,000 for non-freestanding war memorials while freestanding, non-beneficiary war memorials may be considered up to a maximum grant of £30,000. There is no minimum award. 

War Memorials Trust seeks to help all war memorial custodians, whatever the nature and size of their war memorial by facilitating repair and conservation projects. Details on current eligibility and deadline dates as well as how to apply can be found at the web address below.

http://www.warmemorials.org/grants/

Football Foundation grants

The Football Foundation provides grants for building or refurbishing grassroots facilities, such as changing rooms, 3G pitches, fencing, portable floodlights, pitch improvements and clubhouse refurbishment. The Fund is available to football clubs, schools, councils and local sports associations and gives grants for projects that:

• Improve facilities for football and other sport in local communities.
• Sustain or increase participation amongst children and adults, regardless of background age, or ability.
• Help children and adults to develop their physical, mental, social and moral capacities through regular participation in sport.

Grants are available for between £10,000 and £500,000.

http://www.footballfoundation.org.uk/funding-schemes/premier-league-the-fa-facilities-fund/