Funding Bulletin – January 2026

Happy New Year. Welcome to the quarterly Imagine This Funding Bulletin. This provides a summary of funding opportunities with links to the funders website and details of forthcoming deadlines. Some of the funding is currently closed. These are included because they are regular funders and likely to re-open for applications in future, dates are given where these are known. Check the funders websites to sign up for updates and announcements of new funding rounds. 

The funding opportunities in the Funding Bulletin are themed around the five Imagine This Impact Groups: 

🔴 More spaces to hang out
🟣 Reduced stress and anxiety
🔵 Greater access for all
🟡 Safer streets
🟢 Ways to protect our environment 

There is an additional category themed around social action by young people 📣 and a link to Grants for Early Years and Schools produced by Devon County Council. Also, a section on Torbay Council grants available to community groups and organisations working with children and young people. There is also information about the Powered by Youth: Outcomes and Actions dates on Tuesday 13th January and Wednesday 14th January 2026 inspired by the Powered by Youth event in the summer. These are about moving into action inspired by young people. Contact Lisa Money for more information. 

Table of Contents

Youth Funding News

The National Youth Agency has welcomed the first National Youth Strategy in 20 years, pledging over £500 million investment to rebuild youth services over the next decade. It comes after local government spending on youth services fell by 73% between 2010/11 and 2022/23, with more than 1,000 youth centres closing and over 4,500 youth worker roles being lost. The £500 million includes: 

  • £350 million to build or upgrade 250 youth facilities via the Better Youth Spaces programme 
  • £15 million over three years for youth workers, volunteers, and other trusted adults, to ensure that half a million more young people have access to a trusted adult outside of their home by 2035.
  • £5 million over three years to support local and regional youth infrastructure.   

This investment is undoubtedly welcome but before anyone gets too carried away, £15 million on youth work equates to £98,039 across the 153 upper tier local authorities in England, or £9,804 every year over 10 years. Young people have consistently said over the decades they want safe spaces to socialise and be with friends outside the home and school and more funding for youth workers. The voluntary sector will continue to have a vital role in providing these spaces for the foreseeable future.  

More Spaces to Hang Out

🔴 ASDA FOUNDATION: LOCAL COMMUNITY SPACES FUND – Grants of between £10,000 and £20,000 for charities and not-for-profit organisations that benefit local people supporting grassroots community groups to transform spaces at the heart of their local community. 

Deadline: opens Spring 2026. 

🔴 THE ASHWORTH CHARITABLE TRUST – Grants usually up to £3,000 (and occasionally £5,000) are available to UK registered charities with an annual turnover of under £500,000 that are working in the UK and/or overseas on projects that address humanitarian causes. The Trust gives priority to smaller UK charities. In the past, grants have been awarded to: 

  • Holidays for disadvantaged children. 
  • Youth clubs, especially in disadvantaged areas. 

Deadline: applications are considered bi-annually, end of February for May meeting, end August for November.  

🔴 THE ASTOR FOUNDATION – Small grants, usually for between £250 and £1,500, are available to UK registered charities for medical research in its broadest sense, as well initiatives for children and youth groups, the disabled, the countryside, the arts, sport, carers groups and animal welfare. 

Deadline: applications received by the 28th February will be considered at the Spring meeting, and those received by 31st August will be considered at the Autumn meeting.  

🔴 AWARDS FOR ALL ENGLAND (THE NATIONAL LOTTERY COMMUNITY FUND) – Grants of between £300 and £20,000 for up to 2 years are available to a wide range of not-for-profit organisations in England, including registered charities, Community Interest Companies and town and parish councils, for projects that improve local communities, inclusive of helping to alleviate the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. The overarching aims of the Awards for All England programme are to: 

  • Build strong relationships in and across communities. 
  • Help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage. 
  • Improve the places and spaces that matter to communities, and 
  • Support people, communities and organisations that are facing increased demands and challenges as a direct result of the cost-of-living crisis. 

Grants can be spent over a 24-month period, with no matched funding requirement, and can be used for: 

  • An organisation’s running costs. 
  • Equipment. 
  • One-off events. 
  • Small land or refurbishment projects. 
  • Staffing costs. 
  • Training costs. 
  • Transport. 
  • Utilities, and/or 
  • Volunteer expenses. 

Deadline: Applications may be made at any time, with a 16 week decision time. 

🔴 BBC CHILDREN IN NEED (CORE AND PROJECT GRANTS) – Grant schemes for organisations working with vulnerable children and young people aged 18 and under:  

  • Core Grants – to support organisations for up to 3 years towards an organisation’s central operational and running costs. The maximum grant is £120,000 (or up to £40,000 over 3 years), although the majority of grants are for much less than this. Charities are able to spend its core organisational costs funding flexibly on their central running and operational costs. This might include management and administration, general office costs, accountancy and audit, fundraising, and governance/compliance costs. 
  • Project Grants – to support the aims and delivery of a specific piece of work. This work will usually be time-limited, and based on a defined set of activities. As with the Core Grants scheme, Project Grants can support organisations for up to 3 years. The maximum grant is £120,000 (or up to £40,000 over 3 years), although most awards will be for much less than this. 

Deadline: Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

🔴 THE BLUE SPARK FOUNDATION – Grants averaging £1,500 are available to charities, schools, community groups and clubs in England for the education and development of children and young people. 

The Blue Spark Foundation is a registered charity which supports the education and development of children and young people by providing grants for educational, cultural, sporting and other projects. 

The Foundation provides funding for relatively small-scale projects which might not happen at all or would only happen on a lesser scale without the support of Blue Spark. Funding provided by Blue Spark must be crucial to a project rather than marginally incremental to its funding.   

Featured on the Blue Spark website is how Riviera Education Trust used an award to organise and host a children’s parliament. More information here.  

Deadline: applications may be made at any time and are considered on a rolling basis at approximately 8-week intervals’. 

🔴 THE CHILDRENS ALLIANCE – grants up to £15,000 are available to schools, registered charities, community interest companies and community groups to give children and young people under 18 access to water for learning, developing essential life skills and playing. The majority of grants awarded are under £10,000. The Alliance is looking for projects that build children’s confidence and resilience, both physically and emotionally. They prioritise grass roots initiatives delivering projects for disadvantaged children. 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time but are considered twice a year in March and September. 

🔴 CO-OP LOCAL COMMUNITY FUND  - Small revenue and project grants of between £1,000 and £3,000 are available for projects that benefit local communities in areas in which Co-op food stores and funeral homes have a presence in the UK. Applications are welcomed from Churches or Chapels that are excepted charities (that means they do not need to register with the Charities Commission), Co-operative Societies, Community Benefit Societies, Community Interest Companies, Credit Unions, Registered Charities in the UK or Isle of Man, Social Enterprises, Scout, Guide or Woodcraft Folk groups, Any other group that can prove that they are not-for-profit. You must also provide a Co-op membership number for one of the people making the application. 

You can apply if your project helps people to thrive in one of the following ways: 

  • enables people to access food 
  • creates opportunities for young people 
  • improves people’s mental wellbeing 
  • promotes community cohesion 
  • builds sustainable futures  

More details about project eligibility here. 

Deadline: the next applications window will open Spring 2026. Previous deadline 6th July 2025.  

🔴 THE CPF TRUST – Grants, generally for under £3,000, are available to UK registered charities working in the UK (and occasionally overseas) for general charitable purposes. Charities working in the fields of animal welfare, children and young people, Citizens Advice, education, health and hospices are regularly supported. While the CPF Trust has the ability to support a broad range of charitable purposes, UK registered charities working in the following fields are often supported: 

  • Advice services, particularly Citizens Advice. 
  • Animal welfare. 
  • Children and young people. 
  • Education. 
  • Health, and 
  • Hospices. 

Deadline: applications must be submitted between 1st June and 30th September.  

🔴 DEVON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION – Offers grants for organisations that are tackling inequalities and strengthening communities in Devon (including Torbay). DCF hold a number of funds which may be ringfenced for particular locations, issues or groups of people. In recent years groups could apply for up to £5,000 from the Small Grants Fund. Some funds are available throughout the year, while others are only available during certain periods. Grants have been awarded to several groups working with children and young people in Torbay over the years. 

From June 2025, DCF have introduced a new process for allocating funding to community organisations. The Foundation has an extensive database of community groups and charities and will use this to identify those that fit the funds that are available at any time. DCF will then invite relevant organisations to submit an application. There are a number of links explaining the process and the rationale behind the new system, available here.   

If you have submitted an application to Devon Community Foundation since 1 January 2023, successful or not, you will already be on their list and will be considered for all funding on a rolling basis. You can view a list of all the groups on the DCF database as of 19th July 2025, along with the last application date here. You are advised to check you are on the list. 

If you haven’t applied to DCF before, to be considered for funding, you will need to register with them via their ‘Getting to Know You’ page on the DCF website. You will need to complete the eligibility checker on the web page before being invited to complete the ‘Getting to Know You’ form. This will ask a few questions about what your group does, where, and with whom. Once you have submitted this form you will be added to the DCF database and they will get in touch when relevant funding becomes available. You are also advised to do this if there have been changes since your last application. 

Deadline: to be advised by invitation. 

🔴 D’OYLY CARTE CHARITABLE TRUST – Grants are revenue only and are usually in the range £500 to £6,000 available to registered charities that are seeking funding towards core costs or projects in the UK in the following areas: 

  • Advancement of the arts: access and participation in the arts with an emphasis on choirs and singing to bring people together, performance arts, music and drama projects for young people 
  • Health and medical welfare: music and art therapy, alleviating suffering for people with medical conditions, support for carers particularly young carers 
  • Environmental protection or improvement: social and therapeutic horticulture to support mental wellbeing, environmental activities for people with disabilities, conservation activities that provide positive changes for young people at the margins of society, rural crafts and skills in heritage conservation 

Deadline: Wednesday 21st January 2026. 

🔴 THE GOSLING FOUNDATION – Grants, generally between £5,000 and £20,000, are available to UK registered charities and Community Interest Companies (CICs). The Gosling Foundation funds organisations that provide positive opportunities and support for disadvantaged an marginalised young people, enabling them to make best use of their talents, build self-sufficiency and confidence, as well as providing tangible long term outcomes.  

Deadline: applications may be made at any time.  

🔴 THE HAYS TRAVEL FOUNDATION – Grants, generally for under £6,000, are available to registered charities providing services in parts of the UK where Hays Travel operates. Grants are awarded to charities that are supporting disadvantaged children and young people aged up to 25 through arts and culture, education, health, the prevention of poverty, and sport. There Hays branches in Torquay: Union Street and Ilsham Road, Wellswood, Torquay and Hyde Road, Paignton. 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

🔴 HENRY SMITH HOLIDAY GRANTS FOR CHILDREN – Grants of between £500 and £2,750 are available for UK youth clubs, charities, not-for-profit groups and schools to provide recreational trips or holidays for children aged 13 years and younger who live in an area of high deprivation and are experiencing disability or disadvantage. This could be camping, adventure activities or visits to the seaside. 

Deadline: Applications for trips between 12 January and 30 April 2026 are open from 9am, 1 December 2025 and 19 March 2026. Applications for trips between 1 May and 30 September 2026 are open from 20 March and 19 August 2026. Applications for trips between 1 October and 31 December 2026 are open from 20 August and 19 November 2026. 

🔴 THE HUGO BURGE FOUNDATION – Is a new charity dedicated to supporting the arts, crafts and creative industries across the UK. The foundation has issued its first call for applications for funding. Two funds are open to applications from anywhere in the UK: 

  • Creative Education – up to £15,000 for people, schools and arts and culture organisations that are creating opportunities for young people (0-29) to engage and build their creative skills and knowledge. 
  • Creative Communities – up to £15,000 for organisations, festivals, fairs and community groups that develop and deliver initiatives focusing on culture and creative arts in their local area. 

Funding from the Hugo Burge Foundation is for revenue costs only. The foundation is offering some of its funding as multi-year grants (up to three years). There will be two funding rounds each year – one in May and one in September. 

Deadline: currently closed. Previous application round 1st September to 30th September 2025. 

🔴 NEWBY TRUST – Offer grants, usually in the range between £2,000 and £10,000 depending upon the size of your charity, to enable young people to access artistic and sporting activities, to nurture ability and talent, to improve the quality of life and health for disadvantaged groups, and to protect the environment. 

Deadline: an introductory email may be sent to the Trust at any time. 

🔴 THE PERCY BILTON CHARITY: GRANTS FOR ORGANISATIONS – Large Grants for capital items of between £2,000 and £5,000 are available to UK registered charities and Small Grants for up to £750 for charities, individuals and community groups working in the areas of supporting disadvantaged young people aged under 25, people with a physical or learning disability, and older people aged 60 and over. Individuals may also apply for a grant. The priorities for the disadvantaged/underprivileged young people (under 25 years of age) strand are: 

  • Supported housing schemes and educational and training projects to encourage disadvantaged young people who may be homeless and/or unemployed away from crime, substance/alcohol misuse and homelessness, and 
  • Facilities for recreational activities and outdoor pursuits specifically for young people who are educationally or socially underprivileged or disadvantaged. 

Deadline: applications for a Large Grant may be submitted at any time and are considered at the next appropriate Board meeting. Applications for Small Grants are considered monthly. 

🔴 THE PAWPRINT TRUST – Grants from £50 to £1,000 are available for individuals, charities and/or other organisations for children and young people aged 11-25 in the UK for recreational and leisure time activities that develop their skills, capacities, and capabilities, and enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals. In particular, the Trust wants to help fund a young person’s “adventure of a lifetime”. 

Deadline: Tuesday 31st March 2026. 

🔴 POSTCODE LOCAL TRUST – Community Interest Companies, Community Benefit Societies and Registered Charities can apply for £500 to £25,000; constituted voluntary organisations, excepted and exempt charities, companies limited by guarantee with an asset lock and parochial church councils can apply for £500 to £2,500 for the following projects and activities related to the themes: 

  • enabling participation in physical activity 
  • enabling participation in the arts 
  • preventing or reducing the impact of poverty 
  • supporting marginalised groups and tackling inequality 
  • improving biodiversity and responding to the climate emergency 
  • improving green spaces and increasing access to the outdoors 
  • providing support to improve mental health (for organisations actively supporting specific mental health issues) 

Priority will be given to: 

  • organisations with an annual income of £250,000 and below 
  • projects for communities that rank as being within the top 15% in the English Indices of Deprivation 
  • groups that are led by and provide services for communities experiencing racial inequity, people with disabilities or LGBT+ communities 

Deadline: currently closed. There are three funding rounds per year with a one week window. The next time Postcode Local will be open for applications will be in the 2026 funding rounds. 

🔴 SANCTUARY HOUSING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES FUND – Small grants of up to £1,000 are available to charities, voluntary and community organisations and residents’ group that are working in the interest of Sanctuary Housing for community initiatives which make a difference to the lives of its residents. The key objective of the Investing in Communities Strategy is development of successful and sustainable communities in the areas where we operate:  

  • Supporting people to create conditions in which they can thrive and adapt to adversity in a positive way. 
  • Helping people to maintain and build relationships, increase connections with others, and feel part of their community. 
  • Supporting community groups to access funding, advice, peer networks and training. 

Crafty Fox a community youth space in Paignton is featured as a case study in the Sanctuary Housing Community Investment Strategy and quotes approvingly from Cormac Russell, one of the leading thinkers behind Asset Based Community Development, the approach used by Torbay Communities. 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

🔴 THE SCOPS ARTS TRUST – aims to give people of all ages opportunities to access, participate in and enjoy the arts (particularly performing arts). The Trust considers music education and engagement projects for children. They are interested in programmes which give children and young people opportunities to Learn, Create, Experience and Progress. They have a particular interest in applications which concentrate on teaching instrumental playing. (Choirs are excluded as are projects with the primary purpose of health, therapy or social welfare.) 

The Trust generally awards upwards from a few hundred pounds. In exceptional circumstances they have awarded multi-year grants up to £15,000 per year.   Most grants are a for specific projects, but the Trust will also contribute towards the core costs of smaller organisations where a grant could make an impact. 

The Trust accepts applications from registered charities. However, they may also consider applications from community groups and other constituted not for profit organisations. 

Deadline: Children’s and young people’s music education opens 1st September and closes 15th September 2026. 

🔴 SPORT ENGLAND: MOVEMENT FUND – Small grants of between £300 and £15,000 are available to organisations in England to get more people active, reduce the number of inactive people and tackle inequalities. Grants can be used for activities that encourage people to become more active, such as cycling, dance, fitness activities, sport and walking. There is no matched funding requirement. Grants can be used for such things as: equipment, project delivery, training and upgrading or refurbishing facilities. 

Priority will be given to projects where there is the most need, especially those that provide opportunities for those facing barriers to activity, such as: disabled people or those with long-term health conditions, girls aged 5-16, LGBTQ+ people, older people, people from culturally diverse communities, people living on a low income, people in foster care, people who provide care without pay, and/or pregnant women and parents with very young children. 

Deadline: Applications may be made at any time. Sport England has stated that applicants should allow at least 6 weeks for applications to be processed. 

🔴 THE THREE MONKIES TRUST – Grants are available to registered charities in England working to provide activities which support disadvantaged children and young people aged under the age of 25 to develop skills and knowledge for life, music and performing arts education. The Trust provides grants for small to medium sized charities with an annual income of £500,000 or less that are operating primarily in the United Kingdom. The Three Monkies Trust wants want to help to reduce the disadvantages in children’s lives by providing small grants to support activities which: 

  • Support children and young people to develop skills and knowledge for life 
  • Offer practical support to enable children and young people to realise their full potential and get the maximum benefit from education and training 
  • Provide access to opportunities which increase resilience, self-reliance and the ability to exercise choice and control over their live.  

Deadline: applications received by end November will be reviewed in December/January and answered by the end of February. 

🔴 WARBURTONS FAMILY MATTERS COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAMME – Micro-grants up to £400 are available for not-for-profit organisations in England, Scotland and Wales for projects that benefit children and families. 

Deadline: the Community Grants Programme is currently under review. 

🔴 WISE MUSIC FOUNDATION – Provides small grants for a range of charitable activities – not necessarily music related. The focus of the funding is on children, the homeless and people living in poverty but the foundation also supports education, culture, arts and heritage, and health initiatives. 

The average grant is £1,500.  Charitable groups, voluntary and community organisations, and other not-for-profit groups in the UK may apply. The preference is to fund smaller charities. 

Deadline: applications are considered four times a year. Check the website for details. 

🔴 THE WOODWARD CHARITABLE TRUST SUMMER PLAY SCHEME GRANTS – Grants of between £500 and £2,000 are available for locally-based UK registered charities with an annual turnover of under £100,000 for children’s play schemes this summer. There is a matched funding requirement for the Trust’s Summer Play Scheme grants: the Trust will only funds up to 50% of the cost of providing a play scheme up to the maximum grant value of £2,000. Grants are made to charities that run summer play schemes for a period of at least 10 full days or more (alternatively, 2 weeks or 20 half days) across the summer holidays will be considered. Play Schemes should be inclusive and encourage integration by accepting those of differing abilities, social and ethnic backgrounds. Applications from charities that encourage past users to come back as volunteers are particularly welcomed, as are applications that can demonstrate that their play scheme makes a real impact in the local community.  The Trust tries to ensure its funding is distributed across the UK. 

Deadline: Children’s Summer Play scheme grants will be considered in May. In 2025 the Summer Play Schemes grant round closed at 12 noon on Friday 4th April. 

🔴 THE YOUTH MUSIC TRAILBLAZERS FUND – Offers grants of £2,000 to £30,000 to organisations in England to run projects for children and young people (25 or under) to make, learn and earn in music. The project should trial work for the first time, test a new way of working, or disrupt the status quo (or all three). The work must meet one the following  themes: 

  • Early years
  • Disabled, d/Deaf and neurodivergent young people
  • Youth justice system
  • Young people facing barriers
  • Young adults
  • Organisations and the workforce.

Deadline: Trailblazer Round 12 opens 13th March 2026 and closes 10th April 2026, 5pm for projects starting between September and November 2026. 

Reduce Stress & Anxiety

🟣 BUTTLE UK CHANCES FOR CHILDREN GRANT PROGRAMME – Grants of up to £2,000 are available for vulnerable children and young people across the UK aged 18 and under to improve their social and emotional wellbeing. Applications must be made by a frontline UK-based professional working with a vulnerable child or young person aged 18 or under. This can include such things as (please note that this is not an exclusive list): 

  • Clothing and school uniforms. 
  • Family activities. 
  • Items and activities that support learning and development such as laptops, books, wi-fi, educational toys and tuition, and 
  • Other household items that cannot be sourced from other providers. 

In order to qualify for a grant, a child or young person must: 

  • Be aged 18 and under if living with parent/carer, or 20 and under if living independently with little or no support from their family. 
  • Be living on a low income and experiencing financial hardship. 
  • Have experienced a crisis that has recently had a significant and enduring impact on their social wellbeing, their emotional wellbeing and their educational engagement, and 
  • The person or his/her family must have recently taken action to improve their situation, are actively engaging with support and are moving on from the crisis. 

 Deadline: application may be made at any time. 

🟣 THE HEALTH LOTTERY FOUNDATION – have announced they are distributing £751,180 across Britain this October to support young people live happy healthy lives. There is a list of projects awarded funding usually between £10,000 and £20,000. The fund is open to voluntary organisations working with young people around the following areas: 

  • Youth centres or outreach services that offer activities, mentoring or counselling to those that need it. 
  • Specialist support for children and young disabled people. 
  • Places that give children someone they can talk to, when they’re struggling to cope. 
  • Programmes that promote wellbeing and encourage engagement between young people and nature. 

Deadline: currently closed. The previous deadline was 27th June 2025. Sign up to their mailing list for future updates. 

🟣THE JAMES TUDOR FOUNDATION MENTAL HEALTH GRANTS PROGRAMME – Grants of up to £25,000 over 12 months are available to regional and national charities across the UK with an annual income of under £20 million that are helping children and young people recover from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and parents affected by ACEs, mental illness or addiction. The Foundation’s two areas of support are: 

  1. Support for children and young people – under this focus, the Foundation wants to partner with charities that solely support children and young people who have suffered one or more ACEs, and they do so through evidence-based, trauma-informed therapies. 
  2. Support for parents – under this focus, the Foundation wants to partner with specialist charities that solely focus on supporting parents and complex family challenges. 

Deadline: Board meetings are held 3 times a year. For the June Board meeting Expressions of Interest  open 5th January and close 6th February 2026. If invited to apply the full submission deadline is 24th April 2026. 

🟣THE KELLY FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST – Capital, revenue and core grants up to £5,000 are available to help establish recently formed UK registered charities that are working to nurture and support family life. 

The three areas of activity that the charity wishes to support are: 

  1. Families where sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence, alcohol abuse and drug abuse threaten the integrity of the family unit. 
  2. Interventions that support families and help them in ways that prevent the fracture of the family unit (for example, practical family support, relationship counselling, mediation), and 
  3. Prisoners – and in particular their families – during and after the period of imprisonment. 

Deadline: applications must be submitted by 1st March and 1st September. 

🟣KRISTINA MARTIN CHARITABLE TRUST – Registered charities that focus on supporting mental health and wellbeing can apply for a grant from the Kristina Martin Charitable Trust. Applications can be made by charities whose work supports those with mental health issues and provides support and activities which tackle, in particular but not exclusively, suicide, online bullying and grief, and which foster hope and resilience. 

In the previous grant round, a total budget of £240,000 was allocated to activities covered by the following specific grant themes: 

  • breaking the link between homelessness and poor mental health – for charities that provide housing support for people who are presently homeless and ongoing support for improvement of mental health 
  • reducing the effects of social media on mental health – for charities that create effective pathways from online to physical community participation, for example through volunteering, peer/influencer/educator, or paid work 
  • reducing social isolation – for charities that own or operate a community hub that provides support services and activities that support mental health and address loneliness in their community 
  • improving mental health outcomes for children and young people – for projects that improve early identification of mental health concerns and improve the provision of resources and activities to support positive mental health experiences 

UK registered charities with an income under £1million can apply. Full list of organisations supported on p.11 of Annual Accounts, £9,000 awarded to each organisation. The website reports they received over 400 applications totalling £6.25 million for £240,000 funding available. 

Deadline: currently closed. Previously open from 24th October to 12th December 2025. 

🟣THE LEATHERSELLERS’ FOUNDATION: MAIN GRANTS PROGRAMME – Unrestricted Core Grants of between £20,000 and £25,000 for 1-4 years are available to UK registered charities, with a turnover between £200,000 and £2 million, to help prevent and tackle the consequences of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The term ACEs is used to recognise traumatic events that occur during childhood that can have a significant impact on a person’s physical, emotional and mental health throughout their life, such as (please note that this is not an exclusive list): 

  • Abuse – physical, sexual or psychological/emotional  
  • Domestic abuse  
  • Having a close family member serve time in prison  
  • Mental illness of a close family member  
  • Neglect – physical or psychological/emotional  
  • Parental or caregiver separation or divorce on account of relationship breakdown, and/or  
  • Substance misuse by a close family member. 

Deadline: closed until 2026. 

🟣THE MAGDALEN HOSPITAL TRUST – Grants, usually one-off, tend to range from £500 to £2,000 are available to promote the welfare of young people under the age of 25, who suffer from various effects of social deprivation, abuse, mental and physical disabilities, inadequate housing, lack of education or training, and the problems derived from unemployment and broken families. 

Interested charities should be working with vulnerable children and young adults, especially those at risk of sexual and other forms of exploitation. Projects should focus on training for work and personal development, clubs and play schemes, safeguarding education, mental health support and counselling and emergency care. 

Deadline: open for applications 3 times a year. The next round will open 1st February to 28th February 2026. 

🟣MASONIC CHARITABLE FOUNDATION CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE GRANTS PROGRAMME (DOMESTIC ABUSE) – Grants are available for registered charities working with children who have experienced domestic violence are more likely to struggle with mental health problems, low self-worth, develop unhealthy coping mechanisms and may begin to repeat behaviours seen in their domestic setting. Potential applicants must complete the online eligibility checker before making an expression of interest. 

The MCF is interested in funding projects that work with vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families towards the following outcomes: 

  • Learning coping strategies and tools to effectively handle challenges 
  • Increased self-esteem, resilience, confidence, and feelings of safety and wellbeing 
  • Families experience positive behavioural changes 
  • Children will have better relationships with their family and peers 
  • Decreased feelings of anxiety and isolation 
  • Improved engagement with education and other related support services 

There are two funding levels: 

  • Large grants between £10,000 and £60,000 which can be spread over three years. For projects with defined goals and budgets. Charities must have an annual income between £500,000 and £5 million 
  • Small unrestricted grants between £1,000 and £5,000 per year for up to three years. For charities with an income of between £25,000 and £500,000 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

🟣THE NORTHBROOK COMMUNITY TRUST – Offers grants to support to specialist children’s charities and organisations who are actively changing the lives of some of the most disadvantaged young people living in Devon today. The Trust typically supports Devon charities and organisations who focus upon the care, education, and training of children and young people under 25.  

Grant applications will need to be submitted at least fourteen working days before a meeting to be considered at that meeting. The Benefits & Communications sub-committee has authority to approve grants up to £7,500. Grants in excess of £7,500 need to be approved by the Board of Trustees. From the last published accounts no single grant exceeded £25,000. 

Turning Heads CIC and YMCA South Devon have recently been funded by the Northbrook Community Trust.  

Deadline: applications are considered throughout the year. Applications must be submitted 14 days  before the relevant meeting date. Check the website for details. 

🟣THE PAUL HAMLYN FOUNDATION YOUTH FUND – Core funding grants of up to £150,000 over 3 years are available to UK not-for-profit organisations whose main purpose is working with and for young people aged 14-25 who are facing a complex transition to adulthood. Core funding grants up to £150,000 (£50,000 per year) are available for organisations that: 

  • Seek to sustain, prepare to grow, or grow impact with and for young people. 
  • Put young people at the centre in terms of power, voice and agency – as part of an asset-based approach, starting with recognising and building on young people’s strengths and potential. 
  • Aim to achieve wide impact for young people (for example, going beyond direct delivery and focusing on systemic or structural change). 
  • Are committed to continuous improvement in asset-based approaches to working with and for young people, and 
  • Support young people who are facing complex transitions, challenges and barriers to accessing support and opportunities. Particularly young people who are socially excluded or marginalised; whose experiences can be hidden or less well known; and whose voices are often erased or ignored. 

Deadline: applications may be made at any time and are reviewed by the Foundation on an ongoing basis. The Foundation asks applicants to allow 4 months for their request to be processed. 

🟣THE PIXEL FUND – Grants of £2,500 to £5,000 are offered to registered charities to deliver projects and activities that make a measurable difference to children and young adults’ mental health and wellbeing. To apply, groups must first check Pixel’s eligibility checklist, before attending a Pixel Fund Applicants pre-meeting to discuss their ideas. Eligible charities are then required to complete an Eligibility Requirements questionnaire and due diligence form before being assessed and potentially invited to complete a full application.   Pixel Trust priorities charities with an annual income of less than £2 million. Typically, no single grant will be worth more than 5% of an organisation’s annual income. To apply, groups must first book a place at an applicant pre-meeting which will be held regularly throughout the year. 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time.  

🟣THE RAYNE FOUNDATION – Multi-year revenue grants up to 3 years and normally between £10,000 and £20,000 are available to UK registered charities and not-for-profit organisations supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the areas of young people’s mental health, arts as a mechanism for social change, carers and older people, and refugees and asylum seekers. Among the Foundation’s areas of interest are:  

  • Children and young people’s improved mental health and wellbeing  
  • Supporting early childhood (0-5 years including the perinatal period) with family/carer interventions aiming to reduce the impact of early childhood trauma.  
  • Supporting the care-experienced, those on the edge of care, or leaving care, with interventions that prioritise improved mental health and wellbeing. 

Deadline: applications may be made at any time. 

🟣THE SCHRODER CHARITY TRUST – Grants of up to £5,000 are available to UK registered charities with an annual income of between £150,000 and £1 million that enable children and young adults to achieve their potential in education and employment, as well as projects that strengthen communities and improve the life chances of vulnerable people. 

Deadline: application window dates for 2026 will be published on the website on 31st December 2025.  

🟣THE 7STARS FOUNDATION – Project grants up to £2,500 are available for smaller UK registered charities working with children and young people aged 16 and under in the areas of abuse, addiction, caring for sick and disabled adults, and homelessness. The Foundation offers grant funding across the following 4 strands: 

  • Project grants of up to £2,500 to cover the costs of projects that respond to one or more of the funding priorities of the 7stars Foundation. 
  • Grants for individuals – grants of up to £500 are available for individuals represented by a safeguarding, legal, social or outreach referee. Grants are to promote happiness, offer opportunity, or fulfil potential. 
  • Social Impact grants of up to £1,500 for three charities across the year for projects that align with various awareness days, and 
  • Shine Bright grants of up to £1,500 for registered charities to purchase educational, well-being, or recreational items for young people, aged 16 years old or under.  

Deadline: Sunday 1st February 2026. 

🟣THE TRUSTHOUSE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION SMALL GRANTS PROGRAMME – Revenue grants of between £2,000 and £10,000 are available to UK not-for-profit organisations, including Community Interest Companies, for local, grassroots community initiatives that help reduce deprivation in rural and urban communities. The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation operates a Small Grants Programme offering revenue grants of between £2,000 and £10,000, as well as a Major Grants Programme, which provides grants of between £10,000 and £100,000. This bulletin focuses on the Small Grants Programme.  The Foundation’s revenue grants can be used for core costs, salaries, running and projects costs. 

The Small Grants Programme is available to small and medium sized registered charities with an annual income of under £250,000 and not-for-profit organisations across the UK that are supporting local communities, particularly in deprived rural and urban areas. Ideally, applying organisations should be able to demonstrate that they have a track record of successful project delivery and that they are working directly with people in need. Examples of potential projects include (please note this is not an exclusive list): 

  • Alternative Education – support schemes for young people struggling in mainstream education; homework clubs; supplementary education classes for vulnerable individuals. 
  • Community Centres – salary or running costs for community centres or village halls which offer a range of activities for all ages. 
  • Community Services – information, advice and guidance services; community transport schemes; employability training; volunteering; healthy eating and living; foodbanks which support clients out of crisis into long-term sustainability; intergenerational projects, befriending, community cohesion. 
  • Counselling – for any age in areas where statutory services are unable to cope with demand. 
  • Family Support Services – early intervention; families coping with addiction; prisoners’ families. 
  • Substance Misuse – recovery projects. 
  • Training, mentoring, employment and volunteering opportunities, and 
  • Youth Clubs and detached youth work, after school and holiday clubs; opportunities for NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training). 

Eligible rural and urban areas are defined by the Foundation as: 

  1. Rural Areas – should have a population of under 10,000 residents in a village/town in England,Scotlandor Wales. The applicant organisations’ postcode must be ranked within the most deprived 50% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation. 
  2. Urban Areas – should have a population of more than 10,000 people in England,Scotlandor Wales. The applicant organisations’ postcode must be ranked within the most deprived 15% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation. 

Grants of between £2,000 and £10,000 are available for: 

  • Initiatives that strengthen local communities by empowering local people, bridging divides, building neighbourhood connection, encouraging community participation, and fostering inclusion. 
  • Projects that address causes of deprivation. 
  • Projects that create opportunities for disadvantaged individuals, and 
  • Small to medium-sized charities. The Foundation wants to support grassroots, community-based charities and voluntary organisations in the UK, with frontline experience of service delivery for vulnerable individuals. 

There is a matched funding expectation for the Small Grants Programme. Applicants will be required to have sought and secured a minimum of 50% of the total project cost from other sources prior to applying. 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time.  

Greater Access for ALL

🔵 THE ADAMSON TRUST (THE DISABLED CHILDREN’S HOLIDAY CHARITY) – Small grants, generally for £1,000 or less, are available for individuals, registered charities, charitable organisations and schools across the UK to assist with the cost of holidays or respite breaks for disabled children aged 3 to 17 years with physical, mental, or emotional impairments. Although the funding usually covers only a small portion of the total holiday cost, it can make a meaningful difference to the lives of children and their families. 

Deadline: The Trust has four application deadlines each year: 31st March, 30th June, 30th September, and 31st December. 

🔵 ASDA FOUNDATION: YOUNG FUTURES – Grants between £500 and £1,000 for not for profit groups improving mental health and wellbeing for teens (13-18 years) to help build better futures. 

Deadline: opens 6th January and closes 20th January 2026. 

🔵 THE BAILY THOMAS CHARITABLE FUND – Capital, core, research and revenue grants up to and over £10,000 are available to UK registered and exempt charities for the care and relief of children, young people and adults with learning disabilities in the UK. The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund provides Small Grants and General Grants for projects that assist the care and relief of people affected by a learning disability. Baily Thomas considers learning disability to cover the conditions generally referred to as severe learning difficulties, together with autism. Funding is available for projects that benefit children or adults. The Charity defines learning disability as: 

  • A need for support/help to fulfil ordinary daily activities. 
  • Having global intellectual impairment (an intelligence quotient of less than 70), and 
  • The learning disability was onset before the age of 18 years. 

Grants are available for capital or revenue costs and for both specific projects and general running and core costs. Research projects can also be funded. Normally one-off grants are awarded, but occasionally a new project may be funded over 2-3 years, subject to satisfactory reports of progress. 

The following funding is available: 

  • Small Grants: from £250 up to £10,000. 
  • General Grants: over £10,000. 

Matched funding isn’t always essential, but it may be expected in some instances, particularly for larger grant requests. Examples of the type of project that could be funded through the programme are (please note that this is not an exclusive list): 

  • Employment schemes, including woodwork, crafts, printing and horticulture. 
  • Play schemes and play therapy schemes. 
  • Refurbishment works for residential, respite care and schools, and 
  • Support for families, including respite schemes.  

Deadline: currently closed. The previous deadline was 31st December for the March meeting. 

🔵THE BARBARA WARD CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION – Grants, usually for between £1,000 and £15,000, are available for smaller, non-religious charities which are working to improve the lives of severely disadvantaged children and young people, as well as mentally handicapped adults in the UK and overseas. 

Deadline: applications for a grant may be made in writing at any time. 

🔵 THE BERNARD SUNLEY FOUNDATION – One-off grants, generally between £1,000 and £5,000, are available to registered and exempt charities in England and Wales for capital projects in the areas of community (particularly Village Halls), education, health and social welfare. Activities that help young people attain their full potential.  Youth Centres, Activity Centres and uniformed youth facilities are regularly supported. Projects that help young people who are at risk of social isolation, offending or criminal activity, as well as ex-offenders can be funded. 

Deadline: applications may be made at any time. 

🔵THE BOSHIER-HINTON FOUNDATION – Revenue grants up to £2,000 are available for UK registered charities and Community Interest Companies working with children and adults with special educational or other needs. 

Deadline: applications may be made at any time. 

🔵 THE CLARE MILNE TRUST – Grants, generally for between £2,500 and £30,000, are available for smaller charitable organisations, including Community Interest Companies, in Devon and Cornwall, that are working to improve the quality of life for people with a disability. Please note that the Trust rarely provides 100% funding and expects applicants to have sought and secured match funding prior to applying. 

Deadline: applications are considered 4 times a year. The next round applications will be accepted from Monday 9th February – Monday 23rd March 2026 for the April meeting. 

🔵 THE CENTRAL SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL TRUST – Supports organisations providing sport and leisure activities for disadvantaged children and young people under the age of 21 years. 

The Trust typically awards up to £1,500 to cover equipment for all club members or to maintain properties owned by the club, including those with a substantial lease period. 

Note, the Trustees will only pay suppliers directly. It is therefore necessary for the clubs to obtain a written quotation/invoice from the supplier. 

The Trust welcomes applications from sports clubs and organisations that are affiliated to their governing body, i.e. Amateur Boxing Association of England, National Association of Clubs for Young People, Football Association. 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

🔵 THE DAN MASKELL TRUST – The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust offers small grants to help disabled people to play tennis through the purchase of wheelchairs, tennis equipment and grants for coaching. 

Disability groups and programmes, clubs, schools and associations can apply for grants of up to £1,600 to support people with all disabilities, (including physical impairment, deaf, learning disability, visually impaired) to play tennis. 

Funding from the trust can be used towards the costs of court hire, coaching fees and equipment, including the option to request a set package of tennis equipment. The trust will also help to fund specific types of wheelchairs listed on their website. 

Deadline: 1st February; 10th May; 3rd August; and 26th October 2026. 

🔵 DELEMERE DIARY FOUNDATION – Grants of between £250 and £5,000 are available to registered charities and charitable organisations in England, Scotland and Wales working in the areas or agriculture, the environment, education, children and young people, financial hardship and the relief of sickness. 

Deadline: currently closed. The previous deadline was 31st July 2025. 

🔵 THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOUNDATION – Supports education projects in the UK for those who have experience of living in care. It also supports work to improve access to education or the quality of education for children and young people from marginalised or low-income communities or displaced by conflict. The foundation supports work that improves the educational outcomes and life chances of care experienced young people (under the age of 25 and living in the UK). 

Grants are between £30,000 to £90,000 per project (maximum £30,000 per year for multi-year projects) for projects which work with either care experienced young people, their carers or education professionals to: 

  • improve access to educational opportunity 
  • improve educational outcomes 
  • improve life chances 

Deadline: The next Stage 1 application deadline for UK projects is 14th January 2026. 

🔵 THE FORRESTER FAMILY TRUST – Supports excellent smaller charities to unlock change for people facing significant disadvantage. The Trust will have a broad view of what quality of life means and the range of ways in which quality of life can be improved. It will look for interventions in places where people and communities are face by multiple disadvantages, and target its giving in the gaps between state provision and the commercial sector.  

Smaller grants – Grants up to a maximum of £10,000 are available to charities with a turnover of less than £250,000. The Trust has £550,000 to distribute. The Trust will award these grants to charities who rely on volunteer support and make an impact in their communities.  

Deadline: Application forms are available from 1st December and must be submitted by 31st December. 

🔵 THE GROCERS’ CHARITY MEMORIAL GRANTS – One-off grants usually up to £5,000 are available for small UK registered charities working in the areas of education, environmental causes, health, heritage, people with a disability, support for children and young people and the relief of youth poverty, the arts, the elderly, and the military. The following categories have most relevance to children and young people: 

  • Arts – in particular, charities that engage with marginalised audiences and/or provide opportunities, education and skills development of creative talent for artists with financing challenges or disability support requirements. 
  • Children, young people and the relief of youth poverty – in particular, charities (a) working in areas of high deprivation, (b) working to increase social mobility (for example through training courses, better facilities or parenting support), (c) empowering those who experience homelessness, (d) working to support disadvantaged children and young people aged 0 to 25 years, and (e) investing in young leaders and peer support. 
  • Environmental causes – in particular, (a) conservation on land and at sea, (b) supporting the protection and survival of plants and animals, and their natural habitat, (c) connecting people with nature and environment issues, and (d) countering the effects of pollution. 
  • People with a disability – in particular, by providing innovative projects and programmes for disabled people, providing front line support for disabled people, and/or empowering marginalised and excluded individuals and groups, and 

Please note that, although the Grocers’ Charity awards across the UK, it may prioritise charities working in the City of London and its adjoining boroughs. 

Deadline: The application link will open on 30th March 2026 for an initial enquiry by 1st September 2026. 

🔵 THE HARGREAVES FOUNDATION – Smaller and larger grants are available for UK charities and educational institutions which use sport and education to support children and young people aged 18 and under living with a mental health condition, disability, or who are growing up in poverty. The Foundation can fund clearly defined projects, initiatives or the purchase of specific items that support one or more of the following: 

  • Enables individuals to experience the mental and physical health benefits of participatory sport 
  • Ensures participatory sport is accessible 
  • Provides sporting or educational activities that foster life skills 
  • Aims to improve academic engagement and attainment 
  • Encourages the development of skills and personal attributes to aid future employability 

Deadline: applications are considered on a monthly basis. 

🔵 THE HENRY SMITH FOUNDATION –new grant programmes to support vulnerable people, including children and families were launched this summer as part of a new strategy. The Henry Smith Foundation will focus on: 

  • Getting started – supporting families to give their young children a strong start 
  • Building independence – helping young people aged 14 -25 to move into adulthood with confidence, skills and hope 
  • Safer futures – supporting people to rebuild their lives after abuse, displacement or prison 

The first funds to be launched under these themes will be as follows: 

  • Together We Begin – funding for organisations that strengthen parenting by providing in-home, face-to-face support for families with young children. 
  • Shout! – funding for advocacy services helping care-experienced, LGBT+, neurodivergent or learning-disabled young people to speak up, make informed choices and secure their rights.  
  • Domestic Abuse Fund – funding for ‘led by and for’ organisations providing specialist domestic abuse services.  

Deadline: currently closed. Previous deadline are on their website along with recordings of webinars for each themes. You are encouraged to sign up for future updates. 

🔵 THE IRONMONGERS’ TRUST COMPANY: GRANTS FOR CHARITIES – Revenue grants range from £3,000 up to around £10,000 averaging £5,000 are available to UK registered charities that are providing opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people aged 25 and under to help them to fulfil their potential. 

Deadline: currently closed. The Spring round will be confirmed in due course. 

🔵 THE JOYCE FLETCHER CHARITABLE TRUST – Capital and/or revenue grants up to £5,000 are available to registered charities, as well as voluntary and community organisations, for art and music activities that benefit disadvantaged and/or disabled children in the South West of England. The Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust generally provides small grants of between £1,000 to £3,000, and occasionally up to £5,000, to charitable organisations whose project involve music and arts, particularly where a project (a) improves the lives of disabled and/or disadvantaged children, and (b) take place in the South West of England. Grants can be used for capital or revenue. There is no matched funding requirement. 

Deadline: by letter to be received before 1st October each year, preferably early September. 

🔵 THE KELSEY TRUST – A limited number of small grants are available to registered charities, charitable groups and individuals in Cornwall, Devon, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire that are helping children and young adults aged 21 and under from deprived backgrounds and/or are mentally and/or physically disabled to enjoy a better quality of life. Given the Trust’s limited annual expenditure (approximately £25,000), any grant awards are likely to be small, probably below £3,000.  

To enquire about the possibility of grant support, the Trust can be contacted at any time at the following address: 

Anthony Warren, Chair, The Kelsey Trust, The Red House, Felix Drive, West Clandon, Guildford GU4 7TH. Email: contact@thekelseytrust.org 

🔵 MASONIC CHARITABLE FOUNDATION CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE GRANTS PROGRAMME (SEND) – Registered charities working with children and young people up to 25 years old with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Potential applicants must complete the online eligibility checker before making an expression of interest. 

The aims of this fund are to: 

  • Increase social inclusion 
  • Increase independence and connections to local community 
  • Improve access to early intervention services and therapies, for diagnosed, suspected conditions and pre diagnosis 
  • Ensure parents/carers are better able to cope in their caring role and meet their child’s needs 
  • Enable parents/carers to be better informed of their child’s options and rights, and the services available 

There are two funding levels: 

  • Large grants between £10,000 and £60,000 which can be spread over three years. For projects with defined goals and budgets. Charities must have an annual income between £500,000 and £5 million 
  • Small unrestricted grants between £1,000 and £5,000 per year for up to three years. For charities with an income of between £25,000 and £500,000 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time.  

🔵 MATRIX CAUSES FUND – Grants up to £5,000 are available to UK organisations that promote access to justice (particularly for people trying to get support to meet their basic personal needs), equality of opportunity and a sustainable environment in the UK and/or overseas. Applications are particularly welcome from organisations in the UK whose focus is on supporting the needs of vulnerable persons e.g. 

  • Prisoners 
  • Asylum seekers 
  • People with mental health difficulties 
  • People (particularly children) with disabilities, and 
  • Women in refuges. 

Deadline: the next round will open on Thursday 1st January and close on Tuesday 31st  March 2026. 

🔵 THE NATIONAL DEAF SOCIETY – The National Deaf Children’s Society’s Community Grants programme offers £1,000 to £10,000 to groups supporting deaf children and their families.  The Society’s aim is to build communities that unite families of deaf children. This funder is seeking projects supporting deaf children in the early years (aged 0-5). This can be directly or indirectly, and projects can also involve older deaf children, deaf young people, families and professionals. The Society awards £1,000 and £10,000 for: 

  • Play schemes 
  • Baby groups specifically for deaf babies and toddlers 
  • Peer-to-peer support for parents 
  • Schemes to train deaf young people as role models for younger children 
  • Professionals receive deaf awareness information and resources to support deaf children in their care 

Their grants cover venue hire, transport, promotion, wages for sessional workers, equipment or technology to deliver your project. They welcome applications from community groups, charities, and not-for-profit organisations. 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

🔵 THE NORMAN FAMILY TRUST – Grants generally under £2,000 for registered charities and other not-for-profit, voluntary organisations, as well as state schools in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset (Taunton area postcode only), for a wide range of charitable causes primarily children, community projects, homelessness and social welfare, mental health and learning disabilities, sport and leisure, as well as environmental and arts projects. In 2024/25 9 groups in Torbay were awarded £18,600. 

It is one of few funders who welcome applications for state schools that have a direct, quantifiable benefit.  Examples of applications encouraged could be to support the following – school libraries, minibuses, sports halls or equipment, outdoor play equipment, text books, music drama and the arts, laboratory equipment. 

Deadline: applications are considered 6 times a year. Check the website for details. 

🔵 TESCO STRONGER STARTS – Supports local good causes focusing on children and families. This funder’s current priority is school projects – specifically, those who lack funds and resources to apply for help needed to provide healthy food and activities that boost young people’s mental and physical wellbeing.   

Examples of eligible applications: 

  • Providing pupils with breakfast clubs or snacks throughout the day 
  • Equipment for outdoor or indoor activities 
  • Developing a food growing area 
  • After school clubs 
  • A voluntary organisation running a food bank 
  • An organisation addressing holiday hunger 
  • A healthy eating project that supports families to cook healthy meals on a budget 
  • A Brownie or Scout group needing funding for new play equipment or activities 

Customers in Tesco stores can vote for one of three local projects. These can be run by schools, local authorities and other not for profit organisations such as community interest companies and voluntary/community organisations. 

The voting determines the amount of money a project receives: 

  • Grants up to £1,500 for the project with the most votes 
  • Grants up to £1,000 for the second most votes 
  • Grants up to £500 for the third most votes 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

🔵 THE TRUE COLOURS TRUST SMALL GRANTS PROGRAMME – One-off grants up to £10,000 for smaller registered charities and Community Interest Companies based and working in the UK with disabled children aged 0-25 and their families. Funding may be used for the following: 

Projects:  

  • Activities for disabled children, children with life-limiting conditions and their families. 
  • Activities which support siblings of disabled children or siblings of children with life-limiting conditions. 
  • Bereavement support for children and young people and for families bereaved of a child. 
  • Family support / parent-led peer support for parents of disabled children. 
  • Respite which supports the whole family. 

Equipment and Materials: 

  • Renovation, upgrading and additional equipment for hydrotherapy pools and multi-sensory rooms. 
  • Minibuses. 
  • Specialised play equipment / access to play and leisure for disabled children, children with life-limiting conditions and their families. 

Deadline: applications may be made at any time. True Colours aim to respond all applications with a final decision within twelve weeks. 

🔵 THE  TOY TRUST (THE BRITISH TOY AND HOBBY ASSOCIATION) – Grants, generally of £2,500 or less, are available for smaller UK registered charities providing projects that support disadvantaged and disabled children aged 13 and under and their families. Grants are available for equipment and services for smaller UK charities working to help disadvantaged children aged under 13 years of age and their families to: 

  • Alleviate suffering. 
  • Bolster existing initiatives. 
  • Encourage achievement through adversity. 
  • Initiate brand new projects. 
  • Provide care. 
  • Purchase vital equipment. 
  • Satisfy basic needs, and 
  • Support children through awful experiences. 

Deadline: Friday 13th February 2026. Please note the previous round closed earlier because of the overwhelming number of applications they received. 

🔵 THOMAS WALL TRUST – Grants of up to £5,000 are available to registered charities to support projects that equip people (18 or older in order) from disadvantaged groups with the critical life skills necessary to gain employment. Priority will be given to projects that target people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups facing major hurdles to employment, especially women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers.  

Deadline: Applications for the July 2026 meeting will open on Sunday 1st March and close Friday 24th April 2026. 

🔵 THE WHIRLWIND CHARITABLE TRUST – A limited number of grants, generally for between £1,000 and £5,000, are available to UK registered charities providing life-enhancing experiences for disadvantaged young people and those with disabilities, particularly (but not exclusively) through the challenge and stimulation of maritime and outdoor pursuits including funding for sailing charities. 

Deadline: applications for the February meeting will close in early January 2026. Check the website for further information. 

🔵 WOODEN SPOON – Grant-making charity that aims to transform the lives of vulnerable children and young people through the funding and support of the rugby community. It supports projects that will benefit children and young people under 25 years of age who are disadvantaged physically, mentally or socially.  Projects must normally be of a capital nature, with a reasonably long-term prospective lifetime. 

The funding is for projects that address the following areas: 

  • health and wellbeing 
  • sensory rooms and gardens 
  • specialist equipment and facilities 
  • playgrounds and outdoor activities 
  • education projects 

Note that if a project is educational, health and wellbeing or disability sports focused, there must be a key sporting element – preferably rugby – to engage children and young people. Organisations with a legal status such as schools, charities and clubs can apply. There are no minimum or maximum grant levels. 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

🔵 YAPP CHARITABLE TRUST – Grants are available up to £3,000 per year to registered charities only with a total annual expenditure of less than £40,000 for core funding (not projects) whose work focusses on priority groups: 

  • Elderly people 
  • Children and young people 
  • People with physical impairments, learning difficulties or mental health challenges 
  • Social welfare – people trying to overcome life-limiting problems of a social, rather than medical, origin (such as addiction, relationship difficulties, abuse, offending) 
  • Education and learning (with a particular interest in people who are educationally disadvantaged, whether adults or children) 

Applicants must address at least two of the following: 

  • Work that is unattractive to the general public or unpopular with other funders 
  • Services that help to improve the lives of marginalised, disadvantaged or isolated people 
  • Applicants that can demonstrate an effective use of volunteers 
  • Applicants that can demonstrate (where feasible) an element of self 
  • sustainability by charging subscriptions/fees to service users 

Deadline: Applications may be made at any time. 

🔵 THE YOUTH MUSIC CATALYSER FUND – Offers grants between £30,001 and £300,000 to organisations who want to sustain work, scale-up delivery, or create change in sector practice. Projects are to run for two to four years.  The funding can support a mix of delivery costs and core costs. Catalyser programmes must support children and young people who face barriers to make, learn or earn in music, and aim to make music activity more inclusive so everyone can access it. Your work must meet one of their themes: 

  • Early years 
  • Disabled, d/Deaf and neurodivergent young people 
  • Youth justice system 
  • Young people facing barriers 
  • Young adults 
  • Organisations and the workforce 

The Funder is open to not-for-profit organisations; these are constituted groups and organisations registered with companies house or the charity commission. There is one Catalyser Fund application round a year.  Applying involves a two-stage process, starting with an Expression of Interest.  

Deadline: open for Expressions of Interest on 20th February and close 20th March 2026. 

Safer Streets

🟡 THE CHARLES HAYWARD FOUNDATION MAIN GRANTS PROGRAMME – Grants of up to £25,000 per year over 3 years (i.e. up to £75,000) are available to UK registered charities working in the UK in the areas of Social and Criminal Justice with an income between £350,000 and £4,000,000. Projects are funded in the following sub-categories:  

  • Targeted early intervention programmes aimed at reaching the most troubled and vulnerable families in a community. 
  • Preventative and diversionary projects for young people at risk of offending including tailored interventions identifying and addressing the particular needs of girls and young women. 
  • Programmes, particularly those with a focus on young offenders, combining prison based and community interventions dealing with rehabilitation of offenders, accommodation and support on release, helping with maintaining family relationships, mentoring, and mapping and creating pathways to employment. 
  • Schemes offering viable alternatives to custody, in particular for women and young people. 
  • Programmes of support directed towards rehabilitating the victims of domestic abuse. 

Deadline: applications can be submitted at any time. They aim to notify applicants of the outcome four months after the application. 

🟡 THE HEDLEY FOUNDATION LIMITED – One-off grants of up to £5,000 (but averaging £2,500) are available to smaller UK registered charities working with the elderly, people with a mental or physical disability, those who are terminally ill, young people and social welfare projects, including those that benefit carers, the homeless and ex-offenders.  

The Foundation describes youth support projects which raise the aspirations or help to realise the full potential of disadvantaged young people. Typically, grants are made to broaden the horizons of young people through sport, adventurous activities, education, the arts, training or sustainable employment. These might include youth engagement initiatives that help counter anti-social behaviours within their communities and activities that help to keep young people away from the Criminal Justice System. 

Deadline: applications are considered 4 times a year and may be made at any time.  

🟡 THE LINDER FOUNDATION – Offer grants to registered or exempt charities for specific projects within the themes of the Environment and Young People. The average grant is £15,000 and the grant should cover at least 50% of the total project cost. 

  • Young People: for projects that aim to improve outcomes for vulnerable young people (aged 12-24). The foundation is interested in supporting projects that deliver early intervention and rehabilitation to help prevent re-offending and to divert young people from involvement in the youth or criminal justice system. 
  • Environment: for land-based projects relating to biodiversity (such as sustainable farming practices) and/or species preservation/re-introduction. 

Deadline: You will need to submit an Expression of Interest. If invited to submit an application, this will be considered at the next trustee meeting (March, July and December). 

🟡 PROCEEDS OF CRIME FUND – The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) fund in Devon and Cornwall provides money to local causes from cash and assets seized from criminals. The money is used to support local groups, charities, and projects. Community groups can apply for funding through their local policing team. The local policing team will assess applications and allocate funding to those that meet the criteria. For more information about POCA funding, get in touch with your local neighbourhood police team: Your area | Devon & Cornwall Police (devon-cornwall.police.uk). In 2024, Devon & Cornwall Police transformed the proceeds of crime into positive community impact, reinvesting £22,000 into charities, groups, and projects across Teignbridge, Torbay, and the South Hams. Funding can be used for the following: 

  • Buying equipment for sports teams 
  • Providing training resources for the community 
  • Funding wellbeing workshops 
  • Supporting people recovering from addiction 
  • Creating youth clubs 
  • Distributing food to people experiencing food poverty 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time.  

🟡 THE ROBERT MCALPINE FOUNDATION – Grants, normally for between £2,500 and £10,000, are available to UK registered charities working in the areas of supporting children and young people, the elderly, as well as medical and social research. Examples of youth projects include: 

  • Provision of new kit and equipment to a boxing club promoting physical health, community cohesion and learning discipline to youngsters. 
  • Awareness workshops aimed at reducing youth offending and anti-social behaviour. 
  • A family support co-ordinator at a youth project working with young people with a range of learning disabilities and behaviour issues. 
  • Relationship-based, therapeutic sessions to help young people to raise self-esteem, resilience and build confidence in themselves and others. 
  • Outdoor and sporting activities aimed at improving the confidence and self-esteem of vulnerable young people. 

Deadline: 7th August 2026.  

🟡 THE SOCIETY FOUNDATION – A small number of grants of up to £2,500 are available to UK registered charities that are helping ex-offenders, those who are recently homeless or vulnerably housed and young adults aged 16-24 years old not in employment, education or training, move towards paid employment. 

Deadline: The next funding round will open August 2026. The previous deadline was 12th September 2025. 

🟡 SOVEREIGN NETWORK GROUP THRIVING COMMUNITIES – Grants of £1000 – £7,500 will be available to support activities that empower local groups to take action and deliver cohesive, sustainable and resilient communities which people are proud to be part of.  Projects must be taking place in an SNG community and be actively promoted to SNG customers. This year as part of Thriving Communities there are 2 main funds:   

  • The Strengthening Place Grant will support projects that focus on a broad range of themes, including Health, Wellbeing & Social Isolation, Ageing Well, Young People, Community Safety, Environment & Sustainability, Youth and Ageing Well for community groups.   
  • The Skills & Learning Grant will focus on Community Digital Support, Financial skills and resilience &  Family Learning and Food Education.   

SNG Housing is located in a number of areas in Torbay. Brixham: Penpethy Court, Penpethy Road; Fairlea, Higher Furzeham Road. Paignton: Banner Court, Winner Street; Fraser Court. Torquay: Nuthatch Drive & Nightjar Close;  Sutherland Drive, Watcombe; St Peters Close; Tor Square House; Newton Road Flats & Harbour View. 

If you would like to discuss an application with SNG contact the grants team grants@sng.org.uk 

Deadline: the fund will close on Friday 30th January 2026 or earlier if all funding is allocated.   

🟡 THE SWIRE TRUST – Grants between £1,000 and £50,000 (average below £25,000) for core costs, salaries and capital projects, with no matched  funding requirement, against the following programmes and priorities relevant to children and young people: 

  • The Opportunity Programme – to improve life chances for ex-service men and women; victims of slavery and trafficking; children and young people in the care of their local authority, involved with the criminal justice system, or from the most socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. 
  • The Environment Programme – to fund charities that can connect people to the environment and support the UK’s biodiversity 

 Deadline: applications may be made at any time. 

🟡 THE TRIANGLE TRUST 1949 FUND  – Grants of up to £80,000 over 2 years (i.e. up to £40,000 per year) are available to UK registered charities, not-for-profit organisations and Community Interest Companies working with young women and girls aged 11-25 who have been in the criminal justice system or who are at a high risk of offending for the first time. 

The Triangle Trust 1949 Fund holds two grants rounds each year. In 2025, both of the Trust’s funding rounds are focused on work with young women and girls who have been in the criminal justice system or who are at a high risk of entering it. The first round is for organisations exclusively led by and for women and girls; the second round for organisations who are able to clearly show that women and girls make up at least 80% of their total beneficiaries across their whole organisation. 

Deadline: currently closed and will re-open in Spring 2026 when funding focus for 2026 will be announced. The small grants programme will open again in September 2026.  

🟡 THE WEAVER’S COMPANY BENEVOLENT FUND – Grants of up to £15,000 for smaller UK registered charities working with young disadvantaged people, particularly young offenders, prisoners, ex-prisoners and young people at risk of becoming involved in criminal activity in the UK. 

  • Helping disadvantaged young people – the object of the fund is to support projects working with disadvantaged young people to ensure that they are given every possible chance to realise their potential and to participate fully in society. Young people are normally defined as being aged from 5 to 30 years, and 
  • Supporting offenders and ex-offenders, particularly those under 30 years of age – many offenders and ex-offenders suffer from a variety of difficult and complex problems and they are amongst the most vulnerable members of society. Funding is available for work that addresses the social and economic problems faced by this group and their families. Projects should provide beneficiaries with support, life skills, training and a way back into education, training and/or employment, so that they may reintegrate into and make a positive contribution to society. 

Priority is given to smaller organisations which offer direct services. Local organisations such as those working in a village, estate or small town should normally have an income of less than  £100,000. Those working across the UK should normally have an income of not more than  £250,000. 

Deadline: applications are consider 3 times a year. The next deadline is Thursday 12th March 2026. 

🟡 THE YOUTH ENDOWMENT FUND – Open Call for proposals from delivery organisations that work to reduce young people’s involvement in  violence. The aim is to improve support for children and young people by evaluating existing projects and identifying what works to reduce young people’s involvement in violence. Your project must therefore be ready for a rigorous evaluation. 

Applications are open to projects working in one of the following sectors: 

  • Youth sector 
  • Children’s services 
  • Youth Justice 
  • Policing 
  • Neighbourhoods 
  • Health 
  • Education 

Projects must primarily support children and young people aged 10–18 who are either: at risk of crime or violence or already affected by violence, offending or exploitation 

The funding is for well-established projects that are operating at a reasonable scale and are ready for a full impact evaluation.  

The YEF Toolkit provides evidence of the effectiveness of different approaches on reducing youth violence/ crime and gives examples of YEF funded projects. The evidence in the toolkit challenges many received assumptions. Nutrition programmes, focussed deterrence, trauma-specific therapies, social skills programmes, some sports programmes have a High Impact. CCTV has a Low Impact/ High Cost and recommends: ‘Don’t prioritise CCTV in your violence prevention strategies and plans’. Street lighting has No Effect. Boot camps are designated Harmful. Anti-bullying and after school programmes have a Low Impact on youth crime but do have benefits in other areas e.g. social and emotional development. Insufficient evidence: knife crime campaigns, police in schools and arts programmes. But on the latter highlights benefits and outlines how arts programmes can be used with other interventions. 

Deadline: not applicable. 

Ways to Protect the Environment

🟢 THE CHESTNUT FUND – Grants up to £200 and £500 are available to support grassroots community groups and initiatives wanting to deliver practical volunteering that improves the natural physical environment and better connections between people and green spaces. Groups must be members of the TCV Community Network prior to applying for a TCV Chestnut Fund grant. Click here for more details on the TCV Community Network and how to apply. Membership is free and provides a range of benefits. The grants fall into two categories:  

  • Start-up grants – These are for groups who have little or no money when they are first set up and are available to groups in their first year of existence. The grant will enable them to begin practical work and will cover administrative expenses, e.g. insurance fees, postage, publicity or hire of meeting rooms. The maximum grant will be £200. 
  • Support grants – These are for groups who have little or no money for tools, equipment and training. This grant is available to all groups, regardless of how long they have been constituted. The maximum grant will be £500. 

Deadline: Applications may be made at any time. 

🟢 HILDEN CHARITABLE FUND – Social Farms & Gardens members can apply for up to £1,500 to deliver activities for children and young people aged  5 – 18 that: 

  • Take place in July and/or August 2025 
  • Support them to play, learn and have fun outdoors 
  • Connect them with nature 
  • We are particularly interested in receiving applications that demonstrate how you will reach children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and/or who have disabilities 

Your activities can be solely funded by this grant, or take place as part of a larger scheme or initiative. 

Deadline: currently closed but is an annual fund for Social Farms and Garden members, former Federation of City Farms. More details here. 

🟢 GROW WILD (KEW GARDENS) – Grants for community planting schemes that transform local urban spaces for the benefit of people and wildlife. Provides funding for community groups and young people to transform local spaces for the benefit of people and wildlife, by planting and championing UK native plants or fungi. You can apply for up to £2,000 to transform an urban space with UK native plants or fungi, encourage wildlife and involve your local community. These grants are only for urban areas, defined as settlements with at least 10,000 inhabitants. Applications can be made by voluntary, youth and community groups, residents’ associations and health boards. 

Deadline: Wednesday 4th February 2026. 

🟢 HUBBUB GRANT FUNDS – Hubbub has offer various community grant funds to scale what works and to enable communities to reach and engage a broader audience in environmental action to bring about a wide spectrum of positive outcomes currently through nature, growing and food-based projects. You can sign up to the Hubbub newsletter for more information. 

Hubbub provides access to other networks including the Community Nature Network or Community Fridge Network for hints, tips and support.  

The Community Nature Network is open to everyone involved in setting up or running a community green space. From established community gardens to experimental green roofs, to faith groups who want to start growing some veg. The Network offers news about funding opportunities, peer to peer support and unlimited access to guides, training webinars and templates. 

🟢 NATIONAL GARDENS SCHEME COMMUNITY GARDENS GRANT – Charities and community groups can apply for a small grant to help with a community gardening project. Community Garden Grants of £1,500 to £5,000 are awarded by the National Garden Scheme (NGS) for projects that use sustainable gardening methods and benefit the community.  

The grants can be used to purchase items that will help to improve an existing community garden or develop a new one. This includes: plants and containers; materials for making flower and vegetable beds; greenhouses, polytunnels and sheds; seating; tools; and materials for providing refreshments. Charities, community groups and CICs can apply. Your organisation must be fully set up and have a functioning non-personal bank account. Schools and local authorities (including parish councils) are not eligible to apply. 

Deadline: currently closed. Previously applications opened 15th September and closed 20th October 2025. Apply early since only the first 300 eligible submissions will be considered. 

🟢 THE NATIONAL LOTTERY AWARDS FOR ALL ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME –  Grants between £300 and £20,000 for projects lasting up to two years for community-led projects that improve the environment and help people connect with and enjoy nature in their local area. Charities, voluntary and community organisations, not-for-profit companies, CIOs, CICs, CBSs and statutory bodies (including local authorities) can apply. Schools may apply if the project helps the local community, not just the school. 

The new ‘Environment’ programme is for projects that: 

  • help people connect with and care for nature in their area 
    and/or 
  • make a positive difference to the environment 

The funding can be used for a wide range of projects including creating community gardens, improving parks or playgrounds to support nature and wildlife, outdoor learning activities, repair and re-use sessions, installing solar panels or other energy-saving features in well-used community buildings, food growing, tree planting and activities to help people save energy and reduce waste. 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

🟢 THE NATURESAVE TRUST – A limited number of grants for between £500 and £5,000 are available to UK community organisations for projects and initiatives that connect people to nature and improve biodiversity in the UK. 

  • Pollinator plans 
  • Habitat restoration 
  • Hedgerow management 
  • Wildlife gardens 
  • Pesticide alternatives 
  • Conservation volunteering 
  • Education 
  • Influencing local councils 
  • Citizen science 
  • Community wildlife surveys 

Deadline: the next funding window will be open in January 2026. Sign up to the newsletter. 

🟢 SAVE THE CHILDREN’S CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE CLIMATE FUND (THE GREAT BIG GREEN WEEK) – Grants of between £300 and £800 are available to a range of UK not-for-profit organisations, including registered charities, Community Interest Companies, schools and local authorities, for child and youth-focused activities that celebrate action on climate change during the Great Big Green Week (6th to 14th June 2026). Activities must raise awareness of the impacts of the climate crisis, and its effects on children and young people. Youth engagement must be at the heart of an activity.   

Save the Children are particularly interested in applications from, or in partnership with, children (under 18) and young people. If not expressly led by young people, they must be empowered participants rather than passive attendees. The activity should listen to and amplify the views of children and young people and/or empower and support them to share their views and raise their voice. 

Deadline: to be announced. You are advised to sign up to the mailing list to receive further updates. 

🟢 SOUTH WEST WATER BETTER FUTURES FUND – Grants of between £2,000 and £15,000 are available to registered charities, local community groups and clubs, Community Interest Companies and schools, colleges and academies in the area served by South-West Water for projects that one or more of the following:  

  • Nature and the environment;  
  • Education;  
  • Community, and  
  • Vulnerability, particularly organisations providing care and support to people who need extra help.  

Deadline: closed on 31st December 2025. Check the website for details of future funding rounds. 

Social Action

📣 THE ALEC DICKSON TRUST  – Grants of up to £500 are available to young people or teams of young people aged 30 and under in the UK who want to use volunteering or community service to improve their community.       

Deadline: currently closed. You are advised to check their social media for future rounds. 

📣 THE ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH ORGANISING (ANCHOR FUND) – The Alliance for Youth Organising will provide anchor grants of £40,000 a year for  two years to UK-based organisations that are supporting youth organising. The purpose of the funding is to support wider access to youth organising and strengthen the youth organising field. Groups will also receive an additional £5,000 to support learning and to provide strategic insight to the Alliance to shape its future strategy. This means that the total grant awarded is £85,000 over two years. Between 7 and 10 grants will be made by April 2026.  

The Alliance will host an online information session on Wednesday 7th January 2026. Sign up here. 

Deadline: Monday 26th January 2026.  

📣 THE ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH ORGANISING (EXPLORE FUND) – Offering five grants of £15,000 for projects exploring gaps in action or understanding for the youth organising field. These grants will use an action learning approach. The Alliance welcomes collaborative applications. At least one group or organisation needs to be involved in youth organising and there needs to be a lead organisation or group who will receive the grant. The grants will be awarded in April 2026 and grant holders will be expected to share their learning in November 2026. The learning can be shared creatively, for example as a report, a video, an audio recording, a visual representation, or a PowerPoint. The Alliance will provide additional support for the learning to be shared more widely. The Alliance intends that the five successful projects will be connected and learn from each other. Explore community convenings will take place at the beginning, middle and end of the grant period. These will be online, with additional funding provided to cover costs of any face-to-face meeting. The Alliance will also facilitate connections within its networks and funded community in support of the projects and the sharing of learning.  

Deadline: Monday 16th February 2026. 

📣 THE BURNS PRICE FUND – Grants up to £5,000 for young people in the UK aged 11-18 to undertake a community project that will result in positive change for the community and the young person carrying out the project. The charities goals are to help more young people with skills and funds to complete community projects and enable positive change and development for young people and communities in the UK. 

Deadline: Applications can be made at any time. 

📣 THE OLI BENNETT CHARITABLE TRUST – Set up in memory of Oli Bennett who died in the September 11th World Trade Centre attack provides small grants for young people starting a business. Applicants must be aged between 18 and 30 and should note the following requirements: 

  • All applicants need to supply a business plan 
  • Support is for new or very young businesses 
  • The trust prefers to provide funds for buying a business asset rather than towards general expenses 
  • Grants are for £2,000 or less 
  • Grants are not available for training courses 

Deadline: applications can be made at any time. 

Grants for early years & schools

GRANTS FOR EARLY YEARS AND SCHOOLS – Devon County Council have produced a new list of grants available for early years and school in Devon. The list includes funding for curriculum support, reading schemes, sports, outdoor education, SEND support, music and arts. 

Torbay Council Grants

ℹ️ TORBAY COUNCIL COMMUNITY FUND – Torbay Communities coordinates the Torbay Council Community Fund which offers small grants between £25 – £400 to community groups and organisations for activities which promote the following: 

  • People’s health and wellbeing, e.g. helping people get more active or look after themselves better 
  • Developing arts, culture and experience of Torbay e.g., providing opportunities to make Torbay a better place to live, work or learn 
  • Improving the environment that people live in, e.g. caring for, improving and regenerating open spaces, parks, places and buildings 
  • Supporting positive ageing and community cohesion, e.g. through more integrated arrangements with the voluntary and community sector, assets are developed to allow people to feel empowered to stay well in their home and local area. 
  • Children and young people’s experiences in Torbay, e.g. becoming or staying healthy, developing skills and experiences, access to clean and secure environments to meet, play and socialise. 

Priority is given to smaller groups and organisations with an income of less than £50,000 in the previous year. Also to new groups or existing group with a new idea for a project that has not been funded by the grant in the previous 12 months. Applications from young people are welcomed. 

Deadline: will re-open for applications April 2026. Please sign up to the Torbay Communities Funding Bulletin for further updates. 

ℹ️ TORBAY LOTTERY SMALL GRANTS FUND – The Torbay Lottery Small Grants Fund for those people who do not want to support a specific group where charity, voluntary and community sector organisations can bid towards the costs of a specific activity or for the purchase of small items of equipment up to £2,000 once a year. You do not need to be a Torbay Lottery good cause to apply for this grant. 

This Fund is open to applicants annually with the deadline advertised through a press release and on the webpage. You can download the eligibility criteria and application form from the website. Applicants should email the form to torbay.lottery@torbay.gov.uk 

Deadline: applications for 2025/26 have closed. Follow the website for further information. 

ℹ️ TORBAY COUNCIL MORE ACTIVE, MORE OFTEN FUND – Grant awards of up to £2,000 are possible to help with widening provision by offering new sessions for groups of participants that would not normally join. Torbay Council want to help those who would not normally turn to physical activity and sport and thereby improving their overall wellbeing. The funding is intended to: 

  • Support projects that bring a community together 
  • Provide opportunities for people who may be less physically active  
  • For organisations working together across the community to make the biggest possible impact 
  • Support projects working with people from our disadvantaged communities.  

Funds are available for project costs such as:    

  • facility hire  
  • coaching  
  • small purchases of equipment that are needed for programme delivery  

Funds will not support property upgrades or buying an expensive piece of equipment.  

The fund is open for charities, community or not-for-profit groups, health bodies and sports clubs. However, you do not need to be a registered charity to apply. Your club/group needs to be based within the Torbay Council boundaries, deliver sports and physical activity recognised by Sport England and be a member of Sport Torbay. Proof of membership is required.  

Full details of the application process, eligibility criteria and application form are available on the website. Other enquiries contact: torbay.move@torbay.gov.uk 

Deadline: Wednesday 25th February 2026. 

ℹ️ TORBAY NEIGHBOURHOOD CIL – This funding comes from developer contributions through the Community Infrastructure Levy to be allocated against Neighbourhood Plans. Torquay and Paignton (including the Broadsands, Churston and Galmpton) communities can apply for Neighbourhood CIL funds collected in their respective area (i.e. the Council must spend the Torquay Neighbourhood Proportion of CIL monies in Torquay) up to £25,000.  Brixham Town Council are responsible for allocating the Neighbourhood proportion of CIL within their Parish. The funding is for capital projects only aligned with the local neighbourhood plan. Facilities for children and young people are featured strongly in neighbourhood plans. Application forms and evaluation criteria for Torquay Neighbour CIL are available here. Application forms for the Paignton Neighbourhood CIL are available here. You are advised check the relevance of your proposal against the neighbourhood plan.   

Deadline: applications can be made at any time.  

ℹ️ TORBAY COMMUNITY WARD FUND – Torbay Council have made available £72,000  to support our Ward Councillors and Community Partnerships in continuing to improve your local area. The fund is allocated on the basis of £2,000 for each Councillor, so a ward with two councillors has received £4,000. 

The Community Ward Fund can be used to: 

  • replace or repair council assets, for example bins, benches, street signs, fencing, play equipment 
  • refurbish or replace community assets, for example community noticeboards 
  • contribute to community projects, for example Friends of Parks groups, Community groups 
  • contribute to community events or activities 

Ward Councillors, Community Partnerships and Community Builders work together with their local communities and the Park Rangers from SWISCO to gather ideas of projects and proposals that this fund could be used on. You are encouraged to make contact with your Ward Councillors and Community Partnership to make suggestions for the allocation of the funds. 

About Imagine This...

If you would like to find out more about Imagine This partnership of voluntary, community and social enterprise groups in Torbay who work with children and young people visit the website or contact the Imagine This Partnership Coordinators: Lisa Money –  lisamoney@torbaycdt.org.uk or Jo Morrell johannamorrell@torbaycdt.org.uk. 

Jo Morrell is working to identify opportunities for collaborative funding bids for the Imagine This impact groups. Please contact Jo with any ideas and suggestions for potential collaborative bids. 

You can find previous versions of the Imagine This Funding Bulletin here. 

Powered By Youth

Imagine This will be holding the second and third Powered By Youth working group style sessions at Peoples Parkfield on the following dates: 

  • Tuesday 13th January 2025 13.00 – 16.00 
  • Wednesday 14th January 2025 10.00 – 13.00  

These are about moving ideas into action inspired by the Powered by Youth event held in the summer. You watch a film of the event here put together by Jim at Sound Communities, which gives a sense of the energy of the day and the utter brilliance of young people stepping up so bravely to share what matters to them. The film shows young people in the room speaking very much in the moment, no pre-planning, just speaking from the heart. The sessions will cover: 

  • where the relevant bids and fundraising opportunities are?  
  • what’s the work already happening and how might this track with the Powered by Youth outcomes? 
  • if we do another round of Powered by Youth, where, how do we do that and who’s in? 

This is about doing not just about listening,  putting our brains together to help us to work smarter and more efficiently. We owe it to the young people who turned up on the day to crack on and act. 

Please contact Lisa Money for more information: lisamoney@tobaycdt.org.uk  

Funding Advice Surgery

The Torbay Communities Funding Advice Service offers support for the community groups and organisations by providing regular updates on funding, support for grant applications and regular one-to-one funding advice surgeries. Please let me know if you want to be added Funding Mailing List to receive regular monthly Funding Bulletin and other updates. 

 

Steven Chown 

Community Funding Advisor

Torbay Communities  

Email: stevenchown@torbaycdt.org.uk  

Friday 2nd January 2025 

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