Grant Funding Opportunities and Community News
Updated 14 September 2023
Short deadline - 27 September 2023
Free Tree Scheme 2023/24
Devon County Council is offering free tree packs to landowners and communities within Devon through its 2023/24 Free Tree Scheme. Each free tree pack will contain 45 trees comprising three types of native broadleaved tree commonly found throughout Devon.
The Free Tree Scheme, now in its fifth year, enables private landowners and town/parish councils to plant trees in order to help achieve carbon net zero targets, tackle the climate emergency and support nature recovery.
To give trees enough space to develop a good crown and grow to maturity, you are advised to plant them at 3m random spacings, which requires an area of approximately 400m sq. (eg. 20m x 20m) for 45 trees. The trees should ideally be planted in National Tree Week (25th November to 3rd December).
You can apply online (scroll down to the section on ‘Free Tree Scheme 2023/24).
Tree packs available to landowners and communities and Devon for planting this winter
Application deadline: 27 September 2023
https://www.devon.gov.uk/environment/landscape/trees-and-woodland/emergency-tree-fund
Bideford Bridge Trust
Grants available to residents of Bideford and its neighbourhood, up to and including Hartland to the North, up to but excluding Torrington to the East and up to and including Instow to the South. Application also considered from organisations that substantially benefit people within this area.
Annual Grants - Deadline 1st June to 31st July each year
These are grants made to organisations with a charitable purpose (not necessarily registered as a charity) Submissions must be made between 1st June and 31st July each year.
Hardship Grants
Grants made to individuals who are sustaining hardship such as poverty or sickness. All applications must have a suitable sponsor. Applications are considered on a monthly basis.
Organisation Urgent Grants
These are to assist organisations with a charitable purpose that have an urgent need that cannot wait until consideration of the annual grants as mentioned above. These are considered on a monthly basis.
Educational Grants
Any application for assistance with regard to apprenticeship or vocational training should follow the procedure for a hardship grant as above:
Book or equipment grants: up to £350.00 awarded to students living in the Parish of Bideford (or to the north of the Parish but to the south of the link road) at least 6 months prior to the application who are commencing post A-level training or are in the second or third year of such a course (or fourth year if appropriate). It does not include post graduate studies.
Hardship Grants: limited up to £300.00 for students within the area of benefit of the Trust but not qualifying by virtue of residence in 4(i) above for a book/equipment grant who are sustaining hardship in respect of a post a-level course (first, second or third year or fourth year if appropriate) but not post graduates.
Educational Bursaries: up to £600.00 paid to students within the Parish of Bideford or to the north of the Parish but to the south of the link road after successful completion of their first, second or third year (or fourth year if appropriate) of a degree course (but not post-graduate courses). All applications must be lodged by the closing date stated on the application form.
Apprenticeship and Vocational Grants: any application for assistance with regard to apprenticeships or vocational training should follow the procedure for hardship grants as above
Taxi Vouchers
Vouchers for 90% of the cost of taxi transport granted to those aged 85 years of age or those suffering from infirmity (eg. receiving attendance allowance, unable to drive,).
Business Start Up Grants
Grants are made of up to £3,000 in year one and sometimes for a further £2,000 in year two in respect of applicants who are currently unemployed or anticipating becoming unemployed who are seeking to become self-employed or start a new business. These are considered on a monthly basis.
Application forms available from: http://www.bidefordbridgetrust.org.uk/grants/
Square One: North Devon Business Start-up Bursary
A new, fully-funded bursary for people who face barriers to starting a business has been launched across North Devon.
Square One is an initiative funded and run by coworking and small business experts, Town Square Spaces Ltd, which also operates the Node Cowork business hub, on Roundswell, where the support will be based.
The support package contains everything an individual needs to start and grow a business, including full-time desk space with high-speed internet access for three months, one-to-one business support, bi-weekly check-in and goal setting sessions, enrolment into the expert-led Startup Club programme and access to networking and special events.
To be eligible, individuals need to be either pre-start or within their first two years of trading, be within a short commute of Node in Barnstaple and they must feel they face a barrier to starting their business. For further details visit the Devon County Council website
Landscape Recovery Scheme - application - Deadline 21 September 2023
£15 million is available for the second round of the Government's Landscape Recovery scheme which supports landscape and ecosystem recovery through long-term projects. Three Devon projects were successful in the first round of the scheme: East Dartmoor; Killerton Three Rivers; and the Axe Landscape Partnership.
Landscape Recovery forms part of the Environmental Land Management Scheme, together with the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship.
The scheme represents a new approach to supporting long-term, significant habitat restoration and land use change, with the aim of delivering a range of outcomes, focussing on net zero, biodiversity and water quality.
For Round Two, the funding is for projects that support net zero, protected sites, and wildlife-rich habitat.
Landscape Recovery is open to all private land managers and landowners, either individually or as part of a group. Your project must be on a broadly connected area of at least 500 hectares (ha) in England.
If successful, you will be awarded project development funding over two years. The aim is to progress to the implementation of the project over a 20-year period.
For full guidance and the criteria for applying, visit the GOV.UK website
Siggery Fund - Deadlines 30th September 2023 / 30th November 2023 & 29th February 2024
Grants of up to £1500 area available which facilitate peer support for the visually impaired in Barnstaple and the surrounding areas.
The fund is in honour of Brian Siggery for his works in the blind and visually impaired community.
There are four application deadlines:
- 30th June 2023
- 30th September 2023
- 30th November 2023
- And 29th February 2024
To apply, of to find out more about the fund, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Endangered Crafts Fund - Heritage Crafts - Deadline 6th October 2023
Thanks to support from the Sussex Heritage Trust, Ashley Family Foundation and Essex Community Foundation - Heritage Crafts invites craft practitioners and organisations in the UK to apply for small grants to fund projects that support endangered crafts (the craft must be listed as endangered or critically endangered on the current Red List of Endangered Crafts).
Applications may, for example, include:
- training for yourself to learn a new craft or technique;
- training for an apprentice so that you can pass on skills and knowledge;
- investing in more efficient tools and machinery;
- developing reduced-carbon routes to market;
- exploring the use of alternative materials while maintaining the heritage character of your practice; or
- innovative approaches to supporting and promoting endangered crafts.
Grants between £500 and £2000 are available: Apply to the Endangered Crafts Fund
Branching Out Fund - the Tree Council - Deadline 3rd December 2023
The Branching Out Fund is now accepting applications towards the costs of community planting projects.
Branching Out supports applications ranging in value from £250 up to £2,500, with specific criteria for those under £500, and those above £500.
Schools, community groups, residents' associations, Parish Councils, charities and many others are eligible to apply,
You will find everything on their website that you need to know, from the types of trees that qualify, to recommendations around protection.
Visit the website for the budget sheet and application form: treecouncil.org.uk(opens in new tab)
Ironmongers Company's Grants Programme - Deadline 15th December 2023
Registered charities (including Schools that are registered as charities for young people with disabilities) that work with disadvantaged children under the age of 25 can apply for funding of up to £10,000 through the Ironmongers Company's grants programme.
Projects must meet all of the following criteria:
- For children and young people under the age of 25 who are disadvantaged
- Consist of educational activities that develop learning, motivation and skills
- Have clear aims and objectives to be met within a planned timescale
- Are within the UK
The Company is particularly interested in enabling primary age children to develop a strong foundation for the future. Projects could, for example:
- support special educational needs,
- address behavioural problems
- promote citizenship, parenting or life skills.
Preference will be given to projects piloting new approaches where the outcomes will be disseminated to a wider audience.
The next deadline for applications is the 15th December 2023.
Apply online at ironmongers.org/charitable-grants
Community Transport Grants - Motability - Deadline March 2025
Through this new grant programme Motability aim to help charities and organisations to make an immediate impact for disabled people, by awarding funding to develop, expand and improve community transport options.
The programme is focussed on:
- Funding support for staff or volunteer training and costs.
- Funding to increase the number of vehicles available in the community to help organisations support disabled people.
- Funding local, regional, or national initiatives to increase awareness of community transport and influence its inclusion in transport strategy and policy.
- Funding to schemes, programmes and initiatives that already exist, and who provide best practice solutions, but need further support to remain operational or scale up the service they can provide to help more disabled people.
Charities and organisations working in the community transport sector can apply for grants from £100,000 to £4 million at any point over the next three years until March 2025.
Visit the Motability website to apply
Listed Places of Worship grant scheme - Deadline 31st March 2025
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport run this Grant Scheme. The Scheme gives grants that cover the VAT incurred in making repairs to listed buildings used as places of worship. The Scheme covers repairs to the fabric of the building, along with associated professional fees, plus repairs to turret clocks, pews, bells and pipe organs.
The Scheme only accepts applications where the minimum value of eligible work carried out on any one claim to the scheme is £1,000 (excluding VAT).
Government have confirmed funding is available for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme until 31 March 2025.
Universal Music UK - Sound Foundation
Funding is available for schools, music teachers and pupils in full time education which can be used for a variety of needs; from purchasing musical instruments and equipment to music training courses.
The funding streams are divided into the following categories:
- Individual awards
- School awards
- Teacher awards
- Bursary Colleges
- Decca Bursary
For full details of each fund please visit the website: UK Sound Foundation
Architectural Heritage Fund - Transforming Places through Heritage
This programme supports projects that will contribute to the transformation of high streets and town centres in England helping them become thriving places, strengthening local communities and encouraging local economies to prosper. It is part of a wider initiative to revive heritage high streets in England, alongside Historic England's High Streets Heritage Action Zones. Together, these programmes form part of the Future High Streets Fund, administered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Our programme is for individual heritage buildings in, or transferring to, community ownership. We will support charities and social enterprises to develop projects with the potential to bring new life to high streets by creating alternative uses for redundant or underused historic buildings in town centres.
The AHF can provide grants to help with assessing the viability of a project, or to help fund development costs or to match funds raised through Crowdfunding and Community Shares.
Below you will find the dates for the opening of initial grant applications.
- Project Viability Grants: up to £15,000, for early viability and feasibility work, open now for applications.
- Project Development Grants: up to £100,000, for capital project development costs, open now for applications.
- Crowdfunding Challenge Grants:up to £25,000, to match fund crowdfunding campaigns, open now for applications.
- Community Shares Booster Grants
Full details of each fund, along with the links to the online applications can be found on the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) website.
RJ and AH Daniels Charitable Trust
Grants are available to registered charities for a wide range of charitable causes, particularly in the areas of: Children and young people, Health and wellbeing, Hospice care, and People with a disability. Awards are between £1,000 and £4,000 with an average grant of £3,000. There is no matched funding requirement.
Applications may be made at any time in writing. The Trust will consider all written requests, but only notifies successful applicants.
Contact details for the Trust, are Bradley Walden, RJ and AH Daniels Charitable Trust, 5th Floor, 8 St James's Square, London, SW1Y 4JU. Tel: 020 320 77041
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Morrisons Foundation
The Morrisons Foundation awards grant funding for charity projects which make a positive difference in local communities.
From support groups to children's hospitals and homeless shelters to hospices, the grants aim to provide vital funding for good causes across England, Scotland and Wales. They award grants for charity projects and match fund the money that Morrisons colleagues raise for their chosen charities. In the main, grants are available to fully fund projects up to £25,000.
For the full list of eligible costs, and to apply online, visit: The Morrisons Foundation
Cash for Kids: Cost of Living Grants
This is a new fund to provide emergency essentials that support the physical and mental well-being of children who are struggling.
Professionals such as social workers, GPs and teachers who are working for a formal organisation including registered charities and community organisations can apply on behalf of eligible families. Families cannot apply directly.
Grants are £50 per child per household. The money can be used for food, clothing and household energy costs, as well as for other costs that help to meet children’s most basic needs.
Small grants to support the wellbeing of children in families who are struggling.
The scheme will close when the available funding has been allocated
https://cashforkids.org.uk/grants
Charles Hayward Foundation - Small Grants Fund (Older people)
Grants are available up to £7000 for charities with an annual income of less than £350,000.
This programme wishes to fund preventative and early intervention programmes being delivered at the community level which allow older people to stay in their own homes and remain independent.
They are particularly interested in seeking out programmes which show some creativity in improving the quality of life of older people which:
- aim to alleviate isolation and depression in older people, including informal day care or social, physical and recreational activities
- give practical help, assistance and support for older people living in their own homes
- address the emotional and practical needs of older carers, or
- meet the specific needs of people with dementia
Applications will be considered every three months (March, June, September and December). Visit their website Charles Hayward Foundation for further information.
Veterans' Foundation
Grants of up to £40,000 are available to support charities and not-for-profit organisations that provide lifetime support to those in need among serving armed forces personnel, veterans, and their immediate families.
All registered charities and other organisations that support the armed forces community (veterans, those serving and immediate dependants), including seafaring veterans who have served on operations, can apply.
The funding can be used for projects covering a range of aspects of social care for the armed forces community, including but not limited to:
- reducing homelessness
- increasing employment
- providing welfare and medical support
- increasing confidence and social interaction
- reducing dependence on alcohol and drugs
- reducing poverty
- disability
- mental health
- marriage guidance
- care during old age
Priority will be given to charities and organisations showing direct involvement in the provision of support to those in need, as well as well-run organisations of low-medium wealth.
Grants of up to £40,000 are available to support charities and not-for-profit organisations that provide lifetime support to those in need among serving armed forces personnel, veterans, and their immediate families.
Apply at any time
https://www.veteransfoundation.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/
Pets at Home Foundation
The Pets at Home Foundation provided funding to organisations whose main activity is the rescue and rehoming of UK pets.
They provide grants from £150 upwards, which have, in the past, included covering vet bills, boarding fees, food, equipment, vehicles, building work, and trap and neuter schemes.
There are no deadlines; it is a rolling grant programme and applications are considered throughout the year.
To apply you need to request an application via their website: Pets At Home
Barchester's Charitable Foundation
Grants of up to £5,000 are available for small local groups & small local charities to improve the quality of life and combat loneliness in adults & older people with a mental or physical disability.
The foundation aims to make a difference to the lives of older people and other adults with a physical, learning or mental disability; supporting practical solutions that lead to increased personal independence, self-sufficiency and dignity.
Funding is intended to help small community groups and local charities with the following:
- Activity projects
- Equipment and materials for use by members
- Member transport
- Day trips, outings and group holidays in the UK
Priority will be given to innovative projects that help older people and those with a disability to get active, meet people, and reduce isolation.
Funding is also available to individuals: this is for people over 65 or adults with a disability or mental health problem. All applications for an individual must have a third-party sponsor such as a healthcare professional, social worker, charity, or support group representative.
Grants of up to £5,000 are available for small local groups & small local charities to improve the quality of life and combat loneliness in adults & older people with a mental or physical disability.
Applications may be submitted at any time.
https://www.bhcfoundation.org.uk/
Oakland Foundation
Grants can support projects and activities focused on:
- Education: to ensure children get the best education, no matter what their background.
- Health and nutrition: to ensure children have access to healthy food.
- Sport: to ensure children have access to sport and activities irrespective of social background or physical ability.
Preference will be given to applications with a clearly defined and measurable outcome.
Applications are accepted from not-for-profit organisations and community groups in England and Wales. Preference will be given to applicants who have a demonstrable track record of delivering outcomes. The Foundation particularly likes to support projects in areas where their main sponsor Oakland International is an integral part of the local community.
Grants are available to not-for-profit organisations that support children and their families in England and Wales that address themes such as education, health, nutrition and sport.
Applications may be submitted at any time
https://www.oakland-foundation.com/
Alpkit Foundation
Grants are available to community groups, schools and other not-for-profit organisations for projects that champion education, participation, environment, diversity and health in the UK.
The funding is intended for:
- Diversity and inclusion projects that engage individual and groups from a diverse range of backgrounds.
- Environmental projects that seek to support, conserve, or generate understanding of our environment and wild places
- Health projects enabling people to gain physical and mental wellbeing from the Great Outdoors.
- Education projects such as First Aid, D of E, Forest Schools and Mountain Leader.
- Participation projects that get more people experiencing the Great Outdoors.
There is particular interest in projects that:
- Encourage responsible outdoor activity.
- Have long lasting benefits.
- Introduce new people to get outdoors.
- Demonstrate value for money.
The Alpkit Foundation makes grants of £50 to £500 to people, groups and schools that work to remove the barriers in getting outdoors and experiencing wild places.
Applications may be submitted at any time
https://alpkit.com/pages/foundation
The Forestry Commission; The Woodland Creation Planning Grant
The Forestry Commission is inviting applications from landowners, land managers and public bodies in England who are interested in planting new woodland. The Woodland Creation Planning Grant offers funding of up to £30,000 to cover the costs of producing a woodland creation design plan for the application.
There are two application stages:
Stage 1 - identifying constraints and opportunities which may affect the proposed planting. Funding of up to £1,000 is available to cover this stage;
Stage 2 - if there is potential for woodland creation to take place on the site, further support can be given for completion of the application form at £150/ha. If specialist survey work is required at stage 2, such as archaeological survey, then supplementary payments may be available to cover these additional costs.
Applications can be made at anytime.
The Rhododendron Trust
The Rhododendron Trust supports charities working with those disadvantaged by disability or mental illness; prisoners and ex-offenders; drug addiction; homelessness; carers; the elderly; disadvantaged children. However proposals for small theatre and music projects, projects for the protection of cultural and natural heritage or environmental sustainability are accepted.
Grants should be applied for in writing (see Contacting the Trust). They are made once a year, generally in February or March, after a Trustees' meeting in January. Unsuccessful applicants are informed by email.
Grants are often repeated if a report is received indicating that the money has been well used. There is no need to communicate reports monthly; once or twice a year is ample. Reports should be sent to the Richmond address and not be duplicated to the Accountant's address in Manchester. The Grants Officer or Trustees like being invited to Open Days of charities supported, and try to attend.
Visit The Rhododendron Trust website for further information.
The Ellie Souter Foundation
Following the tragic death of Team GB athlete Ellie Souter on her 18th birthday, her family has committed to continue fundraising in Ellie's memory.
The purpose of the foundation is to identify and provide support for young people who have a demonstrable talent for winter sports and would otherwise be unable to maximise their potential due to lack of financial resources.
This would be achieved by providing grants for equipment, training, travel, competing and accommodation.
The grants will be restricted to those individuals who can demonstrate that their own family circumstances dictate that the opportunity to develop their talent would be denied to them, without this financial support.
Traditionally, winter sports are regarded as elitist pursuits, reserved for the wealthy. Therefore the pressures on young talented athletes from less privileged backgrounds are immense.
Coming from a family without the significant wealth required to reach her full potential, Ellie battled with the pressures of funding and performance. Ultimately they became too much for her and she took her own life in July 2018. The Ellie Soutter Foundation hopes to provide a safety net for inspiring talent, just like Ellie.
As much as possible, they seek to alleviate these pressures so athletes can focus on their performance without constant financial worry; hoping to promote social mobility by making winter sports more accessible to those athletes from less wealthy backgrounds.
The foundation seeks to assist young people in developing the skills they need to deal with pressure and stress and provide assistance to those for whom the challenges of performance may have caused or be causing mental health issues.
To apply for funding, or to perhaps make a donation, please visit The Ellie Soutter Foundation website.
Elmgrant Trust
The Elmgrant Trust is a charity which makes grants for charitable purposes to individuals living in the south west of England (Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset) and to organisations and groups with projects in the south west. By so doing it aims to improve the quality of local life and welfare through education, the arts and social sciences.
While the Elmgrant Trust assesses each application on its individual merits, they choose to prioritise geographically and certain types of work.
They consider applications:
- from the South West area of England, especially Devon and Cornwall
- projects which help to improve the quality of local life and welfare
- art projects which help to improve the quality of local life
- from individuals who are further educating themselves to improve their job prospects with a clear compassionate need.
They are happy to receive applications for core running costs or project costs of small established organisations who have a proven record of making a significant difference.
Average grants are in the region of £450, or around £150 for individuals.
The board of trustees meet three times a year, usually on the last Saturday of February, June and October. Applications need to be submitted one clear month prior to the meeting date. Please make sure that your application fits with the meeting timings as they do not give retrospective grants. Please email the secretary for the date of the next application deadline if in any doubt.
Applications must be made by letter. For full details of what is required in the application and the Trust's postal address visit the website www.elmgrant.org.uk.
For further information, including confirmation of the closing dates, you may email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01803 863160.
Local Action Fund - National Emergencies Trust
Crowdfunder and the National Emergencies Trust have teamed up to make more than £1.2m match funding available.
This match fund of up to £10,000 per project has been launched by the National Emergencies Trust as part of its Coronavirus Appeal. It offers support to voluntary and community organisations in the UK by helping them to counter financial challenges created by the pandemic, including the inability to fundraise in the usual ways, reductions in staff and volunteers, and increased demand on their services.
You need a crowdfunding project to apply for funding. Visit Crowdfunder UK
Lloyds Bank Foundation Welcomes Applications for Unrestricted Funding
Funding for small local charities tackling complex social issues across England and Wales.
Charities with an annual income of between £25,000 and £1 million can still apply for unrestricted grants of up to £50,000 and accompanying development support from the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales.
Eligible charities must demonstrate a track record of undertaking work related to the following Complex Social Issues:
- Addiction and dependency.
- Asylum seekers and refugees.
- Care leavers.
- Domestic and sexual abuse.
- Homelessness and vulnerable housing situations.
- Learning disabilities.
- Mental health.
- Offending, prison or community service.
- Sexual exploitation.
- Trafficking and modern slavery.
- Young parents.
Two-year funding is available for core organisational costs which are related to the day-to-day running of the charity. Consideration will only be given to requests for core costs where over 50% of the charity's work and expenditure meets the Foundation's criteria. Funding is also available for costs associated with the direct delivery of the charity's work.
The Foundation has introduced regional priorities to ensure that its portfolio of grants is equitably distributed across the 11 complex social issues and the regions in England and Wales. This means the size of grant a charity can apply for, or whether they can apply at all at the moment, depends on Local Authority and the complex social issue the charity's work is addressing.
Applications can be submitted at any time.
How To Apply
The first step in the application process is to read the eligibility criteria and then complete the short eligibility checker, both of which are available on the Foundation's website.
Applications can be submitted at any time as there are no closing dates.
Charities should apply whenever they feel they are ready and can expect a decision within four months of starting the application process.
Wallace and Gromit's Childrens Charity
This Bristol-based charity provides small grants of between £100 and £5000,for UK registered charities, hospices and hospitals that are working to improve and enrich the quality of life of sick children in hospitals and hospices across the UK
Grants are intended to help provide a wide range of support to patients, families and staff, including the provision of medical and sensory equipment, free family accommodation, arts and play activities, music therapy sessions, and respite care.
Preference will be given to children's hospitals and hospices in regional centres across the UK that: meet the following criteria:
- They do not discriminate on the grounds of wealth, race, sexuality, religion, or disability.
- They provide a geographically regional healthcare service to a wide range of children in a hospital or hospice.
Further information, guidance and an online application form is available on their website: Wallace and Gromit's Children's Charity
Devonian Grants
The purpose of the Devonian grant scheme is to support community organisations or individuals located in Devon to alleviate mobility in relation to disability or ill-health.
Individuals may apply for funding of up to £1,000 towards the cost of equipment that significantly improves quality of life by alleviating or removing physical mobility limitations.
Organisations may apply for funding of up to £5,000 to help people overcome or relieve physical mobility limitations. This may include equipment or specialised transport, such as accessible coaches or taxis.
Devonian grants are available throughout our grant-making year.
You can find out more about the Devonian Grants guidelines and how to apply online
Waterloo Foundation
Through their environment fund, the Waterloo Foundation wants to support projects which can help mitigate the damaging effects that humans are having on the environment and contribute to a positive change both now and in the future.
The fund has two main programmes:
Marine - support for projects working to halt declining fish stocks
Tropical Rainforests - support for projects protecting tropical rain forest, principally through avoided deforestation
If you would like to apply for funding, please read through all sections for the relevant programme on their website and make sure you are eligible to apply. Then read through the application guidelines before applying.
All details can be found at: The Waterloo Foundation - Environment
Lady Kingsmans
The Lady Kingsmans, a fundraising group in Plymouth, is looking for charities to support in Plymouth and Devon - especially those focused on helping women and girls. Potentially there will be pots of around £500 available.
Anyone interested should get in touch with them by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Co-op Foundation Carbon Innovation Fund
The Co-op Foundation launched a new fund on Monday 22 November 2021 to support food and farming projects that are tackling the climate crisis by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Funding between £75,000 and £100,000 is available to support work in the food and farming sector which reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.
The funding covers work in the following areas:
- Farming and food production practices
- Initiatives around regenerative agriculture/agro-ecology
- Community supported agriculture initiatives
- Supporting diversity, resilience and learning amongst key players in the food and farming sector
- Behaviour change (amongst consumers or producers)
Registered charities, social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations are eligible to apply.
More information and links to the Co-op Foundation's charitable purposes, funding timeline and online application form can be found via the Innovation fund Guidance page Innovation_Fund_Guidance.pdf (mcusercontent.com)
Community Business Crowd-match - Power to Change
Power to Change has teamed up with Crowd-funder to launch Community Business Crowd-match to back new or existing community businesses to deliver brilliant community-led projects.
Whether it's launching new ideas to help your neighbourhood, help meet increased demand, save a community space or help bridge a funding gap, Power to Change will match fund up to 50% of your target, to a maximum of £10,000, as long as you can raise the rest through crowdfunding.
Through this fund Power to Change are particularly keen to support new and existing projects in more deprived areas of the country, and to work with communities experiencing racial inequity across England.
For more information visit Crowdmatch - Power to Change
Hospital Saturday Fund
The Hospital Saturday Fund is a grant-making charity which donates to medically associated charities for care and research, and to some individuals with health problems throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and historically Malta.
For medically related charities, hospitals, hospices and medical clinics The Hospital Saturday Fund will consider giving grants towards medical capital projects, medical care or research and in support of medical training. The Hospital Saturday Fund will also consider grants for running costs.
Individuals may apply and their website lists what will and won't be considered.
You can apply to the fund as well as read application guidelines on the Hospital Saturday Fund website
Maisie and Raphael Lewis Charitable Foundation
Funds are available to UK registered charities. The Foundation's objective is to advance resources exclusively for charitable purposes, mainly to support Old Age Home and Medical Charities. Other interests of the Foundation, as detailed in its Charity Commission entry, suggest the Foundation may also favour Jewish causes.
No application deadline is published, and interested parties are invited to contact the Foundation about the availability of grant support in the first instance.
Registered charities interested in applying to the Foundation are advised to write to enquire about the availability of grants to the following address: Barry Slavin and Jeffrey Zamet - Trustees, The Masie and Raphael Lewis Foundation, Arram Berlyn Gardner LLP, 30 City Road, London, EC1Y 2AB.
For further information please phone 020 7330 0000 or Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (the Foundation does not maintain a website).
Pebbles Grants
The Rank Foundation's 'Pebbles' grant fund, which has reopened again following a break during COVID, is directed at smaller UK charities and churches that may not be covered by the Rank Foundation's larger programmes.
Grants of between £250 and £4,000 are available for either:
- Capital costs - funding for fixed, one-time expenses incurred for building work, refurbishment and equipment, or
- Short breaks - funding for respite breaks or holidays for disadvantaged young people.
The total cost of the project should not exceed £150,000 and applicants must have an annual turnover of under £500,000. Applicants will be required to demonstrate that 33% of the total project cost has been sought and secured from other sources.
To apply, applicants should initially complete the online Eligibility Form. Eligible applicants can then complete the online application form.
Further information and guidance can be found on the Rank Foundation website.
Funding for Allotment and Garden Projects
The National Allotment Gardens Trust (NAGT) offers funding to registered allotments and Committees for the improvement and development of facilities on registered and permanent sites (non-statutory sites may also be granted funding if a long term lease is in place).
The NAGT's objectives are to .......
- Advance and improve the allotments/gardens movement by education, training, workshops and support.
- To provide training for allotment committee members and for people who wish to become involved in the management of allotments.
- For committees who wish to take a lease of their site from either Local Authority or Private landlord.
- To improve facilities for those who have need for such facilities by their youth, infirmity or disablements.
- The trust can provide funding and experience in allotment gardening.
- Local training courses can be arranged.
Groups who meet the requirements for funding should apply in the first instance using the NAGT Funding application form. This is available by visiting the grant application page on the National Allotment Gardens Trust website or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lloyds Bank Racial Equity Fund
The fund is aimed at small and local charities that are led by and that support Black, Asian, and ethnic minority communities. Charities can apply for two-year unrestricted grants of £50,000 alongside development support.
The funding will be open year-round and will not be restricted by deadlines. The Foundation is looking to support charities where more than half of their Trustee Board self-identify as Black, Asian or minority ethnic, with an annual income of between £25,000 and £1m, and with a strong track record of helping people from minority communities across 11 complex social issues.
For the eligibility check, and the online application form visit Lloyd's Bank Foundation
Tarka Country Trust - Community Wildlife Fund
The Community Wildlife fund is currently open for applications from community groups in North Devon and Torridge Districts wanting to carry out small scale projects that both benefit wildlife and involve the community. The maximum grant is £500.
The Tarka Country Trust's Community Wildlife Trust has previously supported:
North Devon Moving Image CIC for "Wild Shorts" - a wildlife and environmental short film competition.
North Devon Barn Owl Box Project for supply of free barn owl boxes for farmers with suitable buildings and habitat.
Gaia Trust for creation and management of bird scrapes as Home Farm Marsh, Fremington.
The Greater Horseshoe Bat Viewing Platform, which was built to help people view these rare mammals near Braunton.
Meddon Green Local Nature Reserve to help carry out pond clearance, access improvements and interpretation.
It's advised to read their guidance notes before applying to the Trust - click on this document for the guidance notes Community Wildlife Fund - Guidance Notes (PDF) [114KB]
Submit your completed application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or send a paper copy to Tarka Country Trust, Taw View, North Walk, Barnstaple, EX31 1EE
Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme - Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
The Government is providing up to £210m worth of voucher funding as immediate help for people suffering from slow broadband speeds in rural areas.
Vouchers worth up to £1,500 for homes and £3,500 for businesses help to cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband to people's doorsteps.
The new UK Gigabit Voucher launched on Thursday 8th April 2021 and is only available through a supplier who is registered with the scheme.
From 8th April you will be able to check whether your premises is eligible for a voucher, find a list of registered suppliers, and see those who are active in your area, using the website: gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk
Barratt Foundation
To mark the completion of their 500,000th home, Barratt Homes has launched the Barratt Foundation, bringing together their charitable giving and long-term support for good causes and leading charities under one roof.
As the UK's largest house builder, Barratt want to lead the industry in the scope, scale, and impact of their charitable work. Last year they raised and donated more than £4m - but now want to go further.
In addition to the achieving their 500,000th home milestone, with the pandemic both reducing funding for charities and making the work they do more important than ever, they feel this is the right moment to launch the Barratt Foundation.
It has a general purpose, but they will look to focus efforts on some key areas, including:
- Promoting social inclusion, particularly young people, the armed forces and the most disadvantaged and excluded in society.
- Helping the environment and nature, alongside our commitment to being the country's leading national sustainable housebuilder
- Promoting physical and mental health
- Education and opportunity
To mark the launch of the Barratt Foundation, they are donating £500,000 across 10 charities chosen by their employees. These charities are Macmillan Cancer Support, Dementia UK, CALM, The Wildlife Trust, Marie Curie, Re-engage, The Samaritans, Refuge, The Matt Hampson Foundation and The Care Workers' Charity.
If there is a local charity working in your area that you feel could benefit from their support, please direct them to the Foundation for more information and details on how to get in touch, or to make an application to the Barratt Foundation.
https://barrattfoundation.org.uk/
Small Grants Scheme - Foyle Foundation
This Small Grants Scheme is designed to support charities registered and operating in the United Kingdom, especially those working at grass roots and local community level, in any field, across a wide range of activities.
Online applications can be accepted from charities that have an annual turnover of less than £150,000 per annum. Larger or national charities will normally not be considered under this scheme.
The focus will be to make one-year grants only to cover core costs or essential equipment, to enable ongoing service provision, homeworking, or delivery of online digital services to charities that can show financial stability.
The priority will be to support local charities still active in their communities which are currently delivering services to the young, vulnerable, elderly, disadvantaged or the general community either directly or through online support if possible.
Grants are available between £1000 and £10,000.
Small Grants Scheme - (foylefoundation.org.uk)
Devon County Council's Locality Budgets
Devon County Councillors each have a locality budget of £10,000 per year to enable them to respond to local needs in their divisions, supporting projects or activities that benefit the communities they represent.
Councillors can, if they wish, make grants to support projects or activities that benefit the communities they represent.
Locality budget funding adds value to projects that are beneficial to local communities, and help meet the Council's strategic objectives. Projects are diverse and reflect the needs of local communities. All projects should include some other financial contribution(s) and/or local support.
Any properly constituted not-for-private-profit voluntary or community group (including town and parish councils) can apply to their local county councillor for a grant from the locality budget fund.
Each councillor will normally make their own decision on which applications they wish to support, the only exception would be where the councillor may have a conflict of interest and the decision will have to be approved by an officer provided that the locality budget fund grant will be normally used within the financial period (April to March) of each year and is not used to benefit individuals or private businesses.
To discuss a locality budget fund application, you should contact your local County Councillor in the first instance. You can view a Map of Devon County wards of each of the Council's electoral divisions to help you to identify your local councillor.
If your county councillor wishes to support your application, you must complete Part A of the locality budget application form, and ensure that the reverse side of the form is completed (terms and conditions) and then send it to the councillor so that they can complete Part B.
Hargreaves Foundation
The Hargreaves Foundation is a grant-making charitable foundation set up in 2020 by Peter Hargreaves and his family. Applications are open for organisations seeking funding to support those under the age of 18, and living with a mental health problem, physical disability or growing up in poverty through the mediums of sport and education.
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.
It is the intention of the Trustees to consider a targeted approach to funding and seek out opportunities which provide scope to 'materially change the life of an individual'.
To apply online visit: The Hargreaves Foundation
Loans for charities
The Charity Bank provides loans to small and large organisations where the loan is being used for a social purpose. Loans are provided to social enterprises and other community organisations that benefit people and communities for a variety of needs including property purchase or refurbishments, capital investments, asset purchases, working capital loans and underwriting facilities for fund-raising programmes.
Loans may be offered to not-for-profit organisations, parish councils, charities, community groups, voluntary groups, community buildings and social enterprises.
Visit their website Charity Loans For UK Charities or email them: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ulverscroft Foundation - supporting visually impaired people
The Ulverscroft Foundation is a UK based charity supporting visually impaired people. The Foundation supplies grants to organisations looking for help with projects relating to improving the quality of life of visually impaired people.
Funding is mainly given to organisations directly helping the visually impaired, such as libraries, schools, colleges and hospitals.
Any organisation applying is only able to submit one application every 18 months regardless of the outcome of the application.
The Foundation is keen to support specific projects and associated costs, with capital costs, core salaries and general running costs not supported.
Applications can be made in writing by downloading, completing and posting an application form or, alternatively, by using their online application form. They also accept email applications. Details of the information required, as well as contact details and where to send the application, can be found on their website: Ulverscroft Foundation
Nationwide Building Society - Community Grants
Charities, Community Land Trusts and housing co-operatives who are making positive changes in their local areas can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £50,000.
Projects will be favoured that:
- help charities get back on their feet after the impact of Covid-19
- illustrate a clear link to Nationwide's ambition for everyone to have a place fit to call home and can demonstrate the impact their project will have on the local community
- are supporting people in housing need, in original or creative ways. This includes both projects already delivering local impact and those carrying out research to find new ways to challenge the housing crisis
- have the potential to inspire and be used by others across the country
- have robust plans to measure and report on the difference the grant will make
- can demonstrate sustainability beyond the life of the grant, by building the skills of staff and volunteers, diversifying funding streams and providing long-term solutions for the people they are helping
- can evidence knowledge of local issues and have a network of local connections.
In 2021 they are capping the amount of Community Grant applications that will be accepted.
For more information visit Nationwide Grants (nationwidecommunitygrants.co.uk)
Flexible Plastic Fund
Businesses, retailers and recyclers are invited to access funding and support through the new Flexible Plastic Fund initiative. The scheme has been set up to incentivise the recycling of flexible plastics such as bags and wrappers.
The Flexible Plastic Fund is a cross-industry collaboration established in May 2021 by five founding partners: Mars, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever.
The aim is to create a circular system that incentivises the recycling of flexible plastics:
- Businesses that own brands that use flexible plastic packaging invest in the fund to become partners of the Flexible Plastic Fund.
- Participating retailers hold collection points within their stores where individuals can drop off their flexi-plastics for recycling.
- The plastics are transported to approved recyclers to create new products.
- These new products generate Packaging Recovery Notes which certify that the products have been recycled.
- If the new products meet the requirements of the Flexible Plastics Fund then a payment is made to the partners in the fund.
The Fund has a pricing hierarchy where food-grade plastic film benefits from a higher price than non-packaging material. The aim is to recycle at least 80% of the plastics collected in the UK - rising to 100% by 2023.
https://flexibleplasticfund.org.uk/
E B M Charitable Trust
The aims of the E B M Charitable Trust are to support a wide variety of beneficiaries including charities involved in animal welfare and research, the relief of poverty and youth development.
A letter of introduction is recommended as unsolicited applications are not encouraged. Moreover, the Trust has stated that all its funds are committed. The Trust prefers to make donations to charities whose work they have researched and which is in accordance with its areas of interest. It tends not to support research projects as research is not a core priority but there are exceptions to this. Please note that the Trust receives a very high number of grant applications which are mostly unsuccessful.
However, if you have a charitable cause you believe the Trust will support, it may be worth submitting a letter or application as the Trust's grants can be substantial and provided over a number of years.
A letter of introduction may be submitted at any time, addressed to:
Lynne Webster, the E B M Charitable Trust, Moore Family Office Ltd, 42 Berkeley Square
Community News!
Morrisons help to reduce period poverty
Please pass this information on to as many people as you can....
If you are in need, or struggling for sanitary products, go to a kiosk in any branch of Morrisons, and ask for a package that SANDY has left for you.
You will be given a FREE discreet bag with what you need, no questions asked.
Pens For Kids
In many countries, kids can only dream of an education, as parents cannot afford to send them to school. The main obstacles are often school fees, school uniforms, or that the children need to work to help support the family. In many countries education is free, but missing income, uniforms and cost of school utensils like pens are still big hurdles to overcome. In some countries the average income per family is a dollar or two a day, pens are big investments and quickly dry out under the relentless Equatorial sun. Many kids just wish they could be allowed to go to school.
By sending your new and used pens, this makes the dream a reality for many.
They welcome donations of pens, pencils and most other forms of stationery, old and new, as long as they're in working order. Feel free to post anything you can spare to:
Pens for Kids UK, PO Box 864, Orpington, BR6 1JQ
If you would like to donate money instead, or find out more about their project, please visit their website: Pens for Kids or their Facebook page: Pens for Kids UK - Facebook