Finding a funder is the easy part. The hard part is working out which of their programmes you're actually eligible for, and not wasting a week on an application that was never a fit. This guide lists Community Foundation North East's currently open programmes so you can check the basics before you commit.
Open Community Foundation North East programme right now
- General grants (Tyne & Wear and Northumberland)
North East England. Organisations based in Tyne & Wear or Northumberland can make a general grant application at any time of year (alongside ~300 named donor funds; the funder's separate named calls also cover Tees Valley, County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland). NOTE (checked 2026-08-08): applying is PORTAL-GATED and not immediate — the funder states "To submit an application you need to be registered on our grantee portal. If you are not currently registered you need to allow up to two working days for your registration to be checked." Scale: the funder describes itself as "a small grants funder" whose "typical grant size (for general applications) is around £5,000", and says you will "normally get a funding decision from us within 12 weeks from the date we receive your completed application". Repeat gate: if your organisation receives a grant you must submit a satisfactory monitoring or progress report before applying again, and the funder recommends not submitting several applications at once. House eligibility applies to all applicants: a governing document; a board of at least three unrelated individuals with equal control; a bank account in the organisation's legal name with two unrelated signatories; adequate accounts approved by the governing body; and adult and child safeguarding policies. Registered charity status is NOT required — the funder "sometimes support[s] community interest companies and other non-charitable social enterprises", but a CIC or non-charity social enterprise must also provide a business plan showing trading as a core source of income. Does not fund: advancement of religion; animal welfare; contributions to general appeals or circulars; grant-making by other organisations; work a public body has a statutory duty to provide; activities that have already taken place; privately owned, profit-distributing companies or partnerships. Open (rolling).
Each programme links to Community Foundation North East's official page. Always confirm eligibility, amounts and deadlines there before applying. Funders update their pages, and "rolling" does not mean funding is guaranteed.
Before you apply to Community Foundation North East
- Check the eligibility basics first: where you work, the type of organisation you are, who you help, and the realistic size of grant you can deliver.
- Look at who Community Foundation North East has funded recently. Recent grants are the best signal of whether your work fits their priorities.
- Don't rely on one funder. The charities that win consistently keep a live shortlist of several well-matched opportunities, not a single bet.
See which of these you're eligible for, in seconds
Tell GrantNest about your charity once (cause, region, beneficiaries, income and what you're funding) and we match you against verified open grant programmes like these, then show you the few you're genuinely eligible for.
We match tenders too, but be clear on the scope: tender coverage runs off the government's Find a Tender service rather than every local portal; profile matching is still in beta; and our application help is a checklist and an editable opening draft, not a finished bid.
Get grants like these in your inbox, free
One short email a week: the new grant calls and tenders that fit UK charities, as funders open them. No sign-up wall, unsubscribe any time.
GrantNest helps you discover and draft funding opportunities. We are not affiliated with Community Foundation North East. We don't guarantee you'll win funding, and nothing here is financial or legal advice. Programme details verified 2026-08-19.