A free, honestly-sourced list of 30 grant programmes currently open to UK charities and community organisations. Filter by cause, region and grant size to see the ones that fit your charity, each with the funder, amount, deadline and a link to the funder's own page. No sign-up needed. Built on official open data by GrantNest.
Tell GrantNest your cause, region and size once and we'll match live grants and tenders to your charity and show the reasoning. Free for founding members.
| Programme | Who / where | Amount | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core (Organisational) CostsBBC Children in Need | UK-wide Community services | £1,000–£40,000 a year | Rolling, no fixed deadline | UK-wide (incl. Isle of Man & Channel Islands). £1,000–£40,000 per year (max £120,000 over up to 3 years) for the core running costs of not-for-profits working with children and young people aged 18 and under. Core Grants are NOT awarded to organisations with turnover over £1m in the most recent complete financial year (smaller, local orgs prioritised); applications over £15,000/yr are only considered from organisations registered with the appropriate regulatory body. No deadline — apply any time. ACCESS ROUTE (funder page read 2026-08-08): "The first step in applying is to speak with your local team", then an Expression of Interest; the EOI form is reached inside an online account and "You'll be able to access the EOI form in your online account when the funding stream is open" — so an account is needed first and EOI availability is conditional. A full application form is issued only if BBC CiN wants to support the work set out in the EOI. SCALE REALITY: "Currently, we are only able to fund 1 in 6 of the applications we receive." You may hold only one BBC CiN grant at a time, and only one Core Costs grant at any time regardless of where in the UK you deliver; if an application is unsuccessful the funder tells you when you may next apply. No retrospective funding — nothing already done or already incurred before the decision date. Not funded: work statutory bodies have a duty to fund; educational institutions including schools, universities and pupil referral units (and, for Core Grants, special schools); local authorities, NHS bodies, hospitals or prisons; capital or building projects; work promoting religion; activity outside the UK; medical treatment or research; bursaries, fees or sponsored places; political activity. |
| Project CostsBBC Children in Need | UK-wide Community services | £1,000–£40,000 a year | Rolling, no fixed deadline | UK-wide (incl. Isle of Man & Channel Islands). £1,000–£40,000 per year (up to 3 years) for projects delivering positive change for disadvantaged children and young people aged 18 and under. No deadline – apply any time (pre-application advice session + Expression of Interest required). |
| Esmée Fairbairn Foundation GrantsEsmée Fairbairn Foundation | UK-wide Community services | £30,000+, no cap | Rolling, no fixed deadline | UK-wide. Min £30,000, no max; the majority of grants run three to five years (no minimum or maximum term). Core, project or unrestricted costs across 13 priorities under 3 aims (Our Natural World; A Fairer Future; Creative, Confident Communities). Rolling EOI — "Unless specified otherwise, we accept applications on a rolling basis with no deadlines". RE-READ FIRST-PARTY 2026-08-09: that sentence is live today on both the Apply-for-a-grant page and the Submit-an-application page, and neither carries any closure, pause or "not accepting" notice. TIMELINE CORRECTED 2026-08-09 — the card's "~6 months to decision" was carried from an older verification and understated the funder's own figure: the Foundation states the full process "from submitting an Expression of Interest to a grant decision - can take between six to eight months for most applications", adding that "in general, requests for smaller grants can happen more quickly". Three named stages: (1) Expression of Interest through the online portal — your organisation, the Esmée priority your work best fits, and two questions answered in 300 words in total; (2) an assessment call; (3) a full proposal, then the decision. ACCESS ROUTE (funder page read 2026-08-08): self-serve web EOI, with an eligibility quiz offered before you invest time in applying. SCALE REALITY, and it is the number that matters most here: the Foundation makes "around 200 grants a year across our 13 funding priorities and demand for our funding is very high", and "In 2025, 5% of expressions of interest received through our website went on to be awarded a grant." Supports constituted organisations, including charities and non-charities doing charitable work. Org turnover must be ≥£100,000 in the latest set of accounts. Excludes: unconstituted organisations; organisations without measures against disproportionate personal benefit; capital costs including building work, renovations and equipment; grants to individuals; anything under £30,000; work that is not legally charitable; work without direct UK benefit; work that is primarily the responsibility of statutory authorities using public funds; academic research unless it can demonstrate practical outcomes; independent (fee-paying) education; healthcare — clinical, counselling, hospices, therapy, addiction services or medical research; and the promotion of religion. |
| Regular GrantsGarfield Weston Foundation | UK-wide Community services | Up to £100,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | UK-wide. Grants up to £100,000 towards core/running costs, a specific project, or capital costs. TIMING — STATED AS AN INFERENCE, NOT A FUNDER QUOTATION (all four application surfaces re-read first-party 2026-08-09). The Foundation publishes no timing policy anywhere on its website: the words "deadline", "rolling", "any time", "time of year" and "how often" occur ZERO times across How to apply, the 17-question Application FAQs, the Application guidelines page and the Major Grants page — an absence tested with a positive control, since the same capture of the same pages matched other terms normally. Our "no deadlines, apply any time" is therefore INFERRED from three things: no application window is published on any surface; the self-serve route (eligibility quiz, then the Grants Portal) is live today with no closure notice; and the Foundation states it considers "applications in the order we receive them", which is incompatible with a deadline round. It is an inference and must not be presented to a user as something the funder says. NOTE — SOURCE CORRECTED 2026-08-09: the decision-time note is accurate and live today — the Foundation "will aim to get back to you with our decision within 4–6 months" and is "currently experiencing a significantly increased volume of applications" — but both sentences are printed on the Application FAQs page, NOT on the How to apply page this card cites as its source. The substance stands; the citation was imprecise. Eligibility gate — it "can only accept applications from Registered Charities, CIOs and a small number of other organisations which are exempt under Charity Commission guidelines", so a CIC or an unregistered community group is not eligible; and you must already hold "at least one year's worth of annual accounts as a registered charity" (independently audited or examined accounts, or a Charity Commission annual return) before applying. Route: take the eligibility quiz first, then apply via the online Grants Portal (a postal form is also offered). Realistic scale: for core costs the Foundation is "unlikely to fund more than 10% of your organisation's total annual budget"; project and capital grants are typically 10–20% of total cost and it is "unlikely to be the sole funder"; and for local community capital projects (village halls, community centres, places of worship) grants "are likely to be no greater than £30,000 regardless of the project size". Not funded: salaries for specific posts, one-off or annual events, sponsorship, feasibility studies, activity that takes place overseas, monuments and public works of art, endowment appeals, campaigning/lobbying where that is the main activity, rescue and emergency organisations, animal welfare charities, and new organisations without a track record or accounts. |
| Major GrantsGarfield Weston Foundation | UK-wide Community services | £100,000+ | Rolling, no fixed deadline | UK-wide. Grants of £100,000 and above towards core, project or capital costs. Eligibility: the total cost of what you are raising for must be at least £1m — for core costs your annual income must be £1m+, while for capital/project costs income need not exceed £1m but the project total must be £1m+ (local community capital projects e.g. a church or village hall should apply for a Regular Grant, typically up to £30k). Expression of Interest model — submit an EOI via the Grants Management Portal; the Foundation confirms receipt by email and "will be in touch with bespoke guidance within 10 working days" (page re-read first-party 2026-08-09, route live, no closure or pause notice). TIMING — STATED AS AN INFERENCE, NOT A FUNDER QUOTATION (all four application surfaces re-read first-party 2026-08-09). The Foundation publishes no timing policy anywhere on its website: the words "deadline", "rolling", "any time", "time of year" and "how often" occur ZERO times across How to apply, the 17-question Application FAQs, the Application guidelines page and the Major Grants page — an absence tested with a positive control, since the same capture of the same pages matched other terms normally. Our "no deadlines, apply any time" is therefore INFERRED from three things: no application window is published on any surface; the self-serve route (eligibility quiz, then the Grants Portal) is live today with no closure notice; and the Foundation states it considers "applications in the order we receive them", which is incompatible with a deadline round. It is an inference and must not be presented to a user as something the funder says. NOTE (checked 2026-08-08): the Foundation "can only accept applications from Registered Charities, CIOs and a small number of other organisations which are exempt under Charity Commission guidelines", and requires "at least one year's worth of annual accounts as a registered charity"; take the eligibility quiz first. The EOI is not itself an application — the Foundation reviews it and, "if your application is potentially suitable for a major grant, we will be in touch to arrange a call". |
| Migration FundPaul Hamlyn Foundation | UK-wide Community services | Up to £60,000 a year | Rolling, no fixed deadline | UK-wide. Up to £60,000/yr (3–4 years) or £50,000/yr (5 years) for charitable organisations working towards a world in which everyone is free to move and no one is forced to move. Rolling application cycle — no deadlines. GATE (funder's own fund page, re-verified 2026-08-08): you must have an enquiry call with PHF's Migration Team before applying, and written applications are accepted ONLY from organisations invited to apply following that call. PHF aims to respond to an enquiry call request within four weeks and currently reports a high volume of requests, so allow longer. ~4 months from written application to decision. PHF actively funds work outside London and across the UK. |
| Youth FundPaul Hamlyn Foundation | UK-wide Community services | £30,000–£50,000 a year | Rolling, no fixed deadline | UK-wide. £30,000–£50,000 per year for three years (maximum grant £150,000) for not-for-profit organisations working with young people aged 14–25 to drive systemic change. Rolling application cycle — no deadlines. ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE, no enquiry-call gate. Verified on the funder's own fund page 2026-08-09: you apply directly by completing a written application in PHF's online portal, and a sample application form is published in advance as a Word document so you can see the questions before you start. If the written application meets criteria you are invited to an online interview, at which PHF asks for further information on finances and fundraising, governance and impact; after moderation the team decides whether to put the application to its grants panel, which sits five times a year. Note the contrast with PHF's own Migration Fund, where an enquiry call is mandatory and written applications are accepted ONLY from organisations invited following that call — two funds at the same funder running opposite routes. The word "enquiry" does not appear anywhere on the Youth Fund page. TIMING: this card previously said ~4 months; the funder says 4–6 months from written application to final decision, and that applicants should hear from PHF within 8 weeks of submitting. HARD GATES not previously on this card: (a) organisation turnover must be over £30,000 and under £3.5 million; (b) at least 50% of the organisation's focus must be on work with and for 14–25 year olds; (c) PHF funds the full three years only, and makes no grants of less than £30,000 per year; (d) newly registered organisations that have not yet produced independently audited or examined accounts are excluded; (e) non-charities (community organisations, social enterprises, not-for-profit companies) must declare how the funding is for charitable purposes AND have an asset lock in place; (f) for partnership delivery there must be a lead partner able to receive funds, and the partnership must already be active. EXCLUSIONS beyond PHF's general exclusions: statutory responsibilities; project-based activity or work with no scope for impact beyond immediate beneficiaries; service delivery without a specific focus on wider change; research not demonstrably linked to action; work focused on young people receiving hospice or end-of-life care; work delivered by YMCAs unless it seeks significant wider change in housing provision and entitlements for young people; and work focused exclusively on employment pathways or on further/higher education pathways (social mobility). PHF calls these "not currently a priority" — that is a statement about WHAT it funds, not about WHETHER the fund is open. PHF is also explicit that it is not looking to fund new or untested approaches, projects or finite pieces of work: the fund is for growing the impact of established work. Funder-wide (PHF /funding page, read 2026-08-09): PHF "actively seek[s] to fund work outside of London and across the UK" and only funds work that is charitable as defined by the Charity Commission. |
| Arts-based Learning FundPaul Hamlyn Foundation | UK-wide Culture & heritage | £30,000–£300,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | UK-wide. £30,000–£300,000 (up to £100,000 per year) over 1–4 years for arts and cultural organisations working in partnership with state-funded formal education settings to make arts-based learning a core part of education. Rolling application cycle — no deadlines. ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE, two stages. Verified on the funder's own fund page 2026-08-09. An enquiry call with a grants manager is offered and warmly encouraged, bookable through PHF's online portal, and PHF aims to respond to a request within four weeks — but the funder states in terms: "This step is optional." You may go straight to Stage 1 by completing the online application, and you receive an email acknowledgement. If the work aligns with criteria you are invited to Stage 2, where PHF asks for further information online and may arrange a phone or video call. Sample enquiry-call, Stage 1 and Stage 2 forms are all published in advance. CAUTION FOR SCREENING: PHF uses the phrase "enquiry call" on this fund and on its Migration Fund to mean OPPOSITE things — on Migration it is a mandatory gate and written applications are accepted only from organisations invited after the call; here it is optional. The phrase alone does not identify a gated route. TIMING: all applicants should expect to hear within four months, and successful applications take around six months from date of application to receiving a grant (this card previously said ~4 months to decision). WHO APPLIES: the applicant must be the arts or cultural organisation, NOT the school — PHF will not fund applications from schools or other formal education settings, though primary schools may apply directly to PHF's separate Teacher Development Fund. Applications from universities are excluded, but arts organisations sitting under a university umbrella are eligible, and universities may be project partners. HARD GATE not previously on this card: PHF "rarely consider[s] financial requests representing more than 50% of an applicant's annual turnover", so the headline £100,000-per-year maximum in practice implies annual turnover of roughly £200,000 or more — a size gate no screen currently applies. Also excluded: recently registered organisations that have not yet produced a set of accounts; work with formal education settings that are not state-funded (PHF does encourage a conversation via the enquiry call about SEND and alternative-provision settings with different funding arrangements); work that is or should be a statutory entitlement; work that is therapeutic in its practice and intended outcomes; and work focused on developing pupils' creativity through approaches that are not arts-based. Work is expected to take place during school hours and to be embedded in the curriculum. PHF offers up to £750 of accessibility support to help an organisation apply. Funder-wide (PHF /funding page, read 2026-08-09): PHF "actively seek[s] to fund work outside of London and across the UK" and only funds work that is charitable as defined by the Charity Commission. |
| Reaching Communities EnglandThe National Lottery Community Fund | UK-wide Community services | £20,001–£20,000,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | England. £20,001–£20,000,000 to strengthen communities and improve lives. Open to applications (rolling). REALISTIC BAND — the £20,000,000 ceiling is live and funder-affirmed, but it is not the typical award (funder's own overview page, first-party 2026-08-09): “Most projects receive funding under £500,000. In 2025, the average we gave was £319,000 over 3 years. However, we can and are keen to award up to £20 million to large organisations with ambitious projects.” A SECOND ROUTE STEP OPENS AT £500,000, on top of the two stages below: “If you want to ask for over £500,000, get in touch with us.” ACCESS ROUTE — TWO STAGES, STAGE TWO BY INVITATION (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “The application has two stages. At stage one, we ask for an outline of your project. If it fits what we're looking for, we'll invite you to give more information at stage two.” TIMESCALE, the longest on this list: the funder's own key facts state a decision in 40 weeks — “Most applications take around 9 months (40 weeks) from start to finish”, usually up to 3 months for a stage-one decision and up to 6 months at stage two, longer again for complex projects or those including land and building work. PROJECT TERM (first-party 2026-08-09): “You can apply for £20,001 or more, for projects lasting up to 5 years.” GATES: you may apply to only one of the funder's funds for the same project at any one time — “you can apply to Reaching Communities. If that's not successful, you can then apply to National Lottery Awards for All for the same project, but not both at once” (you may still apply while already holding funding from another of its programmes). Not accepted from individuals or sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members, or organisations applying on behalf of another (partnerships excepted). Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee, CICs, schools, public bodies, and community benefit or co-operative societies registered with the FCA. An asset lock is required if you are a CIC, a company limited by guarantee that is not a registered charity, or a community benefit or co-operative society. Partnerships need a written agreement between all partners before the funder can pay the grant. |
| National Lottery Awards for All EnglandThe National Lottery Community Fund | UK-wide Community services | £300–£20,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | England. £300–£20,000 for projects that bring people together and improve communities; projects can last up to 2 years. Open to applications (rolling) — genuinely self-serve: an online form, with no enquiry call and no invitation required. ACCESS ROUTE & GATES (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): decision in 16 weeks — “Submit your application at least 16 weeks before you need the funding” and “Please wait for a decision from us before starting your project or spending money”; payment within 14 days of the award email. Competitive: “We usually fund around 1 in 3 applications.” You cannot apply if your organisation has a current Awards for All England grant that has not finished, if you are waiting for a decision on another application to this programme, or if you are applying to more than one of the funder's programmes for the same project; and “The maximum total we can fund in any 12-month period is £20,000.” You must have at least 2 board or committee members who are not related (at least 2 unrelated directors if you are a company). A bank statement from the last 3 months meeting the funder's stated requirements is mandatory — “If they do not, you'll need to apply again when they do.” Eligible types include CICs (limited by guarantee or by shares), not-for-profit companies, CIOs, constituted voluntary/community organisations, groups and clubs, schools (only where the project mainly benefits and involves the wider community), statutory bodies and community benefit societies. “We prioritise funding for organisations with smaller annual incomes.” Paid authorship is barred — “You should write your own application. We do not accept applications written by private businesses, consultants or bid writers on your behalf” — while AI is permitted: “You can use AI tools to help you write your application, but make sure the answers are accurate and reflect your own work.” |
| Awards for All England – EnvironmentThe National Lottery Community Fund | UK-wide Environment | £300–£20,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | England. £300–£20,000 for community-led projects tackling the climate and nature emergency, under two priorities — helping people connect with and care for nature in their area, and making a positive difference to the environment; one-off events with a clear environmental benefit are eligible. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE & GATES (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): this is the same Awards for All online form, not a separate one — “When completing ‘Extra details about your project’, select ‘My project supports communities to be environmentally sustainable’ as the category of your project.” No enquiry call and no invitation required. CROSS-PROGRAMME EXCLUSION, material if you are also matched to National Lottery Awards for All England: “You cannot apply if you already have an Awards for All grant.” The funder will also refuse an application while you are waiting for a decision on another application to this programme, or if you are applying to more than one of its programmes for the same project; and “The maximum total we can fund in any 12-month period is £20,000.” Decision in 16 weeks — submit at least 16 weeks before you need the funding and wait for approval before starting your project or spending money; payment within 14 days of the award email. You must have at least two directors who are not related. Eligible types include CICs, not-for-profit companies, CIOs, constituted voluntary/community organisations, groups and clubs, schools (only where the project helps the local community, not just the school), statutory bodies and community benefit societies. |
| National Lottery Heritage Grants £10k–£250kThe National Lottery Heritage Fund | UK-wide Culture & heritage | £10,000–£250,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | UK-wide. £10,000–£250,000 for all types of heritage projects. No deadline — apply any time through the online service; the Project Enquiry service is OPTIONAL and returns feedback on your idea within 10 working days. ACCESS ROUTE (funder pages read 2026-08-08): self-serve, no invitation required, but three supporting documents are MANDATORY at application — governing document (unless exempt), accounts information, and a project plan + risk register. Who can apply: not-for-profit organisations (charities, CIOs, community and voluntary groups, community/parish councils, community interest companies, faith-based organisations, local authorities and other public sector bodies), private owners of a heritage asset, and partnerships — you must have a bank account, a governing document, and two or more members not related to each other or living at the same address. The governing document must contain a non-distribution clause and a clause passing assets to another charitable or not-for-profit body on dissolution: "We are unable to fund your organisation if your constitution does not include the above." Accounts must be audited or accountant-verified; if they are more than 18 months old, or the organisation was set up less than 14 months ago, three months' bank statements or a signed bank letter are required instead. The project must not start before the decision, must run no more than five years, and no retrospective costs are funded. Decision aim ~8 weeks once the application and all documents are complete; decisions are made monthly. Payment is 50% then 30% in advance with the final 20% in arrears. Full cost recovery is NOT accepted from public sector applicants; procurement rules bite at £10,000 (three quotes) and £50,000 (proof of competitive tender); project staff must be paid at least the Living Wage. If unsuccessful, "you must talk to us about this before reapplying". Projects in Wales must include the Welsh language throughout. |
| National Lottery Heritage Grants £250k–£10mThe National Lottery Heritage Fund | UK-wide Culture & heritage | £250,000–£10,000,000 | 2026-11-12 | UK-wide. £250,000–£10,000,000 for larger heritage projects. Runs on fixed deadline rounds (NOT rolling) — next deadline 12 noon 12 Nov 2026 (decision by end March 2027). Further 2027 rounds expected but not yet published. Open programme. |
| General grants (Tyne & Wear and Northumberland)Community Foundation North East | North East Community services | Varies — see funder | Rolling, no fixed deadline | 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). |
| Fund for WalesCommunity Foundation Wales | Wales Community services | £500–£2,500 a year | 2026-11-09 | Wales. £500–£2,500 per year (up to 3 years) for small, volunteer-led community organisations (annual income under £100,000). Applications assessed monthly on a rolling basis; the fund closes 12pm Monday 9 November 2026. |
| Foundation Scotland community funds (multiple open)Foundation Scotland | Scotland Community services | Varies — see funder | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Scotland. Community foundation running many separately-branded funds, each with its own criteria and its own deadline — the funder states every fund lists a deadline and some run more than one round a year, so check the key dates on the fund page itself. DO NOT RELY ON THE FUNDER'S OWN "AVAILABLE NOW" FILTER. On 2026-08-09 we opened all six Scotland-wide funds that filter returned and read each fund's own Key dates panel first-party: THREE OF THE SIX WERE ALREADY CLOSED. Bairdwatson Charitable Trust (employment and skills training, a £20,000 ceiling, carried on this card until today as open) prints "Applications close: 07/08/26" — it shut two days before this check, with decisions expected end of December 2026. SWEF Business Grants and SWEF Start-up Grants both print "Application Deadline: 15/05/26" and "Reopening for applications: 24/08/26", and both are grants to INDIVIDUALS starting a business, not to organisations. THE THREE THAT ARE GENUINELY OPEN, key dates read first-party 2026-08-09. (1) VICTORIA LEAGUE IN SCOTLAND TRUST — a £5,000 ceiling; key date reads "Rolling - you can apply at any time. The fund will remain open until the funds are distributed"; for projects extending the hand of friendship to overseas students studying in Scotland, which is a narrow remit, not a general community fund. (2) VOLANT CHARITABLE TRUST LARGE GRANTS PROGRAMME — £25,000 a year for no more than three years, a £75,000 total ceiling, for poverty and deprivation, women, and children and young people. HARD INCOME CAP: your most recent annual accounts must show income of £1,000,000 or less. Two stages, with a Stage 1 enquiry form deadline of Monday 28 September 2026 at midnight and Stage 2 decisions by early April 2027. The funder states the programme is NOT appropriate for requests below £10,000, and that there is £831,250 to distribute in total, roughly eleven grants at the ceiling. (3) SOCIAL INVESTMENT FUND — enquire at any time, but this is BLENDED GRANT AND LOAN and not a grant: investments between £10,000 and £250,000 per organisation, with no more than 25% of the investment as grant, so the grant element is at most about £62,500 and the balance is repayable. Note the funder's own Volant hub page still prints superseded lower figures (£15,000 a year, a £45,000 total); the Volant Large fund page's key-facts panel and its body both say £25,000 a year and £75,000, and that is the figure carried here. A further 124 fund records across all areas carried the "Available now" flag when counted on 2026-08-09, but on the evidence above that flag is not a reliable statement that a fund is accepting applications — open the fund page and read its Key dates panel before you apply. BEFORE APPLYING — the funder runs due diligence against its Common Eligibility Criteria on every application and states "if you cannot meet these criteria, we cannot progress your application": at least three unrelated people on your board or management committee, with the majority unrelated; a governing document setting out charitable purposes and carrying a charitable asset lock / dissolution clause; your latest approved accounts (waived only if your organisation is under 18 months old — abbreviated and micro-entity accounts are NOT accepted); your own bank account, in the organisation's name as it appears on the governing document; and, where the work involves children or vulnerable adults, a Safeguarding Policy and Procedures already in place before you apply. Also closed, and named here because this card previously carried them as open: the Essentia Foundation fund closed 1 Jun 2026 (decisions summer 2026) and the Cockaigne Fund closed 1 Jul 2026 for a summer break, reopening 1 Sep 2026. |
| Grants for West of England organisationsQuartet Community Foundation | South West Community services | £20–£500 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | West of England (Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire). Grants to local charities, voluntary and community organisations — the funder reports that last year "80% of the total amount awarded went to organisations with an income of less than £500,000" (a share of money, not a share of awards). NOTE (checked 2026-08-08): most of the programme list is CLOSED. On the funder's own "OPEN NOW" / "CLOSED" status labels, 2 of 20 listed programmes are open today — the Express Grant Programme and the North Somerset Community Transport Grant; the other 18 read CLOSED. BOTH open programmes are year-round — each states "This grant programme is open for applications all year" — but only one is broad-purpose. The NORTH SOMERSET COMMUNITY TRANSPORT GRANT is narrow and small: £20–£500, North Somerset residents only, for community transport groups operating under a section 19 or section 22 permit and for volunteer car schemes. The broad-purpose year-round route is therefore the EXPRESS GRANT PROGRAMME: maximum grant £5,000 (the funder states an average award of around £4,000 and that "54% of applications received for the Express programme are successful"), online form only — the plain-text version cannot be used to apply — with a decision aimed at 8 weeks and "currently" up to 10. Express criteria were updated with effect from 1 May 2026. Express prioritises organisations with income under £1m, particularly under £0.5m, and can fund core, project and capital costs. House eligibility: a management committee or board of at least three unpaid members with a majority unrelated; a written constitution or articles; up-to-date annual accounts or financial records; a bank account in the organisation's name with two unrelated signatories; and safeguarding policies. Registered charity status is NOT required — CICs are supported where limited by guarantee (not shares), with a charitable asset-lock body, at least three directors mostly unpaid, and the funder's 'persons with significant control' conditions met. Will not normally fund: sports or arts projects with no community or charitable element; privately owned, profit-distributing companies or partnerships; costs incurred before a grant is awarded; animal welfare alone; services a public body has a statutory responsibility to provide; medical research, equipment or treatment; support for a political party; or activity intended to influence people's religious choices. Open (rolling) via Express. |
| Community Action (Scotland)The National Lottery Community Fund | Scotland Community services | £20,001–£250,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Scotland. £20,001–£250,000 for community-led projects that help people connect more with each other; the funder will support projects that are open, inclusive and led by their community. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE — YOU CANNOT APPLY DIRECTLY; THE FORM IS ISSUED TO YOU (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “Start by getting in touch… Contact us to discuss your idea. You do not need to prepare anything in advance. We’ll ask you about your project and help decide if this funding is right for you.” Contact is by email (advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk) or by phone on 0300 123 7110, lines open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. “We’ll connect you with a funding officer in your area within 10 working days. If you’re eligible to apply for the funding, we'll send you a link to our online application form.” The amount and duration are not freely chosen either — “We’ll discuss the length and amount of funding you can apply for when you get in touch.” TIMESCALE: the funder's own key facts state a decision in 12 weeks, and “We’ll contact you to talk about your application, and to get more information if we need it.” GATES: at least 3 board or committee members who are not related (at least 3 unrelated directors if you are a company, including companies registered as charities); a clear social purpose, open membership and a community-led board must be written into your governing document; you will be asked to upload your latest accounts (or 12-month projections if your organisation is less than 15 months old), tell the funder your total income and expenditure for the year, and send a bank statement from the last 3 months. PROJECT TERM (first-party 2026-08-09): “You can apply for £20,001 to £250,000 for up to 5 years”, with the funder adding “we’ll discuss the length and amount of funding you can apply for when you get in touch” — 5 years is the published ceiling, not an entitlement. NOT ACCEPTED from individuals, sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, schools, statutory bodies (including local authorities and community councils), companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (like companies limited by shares), organisations applying to more than one of the funder's programmes for the same project over the same period, or one organisation applying on behalf of another. Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, SCIOs, not-for-profit companies, CICs and community benefit societies — and “If you don’t meet all the criteria but feel your organisation still represents your community, we’d still like to hear from you.” If you already hold funding from the funder, “Contact us around 6 months before your funding ends to discuss applying.” Easy Read, offline and other accessible formats are available on request. |
| Fairer Life Chances (Scotland)The National Lottery Community Fund | Scotland Community services | £20,001–£500,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Scotland. £20,001–£500,000 for projects that support children, young people and families, or help people be healthier and have better access to support. Open to applications (rolling). PROJECT TERM (first-party 2026-08-09): “You can apply for £20,001 to £500,000 for up to 5 years”, and the funder adds “we’ll discuss the length and amount of funding you can apply for when you get in touch” — so 5 years is the published ceiling, not an entitlement. ACCESS ROUTE — YOU CANNOT APPLY DIRECTLY; THE FORM IS ISSUED TO YOU (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “Start by getting in touch… Contact us to discuss your idea. You do not need to prepare anything in advance. We’ll ask you about your project and help decide if this funding is right for you.” Contact by email (advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk) or phone 0300 123 7110, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday; “We’ll connect you with a funding officer in your area within 10 working days”, and the online form is sent to you only if you are judged eligible. This is the same gated route as Community Action (Scotland) and is NOT the route for National Lottery Awards for All Scotland, which is self-serve. TIMESCALE: the funder's own key facts state a decision in 12 weeks. WHAT YOU MUST SHOW: at least one of two outcomes — children, young people and families to thrive; or people have better relationships, connections and physical or mental health — and “Meeting both outcomes will not improve your chances of getting funding.” Projects should also support people experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination, and “should be designed with the people it’s for, not just delivered to them.” GATES: “All organisations must have at least 3 board or committee members who are not related. This applies to companies and charities.” NOT ACCEPTED from individuals, sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (including companies limited by shares), organisations applying to more than one of the funder's programmes for the same project over the same period, or applications made on behalf of another organisation. Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, SCIOs, not-for-profit companies, CICs, community benefit societies and — unlike Community Action (Scotland) — public sector organisations such as a local authority. If you are currently funded through Community Led, Improving Lives or Cost of Living Support Scotland: “Please get in touch with us around 6 months before your funding ends to talk about applying.” |
| Awards for All ScotlandThe National Lottery Community Fund | Scotland Community services | £300–£20,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Scotland. £300–£20,000 for community-led projects that bring people together and help communities across Scotland thrive; the funding can start a new activity, continue an existing one, help an organisation adapt to new challenges, or run one-off events. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE, no enquiry call and no invitation required (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “You can apply using our online form… You can save your work as you fill it in.” This is the only one of the funder's three Scotland programmes we list that you can apply to directly — Community Action and Fairer Life Chances both require you to contact a funding officer first and are sent the form only if judged eligible. TERMS: decision in 12 weeks; “Submit your application at least 12 weeks before you need the funding. We are receiving more applications than usual, so it may take longer to respond. Please wait for approval before starting your project or spending money”; if successful, funding is deposited within 14 days of the award email. GATES: the funder will not accept your application if your organisation has a current Awards for All Scotland grant that has not finished, if you are waiting for a decision on another application to this programme, or if you are applying to more than one of its programmes for the same project. “The maximum we can fund in any 12-month period is £20,000”, and you may reapply once your previous project is complete and your organisation has received less than £20,000 from this programme in the last 12 months. PROJECT TERM (first-party 2026-08-09): for community-led projects the funder can fund “between £300 and £20,000 to support work lasting up to 2 years”. For arts or sports projects the funder can fund up to £10,000 for work lasting up to 12 months. You must have at least two directors who are not related. “We prioritise funding for organisations with smaller annual incomes. Because of high demand, organisations with larger incomes are less likely to get funding.” Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies and CICs, schools (only where the project helps the local community, not just the school), statutory bodies (including local authorities and town, parish and community councils) and community benefit societies. NOT ACCEPTED from individuals or sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, for-profit companies (including companies limited by shares), or organisations applying on behalf of another. Paid authorship is barred: “We do not accept applications written for you by private businesses or consultants.” |
| Awards for All WalesThe National Lottery Community Fund | Wales Community services | £300–£20,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Wales. £300–£20,000 for projects that bring people together and improve communities across Wales, for projects lasting up to 2 years. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE, no enquiry call and no invitation required (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08): “You can apply using our online form… You can save your work as you fill it in. This lets you come back later if you need to.” This is the opposite of the funder's own People and Places (Wales) programme, where you must contact a funding officer first and are sent a form only if judged eligible. WELSH LANGUAGE — A HARD, COSTED OBLIGATION, not an option: “If you're funded to run a project in Wales, you'll need to deliver it in both Welsh and English. This means making sure your activities and communications are available to your community in both languages”, and “You should include the costs of delivering your project bilingually in your budget, for example, translation or interpretation costs.” Free support exists (the funder's Welsh Language Team at WelshLanguage.Advice@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk; the Welsh Language Commissioner's Promotion Team at hybu@cyg-wlc.cymru, which includes proofreading of up to 1,000 words a year; and Helo Blod, HeloBlod@llyw.cymru or 0300 25 88 88). TIMESCALE: the funder's own key facts state a decision in 12 weeks. “Submit your application at least 12 weeks before you need the funding. We are receiving more applications than usual, so it may take longer to respond. Please wait for approval before starting your project or spending money.” If successful the funder emails you and deposits the funding within 14 days, and you can start as soon as that email arrives. GATES: you must have at least two directors who are not related. The funder will not accept your application if your organisation has a current Awards for All Wales grant that has not finished, if you are waiting for a decision on another application to this programme, or if you are applying to more than one of its programmes for the same project; “The maximum total we can fund in any 12-month period is £20,000”, and you may reapply once the previous project has finished and your organisation has received less than £20,000 from this programme in the last 12 months. Income is a stated priority: “We're keen to fund smaller organisations too. So we'll look at your income when we're making a decision.” Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, CIOs, not-for-profit companies, CICs limited by guarantee or by shares (if limited by shares you must follow the Regulator of Community Interest Companies' guidance on sharing profits), schools (only where the project helps the local community and goes beyond the school's usual responsibilities — the funder will not fund curriculum activity, school buildings or grounds, staff training, school trips or after-school clubs) and statutory bodies including local authorities and town, parish and community councils. NOT ACCEPTED from individuals or sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, for-profit companies (including Companies Limited by Shares), or organisations applying on behalf of another. Paid authorship is barred: “We do not accept applications written for you by private businesses or consultants.” Easy Read, PDF, British Sign Language and video alternatives to the online form are available on request. |
| People and Places (Wales)The National Lottery Community Fund | Wales Community services | £20,001–£500,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Wales. £20,001–£500,000 for accessible, community-led projects in Wales that respond to the issues mattering most to their community, running for up to 5 years. Open to applications (rolling). ACCESS ROUTE — YOU CANNOT APPLY DIRECTLY; THE FORM IS ISSUED TO YOU (funder's own pages, verified 2026-08-08), and this holds for BOTH grant sizes: “Before you apply, we'd like to have an informal chat about your idea. You do not need to prepare anything.” Contact is by email (peopleandplaces@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk) or phone 0300 123 0735, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm; “We'll connect you with a funding officer in your area within 5 working days”, and “If your project is eligible, we'll then send you a link to the online application form.” THIS IS ONE LISTING OVER TWO DIFFERENT PRODUCTS — no single timeline or process claim is true of both. MEDIUM GRANTS £20,001–£100,000: one-stage process, “usually takes around 15 weeks to get a decision”; can fund new or existing activity, capital costs (land, buildings, vehicles, refurbishment) where the project follows the RIBA Plan of Work and is at stage 4 or higher, and up to £50,000 towards planning a capital project to reach RIBA stage 4. LARGE GRANTS £100,001–£500,000: a 2-stage process that “usually takes at least 40 weeks to get a decision” — a short idea form first, with the funder replying “within 6 weeks if you're invited to submit a full application”, then a decision on the full application within 16 weeks. In both cases a funding officer contacts you within 2 weeks of a successful decision to agree the contract and start date, and you must start within 6 months of the offer email. WELSH LANGUAGE — A HARD, COSTED OBLIGATION: “You must deliver all projects in Wales bilingually. This means people should be able to access your project in both English and Welsh. You can include the cost of bilingual services in your budget, such as the translation of promotional materials.” GEOGRAPHY IS A BENEFICIARY TEST, NOT AN ADDRESS TEST: “At least 80% of people who benefit from your project must live in Wales.” WHAT YOU MUST SHOW: how the project involves your community in planning and running it, builds on its strengths, fills a gap in what already exists locally, and considers its environmental impact — plus at least one of the funder's four missions (communities coming together; children and young people thriving; healthier lives; environmental sustainability). GATES: at least 3 board or committee members who are not related (3 unrelated directors if you are a company, including companies registered as charities); your latest accounts, or 12-month projections if the organisation is under 15 months old; and two named people who live in the UK, are unrelated and have different email addresses, one of them a senior person legally responsible for the funding, with home addresses and dates of birth. Eligible types include constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups and clubs, registered charities, not-for-profit companies, CICs, social enterprises, schools (where the project benefits the communities around the school and sits outside statutory provision), statutory bodies including local authorities, health boards and town, parish or community councils, and partnerships where every funded partner is one of these types. NOT ACCEPTED from individuals, sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (including Companies Limited by Shares), or organisations applying to more than one of the funder's programmes for the same project at the same time. Paid authorship is barred in the funder's strongest wording of the rule: “Do not use a private business or consultant to write your application. We will not accept them. Some may claim they work with us or are approved by us, this is not true.” The funder points applicants instead to their local authority or County Voluntary Council (CVC), or to its own funding officers. |
| Awards for All Northern IrelandThe National Lottery Community Fund | Northern Ireland Community services | £300–£20,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Northern Ireland. £300–£20,000 for projects lasting up to 2 years that bring people together and improve communities. Decision in around 12 weeks — apply at least 12 weeks before you need the funding, and wait for approval before starting or spending. If successful, payment lands within 14 days. ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE: you apply directly on the online form (saveable and resumable); there is no enquiry or eligibility-check stage. Easy Read, PDF and British Sign Language versions of the form and guidance are available on request. WHO CAN APPLY: constituted voluntary or community organisations, constituted groups or clubs, registered charities, not-for-profit companies, community interest companies limited by guarantee OR limited by shares (shares CICs must follow the CIC Regulator's guidance on sharing profits), schools where the project mainly benefits the wider community rather than pupils/teachers/parents, and statutory bodies such as a council or health trust but only where the project is not a statutory responsibility. At least 2 board or committee members (or 2 directors) who are not related — the funder counts marriage or civil partnership, long-term relationship or cohabiting, and same family as related. Lower-income organisations are prioritised. New organisations under 15 months old with no annual accounts can still apply. WHAT IS EXCLUDED — THE CARD-LEVEL TRAP: this programme does NOT fund projects that focus on engaging people in sports, arts or heritage based activities, nor sports, arts or heritage equipment and facilities. That is an outright exclusion, not a sub-cap. Also excluded: costs already paid, alcohol, contingency, loans, endowments or interest, paying someone else to write your application, profit-making or fundraising activity, reclaimable VAT, religious activities (religious organisations can apply where the project benefits the wider community and carries no religious content), statutory services, overseas travel, pre-school provision that receives statutory funding, projects outside the UK, activity making a private profit, and cash given directly to individuals. Applications from organisations with a current unfinished Awards for All Northern Ireland grant, or awaiting a decision on another, or that have received £20,000 in total from this programme in the last 12 months, are not accepted; nor are applications from individuals or sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, for-profit companies including companies limited by shares, projects whose main purpose is political activity, or organisations applying on behalf of another. WHAT IT FUNDS: project running costs, activity costs, equipment, one-off events, staff costs, training and facilitator costs, transport, utilities, volunteer expenses, and small land or refurbishment projects (for land or buildings you do not own you need a lease of five years or more, or a letter confirming one will be granted, plus written permission from the owner and any planning permission). Non-party-political campaigning about policy, practice or legislation can be funded where it serves the organisation's cause and benefits the public. WHAT YOU MUST SUPPLY: a bank statement from the last 3 months meeting the funder's financial-controls requirements (a bank welcome letter or a dated transaction listing is accepted for accounts opened within 3 months); names, home addresses, dates of birth and email addresses for 2 different people — one the main project contact, one a board/committee member or company director, both UK-resident, each with a different email address; your financial year end and most recent annual income; and a safeguarding policy if you will work with children, young people or adults at risk. The funder does not accept applications written for you by private businesses or consultants. |
| Dormant Assets for All (Northern Ireland)The National Lottery Community Fund | Northern Ireland Community services | £300–£20,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Northern Ireland. £300–£20,000 for projects lasting up to 2 years. Decision in around 12 weeks; payment within 14 days of the award email. Funded by the Dormant Assets Scheme — money from financial accounts unused for over 15 years, NOT National Lottery money — and grant-holders must display the Dormant Assets NI logo on their website, social media and printed materials. ACCESS ROUTE — SELF-SERVE: apply directly on the online form (saveable and resumable); no enquiry or eligibility-check stage. Contact the funder if you need communication support. WHAT THIS PROGRAMME IS FOR — THE CARD-LEVEL TRAP: this is ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING ONLY. The funder states it does NOT fund the delivery of activities in your community — expanding an existing service into new areas is given as an example of what it will not support. Fundable work must make the organisation itself more resilient: digital confidence and skills (including creating a digital strategy, staff and volunteer digital training, building or improving a website or social presence, and testing new ways of working such as using AI tools), impact measurement, financial management (including reviewing finances and exploring unrestricted income), governance and leadership (training, coaching, strategic planning, safeguarding, sharing services with other organisations, improving HR, property, data-protection and cybersecurity policies, succession planning, and reviewing legal status), and volunteer recruitment, support and development. Recurrent training such as sports coaching is treated as an ongoing running cost and is not a priority. WHO CAN APPLY: constituted VCSE organisations that have been OPERATING FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS — unregistered voluntary or community organisations with a governing document, not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee with a profit or asset lock, unincorporated registered charities, and community interest companies registered with Companies House and the CIC Regulator. At least 2 unrelated board or committee members, or 2 unrelated directors. Previous funding from the funder does not bar you, but a previous Dormant Assets for All grant does. WHO CANNOT APPLY — NOTE THE DIVERGENCE FROM AWARDS FOR ALL NORTHERN IRELAND: schools and statutory organisations are EXCLUDED here (Awards for All Northern Ireland accepts both), as are organisations operating for less than 2 years, individuals and sole traders, religious institutions such as a church, synagogue or mosque (faith-based community groups can apply), organisations based outside Northern Ireland, companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members including companies limited by shares, and organisations applying on behalf of another. GEOGRAPHY IS A REGISTERED-OFFICE TEST, NOT A PROJECT-LOCATION TEST: only organisations with a registered office base in Northern Ireland are eligible. WHAT IT WILL NOT PAY FOR: staff salaries, including existing staff and management costs; capital costs such as land, buildings, vehicles or refurbishment; work already funded; projects focused on reducing energy costs; your organisation's running costs; retrospective costs; alcohol; contingency, loans, endowments or interest; reclaimable VAT; religious activities; statutory activities; overseas travel; projects outside the UK; and activity making profits for private gain. PAID SUPPORT — A DISTINCTION THIS PROGRAMME DRAWS EXPLICITLY: consultant and freelancer expertise IS fundable where it strengthens the organisation (the funder encourages getting a few quotes), but funding must NOT be used to pay a consultant or freelancer to write the application, and applications written by private businesses or consultants are not accepted. The funder signposts applicants to their local council or the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) for support. WHAT YOU MUST SUPPLY: organisation legal name and address, organisation type, charity or company registration numbers, accounting end date and total annual income; a bank statement from the last 3 months meeting the funder's financial-controls requirements; details for 2 different people — one the main project contact, one a board/committee member or director legally responsible for the funding, both UK-resident, each with a different email address; and a safeguarding policy if working with children, young people or adults at risk. Lower-income organisations, and those that have not had Dormant Accounts Fund NI money, are prioritised. |
| The Randal Foundation Small GrantThe Randal Foundation (with Community Foundation for Northern Ireland) | Northern Ireland Community services | Up to £3,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Northern Ireland. Up to £3,000 (project costs only) for registered charities, community groups and not-for-profits operating in NI. NOT A HARD INCOME BAR (first-party 2026-08-09): the funder writes “Organisations should have a turnover of less than £100,000 p/a”, and uses “must” in the bullets either side of it, so the £100,000 figure is a strong preference rather than a ceiling — a larger organisation is not automatically ineligible. The funder adds that “preference will be given to grassroots and smaller organisations, especially those with lived experience represented in their governance or delivery teams”. Priorities: poverty alleviation and support for women and children at risk of immediate harm (incl. violence against women & girls, refugees & asylum seekers). Rolling fund — applications assessed monthly; funder may close at short notice if demand exceeds funds. Projects up to 12 months. Excludes individuals, for-profits, statutory bodies, advancement of religion, capital/building, advocacy and fundraising events. NOTE (checked 2026-08-08): the fund page reads "Ongoing - No Deadline" and the funder confirms "This is a rolling fund. Applications received by the end of each month will be assessed during the following month." Access route: all applications and monitoring go through the Community Foundation's Fundseeker Portal, and first-time users are directed to its 'How to Apply' guide before starting. The funder asks you to confirm, before applying, that you are a locally based not-for-profit, voluntary or community group working in NI; have an active management committee with no two related cheque signatories; have a governing document in the applicant organisation's name; have a current bank account in the organisation's name; have up-to-date annual accounts; and have complied with the conditions of previous grants including monitoring returns. CICs are eligible only with an asset-lock clause and at least three committee members, a majority unrelated. Successful applicants must agree to comprehensive monitoring and reporting and may be asked to take part in beneficiary spotlights. |
| Wee GrantsThe Robertson Trust | Scotland Community services | Up to £5,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Scotland. For constituted community groups & charities with annual income under £30,000. Up to £5,000 for one year, unrestricted (revenue or capital). Open — apply online (poverty/trauma focus); the apply route is a direct online form, with no enquiry call, referral or invitation required. ACCESS/ELIGIBILITY GATES (funder's own Wee Grants page, verified 2026-08-08): the funder states it "cannot accept applications from Community Interest Companies, Limited Companies and Community Benefit Societies which are not registered charities" — so a CIC that is not ALSO a registered Scottish charity is INELIGIBLE, notwithstanding this record's general VCSE flag. The funder also excludes "organisations who are already in receipt of funding from us, whether this is a Wee Grant or one of our other funds", and asks Wee Grant holders to wait at least 10 months from the date of the award email before reapplying. Further stated exclusions include organisations that distribute funding to third parties, umbrella organisations that do not directly deliver, work taking place outside Scotland, funding for individuals, feasibility studies or academic research, purchase of buildings/land, and retrospective costs. |
| Community Spaces GrantsThe Robertson Trust | Scotland Community services | £5,000–£20,000 a year | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Scotland. Registered charities with income £30,000–£500,000. Revenue funding £5,000–£20,000/yr for up to 3 years for community centres, hubs or anchor organisations tackling poverty & trauma. Open — apply at any time, no closing date; the apply route is a direct online form reached through the funder's full guidance, with no enquiry call, referral or invitation required. ACCESS/ELIGIBILITY GATES (funder's own Community Spaces Grants page, verified 2026-08-08): "You cannot be in receipt of, or apply for, a Community Spaces Grant at the same time as a Large or Small Grant." REVENUE ONLY — the funder states it "cannot support capital costs such as building works or refurbishments through this fund", which is a material limit for the community-centre and hub applicants this fund is aimed at. Applicants must also have at least three unconnected trustees, recent independently examined or audited accounts, a dual-signatory bank account in the charity's name, and a safeguarding policy where relevant. |
| Small GrantsThe Robertson Trust | Scotland Community services | £5,000–£20,000 a year | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Scotland. Registered charities with income £30,000–£200,000. Revenue funding £5,000–£20,000/yr, restricted or unrestricted. TERM CORRECTED 2026-08-08: this record previously stated a flat "up to 5 years", which over-stated the funder's own norm — the funder's Small Grants page states funding is "normally for 3 years but may be considered for up to 5 years for requests which are strongly aligned with our priorities and demonstrating leading or best practice, subject to available funds". Plan on 3 years; 5 is an exception, not the offer. Work must be "clearly and intentionally aligned to a priority" within one or more of the funder's four themes (Financial Security, Education Pathways, Work Pathways, Nurturing Relationships) — a narrower test than a general poverty/trauma focus. Open — rolling, apply at any time via the online form linked inside the funder's full guidance; no enquiry call, referral or invitation required. |
| Big Change That Lasts FundThe Robertson Trust | Scotland Community services | £20,000–£500,000 | Rolling, no fixed deadline | Scotland. Organisations with income over £200,000 (registered charities, asset-locked CICs limited by guarantee, housing associations and credit unions). Restricted project funding £20,000–£500,000 (typically £50k–£100k/yr) for up to 5 years for systemic change on poverty & trauma. Rolling, no closing date; currently prioritising Financial Security. ACCESS ROUTE (funder's own Big Change That Lasts page, verified 2026-08-08): the process has TWO stages — "Stage 1: a short application outlining your change idea" and "Stage 2: a longer application, by invitation only". Stage 1 is genuinely self-serve, so this is not an invitation-only fund; but a full application, and therefore any award, is reachable only by invitation after Stage 1, and applicants should budget effort accordingly. "You can only have one active application to the Big Change That Lasts Fund at a time (unless otherwise invited)." The fund does not support ongoing service delivery unless it is clearly testing or demonstrating a new, scalable approach. |
| Grant funding: economic & social justiceTrust for London | London Community services | Varies — see funder | Rolling, no fixed deadline | London. Project and unrestricted funding for organisations tackling the root causes of poverty and inequality (economic & social justice). Rolling — apply any time for most priority areas. ACCESS ROUTE (funder pages read 2026-08-08): two stages, portal only — "All applications need to be sent to us through our online portal", and a short ELIGIBILITY QUIZ must be completed before the expression of interest (and before booking a call). Speaking to a grants manager first is ENCOURAGED, not mandatory. HARD GATE our card previously omitted: "We're only able to accept one application per organisation each year. If you submit an application that is unsuccessful, please wait at least 12 months before applying to us again." Shortlisting decision aimed within two months; shortlisted applicants complete a second stage form requiring the latest annual accounts and the constitution/governing document, then meet the Trust; final decision within about four months. Grants over £250,000 go to trustees for final decision. The DISABILITY JUSTICE and RACIAL JUSTICE funds run their own separate routes (own guidelines, own application form, eligibility quiz then a booked call) — the disability fund is for Deaf and Disabled People's Organisations and is joint with City Bridge Foundation; racial justice is joint with City Bridge Foundation and Lloyds Bank Foundation, and applications to it are shared with Lloyds Bank Foundation for peer review. NOTE (funder's Oct 2025 update): advice/service-delivery-only projects are NO LONGER funded — work must link to longer-term policy/systems change. The Ending migrant destitution priority remains CLOSED — re-verified first-party 2026-08-08 on the funder's own priority page: "We have temporarily closed applications for our Ending migrant destitution priority while we review where our resources are best placed". |
Every programme here was checked as open on the funder's own page as at 9 August 2026; always confirm current status and full eligibility on the funder's website before applying. Amounts are the ranges the funder publishes; "Varies — see funder" means no figure is published, and those entries are shown for every size filter. GrantNest helps you discover and draft funding opportunities. We don't guarantee you'll win funding, and nothing here is financial or legal advice. To be clear on 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.
We monitor official UK tenders and grant funders continuously, then match what fits your charity, eligibility-checked. Join free for weekly matches, or become a founding member for the full personalised feed and lock the rate in for life.
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.