Over the years, I’ve supported a wide range of charities, community projects, and local initiatives through a number of voluntary roles. I know how important funding can be to help community projects thrive.
To assist local residents, charities, and groups, I’ve compiled a directory of funding sources you may find useful. Please note that each funding body has specific eligibility criteria, so it’s important to check the details carefully.
National and Regional Grant Providers
- BIG Lottery Fund: Funding Finder — https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes
- Cheshire Community Action — https://cheshireaction.org.uk/
- Cheshire Community Foundation: Grants — https://cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk/grants/
- Rural Services Network: Funding Digest — https://rsnonline.org.uk/page/funding-digest
- Heritage Lottery Fund — https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/funding
- Heritage Revival Fund — https://www.theheritagefund.org.uk/news/heritage-revival-fund-announcement
Heritage, Churches and Conservation
- National Churches Trust: Grants Programme — https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/get-support/grants
- Historic Cheshire Churches Preservation Trust: Grants — http://hccpt.co.uk/grants/
- Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme — https://www.lpwscheme.org.uk/
- Church of England: Conservation Grants — https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/our-conservation-grants
- William & Jane Morris Fund — https://www.sal.org.uk/grants/morris-fund-conservation-grants/
- Architectural Heritage Fund — https://ahfund.org.uk/grants/
Community, Sports and Environment
- Sport England: Funding — https://www.sportengland.org/funds-and-campaigns/our-funds
- Football Foundation: Grants — https://footballfoundation.org.uk/grant
- Barclays Community Sports Grants — https://home.barclays/society/our-programmes/community-sports-grants/
- UK Cycling "Fix-Learn-Ride": The Big Bike Revival — https://www.cyclinguk.org/bigbikerevival
- The Movement Fund — https://movementfund.co.uk/
- Network Rail Tree Planting — https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/line-side-wildlife-and-habitat/tree-planting/
- Stobart Sustainability Fund — https://stobartgroup.co.uk/sustainability/
Landfill and Environmental Funding
- WREN: FCC Community Action Fund — https://fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk/funds/fcc-community-action-fund
- ENTRUST: Postcode Search — https://www.entrust.org.uk/environmental-bodies/locate-an-eb/
Charitable Trusts and Foundations
- Garfield Weston Foundation — https://garfieldweston.org/
- Steel Charitable Trust — https://steelcharitabletrust.org.uk/grant-application/
- Charles Hayward Foundation — https://charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk/
- Wolfson Foundation: Funding for Places — https://www.wolfson.org.uk/funding/funding-for-places/
- Rank Foundation: Pebble Grants — https://rankfoundation.com/pebble-grants/
- Foyle Foundation — http://www.foylefoundation.org.uk/
Support for Veterans and Armed Forces
- Armed Forces Covenant Fund — https://covenantfund.org.uk/
- Veterans Foundation — https://www.veteransfoundation.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/
Children, Families, and Young People
- BBC Children in Need — https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/grants/
- Family Fund — https://www.familyfund.org.uk/
- Variety: The Children’s Charity — https://www.variety.org.uk/what-we-do/grants/
- Toy Trust — https://toytrust.co.uk/
- Blue Spark Foundation — http://bluesparkfoundation.org.uk/
Business, Rural and Community Enterprises
- Power to Change: Community Business Support — https://www.powertochange.org.uk/get-support/
- Calor Gas Rural Community Fund — https://www.calor.co.uk/communityfund
- ACRE Village Hall Improvement Fund — https://acre.org.uk/our-work/village-halls/
- The Prince’s Countryside Fund — https://www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/
- Motability: Charitable Grants — https://www.motability.org.uk/grants/
Arts, Culture and Heritage
- Arts Council England — https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding
- Youth Music Network — https://network.youthmusic.org.uk/funding
- Theatres Trust — https://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/grants
Additional Resources and Directories
- UK Community Foundations: Local Foundation Finder — https://www.ukcommunityfoundations.org/our-network
- Directory of Social Change: Funds Online — https://fundsonline.org.uk/
- Neighbourly: Connecting Charities and Businesses — https://www.neighbourly.com/
New and Additional Funding Sources
- National Lottery Awards for All (England) — https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/national-lottery-awards-for-all-england
- Community Foundation Network — https://www.ukcommunityfoundations.org/our-network
- B&Q Foundation (housing & homelessness projects) — https://www.bandqfoundation.org.uk/
- Baily Thomas Charitable Fund (learning disabilities support) — https://www.bailythomas.org.uk/
- Prospectory Idea Fund (for novel, grassroots ideas) — https://www.prospectory.org/idea-fund
- Schroder Charity Trust — https://www.schrodercharitytrust.org/
- Screwfix Foundation — https://www.screwfixfoundation.com/
- Turn2us Grants Search Tool — https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/
- Funding Finder by Get Grants — https://www.getgrants.org.uk/funding-finder/
Please note: Sean Houlston is not responsible for the content of external websites, and eligibility criteria may vary.
If you know of any other funding opportunities that would benefit local residents or organisations, please feel free to get in touch with me.