funding opportunities

On this page you will find a list of recommended funding organisations which support individuals and are available for residents and young people to access. This includes grants and awards for educational, training or enterprise purposes and more specifically for women. More information is available using the links provided for each organisation.

Comic Relief’s Older People’s Programme:

External link: www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/olderpeople

Summary: Letters of interest are now being requested from Comic Relief’s Older People’s Programme. Grants of £15,000 - £40,000 will be available, for up to three years.

The programme will fund projects targeted at the 65+ age range, with an interest in applications from older people which address the needs of those who experience the greatest levels of isolation and exclusion, e.g. Black and minority ethnic elders, frail older people, older people with mental health needs, older carers and those on lower incomes. The deadline is 5pm, Monday, 11th January 2009.

General funding opportunities:

Access to Nature

External Link: www.naturalengland.org.uk/leisure/grants-funding

Tel: 020 7932 2242

Summary: £25m grant scheme to encourage people from all backgrounds to understand, access and enjoy the outdoors, particularly those who face social exclusion or those that currently have little or no contact with the natural environment.

Awards for All

External Link: www.awardsforall.org.uk

Tel: 0845 600 20 40

Email: general.enquiries@awardsforall.org.uk

Summary: Awards for All is a joint Lottery grants scheme aimed at local communities. Grants are made to small community groups, parish/town councils, schools and health bodies for projects that promote education, the environment and health in the local community.

Biffaward

External Link: www.biffaward.org

Tel:  01636 670 000

Email: biffaward@rswt.org

Summary: Financial assistance for community projects located in the vicinity of a Biffa operation. There is both a small (£250-£5000) and a main (£5-50,000) grant scheme. For more information please see the link above.

Big Lottery Fund

External Link: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Tel: 0845 410 2030

Email: general.enquiries@biglotteryfund.org.uk

Summary: The Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All programme aims to help improve local communities and the lives of people most in need. A total of £45 million is available in England offering Big Lottery Fund grants of between £300 to £10,000 to grassroots groups in the community and voluntary sector, health bodies, schools and parish or town councils.

The Big Lottery Fund also offers different types of funding grants available for young people, voluntary and community organisations:

Big Lottery Fund Programmes Offered:

BASIS Round 2

This programme aims to ensure that voluntary and community organisations throughout England have access to high quality support that will help them be more effective. They fund projects run by voluntary and community sector infrastructure organisations to do this.

Big Research Programme

This programme provides up to £25m to fund social, medical or socio-medical research led by voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations in the UK.

www.bigresearchprogramme.org.uk

Myplace

This programme contributes to the Government’s pledge of providing exciting, safe places, where young people can engage in a wide range of activities such as sport, dance and music.  Individual grants of between £1-5m will be awarded to cross-sector, local partnerships between public bodies and third and/or private sector organisations to undertake new projects. It aims to deliver world class facilities driven by the active participation of young people and their views and needs. For more information see: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_myplace.htm?regioncode=-uk& status=theProg

Young People’s Fund 2 (Local Grants)

This programme will offer up to £38m through the Local Grants strand to improve the lives of young people by supporting youth-led projects across England.  Their focus is on changing the lives of young people by putting them in charge of projects and services.  They will fund projects where young people are fully involved and improvements are made to young people’s services.  They will support work to increase understanding of young people’s needs and create further opportunities for involvement in things that affect young people’s lives. www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_ypf2_local_grants.html?regioncode=-uk& status=theProg

British Schools Exploring Society

External Link: www.bses.org.uk

Tel: 020 7591 3141

Email: info@bses.org.uk

Summary: Grants of about £500 are available to support mentoring and bursary schemes for 16 to 23 year olds to do something adventurous and related to exploration.

B& Q Better Neighbourhoods Grants

External Link:  www.diy.com

Tel:  0845 609 6688

Summary: £50-£500 of B& Q materials available to get community projects up and running. For more information please see the link above or apply direct to your local store.

BT’s Community Connections scheme

External Link: www.btcommunityconnections.com

Email: info@btcommunityconnections.com

Tel: 0845 257 6792

Summary: BT Community Connections is an award scheme that enables community and charitable organisations to get online and make use of information and communications technology (ICT).

Community groups and projects offering community benefit can apply for a laptop and a contribution to a years Internet connections fees. The scheme is aimed at groups that have little or no IT equipment and can show how it will be used to grow the organisation and benefit the community. Organisations, working in any field of community benefit, located throughout the UK or ROI can apply for a laptop and a year's free broadband connection. There are more than 1,000 award packages available to groups who can demonstrate how an award will benefit their work and the local community.

Applications are welcomed from any community group such as groups dealing with animals, the elderly, environmental, family issues, multi-cultural awareness, wildlife, and youth groups.

Postal applications should be received by 5 January 2010
Online applications should be received by 7 January 2010

Church Urban Fund

External Link: www.cuf.org.uk

Tel:  020 7898 1647

Email: enquiries@cuf.org.uk

Summary: Grants awarded to community groups (of all faiths) supporting and working with communities in England’s most deprived neighbourhoods. For more information please see the link above.

Community Sustainable Energy Programme (CSEP)

External Link: www.communitysustainable.org.uk

Tel: 0845 3 671 671

Email: info@communitysustainable.org.uk

Summary: £8m for community-based organisations to fund installation of microgeneration technologies, such as solar panels or wind turbines, and for energy efficiency measures.

Construction Youth Trust

External Link: www.constructionyouth.org.uk

Tel: 020 7608 5184

Email: cyt@cytrust.org.uk

Summary: Grants and bursaries are available to students aged 16 to 25, studying for construction related qualifications. Grants are aimed at helping those who would otherwise have difficulty in completing their course because of financial hardship.

Department of Health’s Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF)

External Link: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Commissioning/Socialenterprise/DH_073426

Tel: 020 7210 4850

Email: socialenterprisefund@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Summary: The fund provides financial support to social enterprises of health and/or social care services and products in England. Funding can be in the form of loans, grants and equity capital or a mixture of these, depending on the recipient organisation’s needs and structure.

Education Grants Advisory Service

External Link: www.egas-online.org

Tel: 020 7254 6251

Summary: Career development loans of between £300-£8,000 are available to individuals who wish to take part in part/full time vocational study towards employment.  

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (Food Fund)

External Link: www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk/funding/food.html

Tel: 020 7297 4700

Email: info@esmeefairbairn.org.uk

Summary: Their aims are to promote an understanding of the role of food in enhancing quality of life. The foundation are interested in work that influences policy and practice across a range of food-related areas, enabling as many people in the UK as possible to access, prepare and eat nutritious, sustainable food. The budget is £3m over the next three years.

GreenPrints Flagship Scheme

External Link: www.sitatrust.org.uk/greenprints

Tel: 01454 262910

Email: greenprints@sita.co.uk

Summary: Financial assistance is available to support projects that help people aged 16-25 to improve their local environment. The GreenPrints Flagship Scheme is an England-wide programme aimed at supporting youth-led volunteering opportunities for environmental benefit. Focus will be on improving a public green space, such as a park, beach or canal.

HAVCO

External Link: www.open4community.info/haringey1

Tel: 020 8880 4078 / 4033

Email: pp@havcoharingey.org.uk / sk@havcoharingey.org.uk

Summary: Open4Community is a funding and support website for voluntary and community organisations, which provides you with comprehensive coverage of government, lottery, EU, non government and charitable trust funding opportunities in your area.

Here to Help Scheme

External Link: www.helpyourselves.org.uk

Email: helpyourselves@savethechildren.org.uk

Summary: This scheme offers funding of up to £1,000 to help young people in Britain develop projects and speak out on issues that matter to them. The scheme is run by British Gas and Save the Children.

Institute of Chartered Foresters Education and Science Trust

External Link: www.charteredforesters.org

Tel: 0131 225 2705

Summary: Grants are available to those interested in forestry education.

Lawrence Atwell’s Charity

External Link: www.skinnershall.co.uk/charities/lawrence-atwell-charity.htm

Tel: 020 7213 0561

Email: atwell@skinners.org.uk

Summary: Funding is available for young people between 16 and 26 who are studying for a vocational qualification. Applications from those studying GCSEs, A levels, GNVQs or PhDs will not be considered.

Savoy Educational Trust

External Link: www.savoyeducationaltrust.org.uk

Email: info@savoyeducationaltrust.org.uk

Summary: Scholarships are available for up to £5,500 to people entering or working in the catering trades.

SITA Trust

External Link: www.sitatrust.org.uk/greenprints

Tel: 01454 262910

Email: greenprints@sita.co.uk

Summary: 16-25 year olds can get a small grant from the “Greenprints” scheme for a one or two-day environmental project headed by British Trust Conversation Volunteers and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts up to £10,000 for larger projects running over several months.

Society for Promoting the Training of Women (SPTW)

External Link: www.sptw.org

Email: sec.sptw@btinternet.com

Summary: Interest-free loans are available for women training for professional, commercial or technical work.

Tenant Empowerment Programme ‘Right to Manage’ Grants

External Link: www.housingcorp.gov.uk/server/show/nav.3460

Tel: 0845 230 7000

Summary: Right to Manage grants are made available to help tenants consider the management options available to them and then to provide support through the process.

The British and Foreign School Society Berridge Bursary

External Link: www.bfss.org.uk/grants.html

Tel: 01883 331 177

Summary: Grants of up to £600 are available to students of home economics, food and nutrition and dietetics.

The Broadlands Home Trust

Tel: 01983 525 630

Summary: Grants are available for young girls under the age of 22 for educational purposes but also to help those starting out on their careers.

The Carpenters’ Company

External Link: www.thecarpenterscompany.co.uk

Tel: 020 7588 7001

Email: info@carpentersco.com

Summary: Grants are available to help people who want to study or set up in carpentry.  

The Duveen Trust

External Link: www.theduveentrust.org.uk

Email: administrator@theduveentrust.org.uk

Summary: One-off grants of between £100 and £500, to people aged 13 to 23 who wish to get involved with projects that require initiative and which give something back to the community.

Thomas Wall Trust

External Link: www.thomaswalltrust.org.uk

Email: information@thomaswalltrust.org.uk

Summary: Grants of up to £600 are available for young adults not in mainstream education who are in financial need who wish to study educational courses. In particular, vocational or social service courses or courses that will lead to paid employment.

UnLtd – The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs

External Link: www.unltd.org.uk

Tel: 020 7566 1100

Email: info@unltd.org.uk

Summary: Grants of between £500 and £20,000 are available to individuals or groups of young people aged 16 or over to start up and run projects that will achieve social benefits. Sports Relief Award also offer grants (£250-£5,000) to young entrepreneurs to bring their communities together and solve conflict through sport and being active.  

Young People’s Project Funding

External Link: www.sitatrust.org.uk/greenprints/apply/flagships

Tel: 01454 262 910

Email: greenprints@sita.co.uk

Summary: GreenPrints Flagships are long term environmental volunteering projects which improve a publicly accessible green space for people and wildlife. Grants of up to £10,000 as well as support and practical expertise, are available to projects designed and delivered by groups of volunteers aged 16-25. The overall programme will be managed using the expertise and experience of SITA Trust and BTCV.  

Young People’s Volunteering Funding

External Link: www.vinspired.com/vbuzz/campaigns/171/

Tel: 0800 089 9000

Email: info@vinspired.com

Summary: 400 grants of £2,500 each are available from vcashpoint to 16-25 year olds in England who want to set up their own volunteering project in their community. Projects should be led by young people, be of benefit to a community and create at least three new opportunities for young people to volunteer. Vcashpoint must be the only source of funding for the project.

YouthBanks

External Link: www.youthbank.org.uk

Tel:  0116 242 7446

Email: youthbank@nya.org.uk

Summary: YouthBanks awards money at a local level to young people to support activities that help their local community. Young people themselves make the decisions about who receives money. YouthBanks are run as local schemes and the website above provides details of where they are available.  Amounts vary and depend on the criteria of the individual YouthBank.

Youth Opportunity Funds and Youth Capital Funds

External Link: www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/strategy/youthfund

Tel: 0870 000 2288

Email: info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk

Summary: Grants are available for 13 to 19 year olds administered through every local authority in England, with decision-making by local young people. Contact your local authority for more details of arrangements in your area.

Youth Sector Development Fund (YSDF)

External Link: www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/resources-and-practice/TP00046

Tel: 0845 630 8699

Email: ysdf@ecotec.com

Summary: The YSDF will support third sector organisations that can demonstrate effective approaches to engaging and empowering young people, particularly the most disadvantaged. They offer grants and expert business support to help these organisations sustain and grow their provision so that more young people can benefit from the activities they offer.