Funding Opportunities & Resources
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Don’t forget if you are just starting out our get started guides have a range of information including setting up a group writing a constitution and finding and applying for funding
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Places of Worship Renewal Fund (PWRF)
Background
The new Places of Worship Renewal Fund (PWRF) is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and delivered by Historic England. It is part of the Government's wider £1.5 billion Arts Everywhere Fund with investments targeted at areas of high deprivation.
The £92 million fund is expected to run until 31 March 2030 with all projects to be completed by then.
Objectives of Fund
The Fund is designed to support the repair of England's treasured places of worship and targeted at places of most need. It is open to listed places of worship of all faiths and denominations in England. Applications will be assessed against the requirements of the fund, not faith or denomination.
The funding is intended for capital works that keep buildings safe, open and in public use. Priority will be given to projects in areas of England with the greatest need for investment, and those that bring most community benefit.
The fund's objectives are to:
- Repair and safeguard historic places of worship in places most in need by undertaking the repairs that keep them in use
- Help places of worship stay active as community spaces
- Strengthen long-term resilience of the building and reduce future repair costs
- Target support in the most deprived areas of England where need is highest
Projects need to match one or more of Historic England's priorities, which are to:
- Help more people to connect with, enjoy and benefit from the historic environment
- Use heritage to improve civic pride, prosperity, and wellbeing
- Achieve a positive change and sustainable future for historic places, including buildings, landscapes, archaeological sites, and marine assets
- Ensure heritage plays an important role in the fight to limit and manage the effects of climate change
Value Notes
A total of £92 million has been allocated to the fund over a four-year period, with £23 million per annum.
There are three different levels of grants:
- Small grants of £10,000 to £50,000.
- Medium grants of £50,001 to £350,000.
- Large grants of £350,001 to £1 million.
The fund will not specifically rebate VAT. However, VAT on eligible works and costs will be eligible where it is not reclaimable.
Match Funding Restrictions
Match funding is required. Applicants are normally expected to contribute towards project costs (around 20%). In cases of clear need, including smaller congregations or those in deprived areas, higher levels of grant (up to 100%) may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Who Can Apply
Applications will be accepted from any listed place of worship in England, of any faith or denomination, that is:
- An active place of worship used for worship for a minimum of six times per year.
- A dedicated place of worship (in other words, not fully converted to another use).
- Able to demonstrate that the works are necessary, deliverable and aligned with the fund's requirements.
Restrictions
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Non-listed places of worship
- Routine maintenance (such as gutter clearance)
- Day to day revenue costs (for example, gas and electricity bills)
- Staff costs, unless these are essential project roles that would otherwise need to be filled by bringing in external professionals or contractors
- Community programmes
- Conservation of fixtures/fittings within the building, unless an essential part of a wider PWRF capital repair project
- Works to buildings that are not listed places of worship
Eligible Expenditure
The funding can support essential capital works that keep buildings safe, open and in public use, including:
- Urgent fabric repairs (roofs, masonry, timber, drainage)
- Essential improvements (electrical upgrades, heating, toilets, step‑free access)
- Professional fees and surveys related to eligible capital works
- Limited additional works that support future long-term sustainability (such as loft hatches, improved rainwater goods)
- Proportionate interventions that support sustainable community use.
To be eligible, projects must:
- Be based in England
- Involve a building listed at Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II
- Involve an active place of worship.
- Involve the type of repair, conservation, and conversion activities, which are:
- Capital works, including repair and preservation work for listed places of worship. Costs covered may include professional fees, non-recoverable VAT, and insurance.
- Minor repairs: these can be applied for in isolation for stream 1 (small grants of up to £50,000); other considerations for streams 2 and 3 (detailed in the guidance notes)
- Improvements and alterations if they are part of a larger PWRF repair project.
- Project development for projects that require preparatory work to ensure the capital works are appropriate. (Standalone project development will not be considered.)
- Adaptive reuse: modifications (where they are an essential part of a larger PWRF application) that will help eligible buildings to remain or become functional, including adaptations for reuse and/or accessibility.
- Heritage interpretation: physical labels and panels providing heritage information as part of wider capital works projects
Location
England
How To Apply
It is expected that there will be two Expression of Interest rounds per year in the first three years with a single round in the fourth year.
Applications are now open for the first of two rounds in 2026 (year one). (A second round is expected in September 2026.)
There is a two stage application process:
- The first stage is to submit an Expression of Interest by the deadline of 14 June 2026.
- Those who are successful will be invited to submit a full application.
Full details and the online Expression of Interest form can be found on Historic England's website.
Contact Historic England for further information.
Documents & links
Contacts
For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:
- Customer Services
Historic England
4th Floor
Cannon Bridge House
25 Dowgate Hill
London
EC4R 2YA
Tel: 0370 333 0607
Email: customers@HistoricEngland.org.uk
Background
This fund is provided and administered by Cellnex.
Objectives of Fund
This fund aims to support community projects that empower people, enhance local environments, and promote digital and technological inclusion.
Value Notes
Grants of up to £5,000 are available.
Who Can Apply
The following can apply:
- Registered charities.
- Charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs).
- Not-for-profit groups.
Organisations must have:
- A governing body of at least three unrelated individuals.
- A UK bank account with two unrelated signatories.
Groups must provide:
- A copy of their founding document or constitution.
- A copy of their most recent accounts or financial statements.
- Evidence of a bank account.
- A copy of their safeguarding policy (if the project involves children or vulnerable adults).
- Accountable body confirmation (if relevant).
Eligible Expenditure
Funding is for projects and activities that fall within one or more of the following themes:
- Digital Inclusion and Skills – Helping people to get online, build digital skills, or use technology with confidence.
- Circular Economy – Reducing waste, encouraging repair and reuse, or supporting sustainable use of materials.
- Biodiversity and Conservation – Improving local nature, protecting wildlife habitats, or supporting community environmental action.
- AI and Education – Building awareness of artificial intelligence, responsible use of technology, and STEM learning.
Location
UK
How To Apply
Applications can be submitted at any time. Applications can take up to five weeks to be reviewed.
Guidance notes and an online application form are available from the Cellnex website.
Documents & links
Contacts
For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:
- Cellnex UK
2 New Bailey St
Salford
M3 5AX
Rosa 'The Stand With Us Fund'
Background
Rosa set up 'The Stand With Us Fund' to address the critical lack of investment in frontline organisations supporting women and girls who experience male violence.
Originally started with money raised by Reclaim These Streets in the wake of the appalling kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Metropolitan Police Officer, the fund exists to make the UK safer for all women and girls.
Objectives of Fund
The current round aims to achieve the following outcomes:
- Women and girls will be supported by organisations delivering frontline services to end male violence against women and girls, ensuring women and girls can be safe, healthy and equal.
- Women and girls organisations will be empowered and strengthened, meaning that they will be in a stronger position to survive, thrive and grow into the future.
The funding is intended to enable organisations to be in a stronger position to survive, thrive and grow by investing in organisational development work such as developing strategy, strengthening governance and leadership, a stronger voice in the women's movement, creating stronger alliances and partnerships, increasing fundraising, volunteering and activism, demonstrating impact and more effective systems and processes.
Value Notes
One-year grants of up to £28,000 are available.
It is expected at least 18 organisations across the four UK nations will be funded.
Grants will be paid in January 2027 and will last for one year (from January 2027 to December 2027).
Who Can Apply
Not-for-profit organisations may apply.
To be eligible, they must:
- Be a women's and/or girls' organisation. Rosa defines women's and girls' organisations as those which are run by, for and with women and girls. This means that organisations will be governed and led by women, with the main object of working with women and girls and the majority of the organisation's beneficiaries are, and will always be, women/and or girls.
- Be an organisation delivering a frontline service to women and/or girls who have been affected by male violence and abuse including (but not limited to) domestic violence, coercive control, rape, sexual abuse, forced marriage, 'honour' based violence, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), sexual harassment, economic and financial abuse.
- Have an income of between £100,000 and £500,000 from their last set of published accounts.
- Have unrestricted reserves of no more than 12 months expenditure.
- Have a written governing document.
- Have a governing body with at least three unrelated members.
- Have a UK-based bank or building society account in the name of the organisation, with at least two unrelated signatories.
- Have an appropriate safeguarding policy in place.
- Deliver all their work in one or more of the four UK Nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Priority will be given to applications from women's and girls' organisations which are:
- Operating in the top 10% of the most disadvantaged areas in the UK-based on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).
- Based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
- Led by and for Black and minoritised women and girls.
- Led by and for disabled women and girls.
- Led by and for LGBTQ+ women and girls.
In addition, organisations that have not received funding from the second round of this fund will be prioritised.
Restrictions
The following cannot be funded:
- Organisations that do not meet the eligibility criteria.
- Work that is a statutory responsibility.
- Profit-making work.
- Party political activity.
- Promotion of religious beliefs.
- Work outside the UK.
- Individuals.
- Overseas travel.
- Interest payments on loans.
- Building purchase.
- Retrospective costs.
Eligible Expenditure
Funding can be used for organisational development work that will allow organisations to survive, thrive and grow. It is intended to support extra capacity, rather than existing costs.
Activities could include:
- Leadership training for senior staff members or to enable staff to take the next steps into leadership roles.
- Specialist management or skills-based training courses.
- Mentoring and coaching.
- Organisational awaydays to support growth and sustainability of the organisation.
- Extra capacity and expertise to support current staff to develop how the organisation is led and managed.
- Staff self-care.
- Governance reviews, board skills audits or training for the board and staff team.
- Backfilling the Chief Executive's role so they can develop a business plan, a new service or a theory of change
- Organisation visits to other organisations to share learning and build partnership.
- Paying for memberships or subscription costs to enhance work and reach.
- Organising shared workshops to strengthen collaboration between women's organisation.
- Developing fundraising strategies or employing a fundraiser or investing in staff training.
- Researching how to tap into new sources of funding.
- Developing a communications or marketing strategy.
- Developing social media presence.
- Training volunteers to be more confident in undertaking media work.
- Undertaking a recruitment drive to attract new volunteers.
- Improving collection and monitoring information on impact.
- Designing and implementing a monitoring system.
- Purchasing a database to input organisational data.
- Buying extra resource to develop new ways of communicating impact to stakeholders.
- Designing and implementing a new IT system or financial controls.
- Training employees in new ways of working that will improve service delivery.
Location
UK
How To Apply
Applications are open with a deadline of 22 June 2026 (16:00).
The guidance (which includes the application questions), FAQs and online registration form (which enables access to the application form) can be found on Rosa's website.
Rosa will be hosting two 'How to Apply' webinars to help groups develop their applications. Registration is required:
Contact Rosa for further information.
The Tree Council - Branching Out Fund
Background
The Tree Council was founded in 1973 with major support from the then Department of the Environment and in 1978 became an independent registered charity. The Tree Council's aims are to:
- Improve the environment in town and country by promoting the planting and conservation of trees and woods throughout the United Kingdom.
- Disseminate knowledge about trees and their management.
- Act as a forum for organisations concerned with trees, to identify national problems and to provide initiatives for cooperation.
Each November, the Tree Council organises National Tree Week at the start of the tree planting season. National Tree Week is the UK's largest annual tree planting campaign and a nationwide festival of trees. Its purpose is to raise public awareness of trees and to encourage tree planting and good management.
Objectives of Fund
The funding is for tree and hedge planting projects taking place during the 2026/27 winter planting season.
Value Notes
Grants of between £250 and £2,500 are available.
Grants will be paid after planting has taken place and upon submission of a claim form, receipts and photos (evidence of planting).
Match Funding Restrictions
Match funding is not required.
Who Can Apply
Funding can be awarded to:
- Schools.
- Further education colleges and universities.
- Constituted community groups.
- Childcare nurseries or care homes (charity or community funded).
- Tenants and residents associations.
- Parish/town councils/community councils.
- Tree Warden networks (preference will be given to a Tree Council member network).
- Community interest companies (limited by guarentee).
- Small registered charities.
Groups must:
- Have a bank account registered in the name of the applicant organisation, into which the grant can be paid.
- Hold public liability insurance for planting.
- Have written permission to plant.
Restrictions
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Groups that are not based in the UK.
- Businesses, private companies, and profit-making organisations.
- Private individuals and/or landowners.
- Retrospective costs.
- Groups that do not have public liability insurance.
- Container-grown stock, except in certain circumstances where selected species may not be available bare-rooted, or it is the only supply available locally.
- Imported stock, except when unavoidable.
- Single species planting, unless in an appropriate setting and with a valid reason shown.
- Certain invasive or rapidly-growing species eg Laurel, Leyland cyprus, cherry laurel.
- Non-native conifers unless in certain circumstances (eg urban areas, arboretum, or projects where pollutant control is a key objective).
- Plastic tree guards/ties.
- Mulch mats derived from fossil fuels.
- Peat-based products.
- Heavy equipment/plant hire, eg diggers and tractors.
- Tree protection or other materials for trees that have not been funded by The Tree Council.
Eligible Expenditure
Grants can be used for:
- Bare root, UK-sourced and grown, native trees of an appropriate size (priority will be given to younger trees that will establish better).
- UK-sourced and grown, bare-root whips (saplings) and cell grown (root trainer) stock for hedging projects (between 40-120cm height).
- Hedgerow trees.
- Orchards, such as fruit trees on semi-vigorous, vigorous, and very vigorous rootstocks.
- Cardboard/bioplastic tree/hedge guards.
- Non-plastic ties.
- Stakes (coppiced material such as chestnut or hazel is prefered, although machined softwood will also be considered).
- Mulch.
- Non-peat-based soil improvers if needed.
The following may also be considered:
- Non-native tree varieties if appropriate to the setting, eg urban/park etc.
- Non-native varieties and species that are chosen to take into account climate change adaptation and resilience.
- Fruit trees on dwarfing rootstock, if the setting is appropriate.
- Trees in containers/raised beds if the reason is adequately explained and supported by a robust and comprehensive irrigation and aftercare plan.
- More robust and costly guards if the setting justifies it, eg near a sports field or for street trees.
Projects that are worth between £250 and £500 should provide evidence of:
- Strong community involvement.
- Involvement of local schools.
- Engaging young people in planning, delivery and aftercare.
- Involving a broad cross section of the community (eg age, gender, ethnicity).
- Good value for money.
- Project is part of wider environmental initiatives.
- Access to relevant experience within the group or available locally.
- Trees sourced locally from a local tree nursery and/or community tree nursery
Projects that are worth between £500 and £2,500 must also demonstrate:
- The inclusion of different tree types eg individual trees, hedges, hedges with hedgerow trees or orchards.
- A considered establishment and aftercare plan.
- Involvement of local Tree Warden/s.
- The project is volunteer-managed and delivered.
- Consideration of risk management eg in identifying the presence of underground service/utilities.
- An understanding of the project site and that it is suitable for tree planting (eg contacting a local ecologist/wildlife trust/local natural history society).
All projects must have been planted and submitted a claim form before 14 March 2027.
Location
United Kingdom
How To Apply
The deadline for applications is 19 July 2026 (midnight).
Applications for less than £500 are likely to be processed more quickly.
Guidance notes and an online application form are available from the Tree Council website.
Contact the Tree Council for further information.
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Team
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