Funding Opportunities & Resources

Latest Funding Opportunities

Every month we will do our best to collate the latest funding opportunities. Don’t forget we are here to help, if you’d like our support on making an application or to speak to an officer about your ideas and other funding opportunities that may be available please do get in touch – communityresilience@coventry.gov.uk

Maximum value: £ 75,000

Initial Round of Expressions of interest: 06/09/2024

Institute of Health Equity and Legal and General in Partnership

In partnership with Sir Michael Marmot and the UCL Institute of Health Equity (IHE), Legal & General has launched a £3mn ‘Health Equity Fund’ to support community-based initiatives across the UK which are addressing the social determinants of health. The Fund is open to receiving expressions of interest from organisations with projects or project ideas for implementation in any part of the UK.

Key highlights

• The £3mn Fund will award grants to successful applicants to support place-based projects addressing the social determinants of health
• Provision of grant funding of up to £75,000 per project
• Potential to provide support for up to 150 place-based initiatives across the UK

Example projects that the Fund may support

Projects could range from funding for projects that enable children living in areas of deprivation to live healthier lives to community programmes which address the social determinants behind pressures on A&E services, ways to improve housing to support better health of the occupiers, or partnerships raising awareness of the contribution the natural environment makes to health and wellbeing.

Who can apply?

The opportunity is available for registered charities, social enterprises, NHS Trusts or primary care organisations, university or academic organisations and community groups from across the UK, to apply for grant funding to support initiatives or early-stage projects.

What is the process for organisations applying?

1. Connect with the Health Equity Network

Interested organisations need to register interest in receiving more information about applying for the grant whilst gaining full access to a community of members who are taking action on health equity in the UK. See here to register and learn more about L&G Health Equity Fund.

2. Share initial interest and ideas for projects

Once registered as a Health Equity Network Member, interested parties can submit expressions of interest.

3. Await an invitation to formally apply

Expressions of interest will be reviewed by our advisory board and a selection of organisations will be invited to proceed to the formal application stage.

How can you help?

We would particularly be grateful if combined and local authorities could share this information with organisations and/or relevant projects they are willing to endorse.

For further information regarding this opportunity, or for additional questions, please contact healthequitynetwork@landg.com

People and Places Programme

Maximum value: £ 5,000

Application deadline: 09/09/2024

Objectives of Fund

The programme provides community innovators with the funding, support and connections they need to get their project off the ground, or scale it to increase its impact. This is a way to encourage people’s freedom to act and to collaborate, strengthening the connection between people and place.

The programme is specifically intended to support people who are working to transform their neighbourhoods for the better.

Projects need to address one or more of the challenges:

• Ensuring facilities, land and buildings are used and/or owned by local people.
• Ensuring local people have a say or can act in how their neighbourhood is being transformed.
• Ensuring local people can gain access to resources such as greener energy, materials or finance so they can live more sustainably and affordably.
  

Community innovators are defined for this programme as people with home-grown solutions to local problems and the sense of agency and urgency to make positive change within their neighbourhoods.

Value Notes

Footwork covers 100% of the running costs the People and Place programme, such as mentor fees and travel to field trips.

This free mentoring programme offers the following to each of the 10 programme participants in 2025:

• An unrestricted grant of £5,000 to give participants the time to think and the freedom to take part in the programme.
• One to one mentoring support
• Meeting fellow collaborators (field trips and online)
• Place visits by the Footwork team
• Access to Footwork’s space in London
• Connection with a network of fellow community innovators

Who Can Apply

Local voluntary and community groups and organisations who have innovative ideas to deliver long-term change for their community can apply.

Applicants will need to commit 12 days in total to the People and Place programme, spread out over 12 months.

How To Apply

Applications for the 2025 programme will be accepted from 15 July to 9 September 2024 (23:59).

Shortlisted applicants will be visited by the programme’s team between 30 September and 9 October 2024.

Useful links

Footwork Trust

https://www.footwork.org.uk/

Footwork - People and Places Programme 2025

https://www.footwork.org.uk/peopleandplace2025

Early Support Hubs Fund

Maximum value: £ 500,000

Application deadline: 09/09/2024

Objectives of Fund

This fund aims to support drop-in mental health hubs for young people aged 11 to 25 that are integrated within the local healthcare and voluntary sectors to maintain existing services, strengthen relationships with clinical partners, or add new services to their model.

Value Notes

A total of £1.5 million is available.

It is expected that around three to four grants of between £250,000 and £500,000 will be awarded.

Grants of up to two years are available.

Who Can Apply

To apply, groups must meet the following criteria:

• They are a registered charity or community interest company (CIC) with an annual income of at least £1 million.
• The charity or CIC must run an early support hub in a physical space, open to young people aged between 11 and 25 who need support or guidance.
• The organisation must have experience running a hub for at least the past three years.

Partnership applications are welcome.

Eligible Expenditure

Funding can be used to support core costs that support the delivery of high-quality early support hubs, ensure that the model has a strong evidence base and quality assurance process, and ultimately get these hubs to a place where they can better leverage future funds. This can include:

• Staff time to deliver services.
• Training for staff or volunteers.
• Costs for evaluation or quality assurance of hub services.
• Costs supporting the development or strengthening of relationships with local clinical services.

How To Apply

There is a two-stage application process:

1. The first step is to complete an online Expression of Interest form. The deadline to submit an Expression of Interest is 9 September 2024 (14:00).
2. Successful applicants will then be invited to complete a full application. The deadline to complete a full application is 21 October 2024 (14:00).

An online information webinar will be held on 23 August 2024 (10:30).

Guidance notes and an Online Expression of Interest form are available from the Prudence Trust website.

Useful links

Prudence Trust - Early Support Hubs Fund

https://theprudencetrust.org/what-we-fund/early-support-hubs/

Maximum value: £ 30,000

Application deadline: 10/09/2024

Objectives of Fund

The aim of the Trust is to give people of all ages the opportunities to access, participate in and enjoy the arts (particularly the performing arts), and support projects that widen access and have a lasting cultural impact on local communities.

Value Notes

Grant awards generally start at a few hundred pounds.

The Trust has previously awarded multi-year grants of up to £30,000 per annum, however applicants are advised that the majority of grants awarded are considerably less than this.

The Trust only awards a small number of grants each year.

Who Can Apply

The Trust mostly supports registered charities.

Applications will also be considered from social enterprises, community groups, and other third sector organisations, as long as they are formally constituted and have clear charitable purposes.

Priority will be given to small and medium sized organisations.

Eligible Expenditure

Funding is for projects in a particular area of the performing arts in each grants round:

Round 3 - Instrumental and choral music groups.

Music education and engagement projects for children will be considered at every grants round.

Most grants will be awarded for specific projects, but the Trust will also contributions towards the core costs of smaller organisations where a grant could make an impact.

How To Apply

The deadline for applications is 10 September 2024.

Applicants will be notified of any decisions made by 30 November 2024.

The application process is as follows:

1. To start the application process, organisations should first take complete the eligibility checks which can be accessed on the Scops Arts Trust website.
2. Organisations that fulfill the criteria will be invited to make a Stage 1 online application.
3. A Stage 2 shortlist will then be drawn up and the selected applicants will be invited to complete a Stage 2 online application form.

Useful links

Scops Arts Trust

https://www.scopsartstrust.org.uk/

Maximum value: £ 3,000

Application deadline: 10/09/2024

Objectives of Fund

The funding is for UK registered charities which promote a proactive approach to the physical and mental wellbeing of people who are over 65 years of age.

The charity's work should fall into one of the following categories:

• Health and welfare - grants are for the refurbishment of residential care housing for the elderly and for building projects which are nearing completion. Consideration will also be given to the provision of equipment and furniture to enhance care and improve quality of life.
• Community and innovation - grants for community initiatives such as exercise classes for the over-65s, lunch clubs, horticultural therapy and day trips. Consideration will also be given to technology projects aimed at benefitting the over-65s.

Value Notes

Although there is no set minimum or maximum grant, grants tend to be between £1,000 and £3,000. The average grant is £1,500.

Who Can Apply

UK registered charities may apply.

To be eligible, charities must:

• Be based in the UK.
• Be registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, or the Regulator for Charities in Northern Ireland.
• Have as their aim ‘to help people over the age of 65’.
• Be applying for assistance towards a capital project such as refurbishment, furniture or equipment.
• Be applying for assistance towards an innovative project such as IT for the elderly, fitness classes, lunch clubs, gardening projects, etc.

If the charity has a mixed age group of beneficiaries, the Foundation will consider a donation if approximately 80% are over the age of 65.

Eligible Expenditure

The funding is for:

• Capital projects, such as refurbishment, furniture or equipment.
• Innovative projects such as IT for the elderly, fitness classes, lunch clubs, gardening projects, etc.

How To Apply

The next application window will open on 1 September 2024 with a deadline of 10 September 2024.

There is no formal application form. The details of how to make an application can be found on the Foundation's website on the 'How to Apply' page.

Applications should be submitted by email to the Trustees.

Useful links

The W.G. Edwards Charitable Foundation

http://www.wgedwardscharitablefoundation.org.uk/

Grant Fund

Maximum value: £ 10,000

Application deadline: 13/09/2024

Objectives of Fund

The Neat Streets Grant Fund is administered by Hubbub and funded by McDonald's.

The funding is intended to support local authorities or those who manage public realm space in the UK to replicate Hubbub campaigns in local communities to reduce litter and boost recycling.

Value Notes

Five projects will receive £10,000 each of grant funding.

In addition, recipients will also receive support from Hubbub in the form of project management and design time.

Match Funding Restrictions

Applicants must provide £5,000 from their own resources or from other sources.

Who Can Apply

Applications are accepted from:

• Local authorities
• Business Improvement Districts
• Major property owners or those who manage public space
• Transport hubs eg airports, train stations
• Companies limited by shares or guarantee
• Charities
• Social enterprises

Eligible Expenditure

Projects should be based on the replicable campaigns on the Neat Streets website:

• Tidy Roadsides - targeted at drivers and roadside litter.
• (Name of city)'s Binning (eg Bristol's Binning) - targeted towards young adults and aimed at urban environments.
• Love Your Forest - targeted towards visitors to forests and other areas of natural beauty.
• Neat Streets - targeted at tourists to the beach.
• In The Loop - targeted to tackling recycling on-the-go in towns and cities.

Grants can be used to support the purchase of new bins and signage, events and the development of a campaign. Approximately 70% of the funding must be spent on purchasing or upgrading infrastructure with the rest going towards communication materials, event budgets and litter picking equipment, and overheads.

Projects are expected to be ready to launch within three months of receiving the grant.

How To Apply

There are two application rounds:

Round one - applications must be submitted by 13 September 2024 (5pm).

Round two - applications will open in October 2024.

Applicants should complete the online application form available on the Neat Streets website.

Useful links

Neat Streets Grant Fund

https://neatstreets.org.uk/neat-streets-grant-fund

Maximum value: £ 1,000

Application deadline: 15/09/2024

Objectives of Fund

This is an access grant which aims to help improve access to football for all. The funding is for groups that are running football activities for one or more of the following underrepresented groups: women and girls, young people with disabilities, young people from racially diverse communities, young people from the LGBTQ+ community and young people from lower socio-economic groups.

Value Notes

Community sports groups can apply to receive:

• £1,000 Access Grants to spend on increasing underrepresented young people’s access to play.
• Up to £5,000 Deep Impact grants for existing fund recipients.
• Coaching grants to get more women qualified to coach girls’ football at a grassroots level.
• Access to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training and resources.
• Exclusive opportunities to apply for Premier League and Barclays FA Women’s Super League tickets, mascot opportunities and exclusive promotional experiences.

Who Can Apply

To be eligible, applicants must:

Operate in an area of high deprivation and support the hardest to reach young people facing multiple disadvantage. Only organisations located in or supporting young people from IMD areas 1-3 are eligible to apply. (Please note that disability football applications from groups that sit outside of IMD areas 1-3 will be considered.)

Be already delivering football activities to young people under the age of 25, or you are wanting to start with support from the Access grant.

Be delivering services directly to beneficiaries from one or more of the priority groups as follows; women and girls, young people with disabilities, from racially diverse communities, from the LGBTQ+ community and from lower socio-economic groups.

How To Apply

There will be two funding rounds in 2024:

Round two opens 15 July and closes 15 September 2024.

Groups who are not a Sported member or existing grantee will need to create an account to start their application.

Useful links

Barclays Community Football Fund

https://sported.org.uk/barclays-community-football-fund-2/

Sported - Barclays Community Football Fund

https://thehub.sported.org.uk/barclays-community-football-fund/apply-now.html

Grants for Registered Charities

Maximum value: £ 5,000

Application deadline: 16/09/2024

Objectives of Fund

The Trust views communication skills as critical capabilities for people who want to improve their employment prospects, self-confidence, resilience, and life chances.

The funding is for registered charities that are working to develop communication skills for people from disadvantaged groups who want to improve their employment prospects.

As an inclusive charity, the Trust welcomes proposals which target people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups demonstrably facing major hurdles to employment, especially women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, and refugees.

Value Notes

Grants of up to £5,000 are available.

The Trust will support annual repeat funding for up to three years – subject to satisfactory annual reviews of progress and impact.

Match Funding Restrictions

Priority will be given to match funded projects.

Who Can Apply

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be a UK charity that has been registered with the Charity Commission for at least three years.
• Have an annual turnover of between £25,000 and £500,000.

Proposals are particularly welcome which target people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups demonstrably facing major hurdles to employment, such as women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, and refugees.

Beneficiaries must gain at least one accredited vocational qualification during delivery or within two months of project completion.

How To Apply

There is a two-stage application process.

Stage one is to complete an online Expression of Interest form (available on the Trust's website) which requires some basic contact details and a description of what the funding is required for. The next deadline to submit a first stage application is 16 September 2024 for assessment at the November 2024 meeting.

Stage two is by invitation only and involves completing a more in-depth application form and to submit a Project Plan, budget, latest set of financial accounts and any relevant policies.

Useful links

Thomas Wall Trust

https://www.thomaswalltrust.org.uk/

Maximum value: £ 1,000

Application deadline: 22/10/2024

Objectives of Fund

The scheme provides grants to support innovative projects, designed and led by young people in the UK, which aim to increase access to local natural spaces and encourage a deeper appreciation and understanding of nature.

Value Notes

Grants of up to £1,000 are available, however applications for significantly lower amounts are welcome.

The Society will co-fund projects along with other organisations.

Who Can Apply

Individuals and organisations who are linked to a school or community-based organisation that works directly with young people (16 and under) within the UK are welcome to apply. This includes (but is not limited to):

• School staff.
• Student groups.
• Home education groups.
• Community groups.
• Small charities.

Applications should be created in partnership with and ideally led by young people.

Eligible Expenditure

More than half the grant cannot be spent on refreshments or project specific staff costs.

Funding is intended for projects which affect change or empower local young people and the surrounding communities to increase access to natural spaces and improve understanding of the local biodiversity.

Grants can be used for materials, room hire, publicity, speakers, trainers, freelancers, project-specific staff costs, audio-visual hire, reasonable volunteer expenses, transport, or other costs of activities/events.

How To Apply

The next application period will open in September 2024 and will close on 22 October 2024.

A youth panel of 16 to 18 year olds from across the country will select who should receive an award.

Useful links

The Linnean Society – 'Our Local Nature' Grants
https://www.linnean.org/the-society/medals-awards-prizes-grants/our-local-nature-grants

Top Tips - Keep it simple!

Make your application as easy to read as possible - the people who are assessing your application may not have a lot of time or much knowledge of the work you do so being clear is key.

Avoid complicated wording or acronyms if funders understand what you are asking for and how you meet their criteria, they are much more likely to say yes to funding your activity.

Don't Forget

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

More information about the team and what we can offer can be found on our web pages.

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