Funding Opportunities & Resources
BBC Children in Need - Core Grants - Open for Applications
Maximum value = £ 120,000
Application deadline 15/04/2025
Grants to cover core costs are available for not-for-profit organisations that are working with disadvantaged children and young people aged 18 years or under who are living in the UK.
Background
BBC Children in Need’s focus is firmly on children and young people experiencing disadvantage. They fund not-for-profit organisations working to combat this disadvantage and to make a real difference to children and young people's lives.
BBC Children in Need, a registered charity, operates across the UK, with grant-making teams based locally and informed by sector discussion and research relevant to the local area.
As a ‘broad-based funder’ it aims to support projects that are reaching disadvantaged children and young people not strongly represented through its funding programme. It does this by geographical and thematic areas of interest to achieve a comprehensive and inclusive portfolio of grants, representing the diversity of communities and need across the UK.
Objectives of Fund
The funding is intended for not-for-profit organisations that work with disadvantaged children and young people, under the age of 18, living in the UK.
This stream offers core funding to organisations whose work aligns with the principles set out in the Children in Need Grantmaking Strategy 2022-2025:
Sharing power with children and young people.
Acting flexibly.
Using its voice to build awareness and empathy around issues.
Building partnerships to bring communities and investors together.
BBC Children in Need has announced that it will be ‘unable to accept new Expressions of Interest application after 15 April 2025 until mid September 2025’:
Value Notes
The core grants stream can support organisations for up to three years.
The maximum grant is £120,000 (or £40,000 over three years), though most grants made are for much less than this.
Applications for more than £15,000 per year will only be considered from organisations registered with the appropriate regulatory body.
Who Can Apply
Registered charities and not-for-profit organisations who work with disadvantaged children and young people of 18 years and under living in the UK, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands are eligible to apply.
The following organisations can apply:
Community interest companies (CIC).
Companies limited by guarantee (CLG) including social enterprises. A company limited by guarantee must have registered with Companies House.
Housing associations.
Industrial and provident community benefit societies.
Registered charities.
Religious institutions.
Special schools (These are provisions for children with learning difficulties or disabilities which cannot be met within a mainstream setting).
Hospices.
To be eligible, applicants must be:
Working with children and young people aged 18 years and under.
Working in the heart of their communities, particularly in times of crisis.
Putting children and young people at the centre of everything they do, from design to delivery.
Addressing challenges faced by children and young people, building their skills and resilience.
Empowering children and young people, and extending their choices in life.
Keen to keep learning about and developing their work with children and young people.
Committed to making a difference in children and young people’s lives.
Priority will be given to applications from smaller, local organisations with an annual turnover of more than £1 million in the most recent, complete financial year.
In recognition of the fact that there are some organisations with a higher income delivering vital work for children and young people, the following types of organisations can apply regardless of their turnover:
Hospices (including children's hospices).
Housing Associations.
Groups delivering nationwide (across a whole nation) or UK-wide work (across multiple nations within the UK).
Restrictions
The following are not eligible for funding:
Work that statutory bodies (such as schools or local authorities) have a duty to fund.
Educational institutions, including schools, universities, and pupil referral units. Special schools are the only exception.
Local government, prisons, or NHS bodies.
Capital or building projects.
Work that promotes religion.
Trips abroad, or other activity taking place outside the UK.
Medical treatment or research.
Pregnancy testing or advice, information, or counselling on pregnancy choices.
Awareness-raising work, except where targeted at children or young people most at risk.
Bursaries, sponsored places, fees, or similar costs.
Holidays where there is little or no project involvement.
Political activity, including party political organisations or direct lobbying.
Individuals.
Costs passed on to other organisations.
General appeals or endowment funds.
Help with budget shortfalls or debt repayments.
Retrospective costs.
Expenditure unable to start within 12 months of the grant award date.
Unspecified expenditure.
Full cost recovery models.
Eligible Expenditure
Core Costs grants are awarded as restricted funding and must be used to cover the organisation’s essential running expenses.
The funding is to be used for an organisation's central day-to-day operations, including:
Management and administration.
HR and payroll.
General office expenses.
Accountancy and audit.
Communications and outreach.
Monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
Governance, regulatory, and compliance costs.
How To Apply
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 15 April 2025 (23:59).
Expressions of Interest are expected to reopen in mid to late September 2025 after the BBC Children in Need transition to the new grant making system has been completed.
Applications can be made at any time. There are no deadlines.
Groups requesting £15,000 or less will receive a quicker decision and be able to start sooner.
There is a two-stage application process:
An initial Expression of Interest form can be found on the Children in Need website.
Successful applicants will receive a link to the full application form and have 120 days to complete it.
Organisations can only apply for and hold one grant at any time.
Organisations with a current BBC Children in Need grant that is due to end within 12 months can usually reapply. However, the new funding will not be released until the current grant has ended.
Contact BBC Children in Need for more information.
Contacts
For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:
Enquiries
BBC Children in Need
MediaCityUK
Salford
M50 2BH
Tel: 0345 609 0015
Email: pudseygrants@bbc.co.uk
Concertina Charitable Trust - Open for Applications
Funding body
The Concertina Charitable Trust
Maximum value - £ 250 Application deadline 30/04/2025
Small grants are available to registered charities in England and Wales to provide musical activities and related facilities for the elderly community in need.
Background
The Concertina Charitable Trust was set up in 2004. Since then it has funded a wide range of charitable organisations nationwide in England and Wales, including many care homes for the elderly to provide musical entertainment for their residents.
Objectives of Fund
Funding is intended to provide musical entertainment and related activities for the elderly to provide therapeutic benefit for their health and wellbeing.
Match Funding Restrictions
The Trust is particularly keen to act as a catalyst via matched funding.
Who Can Apply
The Trust is keen to support smaller charitable organisations in England and Wales that might otherwise find it difficult to gain funding. These include funds to many care homes for the elderly, to provide musical entertainment for residents.
Restrictions
Organisations will be automatically refused funding if they do not include their accounts or financial statements with the application.
Eligible Expenditure
The Trust awards grants to charitable bodies which provide cultural activities and related facilities for the elderly, in order to improve the quality of life of elderly people.
Location - England and Wales
How To Apply
The annual deadlines for application are 30 April and 31 October.
An application form is available to download from the Trust's website. The completed form must be sent by post to the Trust Administrator.
No e-mail or telephone correspondence will be entered into regarding an application.
The Trustees will assess any application to ensure that any grant would be within the Trust’s objects, whether the charity is in financial need, the amount of benefit that would be derived from the grant (for example, the number of residents that would attend a concert or use the facilities) and any other factors the Trustees think important. As part of this process, the Trustees may ask for further information and, if feasible, one of the Trustees will meet a representative of the charity.
Documents & links
Contacts
For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:
Administrator
The Concertina Charitable Trust
Nells Platt
Smithwood Common
Cranleigh
Surrey
GU6 8QY
Screwfix Foundation
Open for Applications - Maximum value £ 5,000
Application deadline - 10/05/2025
Grants are available to UK registered charities and not-for-profit organisations for projects that improve, fix, and repair buildings, homes and facilities specifically used by people in need across the UK.
Background
The Screwfix Foundation is a grant-making charity which was created by trade retailers Screwfix in 2013.
The funds for the grants programme are raised throughout the year with an eye to supporting causes that will change people's lives.
Objectives of Fund
The funding is intended for both national and local charities across the UK so that they can fix, repair, maintain and improve properties and community facilities specifically for those in need (by reason of financial hardship, sickness, disability or other disadvantage or distress) in the UK.
Funding needs to be spent within 12 months from receipt of payment.
Who Can Apply
Registered charities and not-for-profit organisations based in the UK (including specialist not-for-profit schools) can apply.
Applications will be accepted from:
Registered Charities with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Registered Charities with OSCR
Registered Charities with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
Registered Community Benefit Society with the FCA
Registered Cooperative Society with the FCA
Registered Community Interest Company (CIC) with Companies House.
To be eligible, applicants must:
Be supporting people in need in the UK by reason of financial hardship, sickness, disability or other disadvantage or distress. The main beneficiaries could be:
People suffering from sickness or disabilities.
People from diverse groups.
Disadvantaged or vulnerable people.
People suffering from financial hardship.
People suffering from mental health issues.
Other.
Be looking for funding to support projects that relate to the repair, maintenance, improvement or construction of homes, community buildings and other buildings.
Have suitable governance to manage funds, eg, financial reporting, committee meetings, etc.
Both national and local charities can apply.
Restrictions
The following are not eligible for funding:
Items that are easily removable from a property such as soft furnishings, curtains, tables, chairs etc.
White goods or electronic items.
Grants for research.
Purchase of vehicles.
Purchase of garden machinery or removeable furniture such as lawnmowers, chairs or plants.
Repayment of loans.
Annual Rent or service charges.
Sponsorships.
Salaries.
Projects which will be used by general members of the public, eg, sports clubs and association, uniformed groups such as scouts and girl guide groups or organisations that support wildlife or animals as their main beneficiary.
Groups that have received funding from the Screwfix Foundation within the last two years.
Eligible Expenditure
The funding is for projects which improve a physical building (or land attached to it) that is used by people in need.
The funding is to be used for the following types of projects:
Improved energy efficient lighting and heating
Installation of new kitchen, bathroom etc.
Installation of a sensory room.
General painting and decorating.
Improving safety and security of a building.
How To Apply
The guidelines and online application form can be found on The Screwfix Foundation website.
The trustees meet to review applications in March, June, September and December. The cut off date for applications is 12pm on the 10th of the month prior to the Trustee meeting.
The application windows are:
11 February to 10 May for the June Trustee meeting with a decision by 30 June.
11 May to 10 August for the September Trustee meeting with a decision by 30 September.
11 August to 10 November for the December Trustee meeting with a decision by 30 December.
All projects that are successful will be listed on the Screwfix Foundation website.
Contact The Screwfix Foundation for further information.
Documents & links
Contacts
For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:
Enquiries
The Screwfix Foundation
Trade House
Mead Avenue
Houndstone Business Park
Yeovil
BA22 8RT
Tel: 01935 414100
Email: foundation@screwfix.com
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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