There’s plenty going on in the grants world right now, with a wide range of opportunities large and small. Spend ten minutes perusing the ones we’ve highlighted here – there may be just what you need. Happy reading!
All Change at the Postcode Lottery
The Postcode Lottery has had a significant re-organisation of its popular funding streams. Grants are available for Registered Charities, Community Interest Companies, and Charitable Community Benefit Societies with an annual income between £10,000 and £1 million.The grants have moved to three years from the previous one year limit, with the maximum grant level rising to £50,000 to split over the three years. You can find which area scheme is the most appropriate for your organisation by entering its postcode on any of the Trust’s application pages – here, for example. You’ll need to be quick if you want to apply this year, as the final 2025 round ends at midday on Monday 6 October. However, it is scheduled to reopen in the spring.
Environmental projects are no longer eligible for this scheme, but have moved to a separate programme managed by the Wildlife Trusts (see below).
Green Community Grants Programme
The Postcode Lottery’s environmental grants programme offers one year grants of up to £25,000 to small charities and not for profit organisations (income £10,000 – £1 million) anywhere in England, Scotland or Wales whose organisational aims and objectives fit at least one of the programme’s themes:
- nature recovery and responding to the climate emergency
- improving places for nature, and people’s access to them
The funding can be used towards a wide range of sustainable activities, including recycling, litter picking, beach cleans, sustainable transport, and more. The funder will prioritise:
- groups with annual income below £250,000
- those working in the most deprived 15% of areas
- organisations whose work also focuses on supporting marginalised groups
Again, it’s a short deadline for the current round – 8 October – though it will reopen in the spring. See the fund’s website for guidance and to access the application form.
Common Ground Award
The UK government is offering small capital grants (for investing in physical spaces and equipment) of up to £10,000 for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations that are bringing people together from different backgrounds in England.
The fund opens on 13 October, with the deadline for applications 21 November. Details and application form are available here.
Got An Idea To Improve Road Safety?
Not for profit organisations can apply for grants between £10,000 and £50,000 from the Road Safety Trust’s Small Grant programme. The funding is for projects of up to 24 months that reduce road casualties and make UK roads safer. Projects need to show partnership working, and the funder likes to see some match funding or in-kind support. Previously-funded projects include safety interventions led by local communities, educational initiatives, and schemes to test new technology. The deadline for expressions of interest is 29 October. Full information and application materials are on the Road Safety Trust website.
New! Grants For The Boring Stuff
The Boring Fund will open in November. It aims to help small non-profit organisations cover some of the boring costs that keep them running. Boring but essential things like insurance, web hosting, admin time – the stuff that’s always so hard to find funding for. It’s partly a funding experiment, partly making a point.
The Fund will keep things easy with the simplest application process, £200 grants, and no reporting. It’s for small non-profit organisations (CICs, tiny charities, community groups), usually with one or two people doing all the jobs, and doing amazing things through sheer determination to make things better: food banks, youth clubs, arts projects, safe spaces, community events, and more.
By covering a little bit of the “boring stuff,” The Boring Fund wants to show how these brilliant organisations should be supported to keep doing what they do best – changing the world!
More information is online.
Barrow Cadbury Trust
This funder offers grants from very small to large for projects that seek to provide long-term solutions for social injustice by looking at root causes of inequality. Most of their focus is on change at a national level, though they also fund an economic justice programme in Birmingham. The two priority areas for national investment are:
- making the criminal justice system fairer for young adults, women and racially minoritised communities
- influencing public policy, broadening public debate, and promoting greater community understanding in relation to immigration and integration of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants
More information, and an initial enquiry form, are on the Trust’s website.
Michael Bishop Foundation
UK registered charities can apply to this Foundation for grants during its two annual application windows, in March and September. Proposals must link to one of the funder’s five areas of focus:
- heritage
- arts and culture
- education
- human rights and social justice
- advancement of health and medicine
The very straightforward online application form, along with further information, can be found on their website.
Lewin Trust
UK registered charities with income up to £5 million are eligible to apply to this Trust for revenue costs of work that:
- seeks to make a tangible difference to poverty and inequality
- breaks cycles of dependence on relief
- helps children aged 0-5, and where appropriate, their parents/carers, to have the best start in life
Grant amounts are between £10,000 and £50,000 per year for one to three years, and can be up to 50% of the total project costs – you’ll need to show that you have the other 50% secured, or in the pipeline. The next closin date is 6 November. You can apply online via their website.
