Funding to Tackle Climate Change (UK)

The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) is a Quaker trust which supports people who address the root causes of conflict and injustice has announced that the next closing date for its Sustainable Futures programme is the 21st August 2017. The Sustainable Futures programme recognises that climate change caused by human activity is threatening the well-being of humanity and aims to support charities and not for profit organisations to develop and promote sustainable, low-carbon alternatives to the current consumerist and growth-based economic model. This can include campaigns, initiatives and mechanisms which encourage radical, large scale shifts in behaviour and culture away from consumerism towards more sustainable ways of living. For example, JRCT provided a grant to the InterClimate Trust for its Climate Voices programme which is made up of a series of activities designed to help young people more fully understand the relationship between the economy, the environment, and the role of politics

Funding for Outdoor Play for Children with Learning and Physical Disabilities (UK)

The Lords Taverners Outdoor Play grants programme has re-opened for applications.

Through the programme, special schools catering for children with severe learning and physical disabilities can apply for funding towards outdoor play equipment. Funding is available through the Outdoor Small Packages programme for play equipment packages of up to £15,000 and the Outdoor Major Packages programme for play equipment packages of up to £35,000. Play time' is proven to improve children's physical and mental health, help develop emotional responses and learning skills and improving basic numeracy and literacy.

Since 2009 the Lord's Taverners have provided outdoor play equipment to 83 special schools, benefiting nearly 8,000 pupils.

There is currently no closing date for applications.

Fields in Trust County Fund Opens For Applications (England, Scotland and Wales)

The Fields in Trust County Fund is open for applications. Grants of up to £5,000 are available to Queen Elizabeth II Fields in a number of areas across England. Fields in Trust protects and supports a wide range of sites including playing fields, multi-sport pitches, children's play areas, bicycle trails, nature reserves, country parks and many more. The funding is available to sites protected with Fields in Trust under the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge. Please be aware that this is a small funding round and not all counties are eligible to receive funds.

Areas that are eligible to apply are the following counties in England:

  • Bedfordshire
  • North Yorkshire
  • Northumberland.

Funding is available towards capital projects and this can include:

  • Playground equipment
  • Sports equipment and facilities
  • Improvements to existing facilities
  • Improvements to access at the facility
  • Outdoor fitness equipment.

There is no application deadline and the fund will close when all funds are allocated.

Funding for Food Education Projects (Scotland)

Local Authority Schools and Early Learning and Childcare settings in Scotland can apply for grants of up to £3000 for food education projects.

The funding which is being made available through the Education Scotland Food for Thought Education Fund will support projects that provide progressive, high quality learning experiences which help to embed food education into the learning ethos of the school, early learning or childcare setting. It is essential that food based projects include a business or community link. Business in the Community Scotland is a partner in the Food for Thought Fund and can help establishments to find a business/community link if help is required.

Applications will close at 2pm on Wednesday 31 May 2017.

Funding for Projects that Use Sport to Challenge Disability and Disadvantage (UK)

Boost Charitable Trust is a UK charity established in 2008 to relieve sickness and protect and preserve good health for people facing cancer, in particular but not exclusively breast cancer.

The BOOST Charity provides grants of up to £500 to not for profit organisations and charities for projects use sport to help people to challenge and overcome disadvantage and disability. Since inception in 2005, Boost has supported a number of organisations, with grants totalling in excess of £1 million. The majority has been focussed within the United Kingdom.

The type of activities and organisations supported in the past have included:

Paddlers for Life, a UK charity established in 2008, to relieve sickness and protect and preserve good health for people facing cancer, in particular but not exclusively breast cancer.

Members paddle dragon boats on Lake Windermere in the Lake District with the physical activity and team support fostering the wellbeing of the members.

The Shepshed Dolphin Swimming Group hosts a fun day in Leicestershire each year for over 500 participants with disabilities to 'have a go' at sport. Activities include swimming, kayaking, climbing, boccia and curling.

Applications can be submitted at any time.

HRUK & SUBWAY Healthy Heart Grants (UK)

Heart Research UK (HRUK) is launching its 2017 SUBWAY/HRUK Healthy Heart Grants scheme. Not for profit groups, voluntary organisations and registered charities will be able to apply for grants of up to £10,000 for new, original and innovative projects that actively promote Heart Health and help to prevent, or reduce, the risk of heart disease. The grants are available in specific regions at certain times of the year.

Previously, grants have been awarded to fund:

  • Cooking sessions
  • Theatre workshops
  • Multi-sport activities
  • Classroom based learning
  • Circus skills
  • Tandem biking, etc.

For further information and details of the application periods for each region click on the link below.

Funding to Support Education in Disadvantaged Areas (UK)

Grants are available to support schools and registered charities that wish to undertake educational work with children and young people in disadvantaged areas.

The British & Foreign Schools Society (BFSS) normally makes grants for educational projects totalling about £600,000 in any one year. The majority (85% of grants) are made to charities and educational bodies (with charitable status). Schools wishing to apply need to have either charitable status or "exempt charity" status.

Previous projects supported include:

  • A grant of £10,000 to the Bloomfield Learning Centre. The Centre assesses and teaches 6 to 16 year olds with specific learning difficulties from areas of socio economic disadvantage in London specially Southwark, Lambeth, Islington, Camden and Greenwich.
  • A grant of £5,000 to the Lyric Hammersmith to support a programme of work for schools in West London to enable disadvantaged children to engage in regular cultural activity.

The provisional closing date for applications is the 21st August 2017.

Foyle Foundation Schools Library Programme (UK)

State funded schools as well as dedicated schools that do not have or want to improve their libraries can apply for funding through the Foyles Foundation Schools Library Programme.

Priority will be given to primary schools and to funding library books. The Foundation will also consider contributions towards e-readers, library software, necessary IT equipment and specialist seating/desks. Preference will be given to schools which can clearly demonstrate that their library can be maintained and renewed in the future. The average grant made under this programme is between £3,000 and £10,000. Applications will be strengthened if the PTA/Friends group can support the project.

Past projects funded by the Foundation include:

Milton School, Mexborough which received £20,000 towards improving and extending the learning facilities and Forest Fields Primary and Nursery School.

Nottingham which received £10,000 towards a literacy project across a partnership of 13 primary schools in Nottingham to engage reluctant boy readers in year 3.

Applications can be submitted at any time.

National Marine Aquarium – Grants Programme (UK)

The next closing date for the National Marine Aquarium Grants Programme is the 19th October 2017.

The National Marine Aquarium awards grants for projects that seek to drive marine conservation through engagement. These projects may be science-based but could equally be based around arts or drama - indeed, the more innovative the better, as long as they make a contribution to raising awareness of the marine environment. Grants awarded so far have been in the region of £1,200 to £5,000 and it is likely that future awards will be for similar amounts.

Applications can be submitted by individuals, community groups, schools, or other conservation charities.

Previous projects supported include:

The "Marine Wildlife Champions Network" - Devon Wildlife Trust which received a grant of £4,000 for two years to build up a network within local schools to encourage children to take positive actions in preserving marine habitats and species.

Waste to Waves received £1,100 to support the exhibition of ‘Respect'- a fully recycled plastic bottle boat, made by the Cornish Primary School children at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall (NMMC) in Falmouth for 10 weeks.

Funding for Community Facilities (England & Scotland)

The next application deadline for funding from the Suez Communities Trust (formerly the Sita Trust) is the 24th July 2017.

The Suez Communities Trust provides funds to not-for-profit organisations to improve amenities that is available for leisure and recreation use by the general public. This could include:

  • Community cafes
  • Theatres
  • Play areas
  • Skate parks
  • Youth centres; etc.

Through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) the Trust can offer grants of up to £20,000 through its Smaller Projects Fund and grants of up to £50,000 through its Primary Fund. To be eligible, applicants needs to be a not - for profit organisations located within three miles of a qualifying SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK waste processing site. N.B. due to the rural nature of the Aberdeenshire funding zone this zone has a 10-mile radius. Additionally, in order to qualify for LCF funding project sites must fall within 10 miles of a landfill site.

For information on projects previously funded by the Trust, pleaseclick here.

Barbara Ward Children’s Charity Funding (UK)

Charities and organisations helping children who are disadvantaged in some respect can apply for grants from the Barbara Ward Children's Charity.

Causes that have previously received funding include:

  • Educational projects
  • Holidays
  • Care and respite
  • Health and well-being
  • Sport, play and leisure.

Grants may also be awarded to charities supporting adults with learning difficulties. Recent awards have ranged from £1,350 to £21,000 and have been used to support both one-off donations and project-related grants for 2-5 years.

Applications are accepted and assessed on a rolling basis.

The Finnis Scott Foundation (UK)

The Finnis Scott Foundation has announced that the next closing date for applications is the 31st January 2018.

Grants are available of between £500 and £10,000 to UK charities and individuals in the areas of horticulture and plant sciences, as well as fine art and art history.

Previous organisations who have received funding include:

Bristol Museums Development Trust

Milton Keynes Gallery

Martineau Gardens

Batsford Foundation

Alnwick Garden Trust.

Funding can be used for both capital and revenue projects. In the last five years, over one million pounds has been awarded in grants to a great variety of projects. Preference is given to making grants to smaller charities where the grant would have a significant impact. For grants made to individuals, the Trustees usually require a grant to be made through a sponsoring university or registered charity.

£800,000 Support for Cultural Activities (Scotland)

Creative Scotland recently awarded over £800,000 of National Lottery Funding through its Open Project Fund to 40 recipients, including individual artists and organisations working across the arts, screen and creative industries.

The awards of between £1,000 and £99,445 have been made to festivals, musicians, visual artists, dancers, writers and community arts hubs; etc. The Open Projects Fund is available to a wide range of organisations and individuals working across Scotland in the arts, screen and creative industries. It supports a broad spectrum of activity including creative and professional development, research and development, production, small capital requirements, touring and collaborations, festivals, arts programming, audience development, etc. Support is available for projects of different scale and duration with the maximum period of award being set at 2 years. Awards are made in the range £1,000 to £100,000 (or up to £150,000 by exception).

Applications can be submitted at any time.

CashBack for Creativity Fund Opens for Applications (Scotland )

YouthLink Scotland has launched a £250,000 CashBack for Creativity Open Fund for 2017/18. The Open Fund is a part of the Scottish Government's CashBack for Communities programme which reinvests the proceeds of crime back into communities to benefit Scotland's young people. Grants of up to £10,000 are available for projects providing high quality arts, screen or creative industries activities for young people ages 10-24 years old who face one or more forms of the following disadvantages. Living in areas of deprivation (priority will be given to projects working in communities within the top 20% SIMD); being unemployed, not in education or training; being excluded, or at risk of exclusion from school; being at risk of being involved in antisocial behaviour, offending/re-offending. The deadline for applications is 2nd June 2017.

Prince’s Countryside Fund (UK)

The Prince's Countryside Fund will re-open for applications on the 4th September 2017 and close for applications at 5pm on the 5th October 2017.

Organisations and charities that are helping to protect and sustain Britain's farming and rural communities will be able to apply for funding of up to £50,000. Funding will be available for both capital and revenue costs. Applications can be submitted by social enterprises, not-for profit organisations, charities and Community Interest Companies; etc. The type of projects supported could include:

  • Providing business support and advice for rural businesses
  • Supporting farmer led initiatives including cooperatives and producer groups aimed at adding value and reducing costs, etc.
  • Supporting village service provision including pubs, shops and transport; providing training opportunities such as rural career apprenticeships, bursaries and vouchers to access training and qualifications
  • Support for farm businesses, rural businesses and communities to plan for and recover from natural disasters such as flooding or animal disease.

Funding Competition for Innovation in Cycling and Walking (UK)

The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a £470,000 competition for innovative projects that lead to more walking and cycling.

The Department is seeking proposals that will tackle current barriers and encourage more journeys made by bicycle or on foot. Innovations may include, for example, technology, infrastructure, manufacturing or behavioural change. The competition is open to individuals, groups and organisations. It is particularly suitable for early-stage, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Industry partners such as local government, independent and third sectors can carry out the project on their own or in partnership with others.

This competition has 2 phases:

  • Phase 1(£170,000) is for proof of concept projects that can last up to 15 weeks and range in size up to a total cost of £25,000 each.
  • Phase 2 (£300,00) is for demonstrator projects. Projects that can last up to 9 months. They can range in size up to a total cost of £100,000 per project.

In order to apply applicants must register before midday on the 7th June 2017 and submit their application before midday on the 14th June 2017.

NFU Mutual Charitable Trust (UK)

The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust, which was set up in 1998, to promote and support charities in the UK working in agriculture, rural development and insurance has announced that the next closing date for applications is the 26thMay 2017.

The Trustees are particularly interested in initiatives in the areas of education of young people in rural areas and relief of poverty within rural areas.

Projects supported in the past include:

Farms for City Children, which aims to expand the horizons of children from towns and cities by offering them a week in the countryside living together in one of their farms and the Royal Highland Education Trust which aims to create an opportunity for each child in Scotland to experience the countryside and to facilitate a wider understanding of the environmental, economic and social realities of rural Scotland. Its key activities include farm visits, classroom speaker visits and a number of high profile national competition.

The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust also provides small grants of up to £250 through the NFU Mutual's Community Giving Fund which supports worthwhile community events, charities, schools and community group activities that are local to their operations.

For further details or to request an application form please contact:

BUPA Foundation - Healthy Futures: Empowering Young Adults (UK)

The BUPA Foundation has launched a new funding round through its Healthy Futures funding programme.

The Bupa UK funds practical projects to tackle challenges in health and social care and make a direct impact on people's health and wellbeing. This funding round is focused on young adults aged 18 to 25 and the Foundation is specifically interested in projects that will have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of young adults who face ongoing health challenges.

The Foundation expects to make 12 to 15 grants and aims to support a wide range of initiatives delivered by different organisations across the UK. The majority of grants awarded are for £20,000 or under. A small number of grants have been awarded within the £20,000 to £50,000 range, and occasionally grants of over £50,000 are awarded. Funding is NOT available for projects delivered by local authorities or housing associations or work which might reasonably be eligible for funding from statutory bodies. The closing date for applications is the 19th May 2017.

Support for Environmental Outreach Education for Disadvantaged Young People (UK)

Schools, colleges and youth groups can receive up to 80% towards the costs of providing environmental outreach education for groups of disadvantaged young people through the Field Studies Council's Kids Fund.