Funding
Below is information which covers both ‘Small Grants’ and ‘Large Grants’. Each grant is for a specific cause, click the links to find out more information and to find out which is most relevant to your organisation.
Alternatively you can also check the Tower Hamlets Council’s website for information about current funding opportunities
Tower Hamlets Council Additional Restrictions Grant (discretionary scheme)
Deadline: 15th February 2021
The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) provides funding to support closed businesses that do not directly pay business rates as well as businesses that do not have to close but have been impacted. Market traders, businesses with building related costs, childcare and Ofsted-registered nurseries, charities with business rates liabilities and VCS organisations can now apply. The scheme will be open for a fixed period of three weeks starting on 25 January 2021 at 12noon and ending on 15 February 2021 at 12noon. All payments will be made within two weeks of the scheme closure date.
Tower Hamlets Council COVID Community Fund
Grants of up to £5,000 for VCS organisations based in Tower Hamlets
Deadline: Ongoing for a limited period
For a limited period, VCS organisations in Tower Hamlets will be able to apply for funding and organisational support. Two grants are being offered:
- Covid Organisational Support Fund– Up to £5,000 available for VCS organisations that need to restructure
- Covid Re-Purposing Fund– Up to £5,000 available for VCS organisations, either to deliver services differently to residents and beneficiaries, such as adapting services to remote delivery, or where Covid-19 has meant that there is good reason for the organisation to deliver different kinds of services
- Wider Support – Alongside the award of funding, council officers and Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Service (THCVS), will engage with organisations on the issues they face arising from or impacted by Covid-19
Tower Hamlets Council Small Grants Fund
Theme 8: Covid-19 Test and Trace Outreach and Engagement
Grants of up to £1,000 for unincorporated groups and up to £3,000 for constituted not-for-profit organisations.
Deadline: Ongoing
Support for projects that take a culturally sensitive and responsive approach to enable communities to proactively engage with NHS Test and Trace.
London Community Response Fund
Grants of up to £10,000 for Crisis Response; grants over £10,000 for Renewal grants
Deadline: Renewal grants – 5pm, 15th February 2021
London’s funders have once again come together to provide new funding for civil society organisations. The London Community Response is launching two new waves of funding next week on Thursday January 14th.
There will also be a programme of larger, longer-term ‘Renewal’ grants which will focus on supporting the needs of civil society in the year ahead.
Webinar for potential applicants
To help you find out more about this funding, including what the priorities are for this programme and how the application process works, see the webinar on YouTube
Youth Covid-19 Support Fund new
Grants for lower amount of either 25% of annual expenditure or deficiet from Nov 2020 and March 2021
Deadline: 19th February 2021
This fund will focus on enabling the struggling, but most impactful, youth organisations to continue operating, where they may have scaled back service provision or temporarily closed due to reductions in their income following Covid-19. This would ensure that young people, especially those who are disadvantaged, have uninterrupted access to services, and could prevent local grassroots organisations from permanent closure.
Near Neighbours Community Covid Relief Grants new
Grants of up to £4,000
Deadline: for projects completing end of March 2021
For local projects that support communities affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, addressing their emerging needs and improving community engagement with public health initiatives. Grassroots organisations, charities, community groups, religious and other not-for-profit organisations can apply for funding from the Near Neighbours Programme – Community Covid Relief Grants for projects that keep people safe, connected and informed. The fund will support new or developed work which should finish before the end of March 2021. Organisations should discuss their applications with their local Near Neighbours Coordinator in the first instance.
Food Roots Incubator Programme new
Grants of between £10,000 and £15,000
Deadline: 18th February 2021
The Mayor of London has launched a Food Roots Incubator programme. The programme will offer grants of £10,000 – £15,000 to new and existing cross-sector food partnerships. The aim is to help them grow, diversify, become more sustainable and take forward initiatives that address food insecurity amongst marginalised and excluded Londoners who have been disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.
Sport England – The Return to Play: Community Asset Fund
Grants of between £10,001 to £50,000.
Deadline: ongoing
Sports clubs, local authorities, schools and community organisations can apply for grants to help clubs and community groups through the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic to return to play. The Return to Play: Community Asset Fund provides capital funding, to help local sports clubs and organisations to adapt and open important places and spaces so people within their community can return to play and physical activity, safely. The focus is on responding to the immediate challenges of sports and physical activity returning to play. Priority will be given to projects located in areas of high deprivation and to organisations working with Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, people on lower incomes, disabled people, people with long-term health conditions and people experiencing a greater burden of care because of coronavirus.
Golsoncott Foundation
Grants of up to £3,000
Deadline: ongoing
The Golsoncott Foundation aims to promote, maintain, improve and advance the education of the public in the arts generally and in particular the fine arts and music. This includes providing access to the arts for young people and developing new audiences.
Women Make Music Grants Programme
Grants of up to £5,000
Deadline: 12th February 2021
Grants available to support the development of outstanding women, trans and non-binary songwriters and composers of all genres and backgrounds at different stages of their career. The funding is available to support touring, recording, promotion and marketing, community projects involving high-quality music creators, music creator residencies and live performances featuring new UK music.
Wooden Spoon Charity
Deadline: ongoing
If your project is in the UK or Ireland and shares the aim of making a positive impact on the lives of children and young people, it may be eligible for a Wooden Spoon grant. Check guidance on types of projects funded.
Community-Led Recovery Programme
Grants available: Community-Led Action Grants – up to £9,000; London Community Story Grants – up to £1,500
Deadline: 12th February 2021
The Mayor of London has launched the Community-Led Recovery programme to support communities most deeply affected by COVID-19 to get involved in London’s recovery by sharing their lived experience and collaborate with decision makers to reimagine our city as fairer, greener and more resilient than it was before.
The programme offers two grant streams:
- Community-Led Action Grant: offers grants of up to £9,000 to initiate social action projects which gather new insights.
- London Community Story Grant: following the success of the pilot programme, this strand will offer grants of up to £1,500 to organisations with existing projects which capture Londoner’s experience of COVID-19, supporting them to be presented and shared to a wider audience.
Emergency National Lottery Covid-19 response grants
Grants of between £300 to £10,000 to cover six months of expenditure.
Support for organisations to continue delivering services to people and communities affected by COVID-19
Civil Society Roots Incubator Updated
Grants of between £5,000 to £15,000.
Deadline: Extended to 5pm Tuesday 23 February 2021
To support organisations that meet one of the below objectives of the Building Stronger Communities Mission, which are:
- Raising unheard Londoners voices to ensure they can participate more fully in all aspects of community life, lead London’s renewal and bring about change
- Increasing feelings of belonging and/or address social isolation and loneliness
- Increasing access to support, services and mutual aid.
Swimathon Foundation – Covid-19 Relief Fund 2.0
Grants of between £250 to £1,000
Deadline: 26th February 2021
Swimming and aquatic clubs and organisations experiencing short-term financial hardship due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic can apply for grants the Swimathon Foundation’s Covid-19 Relief Fund 2.0. Funding is available to help cover loss of revenue or fixed costs such as equipment or pool hire and event hosting fees for an event which has now been cancelled. Priority will be given to organisations who were not eligible for and have not received funding from the first round of the Fund or from any government funded organisation. Applications which relate to the financial impact for the period of the 1st November 2020 to the 31st March 2021 will be considered.
Volant Trust – Covid-19 Response Fund
Deadline: 31st July 2021
The Trust is accepting applications from registered charities, community interest companies, community organisations or social enterprises in the UK and internationally that demonstrate a strong focus on alleviating social deprivation and helping vulnerable groups who have been particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Funding is available to support running and core costs as well as for medical equipment and the production or distribution of PPE will also be considered. There are no funding levels indicated at the award of grants will be at the discretion of the Trustees.
National Lottery Community Fund – Awards for All
Grants of between £300 £10,000.
Deadline: apply any time
For charities, voluntary groups, schools and local authorities in England to carry out projects that will improve their local community. The aim of the grants programme is to support communities to thrive by funding projects that:
- Build strong relationships in and across communities.
- Improve the places and spaces that matter to communities.
- Help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage.
National Lottery Community Fund – Reaching Communities
Grants of over £10,000.
Deadline: apply any time
For projects that make positive changes in their communities. The aim of the programme is to support communities to thrive by funding projects that:
- Build strong relationships in and across communities.
- Improve the places and spaces that matter to communities.
- Help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage.
National Lottery Community Fund – Partnerships
Grants of up to £10,000.
Deadline: apply any time
For voluntary and community organisations in England which work together with a shared set of goals and values to help their community thrive. The aim of the programme is to encourage organisations to work in partnership to help their communities thrive by focusing on the bigger picture, rather than just what their organisation can do on its own. The funding can support different types of partnership, including:
- Cross-sector partnerships.
- Local place-based collaboration.
- Local and national organisations working together around a particular theme.
National Lottery Grants for Heritage
Grants of between £3,000 and £100,000.
Deadline: apply any time
For organisations working with heritage to adapt and respond to the changing environment they are now operating in due to the coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis. The funding is intended to help the UK’s heritage sector respond to the impacts of coronavirus/COVID-19 and to adapt and thrive again. This funding is designed to focus on organisational resilience or on projects that deliver inclusion in heritage.
London Growth Hub – Grants and Access to Specialist Support
Grants of between £1000 to £5,000 available for elegible small and medium enterprises.
Support and help to access business and professional services such as legal and financial advice, or help to adopt new technology and purchase equipment that will help them get back on track, following the impact of COVID-19.
Comic Relief Capacity Building Grant
Grants of up to £1,000.
Deadline: apply any time
To support small community organisations to become stronger and more robust and improve their ability to deliver, both during and after the Covid-19 crisis.
Sports England – Return to Play Fund
Grants of between £300 and £10,000 – small grant, £10,001 to £50,000 – large grant
Deadline: apply any time
Sport England has launched a new fund that will support groups, clubs and organisations that have been impacted by restrictions brought in to tackle Covid-19.Small grants will help sport and activity groups, clubs and organisations respond to the immediate challenges of returning to play in a Covid-19-safe environment; large grants will help local sports clubs and organisations to adapt and open important places and spaces that can help them welcome back their local community safely.
Marsh Christian Trust
Grants of between £300 and £2,000 – small grant, £10,001 to £50,000 – large grant
Deadline: apply any time
The Trust focuses on providing funding which could help small organisations pay for various running costs, such as volunteer expenses, training days, equipment maintenance and other core outgoings. Areas include; arts and heritage, education and training, environmental causes and animal welfare, healthcare and social welfare.
Peter Cruddas Foundation
Grants of between £2,000 and £20,000
Deadline: apply any time
The Foundation gives priority to programmes designed to help disadvantaged and disengaged young people in the 14-30 age range to pursue pathways to education, training and employment, with the ultimate aim of helping them to become financially independent.
Arts Council Project Grants
Grants of under £15,000 – small grant; over £15,000 – large grant
Deadline: apply any time
The Arts Council is offering grants to respond to the needs of smaller independent organisations and individual practitioners during COVID-19.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Comic Relief – Tech for Good Digital Development Fund
Grants of up to £70,000
Deadline: 12th February 2021
Grants to use technology to explore different approaches to delivering better services during the Covid-19 crisis. Over £1 million will be available to individual not for profit organisations or those working in partnership to define, test and develop user-centred digital solutions to create more impact for the people they work with. Applications that aim to adapt or re-purpose existing technology are also eligible for funding. The programme aims to fund a portfolio of digital projects at different stages of development and will support a range of digital interventions. The funding is being made available through the Tech for Good digital development fund ‘Build’ programme which is being supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Comic Relief.
Masonic Charitable Foundation – Children and Young People Grants Programme
Grants of between £1,000 and £15,000
Deadline: 31st March 2021
charities in England and Wales for projects that support disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people aged up to 18 years (up to 25 years for disabled young people) to overcome the barriers they face in order to achieve the best possible start in life.
Masonic Charitable Foundation – Funding to Support Vulnerable Older People
Grants of between £500 and £15,000
Deadline: ongoing
Local and national charities in England and Wales can apply for grants of between £500 – £15,000 for projects lasting up to three years that support vulnerable and disadvantaged people over 50. To be eligible the charity needs to have an annual income of below £500,000 per year.
Grants for Tree Planting (UK)
Grants of between £300 and £1,500
Deadline: There is no deadline for applications, but applicants must ensure that they can plan and execute their project, and claim the funding upon completion, by the end of March 2021
Schools and Community groups within the UK can apply for grants to get communities and young people involved in tree and hedge planting and care this winter. The funding is being made available through the Tree Council’s Branching Out Fund. Applications will be considered as they are received, and applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application within four weeks.
Grimple’s Green Grants Green Giving
Deadline: Ongoing
They are looking for green projects across the United Kingdom that they can fund and help support environmentally friendly projects like yours. They are offering grants of up to £1,000 for small projects and organisations. They want you to overwhelm them with your applications, so get inspired and let them know about your green project idea!
The Wakeham Trust
Deadline: ongoing
The Wakeham Trust provides grants to help people rebuild their communities. They are particularly interested in neighbourhood projects, community arts projects, projects involving community service by young people, or projects set up by those who are socially excluded. They favour small projects – often, but not always, start-ups and they try to break the vicious circle whereby you have to be established to get funding from major charities, but you have to get funding to get established. Apply at TheWakehamTrust@icloud.com
The Foyle Foundation – Small Grants Scheme
Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000
Support for core costs or essential equipment, to enable ongoing service provision, homeworking, or delivery of online digital services. The grants are aimed at smaller, grassroots and local charities, with a turnover of less than £150,000 per annum, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Organisations which are currently delivering services to the young, vulnerable, elderly, disadvantaged or the general community, either directly or through online support.
Charles S French Charitable Trust
Grants between £1,000 and £5,000
Grants are available for local charitable organisations carrying out projects and activities that benefit the residents of North East London and Essex.
Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
Applications are now open for projects that improve the natural world, secure a fairer future, and strengthen the bonds in communities in the UK. Esmee’s new strategy will focus on the following three interdependent aims: Improving our natural world; Tackling injustice to deliver a fairer future; Nurturing creative, confident communities. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
February
March
Grants for Tree Planting (UK)
Grants of between £300 and £1,500
Deadline: There is no deadline for applications, but applicants must ensure that they can plan and execute their project, and claim the funding upon completion, by the end of March 2021
Schools and Community groups within the UK can apply for grants to get communities and young people involved in tree and hedge planting and care this winter. The funding is being made available through the Tree Council’s Branching Out Fund. Applications will be considered as they are received, and applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application within four weeks.
Funding for Projects that Address Severe Learning Disabilities (UK)
Grants of up to £10,000 – small grant; grant of over £10,000 – general grants programme
Deadline: 1st March 2021
Schools, voluntary organisations and charities can apply for grants to help both children and adults suffering severe learning difficulties. The funding is being made available through the Baily Thomas General grants programme and can be used to purchase equipment, support capital works as well as covering project and core costs such as staff costs, general running and office costs. Previous grants have been used to support capital works for residential, nursing and respite care, and schools; employment schemes including woodwork, crafts, printing and horticulture; play schemes and play therapy schemes; day and social activities centres including building costs and running costs; support for families, including respite schemes; independent living schemes; support in the community schemes; and Snoezelen rooms.
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
Grant size: avarage grant is £50,000
Deadline: 22nd March 2021
JRCT is keen to support work that responds to the dual harms of the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism. Specifically, they wish to encourage work that scrutinises the responses and policies of powerful institutions and actors, and which envisions and builds support for transformative social change based on justice, peace and sustainability.
April
Funding to Encourage Young People to Study Science Subjects (UK)
Grants of up to £10,000
Deadline: 1st April 2021
To support initiatives that encourage young people to study science subjects at school and go on to pursue STEM-related further education or vocational training, particularly in the area of Materials Science. The funding is being made available through the Ironmongers’ Foundation with priority given to projects engaging young people between the ages of 12 and 18 from disadvantaged backgrounds with a preference for urban areas outside London and particularly areas in the north and midlands with a manufacturing presence. Grants are made to registered or exempt charities only. Applications will not be accepted from schools. Projects involving corporate partners must have charitable purposes and be for public benefit, not private gain.
May
Funding for Projects that Support Disadvantaged Young People (UK)
Grants of over £10,000
Deadline: 4th May 2021
Schools, voluntary organisations and charities can apply for grants to help both children and adults suffering severe learnin
Grants available to not for profit organisations and special schools that work with young people who are experiencing disadvantage through illness, distress, abuse or neglect; any kind of disability; behavioural or psychological difficulties; and / or living in poverty or situations of deprivation. Special schools can also apply for funding, but the project must be additional to their statutory duties. The funding is being made available through the BBC Children in Need Main Grants programme. Prior to applying organisations and schools will need to register with BBC Children in Need.
June
Standard Life Foundation
Grants of between £10,000 and £200,000
Deadline: 3rd June 2021
Standard Life Foundation fund research, campaigning and policy work to improve living standards and personal finances for people on low to middle incomes in the UK. They are an engaged funder who does more than just make grants; they provide support, advice and add value to the projects they fund. Funding programmes focus on income, spending and assets.
July
Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Comic Relief – Tech for Good Digital Development Fund
Grants of up to £70,000
Deadline: 31st July 2021
Grants to use technology to explore different approaches to delivering better services during the Covid-19 crisis. Over £1 million will be available to individual not for profit organisations or those working in partnership to define, test and develop user-centred digital solutions to create more impact for the people they work with. Applications that aim to adapt or re-purpose existing technology are also eligible for funding. The programme aims to fund a portfolio of digital projects at different stages of development and will support a range of digital interventions. The funding is being made available through the Tech for Good digital development fund ‘Build’ programme which is being supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Comic Relief.
Volant Trust – Covid-19 Response Fund
Deadline: 31st July 2021
The Trust is accepting applications from registered charities, community interest companies, community organisations or social enterprises in the UK and internationally that demonstrate a strong focus on alleviating social deprivation and helping vulnerable groups who have been particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Funding is available to support running and core costs as well as for medical equipment and the production or distribution of PPE will also be considered. There are no funding levels indicated at the award of grants will be at the discretion of the Trustees.
Spacehive
Along with pledges from your local community, there is an opportunity to get up to £10,000 from the council towards your crowdfunding campaign.
Small charities and constituted community groups with innovative ideas that benefit their community can apply for funding of up to £50,000 for projects that build more connected, more resilient communities and give people the tools to become more financially independent. In response to the Covid-19 Aviva are temporarily opening up the Fund to projects that will ensure organisations can adapt or maintain critical services and infrastructure in response to the impacts of COVID-19. Projects must still relate to one of Aviva’s key funding areas. The closing date for this funding round is the 19th January 2021.
Power to Change – Community Business Crowdmatch
Power to Change has teamed up with Crowdfunder to launch Community Business Crowdmatch to support new or existing community businesses responding to the Covid-19 crisis. The scheme will help community businesses, providing services or activities which help local people experiencing disproportionate challenge and difficulty as a result of the crisis, by match-funding each £1 raised, to a maximum of £10,000. Power to Change are keen to support new and existing projects in deprived areas, and to work with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities across England. Funding could be used to support new ideas to help local neighbourhoods, help meet increased demand, save a community space or bridge a funding gap. Applications can be made at any time until all the funding has been awarded.
UK Aid Direct – Small Charities Challenge Fund
Grants of up to £50,000 available to small UK-registered charities and not-for-profit organisations working with the most vulnerable people in countries that are ranked in the bottom 50 of the UN Human Development Index (HDI) or if it is considered of high or moderate fragility by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). Up to two years funding is on offer for organisations with an annual income of £250,000 or less. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, DFID will be prioritising applications that can demonstrate that they are responding to longer term impacts of COVID-19. The fund remains open for applications addressing a wide range of Global Goals in a variety of contexts. However, DFID will expect all applicants to be able to explain how their project will address anticipated longer-term impacts of the virus and outline how the risks of COVID-19 to project delivery could be mitigated as part of their application. The Small Charities Challenge Fund (SCCF) will remain open and all applications will be reviewed on a 6-monthly basis. The closing date for the next review of proposals is 5 pm on the 25th March 2021.
Sport England – Active Together Programme
Commitment of £1 million to combat the impact of Covid-19 on sports clubs and community activity groups, in the form of match funding through Crowdfunder. Sports England is matching crowd funds of up to £10,000 raised by clubs and organisations hit by the coronavirus crisis. Programme is open to sports clubs and also to charity, community, voluntary or social enterprise organisations that deliver sports or physical activity in the community but are not solely or primarily sports organisations.
Childhood Trust – Champions for Children Campaign
The Childhood Trust campaigns are run in partnership with The Big Give. Funds raised during Campaign Week are MATCHED from two different pots: pledge donors and Childhood Trust funds. The campaign offers unrestricted funding, as well as the opportunity to increase awareness and build up their donor base, to charities working with vulnerable children and young people across London.
Coming soon