Community development

Question:
Community development
Answer:

Shanly Foundation – Core Grants

The Shanly Foundation aims to support causes that help individuals and benefit the local community, including support for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, the homeless, those with mental health issues and people with physical disabilities, injury or life-limiting illness.

Eligibility

  • Registered charities, CICs, CIOs, and organisations exempt or excepted under Charity Commission guidance.
  • Funding supports core costs and unrestricted activity for groups assisting disabled individuals, the elderly, and disadvantaged communities.
  • Organisations focused on rehabilitation, homelessness, local sports and social clubs, Scouts and Guides, youth outdoor centres

Funding amount

The foundation typically awards core grants ranging from £1,000 to £25,000.

Closing date

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

More information

Please visit the Shanly Foundation website.


 

The Skinners' Charity Foundation - The Relief of Poverty and Hardship

Funded by The Skinners’ Charity Foundation, this initiative supports grassroots projects tackling poverty and hardship in local communities, with a focus on long-term solutions that address the root causes. A key priority is supporting families, particularly multi-generational households, single-parent families, and those with multiple children who are disproportionately affected by poverty.

Eligibility

  • Arts, heritage, and related local community projects
  • Projects primarily based in London and Kent
  • Projects that can evidence successful outcomes and show clear public value
  • Ideally, projects should be run by a registered not-for-profit organisation with audited or independently examined annual accounts.
  • The organisation's annual turnover should not exceed £300,000
  • Organisations with reserves of more than 12 months’ expenditure are not eligible.

Funding amount

Grants of up to £2,000 per year are available for projects and/or capital items.

Closing date

08 August 2025

More information

Please visit the Skinners Foundation website.


 

Trust for London

Trust for London, established in 1891 as the City Parochial Foundation, is the largest independent charity focused on poverty and inequality in London. The Trust promotes innovative strategies to address the root causes of social issues and influences policy and public attitudes. Its funding targets four key areas: Employment, Advice, Social Justice, and Violence, and it also supports small groups dedicated to fighting poverty and promoting user involvement and self-help.

Eligibility

The Trust funds voluntary and community organisations undertaking charitable activities. Applicants do not need to be a registered charity.

Funding amount

Grants made under the charity’s small groups priority will not normally exceed £30,000 with an average grant being £20,000 in total, although many grants will be less than this. Applications can be made over one, two or three years.

Closing date

Applications can be submitted at any time.

More information

Please visit the Trust for London website.


 

Morrisons Foundation

The newly established Morrisons Foundation is looking to award approximately £2 million a year for community projects that improve people’s lives. Funding objectives of this fund are:

  • Tackling poverty and social deprivation.
  • Enhancing Community Spaces, facilities and services.
  • Improving Health & wellbeing.

Eligibility

Registered charities with an income of less than £1m .

Funding amount

Grants are available for up to £10,000 for capital spend or direct project delivery

Closing date

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

More information

Please visit the Morrisons Foundation website.


 The National Lottery Awards for All England

The funding supports new activities, ongoing ones, or organisational adaptations.

Projects must do at least one of these things:

  • bring people together to 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
  • support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis.

Eligibility

Applications are accepted from:

  • constituted voluntary or community organisation
  • constituted group or club
  • registered charities
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
  • Not-For-Profit companies
  • Community Interest Companies (CIC)
  • school (if your project benefits and involves the communities around the school)
  • statutory bodies (including local authorities, town, parish and community council)
  • community benefit societies.

Funding amount

£300 to £20,000 for up to two years.

Closing date

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

More information

Please visit the National Lottery Awards for All England website.


The National Lottery UK Fund

The fund is for organisations wanting to help communities connect better. Organisations  are encouraged to apply for funding for projects that:

  • strengthen relationships between people whose experiences of life have not been the same. For example, relationships between people of different ethnic backgrounds, generations, occupations, or geographies
  • create connections between online and offline worlds
  • help make sure people from all backgrounds can shape the future of their communities.

Eligibility

Applications are accepted from:

  • constituted voluntary or community organisation
  • constituted group or club
  • registered charities
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
  • Not-For-Profit companies
  • Community Interest Companies (CIC)
  • school (if your project benefits and involves the communities around the school)
  • statutory bodies (including local authorities, town, parish, and community council)
  • community benefit societies

Funding amount

This UK-wide funding offers £500,000 to £5 million for projects tackling national issues over 2-10 years.

Closing date

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

More information

Please visit the The UK Fund website.


The National Lottery Reaching Communities England

This funding supports projects and groups improving their community. The National Lottery defines community as people in the same area or with similar interests or experiences.

Projects or organisations applying for funding must do at least one of these things:

  • bring people together to 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.

This fund is flexible and can respond to your community’s needs, therefore the following funding options are available:

  • for the long or short term
  • for a specific activity, or for broader costs to help your organisation or community
  • for one organisation or to bring organisations together
  • to support people, communities, and organisations most affected by the cost-of-living crisis
  • to help organisations address the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on how they work, now and in the future.

Eligibility

Applications are accepted from:

  • constituted voluntary or community organisation
  • constituted group or club
  • registered charities
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
  • Not-For-Profit companies
  • Community Interest Companies (CIC)
  • school (if your project benefits and involves the communities around the school)
  • statutory bodies (including local authorities, town, parish, and community council)
  • community benefit societies.

Funding amount

£20,001 or more, for up to five years.

Closing date

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

More information

Please visit the Reaching Communities England website.


The National Lottery Partnerships

This funding is for organisations working together in partnership to help their community. The National Lottery defines community as people in one area or with similar interests or experiences.

Eligibility

Applications are accepted from:

  • constituted voluntary or community organisation
  • constituted group or club
  • registered charities
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
  • Not-For-Profit companies
  • Community Interest Companies (CIC)
  • school (if your project benefits and involves the communities around the school)
  • statutory bodies (including local authorities, town, parish, and community council)
  • community benefit societies.

Funding amount

£20,001 or more, for up to five years.

Closing date

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

More information

Please visit the National Lottery Partnerships Fund website.


 

The Society Foundation

Funding is being provided to help vulnerable groups into employment, who are either ex-offenders, the recently homeless or vulnerably housed, or to support 16 to 24 year olds not in employment, education or training.

Grants would support capacity-building activities, including IT infrastructure and equipment, staff training and development, and external consultancy/support.

Eligibility

UK-registered charities and charitable organisations. Grants available for small or growing organisations with a turnover of up to £500,000.

Funding amount

Grants up to £2,500

Closing date

Midday on 12 September 2025

More information

Please visit The Society Foundation website for more information.


 

London Catalyst Main Grants Programme

Funding to support projects that will enhance community health and wellbeing, particularly those tackling poverty and social isolation.

Eligibility

Applicants must be registered charities working to improve the lives of disadvantaged Londoners. Projects must primarily benefit adults aged 18 and above living within the M25. Organisations with an annual income of less than £500,000 are eligible to apply.

Funding amount

Grants of up to £10,000 per year are available, with the possibility of multi-year funding for up to three years.

Closing date

15 September 2025

More information

Please visit the London Catalyst website.


 

Thomas Wall Trust

Funding for projects that that equip people (18 or older) from disadvantaged groups with the communication skills necessary to gain employment.

Eligibility

Applicants must be registered charities. Priority will be given to projects that target people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups facing major hurdles to employment, especially women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers.

Funding amount

Grants up to £5,000

Closing date

22 September 2025

More information

Please visit the Thomas Wall Trust website.

The Matrix Causes Fund

Funding for core activities that support vulnerable persons such as prisoners, asylum seekers, people with mental health difficulties, people (particularly children) with disabilities, or women in refugees.

Eligibility

Registered charities working with the most vulnerable people that promote access to justice (particularly for people trying to get support to meet their basic personal needs), equality of opportunity, or a sustainable environment.  Applications from organisations not registered as a charity, but established for charitable purposes, may also be considered.

Funding amount

One-off grants of up to £5,000, or grants of up to £3,000 a year for three years.

Closing date

Midday 30 September 2025

More information

Please visit the Matrix Causes Fund website.


 

The Weavers Company

Funding for projects that support offenders and ex-offenders, including supporting them into work, and for helping specific groups within the criminal justice sector, who are less popular with funders. Funding also available for projects aiding disadvantaged young people, including immigrants, in realising their potential and engaging in society.

Eligibility

Registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, and in exceptional circumstances, community interest companies can apply. Applicants must demonstrate efforts to secure other funding and future sustainability.

Funding amount

Small Grants Programme offering up to £5,000, and a Main Grants Programme with no maximum limit. Funding covers both project and core costs.

Closing date

13 November 2025

More information

Please visit The Weavers' Company website.