Funding and Grants
Funding advice and information
Community Action has developed funding advice and information for voluntary and community organisations in Bradford district as people sometimes underestimate the need to prepare before you fundraise.
This includes an introductory guide to fundraising that covers what you need to think about before you start making applications. The guide will set the context of your funding bid, give you some of the key questions you are likely to be asked, the benefits of networks and newsletters and signposts to some free and paid-for funding databases which can help you to find potential funders.
Funding support from a Development Officer
If you would like to speak to one of our development officers about funding, please book an appointment with Chris Barker. This could be for signposting to appropriate funding, advice on writing a bid, proofreading or checking a bid you’ve already written, or any other funding related query!
If your organisation’s annual income is under £100,000, this support is offered free of charge through the use of Community Action’s trading income and reserves, as part of our charity’s commitment to supporting grassroots organisations to thrive.
If your organisation’s annual income is £100,001 or above, this support may be chargeable but we will let you know in advance and try to support you through other funding if possible.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Funding opportunities
Below is a live list of funds, sorted in order of deadline (soonest first). This list is updated regularly. Click on the titles to expand.
Youth Futures Foundation: Building Futures – unit cost of £1200 to £1400 per young person – deadline 23rd January 2026
Large scale delivery of 1:1 mentoring for secondary school students (years 8 to 10) at risk of becoming NEET, underpinned by trauma-informed practice.
Mentors must be paid staff (not volunteers) and delivery must be during the school day. Open to intermediary organisations and delivery organisations (criteria apply).
Information webinars taking place throughout December and January.
Lifelong Learning and Development Fund – grants up to £40,000 – opens 5th January with deadline of 26th January 2026.
The fund supports small charities with projects that promote lifelong learning and development, address barriers to entering the labour market and allow people to gain additional skills to advance their careers.
Grants can be used for core and/or project costs. For requests for both project and core costs, applicants must highlight how this will help their organisation.
Anchor Fund – grants up to £85,000 for two years – deadline 26th January 2026
The Alliance for Youth Organising will provide anchor grants to UK based organisations that are supporting youth organising. The purpose of the funding is to support wider access to youth organising and strengthen the youth organising field.
This could be place based support to organise to address local issues, national or regional leadership training programmes, support for networks of young organisers through mentoring and coaching, incubating youth organising initiatives and providing fiscal hosting.
Grants are £40,000 per year. Successful groups will also receive an additional £5,000 to support learning and to provide strategic insight to the Alliance to shape its future strategy.
CABWI – grants up to £40,000 – deadline 26th January 2026.
CABWI are offering grants to support young people aged 16+ and adults to gain additional skills and confidence to enter the labour market and develop their careers. This is particularly around those facing complex barriers to employment.
Projects must offer life-skills, employability support, new qualifications, work experience and training. They have a focus on water, utilities and construction industries.
For organisations with income under £266,666 – maximum grant is 15% of income. For organisations with income between £266,666 and £1m, maximum grant is £40,000. Organisations with income over £1m are not eligible.
Arts Council: Theatre Breakthrough Fund – minimum grant £100,000 – deadline 27th January 2026
Grants to support Black, Asian and ethnically diverse theatre makers in the North of England to create ambitious new work.
The fund redistributes public funding previously allocated to Eclipse Theatre Company and will continue our support for the types of innovative theatre, touring and artist development that the Company was recognised for.
There are two stages, the deadline for stage 1 is 12:00 noon on 27th January. If successful at stage 1, stage 2 deadline is 12:00 noon on 23rd June 2026.
Amazon Literary Partnership Grants – grant value not disclosed – deadline 30th January 2026
The partnership supports non-profit literary organisations that empower writers to create, publish, learn, teach, experiment and thrive. They provide grant funding to innovative groups that amplify diverse voices and impact the community.
John Rayner Charitable Trust – grants from £1,000 to £5,000 – deadline 31st January 2026
Grants supporting organisations who help children and young people, carers and the elderly, medical support, disabled people, sport for all ages and the arts.
Support is mainly for small and medium sized VCSE organisations.
Delamere Dairy Foundation – grants between £1,000 and £5,000 – deadline 31st January 2026
Charities, community groups and social enterprises can apply for grants when working in agriculture and the environment, young people, education, poverty or health.
Grow Wild Community Programme – grants of £2,000 – deadline 15:00 on 4th February 2026
Grants of £2,000 (plus a potential £500 follow on grant in spring 2027) to community or youth groups for projects that transform local spaces using native UK plants or fungi.
Eligible applicants must be constituted groups able to manage funds and deliver activities between April and October 2026, with a strong emphasis on inclusion and environmental impact.
Ufi: VocTech Activate – grants of £30,000 to £60,000 – deadline 3rd February 2026
To support early-stage projects using digital technology to improve vocational learning for adults in the UK. Funding helps organisations to test ideas and develop prototypes that enhance skills and employability.
Grants of £30,000 to £60,000 for projects lasting 3 to 12 months.
Pre-application webinars taking place through January.
Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust – discretionary grant value (average £4.2k) – deadline 13th February 2026
The aim is to assist churches with repair and restoration, provided they are currently used as a place of worship at least twelve times a year and are accessible by the public with repair and restoration projects. The church may be of any age and need not be listed.
GiveBradford: The Thrive Together Fund (small) – grants up to £10,000 – deadline 12:00 noon 16th February 2026
A partnership between GiveBradford and The National Lottery Community Fund to develop inclusive places, spaces and activities for people who are least able to come together.
Whether through project delivery, organisational development or a combination of both, the funding is designed to seed new ideas, sustain impactful work, and support grassroots efforts to bring people together for 1 year.
Unregistered organisations can apply for up to £5,000, registered organisations can apply for £10,000. All applicants must have an income under £75,000 in most recent financial year.
GiveBradford: The Thrive Together Fund (large) – grants up to £30,000 – deadline 12:00 noon 16th February 2026
A partnership between GiveBradford and The National Lottery Community Fund to develop inclusive places, spaces and activities for people who are least able to come together.
Successful organisations will support people experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination and create a life-changing sense of community solidarity and connection. People will be helped to shape the decisions that affect their lives. Examples are mentorship programmes, skill-sharing workshops and community gardening.
All applicants must have an income under £750,000 in most recent financial year and have been registered for two years.
National Churches Trust – grants up to £50,000 – deadline 3rd March 2026
The Large Grants programme (formerly Cornerstone Grants) supports structural repairs and maintenance issues costing more than £100,000 or the installation of kitchen and toilets costing over £30,000.
The funding is for urgent and essential structural repair projects to buildings that were originally built as churches, or the installation of kitchen and toilets.
JJ Charitable Trust: Literacy Small Grants – grants of £5,000 to £20,000 – next deadline 4th March 2026
Seeks to improve the effectiveness of literacy teaching in primary and secondary education for children (aged 5 to 18) with learning difficulties, including dyslexia. The particular focus is areas of disadvantage and those who are at risk of non-inclusion in society and the world of work.
They are keen to see applications from charities and community groups for projects that use volunteers and reading mentors and those that help during transitional points (e.g. between primary and secondary school).
Grants can be spread over a period of 1, 2 or 3 years.
Ramblers Path Accessibility Fund – grants up to £10,000 – deadline 14th March 2026
To improve public right of way in England, Scotland and Wales, specifically targeting barriers like stiles, steps, narrow gates, overgrown paths and surface issues to enhance access for those with mobility challenges.
Grants range from small (under £1,000) for surfacing improvements to larger grants (up to £10,000) for larger scale upgrades.
Eligible applicants must focus on definitive rights of way and have written permission from landowners and rights-of-way/access officer.
Ulverscroft Foundation – grant value unknown – next deadline 15th March 2026
Supporting projects that assist and improve the treatment and education of the visually impaired, and medical research and facilities for the treatment or alleviation of visual impairment.
Applicants don’t need to be registered charities – CICs and social groups eligible. Grants can be for very small amounts, or to fund major projects.
Help the Homeless – grants up to £5,000 – next deadline 20th March 2026
Grants for capital projects around homelessness – applicant charities should be working wholly or mostly with homeless people.
Organisations must be registered charities with an income under £500,000.
British Record Industry Trust – grants up to £50,000 – deadline 30th April 2026
The BRIT Trust offers grant funding consistent with its mission of “improving lives through the power of music and the creative arts”.
Henry Smith: Holiday Grants – grants from £500 to £3,000 – multiple deadlines, apply 6 weeks before trip
One-off grants for £500 to £3,000 for schools, youth groups, non-profits and charities to fund UK-based recreational trips or short holidays (up to 7 days) for groups of disadvantaged or disabled children aged 13 or younger.
Priority is given to applicants from the 20% most deprived areas.
National Lottery Heritage Fund: Landscape Connections – grants up to £10,000,000 – no deadline, applications reviewed monthly or quarterly
The fund will support 20 long-term projects to boost nature recovery and connect more people to Protected Landscapes and other world-class landscapes. These include National Parks and National Landscapes in England and Wales.
Project delivery can last for up to 8 years. Applications for grants up to £250,000 are reviewed monthly, applications for grants over £250,000 reviewed quarterly and must first submit an EOI.
National Lottery Heritage Fund: Places of Worship – grants up to £10,000,000 – no deadline to apply
This fund aims to address the following challenges facing places of worship:
- The repair needs of listed buildings, particularly in more rural areas
- Workforce and volunteer capacity to manage heritage
- Supporting heritage in places of worship that are currently inaccessible, at risk or under-used to maximise their full potential
For grants over £250,000 you must first submit an Expression of Interest.
National Lottery Community Fund: Awards for All – Environment – grants from £300 to £20,000 – no deadline to apply
The fund will support community-led projects that improve the environment and help people connect with and enjoy nature where they live. Projects should meet one or both priorities:
- Help people connect with and care for nature in their area
- Make a positive difference to the environment
National Lottery Community Fund: Reaching Communities – grants from £20,001 to £500,000 – no deadline to apply
Reaching Communities aims to strengthen communities and improve lives. The new priorities are projects that:
- Support places, people or communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination
- Support people and communities to shape the decisions that affect their lives
Allen Lane Foundation – grants of £15,000 – no deadline to apply.
The Foundation makes grants to VCSE organisations for work which benefits groups of people who are under-represented in UK society.
Overall the Foundation wishes to fund work which:
- Encourages or enables unpopular groups to share in the life of the whole community
- Will make a lasting difference to people’s lives rather than simply alleviating the symptoms or current problems
- Is aimed at reducing isolation, stigma and discrimination
nPower Business Solutions Foundation – up to £100,000* – no deadline, applications reviewed quarterly
Funds available to VCSE organisations within 50 miles of nPower Business Solutions offices in Leeds to support projects that have a positive impact on local communities, improve places and spaces, and provide opportunities for individuals to reach their potential.
Funding available in bands based on organisational income:
- Income over £50,000 can apply for
- up to £19,999
- £20,000 to £39,999
- £40,000 to £100,000
- Income under £50,000 can apply for up to £19,999
Utilita Football Rebooted – discretionary grants – no deadline to apply.
This funding is intended to enhance grassroots football, providing tailored support based on individual application needs. Support can be utilised for various purposes, such as clubhouse improvements, volunteer appreciation, crime recovery, facility safety enhancements and overall game and playing environment improvements.
The grant amount is discretionary and clubs and leagues can apply for multiple grants or gifts.
Albert Gubay Foundation – discretionary grants, £5k to £2.25 million – deadline given upon completion of eligibility test.
Grants are available for registered charities serving disadvantaged/in-need communities in England so that they may maintain their meaningful work. The funding is for work that meets one or more of the Foundation’s currently priorities:
- Amateur sport
- Victims of domestic abuse
- Ex-offenders and their families
- Homelessness – especially young people
- Drug and substance misuse
- Care leavers
- Worship and associated community outreach
Brelms Trust – grants up to £6,000 – no deadline to apply.
Grants of up to £18,000 (over three years) are available for registered charities based in Yorkshire that are working within local communities to tackle disadvantage and provide sustainable benefit.
Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund – up to £3,200 in first year (tapered over 6 years) – no deadline to apply.
The funding aims to transform lives and strengthen communities through the power of football. The funding covers smaller capital projects to support grassroots football, providing six-year tapered grants to help football clubs sustain pitches already at a ‘good’ level and enhance pitches that are considered ‘poor’ or ‘basic’ with a PitchPower pitch assessment.
Lionesses HERe to Play – grants up to £25,000 – no deadline to apply.
The Football Foundation new funding to improve football facilities for women and girls involved in grassroots football in England. The fund aims to create inclusive and high-quality environments that encourage and sustain female participation in football at all levels.
Applicants must provide match funding of at least 25%.
Truemark Trust – grants up to £5,000 – no deadline to apply.
Grants available for small, locally based charitable organisations addressing social distress and disadvantage, with a preference for neighbourhood-based community projects.
The Trust does not have a website so interested organisations should email truemark.trust01@ntlworld.com or call 07970 540015 for full details.
Didymus Fund – grants up to £30,000 – no deadline to apply.
Grants available for charities based in Yorkshire to wider access to, and participation in, the arts. The aim is to promote social inclusion through the arts, and fund projects and charities that make the arts accessible, inclusive, exciting and enriching.
Application is by invite only – submit an EOI through the website, following which you may be invited to submit a full application.
Morrisons Foundation – grants up to £10,000 – no deadline to apply.
The funding is for specific projects which make a difference to people’s lives with special consideration for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. Projects should address the following criteria:
- Tackle poverty and social deprivation
- Enhance community spaces, facilities and services
- Improve health and wellbeing
BBC Children In Need – grants from £1,000 to £40,000 per year – no deadline to apply
Core and project grants from £1,000 to £40,000 per year and can be awarded for up to three years.
Yorkshire funding priorities are projects which:
- Deliver early intervention and prevention work to improve the mental health of children and young people
- Delivery youth work which has a focus on supporting children and young people with their mental health and wellbeing
- Support LGBTQ+ children and young people
- Support children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
- Support refugees and asylum-seeking children and young people
- Deliver detached youth work in areas impacted by poverty and deprivation to help young people feel safe
- Support disabled children and young people who are also impacted by poverty and deprivation
- Support early years aged children in areas impacted by poverty and deprivation
Sovereign Health Care Community Programme – discretionary value – no deadline to apply.
Grants for local registered charities for work associated with health and wellbeing in West Yorkshire (preference for Bradford).
Funding is for the following priority areas:
- Projects addressing disease and conditions prevalent in Bradford
- Providing support and preventing ill health in hospitals and hospices
- Organising initiatives that support and promote healthy lifestyles
- Education and training programmes
- Projects tackling wider deprivation and disadvantage
National Lottery Community Fund – the UK Fund – grants from £500,000 to £5,000,000 – no deadline to apply
Larger amounts of funding to help you develop work that is already making a difference. To get funding you’ll need to show what’s working, how you know it’s having a proven impact, and why it’s ready to scale. Brand new projects or services will not be funded.
The funding is for projects that:
- Scale up their impact by expanding their work – by helping more people or doing more for people they already work with
- Support people experiencing poverty, disadvantage and discrimination
- Help make significant changes to services or systems that affect people’s everyday lives
Ann Rylands Small Donations – grants up to £5,000 – no deadline to apply
Unrestricted small grants for medium sized charities (income of £100,000 to £2 million) that work to provide health and care services, providing practical and emotional support to people with physical or mental ill health, people living with a disability, and their families and carers.
The maximum grant is £5,000. You are asked not to request a specific amount as the Trustees will determine the amount based on the availability of funding and what they feel is appropriate.
Benefact Group: Movement for Good – grants of £1000 or £5000 – nominations open all year
The Movement for Good is a chance to nominate your favourite charity (or your own) for grants of £1,000 or £5,000, selected via prize draw.
The funding can be awarded to charities of all sizes, anywhere in the UK, and every nomination is 1 entry so the more nominations, the more chances of the charity being drawn.
The £5000 draw is open to charities making a difference in the fields of Health, Community, and Animals and Wildlife.