Grants & support for London’s charitable sector
Every month we share an update with our funded organisations, listing funding opportunities and offers of free support. In July’s update we featured 18 funding opportunities open to London’s charitable sector
- Published: 29 July 2025
In this month’s update
Funding
Funding from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
Three new programmes offer grants which can range from a few thousand pounds to £100,000+ and can be single payments or spread over a number of years.
Peace and Security programme: This programme supports approaches to defence and security which prioritise peace, non-violence and human rights. Register for an account by: Friday 8 August and apply by: Friday 22 August.
Sustainable Future programme: This programme supports ideas for a low-carbon, sustainable future that doesn’t prioritise consumer culture and economic growth above all else. Register for an account by: Monday 18 August and apply by: midday, Monday 1 September.
Power and Accountability programme: This programme supports those working for a world in which power is more equally shared and powerful institutions are accountable to wider society. Register for an account by: Monday 18 August and apply by: 10am on Monday 1 September.
Learn more: www.jrct.org.uk/funding-priorities
Racial Justice Fund boosted
The Racial Justice Fund has received a £1m boost from Lloyds Bank Foundation. This means that the fund will provide £5m in total to Black and minority-led London-based groups by 2027.
The Foundation joins Trust for London and City Bridge Foundation in leading the fund, highlighting the growing commitment to racial justice for funders in the capital. The fund has so far given out £2m to 13 organisations. This extra investment increases the remaining funds available to £3m.
The Racial Justice Fund aims to increase income and wealth in Black and minoritised communities. This means the focus is on projects working for long-lasting change rather than immediate relief like service delivery.
See www.trustforlondon.org.uk/funding/social-justice/racial-justice
Community Matters Fund (Low Carbon Communities)
National Grid’s Electricity Distribution business, in partnership with Localgiving, can offer funding to support energy-efficient initiatives to lower carbon footprint, save energy costs and improve energy-efficiency ratings. Projects can be delivered in a building, or within the wider community.
The Fund aims to support economically disadvantaged areas and to target grassroots organisations that serve historically underrepresented and marginalised groups.
Applications which clearly define the long-term and measurable impact (e.g. energy bills, carbon footprint, energy efficiency) are especially encouraged.
Successful projects will need to meet one or more of the following themes:
- Improving energy efficiency and lowering bills for community centres and halls (e.g. insulation and glazing upgrades, smart thermostats, energy efficient lighting systems)
- Education and advice from STEM-qualified professionals on sustainability, renewable energy, and retrofit
- Promoting sustainable transport infrastructure (e.g. supporting active transport schemes, cycling racks, electric car charging points)
Registered charities or non-profit companies limited by guarantee can apply for up to £5,000; constituted charitable organisations with no charity number can apply for up to £2,000.
Apply by 5pm on Friday 1 August 2025.
Learn more: www.localgiving.org
Go! London Foundation Grants
Apply for up to £40,000 to deliver sport and physical activity programmes supporting underserved children and young people aged 4–24.
Funding can cover wraparound services such as mentoring, life skills, or mental health support. For projects including specialised provision, grants of up to £55,000 will be considered.
First launched in 2023, the Foundation Fund is Go! London’s flagship investment in community sport and physical activity across London. This is their fourth round of funding.
To apply, your organisation must:
- Be a not-for-profit working with children and young people aged 4–24 in London
- Have an annual income under £500,000
Virtual information session: 1–2pm on Monday, 29 July 2025.
Application deadline: 5pm on Monday, 15 September 2025.
Learn more: www.golondon.org.uk/foundation
Collaborate: Safer Spaces Commission
A final round of the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund is open for diverse-led, not-for-profit organisations connected with and meeting the needs of local communities in Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.
Four shortlisted teams will receive up to £50k each in flexible funding, part of which will be a development grant.
The Collaborate: Safer Spaces Commissions will support creative, sustainable, interdisciplinary and diverse-led grassroots collaborations seeking to influence and achieve local change around the theme of ‘Safer Spaces’.
Apply by 2pm on Monday, 18 August 2025.
Learn more: www.future.london
Funding to support young children
The Woodward Charitable Trust can provide grants to organisations supporting disadvantaged families with young children (up to 11 years in age) and/or working directly with children of the same age group.
Grants of up to £10,000 per year for core costs are available for organisations with an annual income of up to £200,000, for a maximum of three consecutive years. One-off grants are also available.
The Trust prioritises funding in the following areas:
- Parenting / caregiving support
- Educational programmes for children both in and out of school, such as those that aim to boost attainment, attendance or emotional wellbeing
- Programmes and activities that benefit children’s wellbeing and development
- Pre-natal and post-natal support services
Apply by 12pm midday on Thursday, 31 July 2025.
Learn more: www.woodwardcharitabletrust.org.uk
Funding, training and development for charities working to improve people’s health and wellbeing
The GSK IMPACT Awards are open to charities with income between £150k and £3m, that are at least three years’ old, and are working in a health-related field in the UK.
Up to 15 awards will be made, ranging from £4,000 to £50,000. In addition, the training and development is valued at a further £13,500. Organisations will also receive help with press and publicity, be given a set of promotional materials and receive pro bono offers from GSK.
Deadline for stage one applications is 5pm on Wednesday 20 August 2025.
Learn more: www.kingsfund.org.uk/how-apply-gsk-impact-award
Funding for small charities tackling health inequalities in their communities
The GSK Community Health programme can support small charities with incomes between £20k and £150k
Running alongside the GSK IMPACT Awards (above), this programme is open to charities that are at least a year old, located and working in the UK. Up to 10 charities will receive up to £10,000 plus access to training and development valued at £5,000.
Organisations led by and supporting the most disadvantaged communities – such as those supporting ethnic minority communities, people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ+ community, and others – are encouraged to apply for this programme.
Deadline for applications is 5.00pm on Monday 11 August 2025.
Learn more: www.kingsfund.org.uk/community-health-programme
Funding for organisations harnessing the power of the pet-human bond to improve health and wellbeing
This funding from Purina for pet-related projects can offer up to €200,000 (euros) for up to two years.
This year, they are particularly interested in hearing from organisations working in the following areas, as well as other impactful initiatives that leverage the pet-human bond for the benefit of the health of people in vulnerable situations:
- Assistance Dogs for people with physical or mental health conditions
- Animal-Assisted Therapies
- Pet ownership or pet companionship support for the elderly
Applications close on Friday, 12 September 2025.
Learn more: www.purina.eu/our-impact/better-with-pets
Funding for activities improving the health and wellbeing of residents in north west London
This Compassionate Communities programme from Imperial Health Charity is aimed at voluntary, community or social enterprise organisations.
Applications can be made for between £5,000 and £50,000. Project duration must be a minimum of one year and up to two years, including set-up and evaluation periods.
Funding will focus on the prevention and/or reduction of the following health conditions.
- Cardiovascular disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic respiratory disease
- Depression/anxiety
- Diabetes
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Obesity
Apply by Thursday 4 September 2025.
Learn more: www.imperialcharity.org.uk
The Flexible Finance Fund
This fund is a £4m package of funding and support for between 15–25 Black and Racially Minoritised charities and social enterprises in England. It is designed to help them to grow or take on assets and become more resilient.
The Flexible Finance Fund is a partnership between Social Investment Business, The Ubele Initiative and Create Equity.
If your organisation is ready to grow, acquire assets and build resistance, the Flexible Finance Fund offers a powerful combination of grants and loans designed to help your organisation thrive.
Applications are open and ongoing.
Learn more: www.sibgroup.org.uk/funds/flexible-finance
The Green Roots Fund
The £12m fund from the Mayor of London has been launched to support local communities, boroughs and organisations with grants ranging from £10,000 to £500,000 over the next three years.
Whether you’re dreaming of wildflower meadows, cleaner local waterways, or any other project that brings more greenery to your neighbourhood, there’s a chance to get the funding you need. Projects can run for up to two years.
The next application deadline is 2pm on Thursday, 21 August 2025. Deadlines are expected to happen twice a year.
Learn more: www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies
The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust
Funding for charities working in the fields of the advancement of the arts, health and medical welfare and environmental protection or improvement.
Their grant range is usually within £500 – £6,000. Applications can be for core costs or projects. The Trust prefers to direct their donations to those charities where their contribution will make a major difference, favouring small-scale, locally based initiatives.
Applications are considered three times a year in March, July and November. The next deadline for submission of online applications is midnight on Tuesday, 30 September 2025.
Learn more: www.doylycartecharitabletrust.org/what-we-fund
New National Lottery funding for environmental initiatives
This new programme can fund community-led projects that improve the environment and help people connect with and enjoy nature where they live.
Funding can be used to:
- start a new activity or continue an existing one
- help your organisation adapt to new challenges
- run one-off events that have a clear environmental benefit
They are looking to fund projects that:
- help people connect with and care for nature in their area
- make a positive difference to the environment
Funding size: £300 to £20,000 for up to two years
Application deadline: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Learn more: www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding
Supporting families to give their young children a strong start
Together We Begin: Investing in home-based early years support is a new grant from the Henry Smith Foundation.
The Foundation is looking to fund organisations that provide early years parenting support and promote children’s development through sustained, face-to-face work in the home.
The key aims of the fund are to strengthen parenting skills to improve children’s outcomes, build confidence and reduce stress in the home, and connect families to their local community.
Grant amount: up to £150k (£40–50k per year) for three years. Webinar: 2–3pm on Wednesday 30 July 2025.
Expressions of Interest can be submitted from Thursday 31 July 2025, with a deadline of Thursday 28th August 2025
Building independence – Helping young people move into adulthood with confidence, skills and hope
Shout! Supporting non-statutory advocacy services helping young people is a new grant from the Henry Smith Foundation.
The Foundation wants to support non-statutory advocacy services that help young people speak up, make informed choices, and secure their rights. Especially in systems where they are often excluded, misunderstood, or marginalised.
They are focusing on organisations working with care-experienced young people, LGBT+ young people, and young people with learning disabilities and/or neurodivergences.
The Foundation’s primary focus is supporting young people aged 14 to 25, particularly those navigating key transitions to building independence.
Grant amount: up to £240,000 (£60,000 per year) for four years.
Expressions of Interest must be submitted by Wednesday 20 August 2025.
Learn more: www.henrysmith.foundation/grants/shout
Strengthening Black-led organisations across London
Applications are open for another Build, Hustle, Grow programme round from Do it Now Now, in connection with London Now Now and with the support of City Bridge Foundation.
Designed for organisations with annual revenues between £10,000 and £30,000, this free, six-month programme offers hands-on training, expert mentorship, and practical resources to strengthen leadership and financial resilience.
Whether you’re building your organisation’s long-term sustainability or scaling your impact, Build, Hustle, Grow is here to support your journey.
Applications are open until Friday, 29 August 2025.
Learn more: www.doitnownow.com
£30,000 creative grants for underserved UK communities
Amazon’s Regional Creatives Fund can offer grants of up to £30,000 to charities that help underserved communities pursue their creative ambitions.
Funding is available for applications from charities that are currently running a programme that focuses on upskilling people from underserved communities for careers in creative industries.
This financial support is bolstered by pro-bono upskilling programmes, including mentoring, work experience, placement opportunities, and digital training,
Applications for up to £30,000 can be made by individual organisations that meet eligibility criteria, while consortium applications for up to £100,000 are also available.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the fund will be used to expand or continue an existing, impactful programme, such as music production training, portfolio development, or even placements in game development studios.
Application deadline Sunday, 31 August 2025.
Learn more: www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/community
Free support and training
Our Funder Plus offer for funded organisations
Every organisation funded by City Bridge Foundation can apply for free, additional support that goes beyond funding. This is our Funder Plus offer.
For instance, we can provide fee support your organisation’s development and governance, fundraising or business planning.
Eligible funded organisation can benefit from free access to training courses, attendance at conferences, and/or peer-to-peer learning. Many more support options are available. City Bridge Foundation offers all of this at no financial cost to your organisation.
Learn more at www.citybridgefoundation.org.uk/funder-plus
Support for early-stage, women-led businesses focusing on social and environmental impact
CatalyseHer, powered by INCO and supported by Visa Foundation, accelerates the growth of early-stage women-led businesses with a focus on social and environmental impact in the UK, through expert guidance and cash microgrants to unlock new opportunities.
It takes place online and is open to women founders, co-founders, or CEOs of businesses based in the UK that are under five years old and with less than £2m revenue.
Training is provided over two months, with 10–15 hours online total required to complete the programme.
Applications close on Sunday, 7 September 2025.
Buddle: free support for community sport and activity organisers
Sport England are hosting a one-hour virtual event at 6pm on Thursday 31 July to raise awareness of their Buddle programme, aimed at anyone involved in running a club or community organisation offering sport and physical activity.
As well as the wealth of resources, guidance and tools available via www.buddle.co they also provide free workshops and webinars throughout the year, with upcoming topics including developing an inclusive environment, financial management and maximising your volunteers’ experience.
Telling the human side of the migration story: free communication workshops
IMIX has three, free online media masterclasses this August designed to support charities and campaigners, as well as people with lived experience.
The classes are designed to improve the way you communicate about people who migrate and the issues they face — and they can help you to feel confident when doing so.
Each workshop runs from 2–3.30pm, with the following classes coming up:
- Introduction to Media (Lived Experience) – Tuesday 12 August
- Introduction to Social Media – Wednesday 13 August
- Introduction to the Media – Thursday 14 August
Learn more about these workshops and IMIX’s work at www.imix.org.uk/training
Making volunteering more inclusive for disabled people
Volunteering carries huge benefits for those who take part. In research, 75% of respondents reported that volunteering directly improved their mental health and wellbeing.
But not everyone is able to participate equally. On average, disabled people report lower levels of satisfaction and significant barriers with volunteering.
These include practical barriers, as well as cultural and attitudinal barriers. Barriers come from the public, organisations, paid staff, and other volunteers.
Read NCVO’s top tips for how your organisation can make volunteering inclusive for disabled people.
Learn more at: www.ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance
New £5m scheme to help leaders tackle inequalities in sport and physical activity
Leading the Movement is a new initiative from Sports England that will support and connect decision-makers working to ensure sport and physical activity is accessible and inclusive to everyone.
Leading the Movement will run until 2029. The programme seeks to build a diverse community of people who are empowered to drive the change needed so the benefits of being physically active are equally accessible to everyone.
A new microsite offers free guidance, articles, case studies, toolkits and other learning resources, available to all, alongside a newsletter that will share regular updates from across the sector.
Learn more: www.leadingthemovement.org