Grants & support for London’s charitable sector

The Fore: unrestricted funding for small charities

Grants designed to have a transformational impact on your whole organisation, supporting growth, structure, sustainability or efficiency.

You can apply for up to £45,000 over one to three years. Your annual revenue should be less than £500k.

These grants are unrestricted and can be used for any purpose, including core costs and capital funding. The Fore are particularly keen to hear from grassroots organisations working with underserved communities.

There are three rounds of funding each year. The next round opens to registration at midday on Tuesday, 22 July and closes one week later, at midday on Tuesday, 29 July. Registration only takes a few minutes.

Learn more at: www.thefore.org/who-we-fund

Deaf and Disabled people’s organisations fund

Lloyds Bank Foundation’s new fund is open for applications from small charities and CICs that are led by and working with Deaf and Disabled people who are experiencing poverty.

Under this programme, successful applicants will receive a grant of £75,000 over three years (£25,000 per year), along with a range of tailored support aimed at strengthening charities and building the knowledge, skills, and capabilities of their staff and trustees. 

You can check your eligibility for the programme in several ways on their website. 

They will be holding a live pre-application webinar on Wednesday, 16 July 2025 to discuss the programme. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Thursday, 4 September 2025.

Learn more at: www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/funding

The Solidarity Fund from the National Lottery

Long-term core funding for up to ten years for organisations tackling the root causes of poverty, disadvantage and discrimination.

This fund is designed to strengthen community efforts by supporting long-term work that builds power, knowledge and solidarity that goes beyond a single place or group.

Applicants can apply for between £1m and £5m in total, to be spent over five to ten years. In this first year of funding, the National Lottery expect to award funding to around ten organisations.

You do not need to be a long-established organisation to apply. But your organisation will be expected to have the ability to help make the kind of big and long-lasting changes this fund has been designed for.

The National Lottery are especially interested in work that builds on your knowledge, relationships, or things your community has learned. 

To be eligible, your organisation’s work must be led by, and accountable to, people with lived experience of the issues you’re trying to change.

The application deadline is open and ongoing. 

Find out more: www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding

Funding for health and welfare issues

The Vinehill Trust provides funding to address underfunded and overlooked health issues, focusing on projects that directly benefit individuals and communities, especially those that are marginalised or under-served.

The Trust typically awards one-off grants of £10,000-£100,000, In exceptional circumstances they have offered up to £100,000 per year, for a maximum of three years.

Funding is for specific initiatives and projects and is not unrestricted funding. Applications must align with the the Vinehill Trust’s priorities, focusing on underfunded or overlooked health issues. Current areas of focus include:

• Physical health: chronic conditions, rare diseases, or disabilities with limited resources
• Mental health: suicide prevention, support for victims of abuse, veteran support, and assistance for individuals with learning disabilities
• Biodiversity and nature conservation where projects demonstrably enhance human wellbeing

This funding is available on a rolling basis, with no deadline for applications.

Learn more: www.vinehilltrust.uk

Funding for projects which make a positive difference in local communities

The Morrisons Foundation can award grants of up to £10,000.

Applications should deliver on (at least) one of three objectives to be considered for support, these are:

• Tackling poverty and social deprivation
• Enhancing community spaces, facilities and services
• Improving health and wellbeing

This funding is available on a rolling basis, with no deadline for applications.

Find out more at: www.morrisonsfoundation.com/grant-funding-request

Funding to support work that delivers positive outcomes for blind and partially sighted people 

The Thomas Pocklington Trust is inviting applications for work and research that focus on educational transitions, ensuring that blind and partially sighted people gain the skills, confidence, and experiences they need to move forward in education, training, and employment.

Applications are welcome from organisations, from within or without the sight loss sector, that have the necessary experience and expertise to deliver significant impact.

Applications may be for up to a maximum of £75,000, which can be spent over a period of up to three years. The total allocation for this funding round is approximately £200,000.

Expression of Interests can be submitted until midday on Friday, 11 July 2025.

Learn more: www.pocklington.org.uk/partner-with-us

The Movement Fund

Sport England can offer up to £15,000 for physical activity projects in the community. 

The focus is on people who face barriers to activity and the projects designed to help them join in. Sport England may decide to offer you a crowdfunding pledge or a grant. 

There’s no deadline for applications and you’ll usually get a decision within six weeks.

Find out more: www.sportengland.org/funding-and-campaigns

Go! London Funding Opportunity for Community Sport Projects

Grants of up to £40,000 are available for initiatives that encourage young Londoners to get active and access opportunities through sport and physical activity. 

The Foundation fund is open to community organisations that work with children and young people aged 4–24 from low-income backgrounds and have an annual income of less than £500,000. 

This opportunity is part of the Go! London fund, a partnership between the Mayor of London, London Marathon Foundation and Sport England, with strategic support from London Marathon Events and London Sport. 

This fund will open to applications in mid-July, with a deadline of 15 September 2025.

See: www.golondon.org.uk/foundation

Mental Health in Schools programme funding

The Greater London Authority is inviting proposals from organisations to deliver the Mayor’s Mental Health in Schools programme. 

This 18-month programme will support schools to deliver sustainable, holistic mental health and wellbeing support to their students. The programme will cover sixteen schools across eight Boroughs. 

The GLA will fund one grant of £650,000, with delivery expected to take place from July 2025 to March 2027.

Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations with strong knowledge of education and mental health can apply. Smaller and grassroots organisations are also encouraged to apply.

Application deadline: Thursday, 3 July 2025.

Learn more: www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies

Black Funding Network Funder Event

An opportunity for small, Black-led grassroots organisations to pitch for funding. 

Black Funding Network are looking for organisations with clear goals, a compelling story, and a passion for community impact.

Apply to be one of three organisations selected to present at this autumn event. Each organisation will receive fundraising support, pitch coaching, and the opportunity to potentially raise £6,000+.

You’ll need to be available to attend two, online pitch practice sessions as well as the Autumn Funder event on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, from 3pm — 9pm in London (venue tbc).

Applications close: Thursday, 10 July at 11:59pm

Learn more: www.blackfundingnetwork.org

Funding for the Relief of Poverty and Hardship

The Skinners’ Company can fund grassroots organisations working in local communities. 

Funding is available for specific projects – and related general organisational costs. This can include pro-rata staffing and operational costs.

One-off awards of up to £2,000 are available, with awards for up to three years open to consideration. Their project themes are: 

• Families
• Older People
• People with Disabilities
• Early Years
• Domestic Violence

Application deadline: Friday, 8 August 2025

Learn more: www.skinners.org.uk/the-relief-of-poverty-and-hardship

Funding for arts, heritage, and community projects

The Skinners’ Company can offer grants for one-off events, through to multi-year projects. 

Arts and heritage projects include local projects which help communities conserve and restore their landmarks, landscape, traditions and culture.

Performing and visual arts work include projects across the arts – from performance and drama to music and art.

Community projects can be broader, bringing together and supporting local people, but must still include an arts or heritage element. 

Grants of up to £5,000 per year are available for projects and/​or capital items, with awards of up to three years open to consideration.

Application deadline: Friday, 5 September 2025.

Learn more: www.skinners.org.uk/arts-heritage-and-communities

Arts funding for smaller charities

The Victoria Wood Foundation was set up after the death of the comedian Victoria Wood in 2016.

The Foundation’s support is mainly directed towards the arts, with available grants of up to £5,000. They are particularly keen to support causes which would have interested Victoria, but don’t give examples.

Funding is largely centred on areas where Victoria lived, including North London. The Foundation favours smaller charities where a modest donation can make a big difference.

Trustees meet to make decisions in July and December of each year.

Learn more: www.victoriawoodfoundation.org.uk

Funding for buildings and equipment

The Wolfson Foundation’s Funding for Places programme provides grants for capital initiatives, ie buildings (new build or refurbishment) and equipment.

They can fund a broad range of organisations working across the fields of education, science and medicine, health and disability, heritage, humanities and the arts.

The size of grants varies greatly across the different categories the Foundation supports. Applicants are asked not to request a specific amount in their stage one application, but to simply give the total cost of their project and the amount still needed to raise towards it.

Match funding is usually expected to be in place when submitting a stage two application. A quick eligibility quiz is available on their website.

The Foundation has two funding rounds each year for most of their programmes.

Find out more: www.wolfson.org.uk/funding

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

London Health Accelerator for Social Enterprise

A free programme tailored specifically for social enterprises working in or seeking to work in London’s health and life sciences sector, covering seven boroughs. 

This programme equips participants with the necessary skills, mentorship, knowledge and connections to grow and scale their social enterprise while tackling health inequities in underserved communities.

You must be living, working, have registered an organisation in, or already be delivering activities in one of these boroughs: Camden, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Lambeth, Southwark, or Tower Hamlets. 

The programme consists of a series of in-person and online study sessions. Alongside these sessions, participants will receive:

• 1:1 mentoring support from experts in the health and life sciences space
• An intensive business review panel (a business needs assessment and action plan)
• The opportunity to apply for a £5,000 grant

Registration opens soon, for more information see: www.the-sse.org/courses

Get Grants Free Virtual Conference 2025

This online conference is billed as two days of expert fundraising advice, top tips, Q&As, networking, peer-support. 

Dates: Tuesday 7 and Wednesday, 8 October 2025. 10am — 3pm each day. 

Learn more: www.getgrants.org.uk/free-virtual-conference

Everyday Premises Management

Join the Ethical Property Foundation for an engaging and practical session that will strengthen your organisation’s property strategy.

This practical lunchtime Zoom webinar is ideal for anyone responsible for managing premises in the charity or voluntary sector.

The Foundation’s expert surveyors and property advisers will guide you through the essentials of premises management. You’ll come away feeling more confident about making informed property decisions and ensuring your charity’s space is safe, efficient, and cost-effective.

Date: 12–1pm on Thursday, 10 July 2025

Learn more: www.propertyhelp.org

Supported by City Bridge Foundation

Free support for London chairs and vice-chairs

The Association of Chairs is offering specialist events and resources to London chairs and vice-chairs, with the support of City Bridge Foundation. 

They run regular peer support group sessions — face-to-face meetings at which you’ll be introduced to fellow chairs, get to know each other and talk though issues with other chairs who share similar challenges and experiences.

These are two-hour, facilitated sessions in the evening, and you’re encouraged to bring live issues with you to the event, with the opportunity to explore them with your peers in small groups. There’s space to ask questions after the talk and time to network with other chairs before and after the talk, over drinks and nibbles.

These sessions are designed to be accessible for all. More information on their website. Venue details are shared when booking is confirmed. 

The next session is at 6–8pm on Tuesday, 22 July 2025.

Learn more: www.associationofchairs.co.uk/community

Media Trust Resource Hub

Upskill and support your charity’s communications with these free online resources.

Whether you’re completely new to marketing and communications, or want to take your skills to the next level, you should check out the Media Trust’s free guides.

They’ve got toolkits, blogs and tips — all designed to help you enhance your knowledge, to stay informed about trends and developments and to gain advice from communications experts.

Check them out: www.mediatrust.org/communications-support

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