Current Funding Available

Funding for community groups and charitable organisations

Keep checking back for the latest local, regional and national
funding opportunities

If you’d like advice or support with a funding application please get in touch

Arts, Buildings Laura Bowers Arts, Buildings Laura Bowers

Creative Foundations Fund

The Creative Foundations Fund is an open-access capital fund that supports creative and cultural organisations in England in revitalising, restoring, retrofitting, or renewing cultural assets, including urgent work to address issues which prevent organisations from effectively delivering work for the public. 

Applicants must demonstrate that the investment in buildings and equipment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity, minimising the risk of asset failure and increasing the economic sustainability of the creative and cultural sectors. 

The fund is split into two strands with separate ‘How to apply’ guides:

You can submit one Expression of Interest to either Strand 1 or 2 (not both), except for statutory and other public bodies that run or maintain cultural services, where they are applying for separate projects in different locations. 

Deadline for submitting initial online interest application form is noon Friday 25 July

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Regional, Green Laura Bowers Regional, Green Laura Bowers

Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund

Fund supports community-led projects that increase the amount and quality of accessible, nature-rich green space in the city region, particularly in the areas where people need it most.

Round 4 of the Green Spaces Fund is open for applications until noon on Thursday 17 July

Find out more here

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Disabilities, Inequalities, GM NW, Local, Mental Health Laura Bowers Disabilities, Inequalities, GM NW, Local, Mental Health Laura Bowers

Mental Health Wellbeing Grants for Disabled People - GM Disabled People’s Panel

Small grants under £5,000 for groups and organisations to fund activity that supports the mental wellbeing of disabled people.

They are looking for:

  • Innovative ideas which can prove their worth and cause wider system change.

  • Work led and implemented by disabled people. If not led by disabled people the project must be in co-production with them using the Social Model of Disability.

  • Local community connected groups and organisations with a turnover under £100,000.

  • Intersectional and culturally sensitive activity.

  • Must be based within Greater Manchester and not just a regional office of large national organisations.

Deadline to apply is Monday 7th July

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Children, Families, Inequalities, GM NW, Local Laura Bowers Children, Families, Inequalities, GM NW, Local Laura Bowers

GM Early Years Nurture Network Participation Grant

The GM VCFSE Early Years Network aims to promote, connect and develop the early years family support offer across Greater Manchester and supports the overarching aims:

  • Building VCFSE capacity to develop the family and peer support offer aimed at families and young children (0-5) in GM – with a particular focus on addressing inequalities and inequities that impact health, wellbeing and development

  • Strengthening collaboration between the VCFSE organisations who support GM children to have the best start in life.

Convening a GM VCFSE Early Years Network will place a focus on the importance of the VCFSE contribution to the first 1001 days, Start Well, Family Hubs, School Readiness, Perinatal and Parent Infant Mental Health agendas. It will also connect and strengthen links with relevant strategic locality boards and wider GM activity e.g. Live Well

Members of the network will work to promote inclusion and tackle inequalities which impact on the development and wellbeing of babies and toddlers. Members will receive a contribution to their organisation in exchange for their time, expertise and contribution. 

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Children, Families, Inequalities, GM NW, Local Laura Bowers Children, Families, Inequalities, GM NW, Local Laura Bowers

GM Early Years Nurture Network Microgrant

The Nurture Microgrant fund aims to promote, connect and develop the early years family support offer across Greater Manchester and supports the overarching aims:

  • Supporting VCFSE capacity to develop the family support and peer support offer aimed at families and young children (0-5) in GM – with a particular focus on addressing inequalities and inequities that impact health, wellbeing and development

  • Strengthening collaboration between the VCFSE organisations, who support children to start well in GM, and the wider system.

The priority of the Nurture Microgrant fund is to support the wellbeing and development of children from conception 0-5 and / or benefits children 0-5 by supporting their families.

Applications are welcome for projects which provide direct support for families with a focus on one or more of the following:

  • Children experiencing adversity

  • Communication, speech and language

  • Play and development

  • Positive Parent Infant relationships

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Children, Families, Inequalities, GM NW, Local Laura Bowers Children, Families, Inequalities, GM NW, Local Laura Bowers

GM Early Years Safe Start Baby Bank Delivery Grant

The Safe Start Baby Bank Delivery Grant aims to strengthen the capacity of Baby Banks and increase the sustainability of their delivery to ensure every baby born has their essential needs met and can start life well in GM.  The fund is designed to enable GM Baby Banks to effectively deliver the Moses Basket Bundles to families via a referral process. 

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Community, Youth, Mental Health Laura Bowers Community, Youth, Mental Health Laura Bowers

Co-op Local Community Fund

Grants of a minimum of £1,000 are available to UK registered not-for-profit organisations. A Co-op membership card number must be provided within the application. Your project must help people to thrive by enabling people access to food, creating opportunities for young people, improving people’s mental wellbeing, promote community cohesion or building sustainable futures.

Closing date is Midnight on 6th July. If successful you will be part of the Local Community Fund for 12 months from 19th Oct 25 to 17th Oct 26. Funds will be paid in Nov 2026.

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Laura Bowers Laura Bowers

Women’s Health Community Fund - Wellbeing of Women

Grants of up to £5,000 are available for small, grassroots organisations, with an income of less than £250,000, running for a minimum of 12 months and with fewer that five FTE staff, that are providing direct services to minoritised groups to reduce stigma, share high quality information and improve education on women’s health in the areas of periods, menstrual health, perimenopause and menopause.

Grants must be spent within 12 months and funding will be distributed in two parts 50% at the beginning of the project and 50% upon receipt of a six-month report.

Deadline is 15th June with decisions announced in early September 2025.

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Families, Youth, Community, Cost of Living Support Laura Bowers Families, Youth, Community, Cost of Living Support Laura Bowers

Family Fund

Families caring for disables or seriously ill young adults aged between 18-24, living at home are invited to apply directly.

Families must be on a low income from work, or benefits such as Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit etc and the young adult for who they are applying for needs to have a high level of support needs in three of the following areas, Personal care, supervision and vigilance, access to social activities, education/vocational training/communication, therapy and medical treatment, specialist resources and the physical environment.

Funding is allocated on a first come, first served basis until funding is fully allocated.

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Youth Laura Bowers Youth Laura Bowers

Joanies Fund

Offers grants averaging £2,000 - £3,000 to innovative projects across England and Wales that support young people aged 0–25, focusing on employment, education, and community integration.

Deadline 1st July 2025.

Find out more about Joanies Fund.

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GM NW, Arts Laura Bowers GM NW, Arts Laura Bowers

GMCA Inspire Fund

Grants of between £500 and £2,000 are available for freelance and independent artists across Greater Manchester. The fund is to support a range of projects from musicians who would benefit from a new instrument or a small group who needs funds to replace costumes or a freelance artist who wishes to upskill via a training course. Round 4 is open from 28th March until 28th April. Round 5 opens 29th September until midday Friday 31st October.

Find out more about the fund.

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Cohesion, Migrants, Community, GM NW Laura Bowers Cohesion, Migrants, Community, GM NW Laura Bowers

Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have announced that the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme has been re-funded for a 5th year. This announcement includes continued funding to the North West RSMP to deliver the North West Welcome Hub as well as continue our work funding vital projects and programmes across the region supporting BN(O) visa holders.

The Government is continuing to fund the following key elements of the Welcome Programme:

  • Demand-led funding for local authorities in England to provide English language and destitution support. Funding for English language support will be available for the first three years that a BN(O) is in the UK – this is a change in eligibility for the English language funding and the attached updated guidance has also been produced by Government;

  • Funding for the 12 Welcome Hubs across the UK;

  • Funding for the Hate Crime Reporting Service for BN(O)s and ESEA communities. There will be a reduction in the operating hours for the service with details to be confirmed; and,

  • Funding for the mental health and wellbeing project being delivered by Barnardo’s until September 2025.

Information is also available on the RSMP website or on the Gov.uk BN(O) webpage

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Laura Bowers Laura Bowers

Funding to improve local sports facilities

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced that people in the UK will benefit from upgraded sports facilities in their local area backed by £100 million of government funding.

The funding is expected to support new and improved pitches, changing rooms, goalposts and floodlights to improve access to sport and physical activity for local communities. The funding will be targeted at deprived areas and support greater access and participation levels among under-represented people including women and girls, ethnic minority groups and disabled players.

Clubs and organisations in the UK are now being urged to come forward and apply for funding. Applications can be made in England via the Football Foundation on an ongoing basis. The first tranche of beneficiaries are expected to be confirmed in summer 2025.

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Youth, Community, GM NW Laura Bowers Youth, Community, GM NW Laura Bowers

Arete Foundation

Funding and support to charitable organisations that help young people in North West England. It is made up of two funding streams.  One-off unrestricted grants for small community organisations, the typical one-off grants range from £2,000-£2,500. The Foundation aims to support organisations with a turnover of less than £500,000. Funding stream two is based on long-term funding partnerships for small North West charities that want to strengthen and grow.  Typical grants of £10,000-£30,000 pa for 3 years, to scale or strengthen operational health.

Find out more here

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Disabilities, Sports, Inequalities Laura Bowers Disabilities, Sports, Inequalities Laura Bowers

Opportunities through Sport - Peter Harrison Foundation

Grants are available to UK charities running sports projects which provide opportunities for people who are disabled or otherwise disadvantaged to fulfil their potential and develop personal and life skills.

Two levels of funding are available:

  • Major grants - £5,001 to £30,000.

  • Small grants - up to £5,000 (for organisations with a turnover of up to £500,000).

The foundation provides single year or multi-year funding.

Initial applications can be made at any time.

There is a two-stage process. Applicants should first submit an enquiry using the online form.

Selected entries will then be invited to complete a full application. Full applications are considered quarterly. The application deadlines for the trustees' meetings each year are:

1 January - spring meeting.

1 April - summer meeting.

1 July - autumn meeting.

1 October - winter meeting.

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Digital, Community Laura Bowers Digital, Community Laura Bowers

Cellnex Digital Inclusion Fund - Micro Grants

The Cellnex Digital Inclusion Fund (up to £500) is offering small awards from groups of local residents or grassroots constituted community groups who want to get a new project or activity up and running. The Fund will focus on three main areas:

·        Empowering communities and places

·        Increasing confidence, skills and motivation

·        Affordability, accessibility and connectivity.

Who can apply?

If you’re a group of local residents who want to get a new digital inclusion project or activity up and running, or a constituted community group with an income of £2,500 or less, then you can apply.

You need to be based in one of the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester and be planning to run your activity in the area where you live.

How much can you apply for?

The maximum award request that will be considered is £500.

The Fund will close once all funding has been fully allocated.

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 Always open funds

These funds have a rolling deadline and can be applied for at any time.

  • The programme supports development by allowing artists, cultural practitioners and organisations to work in new ways and to get their work out to new audiences.

    Find out more here

  • The Core Costs Funding Stream is for charities and not-for-profit organisations. Applicants to this programme can apply for grants for up to three years. They aim to give quicker decisions for grants of £15,000 or less per year.

    Find out more here

  • Funding for specific projects and activities children and young people aged 18 or under. Priority to smaller, local organisations and rarely fund organisations with income above £1 million. For UK wide Hospices and Housing Associations there is no maximum income limit. They will only consider applications for over £15,000 pa, if you are a registered non profit.

    Find out more here

  • Minor Grants are aimed at supporting small local charitable organisations which deliver services directly to beneficiaries. They fund core costs, average grant size is £500 - £4,999

    Community Grants are aimed at assisting and supporting the development of smaller local charitable organisations which deliver services directly to beneficiaries. Grant Size in the range of £5,000-£20,000

    Find out more here

  • Grants are available to organisations doing legally charitable work in the UK that focuses on Communities or people most affected being involved in campaigning or leading change / Work which makes connections across our aims: Our Natural World, A Fairer Future and Creative, Confident Communities. You must have an annual turnover of less than £100,000. Funds of £30,000 upwards

    Find out more here

  • The grant is always open for applications from charities and community organisations to bid for up to £1,500. Three projects in 575 local communities are voted on by customers in Tesco stores throughout the UK, with projects changing every three months.

    Find out more here

  • A quick way to apply for smaller amounts of funding between £300 and £20,000.

    Suitable for Voluntary or community organisations

    Apply at least 16 weeks before you want to start the activities or spend any of the money.

    Find out more here

  • Offers a larger amount of funding (over £10,000) for organisations that work together with a shared set of goals to help their community thrive – whether that’s a community living in the same area, or people with similar interests or life experiences.

    Find out more here

  • Offers a larger amount of funding (over £10,000) for projects that last up to five years. They’re looking for projects that work with their community – whether that’s a community living in the same area, or people with similar interests or life experiences.

    Find out more here