Funding Friday
The Giving Machine: Community Grants
Small charities can apply for a £250 grant to support their work. There are eight unrestricted grants available each quarter.
Any not-for-profit organisation with a turnover of less than £1m can apply, including:
- Registered charities
- Schools
- Community Interest Companies (CICs)
- Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs)
- Social Enterprises
- Other not-for-profit organisations
You just need to explain what your organisation does, how you would spend £250 and how it would make a difference to those you help.
Application deadline: 31 January 2026
Unrestricted Community Grants for all good causes
Small grants for village halls – Defra and ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural Areas)
Grants up to £5,000 are available to help make modest improvements to rural community buildings in England such as boiler replacements, insulation, toilet upgrades and new kitchens.
Awards can be made to cover 20% of eligible project costs, up to a maximum amount of £5,000. The balance of funding for the works proposed must be in place or at least confirmed within 6 weeks of making an application to the small grants fund.
Project expenditure must take place before 31 March 2026.
Village halls small grants fund – ACRE
CLA Charitable Trust grants
The CLA Charitable Trusts seeks to support the most disadvantaged, and especially disadvantaged young people, to access the benefits of the countryside.
Their charitable objects are:
- Advancing people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing through financial support of charities, not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises, which are delivering access, recreational and educational opportunities within and about the countryside.
- To promote and encourage education in sustainable farming, food production and rural land management.
They support a wide range of organisations providing activities engaging young people and communities in these areas. This include but are not limited to:
- Farms providing day or residential experiences for disabled or disadvantaged young people.
- Growing projects including horticultural therapy and community projects supporting people through outdoor activities and gardening.
- Forest school type activities giving people the opportunity to utilise their outdoor spaces for the benefit of their mental and physical wellbeing.
- Conservation and environmental projects giving people the chance to learn about the natural environment and how to care for it.
Grants up to £5000 are available.
Masonic Charitable Foundation
The Foundation is dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and young people, as well as vulnerable older people, in England and Wales. Their Charity Grants programme is open to registered charities in England and Wales working with any of their four main priority groups:
- Improving the health and wellbeing of older people with dementia and their carers.
- Children affected by domestic abuse.
- Early years (0-5) with a focus on poverty and neglect.
- Children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Small grants are for charities whose annual income is between £25,000 and £500,000. These grants are unrestricted. Small grants range from £1,000-£5,000 per year, for up to three years.
Large grants are for larger charities whose annual income is between £500,000 and £10 million. They must be restricted to a project. Large grants usually range from £10,000 to £60,000. They can be awarded over one to three years.