Programmes Funding Newsletter May 2025
Good morning and welcome to the May 2025 edition of the Programmes Funding Newsletter.
For further information on anything in this newsletter or to receive further advice and guidance for your specific project or application, please contact the team by email -programmeenquiries@doncaster.gov.uk
Many thanks
Policy, Insight & Change Team
Delivery Partner Sought for £750,000 Youth Services Pilot
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is seeking a delivery partner for a £750,000 pilot aimed at supporting 10 to 12 local authorities to improve youth services provision.
The Local Youth Transformation (LYT) Pilot aims to help local authorities rebuild a high-quality youth offer and transition back to locally led youth service delivery.
Eligible applicants must be registered private companies or VCSE organisations and must deliver the project on a not-for-profit basis.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 7th May, 2025.
Government Funding for Groups Providing Advocacy Support for Windrush Compensation Scheme Claimants
The UK Government Home Office is offering grants of between £10,000 and £40,000 for charities, community groups, and community interest companies to provide advocacy support for Windrush Compensation Scheme (WCS) claimants.
Eligible costs include staffing costs to support claimants in submitting a viable and eligible claim to the WCS, ad hoc support post-claim submission (up to a maximum of five hours per claim), and time needed for data capture, preparation, and completion of the warm handover call, and administrative costs such as venue hire, marketing costs, equipment and materials, communications campaigns, and accessing and using communication channels.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on 9th May, 2025.
Leeds Building Society Launches 150th Grants Programme
Leeds Building Society is offering £150,000 to UK registered charities and not-for-profit organisations to mark its 150th anniversary.
The programme is offering unrestricted grants of up to £30,000 for work that supports vulnerable people to find a place to belong through housing and their community.
Guidance notes and a link to the online application portal are available upon request by sending an email to Fund150@leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk
The deadline for applications is 16th May, 2025
Government Launches New Combatting Hate Against Muslims Fund
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have announced a new fund to provide a comprehensive service to monitor anti-Muslim hate and support victims.
The funding is for a non-profit distributing organisation, or a consortium of organisations, with a track record of supporting victims of crime or discrimination, particularly Muslim people, or has capability to do so.
The first step in the application process is to register for the fund, after which groups will then be invited to complete the application form.
The competition window closes at 11.59pm on 18th May, 2025.
Sheila Coates Foundation Rapid Impact Fund
The Sheila Coates Foundation offers around 100 fixed grants of £5,000 each to mainstream secondary schools and colleges to support initiatives and activities that have been co-produced with autistic students and that can be put in place quickly.
The funding can be used:
- To purchase or commission things to help autistic students
- For 'implementation support'
- For places and spaces, by which is meant ‘safe’ indoor or outdoor spaces that can be developed or refurbished to help autistic students during unstructured or structured time.
The deadline for applications is 19th May, 2025.
One-off £20m Fund for Civic Museums Opens for Applications
The new, one-off, one-year £20 million Museum Renewal Fund, provided by the Government and delivered by Arts Council England, is accepting applications.
Regional and local museums that are owned and directly maintained by local authority funding can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £1 million.
The funding aims to improve public access to collections and buildings, as well as community and educational programmes which will help ensure they are fit for the future.
This programme is intended to help these museums meet the shortfall between operating costs and income throughout their 2025-26 budget.
The shortfall could include costs incurred through staffing, overheads, reflation of reserves.
The deadline for applications is midday on 22nd May, 2025.
Home Office Community Engagement Fund Reopens
The Community Engagement Fund (CEF) is a £150,000 grant fund to support grassroots and community groups to engage communities and raise awareness of priority Home Office policy areas and the support available.
During 2025 to 2026, the funding is intended to raise awareness of and address any misinformation about the Windrush Compensation and Windrush Documentation Schemes and build on the insights and learning taken from existing work on Windrush.
The fund should support short and easy-to-deliver projects which must be completed by 31 March 2026.
A virtual information session will be held on Tuesday 6th May,2025 at 11am-12.30pm.
Applications will be accepted until 4pm on 28th May, 2025.
Biffa Award’s Annual Partnership Grants
Biffa Awards is offering grants of between £250,000 and £1 million to support capital projects that address either of the following themes (the project must not cross over the two themes):
- Built Environment.
- Natural Environment.
Grants should be used for site-based improvement work, with the majority of costs expected to be direct capital delivery work.
Organisations can apply as long as they are fully constituted, charitable or not-for-profit organisation with no share capital and enrol with ENTRUST as an Environmental Body to access funding.
There is a two-stage application.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is midday on 30th May, 2025.
Breast Cancer Charities have until 30th May to Submit a Grant Application
Grants of up to £6,000 are available to breast cancer charities that assist people affected by breast cancer and organisations that work on breast cancer research and prevention.
Registered charities, community interest groups and social enterprises may apply.
Grant applications must be hard copy and reach the Foundation by the deadline.
The deadline for applications is 30th May, 2025.
Funding for Youth-Led Organisations Working to Address Climate Injustice
Blagrave Trust, is offering one-year grants of up to £20,000 for youth-led organisations that empower young people to take climate action in ways that are meaningful for them and their communities.
The Roots & Routes Fund will support projects that empower young people to challenge and change the oppressive systems, processes and practices that prevent or hinder them from making their voices heard.
Funding can be used for a variety of activities, including advocacy, research, training and learning, or a specific project or activity and can be used for both new and pre-existing projects.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 2nd June, 2025.
SPAR’s £100,000 Community Cashback Campaign 2025
For a fourth year in a row, SPAR shoppers can apply for a grant of up to £10,000 for a local voluntary or community organisation or charity they feel deserves funding.
All applicants need to do is share the exceptional contribution that a local organisation has made to their local community and what the grant would be used for.
The short application form and Terms and Conditions can be found on SPAR’s website.
The deadline for all applications is midnight on 4th June, 2025.
Government Launches £8m Warm Homes Retrofit Training
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has launched a grant competition to fund training providers and further education colleges delivering energy efficiency and retrofit skills.
Up to £8 million is available in Phase 1.
Applicants can apply for up to £1 million per project in Phase 1. The competition is aimed at organisations with experience delivering training aligned with four areas: fabric insulation and solar panel installation, skills for non-domestic buildings, retrofit assessor and coordinator qualifications and shorter courses for those new to the sector.
Eligible applicants include further education colleges, training academies and other registered providers.
The deadline for applications is midday on 6th June, 2025.
Funding to Provide Access to Justice for Disabled People
The Three Guineas Trust is offering funding for projects supporting Disabled or neurodivergent people to exercise their rights on:
- Income, welfare benefits or debt
- Housing and homelessness
- Community care
- Personal liberty
- Equal access to goods and services
A total of £1.5 million is available for this grant round. The maximum annual grant will be £50,000 a year.
Applications will be accepted from not-for-profit organisations.
The deadline for applications is 6pm on 12th June, 2025.
Barclays New Community Sport Fund Launches
This new fund, delivered in partnership with Sported, aims to reduce inequalities in sport – with a focus on football, tennis, and cricket.
The three-year funding programme provide £1.4 million each year.
The funding supports community groups and grassroots sports organisations who are working within the most deprived areas of the UK and are making sport more accessible to women and girls, as well as engaging people from other under-represented groups including people with disabilities, from racially diverse communities and from the LGBTQ+ community.
The deadline for applications is 22nd June, 2025.
Funding for Projects that Support UK Servicewomen
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust is providing grants of up to £100,000 for projects that address the unique challenges UK servicewomen face.
Applications may be for pilot projects, new approaches or the expansion or continuation of existing work.
Grants of £25,000 to £100,000 towards a project being delivered over a two-year period are available..
Applications will be considered from:
- Registered charities
- Community Interest Companies (CICs)
- Armed Forces Units/bases/ships based anywhere in the world
The deadline for applications is midday on 25th June, 2025.
Music Education Grants Available for Curriculum-based Schools
Schools can apply for grants of up to £1,000 to support music education through the purchase or upgrade of musical instruments and equipment. The funding is provided by the Universal Music UK Sound Foundation, which focuses on improving access to music for young people.
To be eligible, schools must teach the national curriculum. Each school must apply individually.
The deadline for applications for 1pm on 25th June, 2025.
Grants to Support Tree Production
The Tree Production Capital Grant is offering financial support to tree nurseries and seed suppliers seeking to improve, expand, automate or mechanise their operations.
A total of £2 million is available for the 2025-2026 financial year.
Funding is available to a range of applicants including private and public sector organisations, environmental NGOs, community tree nurseries and new entrants to the tree production sector.
Supported costs include machinery, infrastructure, irrigation systems, cold stores, biosecurity equipment and nursery management software. Personnel costs related to implementation and one-off software purchases are also eligible.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 25th June, 2025.
lnnovation Fund to Support Tree Planting Stock Reopens
Capital grants are available through the Tree Production Innovation Fund (TPIF) to support the development of technologies and techniques that enhance tree production.
Up to £1.5 million is available for 2025/26.
Funding is open to private sector organisations, public bodies in partnership with private sector groups, academic institutions, growers, research suppliers and consortia.
Costs that can be claimed include salaries for researchers and support staff, project-specific materials, equipment depreciation, travel, consultancy and licensed knowledge.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 9th July, 2025.
Grants for Seed Stands and Orchards Now Open
The Seed Sourcing Grant (SSG) is providing funding to projects that improve, establish or register seed stands and orchards. The aim is to ensure a reliable supply of high-quality tree seed to meet national tree planting targets.
Up to £600,000 is available for the 2025/26 financial year.
Applications are open to UK-based organisations and individuals, including public and private nurseries, research institutes, NGOs, landowners and agents acting on behalf of landowners.
Eligible costs include staff time, seeds, saplings, consumables, equipment contributions and travel.
The deadline for applications is 11.55pm on 19th August, 2025.
BFI Creative Challenge Fund Supports Talent Development Programmes
The British Film Institute is accepting applications to the National Lottery Creative Challenge Fund for organisations delivering creative or talent development programmes. The funding aims to support projects in feature film and narrative immersive media, including narrative, documentary and animation.
A total of £2.7 million is available over a three-year period. Applicants can request between £12,000 and £150,000. Eligible costs include staff and freelance fees, participant payments, venue and equipment hire, travel, creative practice sessions, mentoring and access provision.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but must be submitted at least 16 weeks before the planned start of activity.
Benefact Trust - Community Impact Grants
Benefact Trust is offering grants for Christian organisations to deliver a range of projects and activities that will make a positive and transformative impact in lives and communities.
Funding can be used to cover direct capital and revenue costs that are directly related to the proposed project. Funding can be used for new projects or to expand pre-existing work.
Applications can be submitted at any time.
NLCF Announces New Priorities for Reaching Communities Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) announced the Reaching Communities Programme has new priorities which will help the funder to deliver its missions and create fairer, stronger, more resilient futures for communities.
Not-for-profit organisations, including schools, statutory or public bodies, serving communities can apply as long as they meet the new priorities, which are for projects that:
- Support places, people or communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination, and
- Support people and communities to shape the decisions that affect their lives.
The minimum grant is £20,001. There is no maximum grant; however, most grants will be for less than £500,000.
Applications may be submitted at any time.
Funding for Capital Projects to Improve Christian Buildings
Benefact Trust is offering grants to support capital works to protect and enhance Christian church and charity buildings, ensuring their continued use and viability, and the safeguarding of their heritage.
The Building Improvement Grants Fund will support direct capital costs relating to the following types of work:
- Essential repairs to ensure the viability of a building.
- Works or equipment to improve accessibility.
- Energy efficiency measures.
- Conservation or restoration of historic features.
- Aesthetic enhancements to indoor or outdoor spaces.
The programme is open to applications from churches, cathedrals, denominational bodies, and Christian charities.
Applications can be submitted at any time.
Further Information:
Newsletter produced by Policy, Insight and Change Team, City of Doncaster Council.
|
