Grants and External Funding

Loans for eBay business sellers to help them bounce back after the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

Funding for not-for-profit projects that equip adults aged 18 years or older with basic digital skills for work and life, helping them access the online world.

Grants are available for a wide range of projects that support the delivery of positive outcomes for blind and partially sighted people in the UK that are aligned to the priority areas of education, employment, engagement, and collaboration and sustainability.

A competition has opened for small and micro businesses in Great Britain, with cash prizes to help them make the most of new opportunities as lockdown measures are eased.

A new national programme is offering funding and specialist support for UK social entrepreneurs to help them develop bold ideas and sustainable solutions that will help build people's financial resilience to life shocks.

This one-off competition offers 18 grants to Social Farms & Gardens member to support summer activities that will connect children from disadvantaged backgrounds with nature.

The New Energy Challenge calls for European and Israeli start-ups and scale-ups to propose game-changing solutions that will change the energy system of the future.

Funding for not-for-profit organisations that are looking to improve a built or natural environment in either England or Northern Ireland.

Grants are available for small, locally based voluntary and community groups to support projects which benefit local communities around Co-op food stores and funeral homes across the UK or the Isle of Man.  Application deadline: 30/05/2021

The purpose of The Art Fund Prize (formerly the Gulbenkian Prize) for museums and galleries is to recognise and stimulate originality and excellence in museums and galleries in the UK, and increase public appreciation and enjoyment of all they have to offer.

Funding is available to support UK video games development, aimed at helping smaller companies get concepts off the drawing board and into production.

The Lake District Foundation funds effective and evidence-based projects that share our goal that the Lake District and Cumbria will be an inspirational example of sustainable development in action, and a place where a prosperous economy, world-class visitor experiences and vibrant communities come together to sustain its spectacular landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage.

Grants are available for registered charities for specific projects or core activities that support literacy, numeracy, digital and additional skills for learning that are likely to assist employment prospects.  Closing date is Friday 30 April 2021.

Local students are being given the opportunity to apply for an educational charity grant.  The Carlisle Educational Charity provides grants to help the further education of young people from the Carlisle district under the age of 25.  All students currently undertaking, or about to undertake, a course in further or higher education, who live, or whose parental home is, within the boundaries of Carlisle City are eligible to apply for financial support. Students may apply each year of their course.  Applications forms must be completed and returned no later than Thursday 30 September 2021.

Funding for local not-for-profit groups and organisations including charities, schools, hospices, and friends of groups, for local community projects with a focus on supporting children and families in the UK.

Large grants are available to voluntary and community organisations in the United Kingdom for projects that will build stronger connections across communities, and improve the infrastructure and conditions that are needed to strengthen these connections.

Grants are available to voluntary and community groups working to tackle disadvantage and strengthen communities in Cumbria.  Grants of up to £10,000 can be provided for up to one year. Multi-year funding may be awarded for certain projects.

Pub is the Hub advises and helps rural pubs, owners, licensees and communities in Great Britain to make a positive impact in responding to and supporting the needs of their local communities by using pubs for the co-location of necessary services and articulating their specialist local needs.

Revenue funding is being provided to Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs) to lead pilots of Local Skills Improvement Plans in 6-8 'trailblazer' areas of England, bringing employers and other stakeholders together to address technical skills training.

Please find attached the latest edition of the Focus on Funding Update – another bumper edition from the Health and Care Project at Cumbria CVS with lots of funding related information and news.  Please feel free to include in any newsletters and please circulate to your contacts and through your networks to help bring much needed funding into the third sector in Cumbria – thank you.

Grants to support the heritage sector to strengthen its recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the medium term and to build back for positive change across the UK’s heritage.  Application deadline:  28/05/2021

Grants are available to enterprising community organisations and commercial organisations working in partnership with community organisations to help rescue neglected historic buildings and sites and return to viable productive use.

Grants are available for UK registered charities and local community groups who need financial assistance due to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

Businesses can apply for loans for innovative projects with strong commercial potential to significantly improve the UK economy.  Projects should aim to develop new products, processes or services believed to be significantly ahead of anything similar in the field. Proposals can come from any technology and any part of the economy. They must focus on commercialisation, growth or scale up. Priority is given to proposals likely to lead to growth, gains in productivity. The deadline for applications is 2 June 2021 (11:00 BST).

Grants are available for local charities, community and voluntary groups, schools and statutory agencies in England for projects that target illegal money lending.

Funding for 10 to 20 organisations in England and Wales for projects that prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence by providing alternatives to arrest, conviction and custody.

Grants are available to small businesses to help them emerge successfully from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

New £75m fund available to support local authority partnerships in England to help unlock surplus land and property.

The Department for International Trade has launched its new Internationalisation Fund for eligible businesses in England. The fund is designed to support businesses looking to grow their international trade.  SME’s can apply for match-funded grants of between £1,000 and £9,000 which will be available for proposed future activities (subject to eligibility).  

Funding available to colleges and skills providers to support pilot projects that respond to local skills and innovation priorities in England.  The pilots will run in a number of areas of the country, including areas that do not have a Local Skills Improvement Plan trailblazer.

Community and volunteer groups, town councils and individuals can once again apply for funding to increase tree numbers in urban areas of England, through small scale planting projects.

Small grants are available for essential works to not-for-profit theatres in the UK that will enable them to be viable and thrive in the future.

Funding available to local authorities in England to increase tree planting and natural regeneration in local communities.  The fund is part of the Government’s Nature for Climate Fund and will directly contribute to achieving tree planting targets.

Cumbria CVS is hosting a virtual Meet the Funder event to find out about the funding programmes and opportunities available from:

• The Hadfield Trust
• Cumbria Community Foundation
• The Scott Trusts
• Cameron Grant Memorial Trust

A funding programme available to artists working in the visual arts and small organisations and galleries throughout the United Kingdom is inviting applications.

Loans are available to support the UK’s small and medium businesses with recovery as the coronavirus lockdown eases and restrictions begin to lift.

Funding available to help Further Education colleges in England share good practice and develop quality improvement priorities.

Grants are available to publicly funded schools, academies and free schools throughout the UK to mitigate the effects of significant mobility and/or deployment of their service communities.

Small and local charities in England and Wales that are led by and for members of Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic communities can apply for two-year unrestricted grants of £50,000.

Tailored support package of up to £3,700 to help community businesses that are incorporated and based in England adapt to the post-COVID business environment.

A funding programme is providing grants to community groups who recognise that coming together supports wellbeing, healing or connection, and other mental health matters.

Funding is available to support the sustainability of women's groups in local communities and to help women get to an empowered position.

Funding for projects in England, Scotland and Wales that demonstrate measurable and lasting reductions in the carbon intensity of energy use and accelerate the transition to net zero.  The funding can support both capital and revenue costs for projects lasting up to two years.

Grants are available for registered charities for specific projects or core activities that support literacy, numeracy, digital and additional skills for learning that are likely to assist employment prospects.

Grants are available for registered charities, social enterprises and constituted charitable groups to help people in the UK when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available.  There are six funding priorities:

• Help at a critical moment
• Positive choices
• Accommodation/housing support
• Employment and training
• Financial inclusion, rights and entitlements
• Support networks and family

Grants are available for schools, community groups, clubs, societies or other organisations in England to improve the education and development of children and young people through educational, cultural, sporting and other activities.

Grants are available to support young people challenged by abuse and addiction, those who are young carers, and those who are homeless or without a safe place to call home.  Closing date 30 April 2021

Grants are available for individual artists, community and cultural organisations to support arts, museums and libraries projects that engage people in England with arts and culture.

Grants are available to support Volleyball England-affiliated clubs.   The Volleyball England Foundation aims to provide financial support to help develop, educate and promote the health of individuals and groups through volleyball. Until December 2021 the Foundation's focus will be supporting the development of Sitting Volleyball.

Grants to support families and individuals for essential personal and household needs to assist families and individuals with low incomes, particularly those living on benefits.