Grants and External Funding

Financial awards and expert help are available to operators of eBay businesses to support the growth and development of their business.  The deadline for entries is 2 August 2021 (23:59 BST).

Grants are available to public and not-for-profit organisations across the UK for projects that aim to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and low carbon technologies.Grants are available to public and not-for-profit organisations across the UK for projects that aim to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and low carbon technologies.  Grants are usually for between £5,000 and £50,000.  The next application deadline is Monday 19 July 2021.  To be eligible, projects should fall into one of the following themes:

• Education, skills and CPD.
• Public awareness/information and consumer confidence.
• Zero carbon planning.
• Local zero carbon delivery initiatives.

Consortia of tech and telecoms innovators can access funding for projects that aim to turn the UK into a leading global destination for developing the next generation of 5G networks. The deadline for applications is 27 August 2021.

Support is available for higher-budget animated work from filmmaking teams based in the UK, for work that is unlikely to be fully commercially financed.  The deadline for applications is 16 August 2021 (09:00 BST).

Funding and a programme of specialist support are available for small to medium-sized UK heritage organisations to help turn a new business idea into reality. 

Programme participants receive:

• A 15-month package of support to develop their income generating idea.
• Access to funding of up to £10,000.

 The deadline for applications is 23 July 2021.

The Covid Resilience Fund is provided through a partnership between the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust and UK Youth.  Grants of up to £50,000 will help facilitate the reopening and continuation of youth provision to pre-pandemic levels. The grant can be spent on essential business expenditure that will be incurred between 1 August 2021 and 31 January 2022, such as staff salaries and fixed/operational costs.  Applications will be accepted from 1 July 2020 to 18 July 2021 (midnight).

Funding and specialist support are available for UK social entrepreneurs to help them develop as social leaders, and to start up or grow their idea for a social venture.  The deadline for applications is 2 November 2021.

Funding is available to small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK to help them develop composites products.  The purpose of the programme is to make innovative composites research and development as straightforward as possible for the UK's smaller companies, supporting activities such as feasibility studies to see how composites can help improve an idea, or upscaling an existing product to meet future requirements.  Match funding of up to £25,000 is available through the programme.  Support may be accessed at any time.

Grants available to professional individuals within the live comedy industry in the UK who are in financial need as a result of the pandemic.  Grants of £500 are available.  Applications must be submitted by the deadline of 12 July 2021.

Grants available to ethnically diverse-owned small businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19 and lockdown restrictions in the UK.  Applications must be submitted by the deadline of 31 December 2021.

Support available to charities for community projects that focus on the health and wellbeing of older people, intergenerational projects and regeneration of the local community.  The Foundation supports: older people facing isolation, loneliness, or poor health; young people who may be falling behind personally and academically; and communities in need of regeneration.

Grants are available to provide protective security measures to places of worship in England and Wales that have been subject to, or are vulnerable to hate crimes that target people because of their religion.  The deadline for applications has been extended to 16 July 2021 (23:59).

Funding for not-for-profit organisations that are working with disadvantaged children and young people aged up to 18 years and living in the UK.  The deadline for applications is 11:30 am on 23 August 2021 for decisions in late January 2022.

Applications are encouraged for:

• Project delivery (including staffing and salary costs)
• Creative solutions to deliver much needed services
• Organisational costs to support stability and adaptation. (Including the day-to-day running costs of an organisation as opposed to specific project costs)

UK entrepreneurs setting up ‘mission-driven’ scalable companies, addressing various social challenges, can access financial support to drive their new ventures.  The final deadline for applications has been extended to 29 July 2021.   Zinc has identified nine opportunity for innovation within its mission:

• Strong and supportive families
• Access to therapies
• Thriving at school
• Healthy behaviours
• Positive beliefs, emotions and skills 
• Fairer life chances
• Targeted interventions on high-risk behaviours and conditions
• Positive recreation
• Relationships and sex

Funding for small local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in England that are working to reduce loneliness and isolation by bringing people and communities together.  Applications for Round 2 will be accepted from 28 June 2021 until the deadline of 6 August 2021 (5pm).  Round 2 will focus on:

• Activities that physically bring people together in a safe and secure way.
• Remote activities (when this is the best or only way for people to build connections) - for example, remote activities may benefit people who are geographically isolated, people with illnesses or disabilities, or those who are not quite ready to meet people in face-to-face settings.
• Helping individuals to get out of the ‘lockdown mentality’ and meet people in their communities again for activities which will be a positive experience for people.
• Helping organisations who work to reduce loneliness restart their activities - for example, getting volunteers or service users to clean and refresh their meeting spaces or grounds, or refreshing materials, and ensuring equipment is ready to be used.

Through this competition, aspiring entrepreneurs from across the world may transform their green ideas into global businesses.  Funding is intended to help fast track an innovation or idea into a business that will make a substantial environmental impact.Immanent Deadline - 9 July 2021

2021 themes:

• Adaptation and Resilience
• Circular Economies
• Urban Solutions
• Clean Energy
• Sustainable Mobility
• Food Systems
• The Next Big Thing

Innovation fund supporting nurseries to increase and diversify domestic tree supply in England.  Applicants will be invited to apply for up to £200,000 in grant funding to support projects that address one or more of the following challenges identified through stakeholder engagement as barriers to tree production:

• Challenge 1 How can we make better use of available seed and vegetative planting material to maximise the quantity, quality and diversity of trees produced?
• Challenge 2 How can we develop growing systems to enhance their efficiency and resilience to change, whilst delivering improved quality and diversity of product? This challenge can include activities to promote biosecurity.
• Challenge 3 How can innovative environmentally sustainable weed control solutions be used to reduce reliance on herbicides?

The first round of the fund will open for applications in late July 2021, with successful projects running for a six-month period between October 2021 and March 2022.

Support is available to England’s farmers and land managers in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Parks and the Broads to support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change and fund nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses.  For funding in the first year of the programme, applications are accepted between 1 July 2021 and 31 January 2022.

The programme will fund projects that:

• Support nature recovery.
• Mitigate the impacts of climate change.
• Provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage.
• Support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses.

Eligible start-ups from anywhere in the world may apply to participate in a ten-week business development and mentoring programme.  The current programme focuses on these key categories:

• Travel Restart
• Connected Operations
• Sustainability
• Data & AI
• Future Energy
• Enterprise Tech
• Distributed Teams
• Wildcard

This is an annual programme.The next deadline for applications is 31 August 2021.

Landscape Grant Fund. This is open all year round to community groups and organisations who are making a difference to and/or enjoying the landscapes of Cumbria.  Our grants in the past have covered broad areas. The most important thing is that they must contribute to the landscape and its enjoyment in some way.

Funding is available to community and public sector organisations in the UK for projects to protect nationally important heritage assets that are at risk due to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).  Applications may be made at any time until the fund's final closing date of 30 April 2023.   The first step is to submit an Expression of Interest. Eligible applicants will then be invited to submit a full application. Applications must be submitted using the online grants portal available at the NHMF website.

Grants are available for UK not-for-profit organisations, including associations and charities, to hold business events and to showcase that the UK has adapted to new ways of meeting in a COVID-19 secure environment.

If you want help, advice and support in relation to funding for your not-for-profit organisation or group please contact Cumbria CVS by emailing: [email protected]     If you do not have access to email, please call 01768 800 350.  Please find this weeks funding news attached. 

A national funding programme available to small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK to help them develop composites products is inviting applications.

Funding for small, local voluntary and community groups and organisations and schools to help improve community shared spaces and run activities that focus on sustainable living in the UK.  The programme will close for applications upon the receipt of 1,500 applications or 14 July 2021, whichever comes first.

New initiative to award lottery funding from Autumn 2021 to Black and Minoritised community-led charities and grassroots groups from across England over the next five years starting in Autumn 2021.

Grants are available to UK charitable organisations for projects to improve people's digital confidence, knowledge and skills to enable them to make more informed decisions about money and have access to financial services.  The deadline for applications is 13 August 2021.

Grants are available for unpaid carers for respite breaks and associated replacement care across the UK.  Application deadline: None specified

Funding is available to enable vulnerable children and young people in the UK to overcome financial barriers preventing them from achieving their education, training or employment goals.  Applications may be submitted at any time.

A loan/grant funding package is available for small community-led charities and social enterprises based and working in England to help them grow their services and become more sustainable.  First Steps Enterprise Fund is a £300,000 pilot fund to support community organisations that is managed by Social Enterprise Business on behalf of the Asda Foundation.  Application deadline:  None specified

Capital grants for public, private and third sector organisations in England to support the development of low and zero carbon heat networks.  The GHNF Transition Scheme will open for applications on 5 July 2021. The deadline will be 12 August 2021 (12.00 BST).

UK businesses will have billions of pounds available to them through this new finance facility to support local growth and tackle climate change.  There is no set deadline for applications for support.

Local authorities across England can apply for funding to help them install energy saving upgrades and low carbon heating in low-income households.  The deadline for applications is 4 August 2021 (23:59 BST).

Registered UK providers of social housing will be able to bid for funding to improve the energy performance of their social homes.  Applications for the first wave of funding will open in autumn 2021. Further information on the autumn bidding window will be published later this summer. Funded projects will be those delivered up to March 2023.

Grants are available for small local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in England that are working to reduce loneliness and isolation by bringing people and communities together as the country recovers from the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. The Local Connections Fund opens for applications on 28 June 2021.

Funding is available to UK organisations for initiatives to build the confidence of people most impacted by the digital divide. Organisations must be registered, including registered charities, community interest companies, social enterprises, not-for-profits, private companies, community associations, FE colleges and public bodies. The fund will open for applications on 29 June 2021, and close at the deadline of 29 July 2021 (17:00 BST).

Support is available to help entrepreneurs launch a new business or enable existing SMEs to bounce back from challenges posed by coronavirus.  The deadline to apply is 17 September 2021.

Funding available to support capacity-building and readiness to deliver new approved Digital Higher Technical Qualifications.  Applications must be submitted by the deadline of Friday 9 July 2021 (11.59pm).

These awards celebrate the best contemporary photography from the past year, giving exposure, visibility and opportunity to photographers worldwide on an annual basis.  The Awards are free to enter and open to all photographers operating in the photographic industry across the world.  Application deadline:30/11/2021

New pilot funding programme to improve professional development for the further education workforce through further education provider collaboration.  Applications must be submitted by the deadline of 16 July 2021 (11:59pm).

Funding for smaller, specialist organisations in England and Wales that support survivors and victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, who are led 'by, with and for' communities facing racial inequality, disabled people or LGBTQ+ communities.  The deadline for applications is 12 noon on 20 July 2021.

Grants are available for not-for-profit organisations including schools to help improve community spaces and deliver sustainable activities for communities in the UK.  The ‘Places Called Home’ Fund aims to inspire and help people get more involved in their local community as a positive, homely place to be and meet other people.  The scheme will open for applications on 30 June 2021. It will close upon either the receipt of 1,500 applications or 14 July 2021, whichever comes first.

Grants are available to museums and galleries to borrow works from national collections, encouraging the sharing of works more widely across the UK.  Applications should be submitted by the deadline of 17 August 2021.

Start-up grants are available for young entrepreneurs to help them start a new business or grow a current one in the UK.  Application deadline:  None specified

Grants are available for strategic work, including policy work, campaigning and research, which has the potential to improve financial wellbeing at a national scale in the UK, especially for those on low-to-middle incomes.  Applications must be submitted by the deadline of 1pm on 4 February 2022.

Funding news and events to support the third sector from Cumbria CVS 

Grants available to young creatives in Great Britain to help them take a step forward in participating and changing the music industries.  Applications must be submitted by the deadline of 9 July 2021 (17:00 BST).

Applications are currently being accepted from not-for-profit organisations working with Black and Minoritised communities in the Humber and Yorkshire, London, the Midlands, the North West or South West of England.  The deadline for Stage 1 applications is 6 July 2021 (midday).

Funding is available to eligible providers of 16 to 19 education to accommodate upcoming demographic increases in 16 to 19-year-olds.  The deadline for returning bid applications has been extended by a week, to 21 June 2021 (23:59 BST).

Charities and social enterprises working in the environment sector can apply for support to help them make the transition to new enterprises or to growing existing ones.  Stage 1 applications are open from 15 June to 13 July 2021.