Funding for You
Every so often we come across grants or funding applications that aren’t appropriate for us, but which those we work with could apply to. If you can’t get involved with our Community Pot, there may be an alternative funding opportunity listed below that can help you roll out Carbon Literacy training to your audience.
Scott Bader Commonwealth Limited
The Scott Bader Commonwealth Global Charity Fund offers financial support to registered charities in the UK or those known to Scott Bader, focusing on education, environmental sustainability, and aiding disadvantaged groups, with particular emphasis on initiatives supporting the BAME and LGBTQ+ communities.
Grants range from £250 to £10,000 and first-applicants are encouraged to request between £2,000 and £4,000. Eligible projects must be situated near Scott Bader locations. The application process is open to charities that have been operational for over two years, with four application windows available throughout the year.
The Shears Foundation is a charitable organisation that provides grants to support various initiatives aimed at benefiting communities in specific regions of the United Kingdom. The foundation prioritises projects related to culture and the arts, education, environmental conservation, community development, and health promotion. Grants provided by the Shears Foundation range from £2,750 to £5,750 and support both the project and core costs of charitable organisations. The foundations places a great deal of emphasis in supporting organisations whose work is in the Tyne & Wear and Northumberland regions.
The European Climate Initiative (EUKI) supports the realisation of ideas to accelerate climate action in Europe. Launched by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) in 2017, EUKI finances cross-border projects, provides training, and fosters a vibrant exchange of ideas and expertise within the European climate action community, ensuring lasting impact.
The Wixamtree Trust is dedicated to supporting charitable initiatives primarily within Bedfordshire, where the Trustees focus their grant-making efforts. Additionally, the Trust extends its support to a small number of national charities associated with its main benefactor during his lifetime. Organisations seeking assistance must be based or operating within Bedfordshire and must be registered charities or deemed charitable by the Inland Revenue.
Grant amounts typically range from £1,000 to £10,000, with occasional exceptions. Grants exceeding 10% of an organisation’s annual running costs or project expenses are rare.
The Communities Together programme by Heathrow Community Trust aims to foster community spirit and development by providing grants for various neighbourhood initiatives, including community gardens, arts festivals, addressing elderly loneliness, promoting health and fitness, and neighbourhood cleanup projects. The focus is on projects that bring communities together, with particular emphasis on organisations working with adults aged 25 and above, and it is open to environmentally-focused work.
The Communities Together Small grant offers up to £5,000 per year for up to two years, while the Communities Together Large grant provides up to £15,000 per year for up to two years.
Grants for Good Fund
Grants for Good is funded by the John Good Group and is designed to direct funding only to small and growing local charities, voluntary groups or social enterprises that are making a big impact on communities, people or the environment. The fund provides unrestricted grants that can be used for various organisational costs, including core expenses.
The Hadrian Trust is a charitable organisation dedicated to improving the lives of people in the North East of England, including Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, Durham, and Hartlepool. The Trust allocates grants to charities and groups working in areas such as social welfare, youth development, disability and elderly care, women’s rights, ethnic minorities, education, the arts, and environmental projects. Eligible projects typically support disadvantaged communities, promote equality, and enhance social inclusion.
The Benefact Group’s Movement for Good initiative aims to empower positive change by supporting impactful projects and initiatives. Through Movement for Good, the Benefact Group provides funding and resources to organisations and individuals working towards social, environmental, and community betterment. By fostering collaboration and innovation, Movement for Good strives to create a lasting and meaningful impact on society.
Nominations are open from January 1st, 2025, until December 15th, 2025. During this period, individuals can nominate their favourite charity for a chance to win a £1,000 award. Each person can nominate one charity, which can be a registered charity, not-for-profit organisation, or community interest company in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man.
Projects funded by the Lancashire Environmental Fund (LEF) encompass a wide range of community and environmental enhancements such as facility improvements, habitat creation and management, park and garden enhancements, recreational facility upgrades, and biodiversity conservation efforts. Community and environmental groups in Lancashire can apply for grants through two funding streams: Green Grants, offering up to £3,000 and Main Grants, which can provide funding up to £30,000.
Please note: LEF does not fund any projects outside of Lancashire or within the unitary authorities of Blackpool or Blackburn with Darwen.
The Britford Bridge Trust is a family foundation that gives grants that support the advancement of education, culture, heritage and science, the protection of the environment and the relief of those in need. The Trust prioritises projects with national and international relevance, focusing on areas such as poverty prevention, education advancement, health improvement, and arts and science promotion. Applications from overseas charities and medical research initiatives are not considered due to existing support arrangements.
Applicants must have national or international reach with regional consideration given to projects in Dorset and Cambridge areas only.
Minor Foundation for Major Challenges
The Minor Foundation for Major Challenges funds innovative ideas for promoting a zero-carbon future by supporting unique and unexpected ways of communicating the need for transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
The foundation supports European-based organisations and communication projects that aim to influence policies, enhance necessary technologies, reduce fossil fuel use, promote carbon-free solutions, and mobilise action to keep global warming within the 1.5°C pathway.
Applicants are asked to describe the systemic change they aim to create, explain why their organisation is best suited to achieve this change, and justify the urgency of their project.
Funding options include a Small Grants programme of up to €10,000 and a large grant programme typically ranging from €20,000 to €200,000.
The Ethnic Minority Development Fund
The Ethnic Minority Development Fund (EMDF) offers grants of up to £15,000 to ethnic minority-led voluntary or community organisations in Scotland. To qualify, organisations must have at least 60% of their board members, including those in decision-making roles, from an ethnic minority background. The fund supports projects that foster connections among ethnic minority communities and enhance spaces and places that matter to ethnic minority communities.
The William A Cadbury Charitable Trust
The William A Cadbury Charitable Trust is a Birmingham based grant making charity which provides funding to other charitable organisations working principally in the West Midlands The William A Cadbury Charitable Trust funds a range of initiatives across the UK and internationally, under categories such as Community Action, aimed at improving local quality of life through community-based projects, and support for Vulnerable Groups, including the elderly, children, disabled individuals, asylum seekers, and minorities.The Trust also engages in Penal Affairs, focusing on Restorative Justice, prison-based projects, and offender rehabilitation within the West Midlands.
For over 25 years, Scotland’s Community Foundation has been committed to strengthening communities throughout Scotland, helping them take action, create positive change, and achieve lasting impact. Their vision is to foster confident, thriving, and resilient communities across the country, ensuring that each community is equipped to support its own needs and aspirations. The Foundation is dedicated to providing the necessary support to enable communities to shape their own futures.
The Sustainability Fund, launched by Broadacres, offers grants to support local projects that benefit the environment and promote sustainable development within communities. Grants of up to £500 are available, with the possibility of up to £1,000 for exceptional cases. Eligible projects include those focused on protecting wildlife habitats, promoting tree planting, facilitating community gardening for fruits and vegetables, and creating outdoor spaces for communal use.
UK Community Foundations (UKCF) is a national network comprising accredited community foundations across the United Kingdom. This network serves as a unifying platform for individuals and organisations committed to enhancing their communities through philanthropy and collaborative efforts. UKCF’s member foundations work locally to address diverse community needs, leveraging their expertise to facilitate effective grant-making, community engagement, and capacity-building initiatives.
The Carbon Literacy Community Pot
The Community Pot is dedicated to improving access to Carbon Literacy training for low-income and underrepresented groups. This initiative focuses on supporting community groups, charities, and schools that may struggle to afford the costs associated with initiating Carbon Literacy training.
Since the beginning of 2024, the Community Pot has provided the equivalent of £31,000 in funded services to 18 organisations. These grants covered various services, including course accreditation, certificate applications, toolkit access, and support for Carbon Literacy initiatives.
Check out our Community Pot page where funding rounds are advertised throughout the year, or subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates and future opportunities.
The Garfield Weston Foundation is a family-founded grant-maker that donates around £100 million annually to support a wide range of charities across the UK. The foundation funds organisations that make a positive impact in various sectors, including welfare, youth, community, environment, education, health, arts, heritage, and faith.
The Ibrahim Foundation operates a dynamic grant-making programme aimed at supporting transformative initiatives across the UK. The foundation places a strong emphasis on community impact, preferring projects that enhance social capital, promote environmental stewardship, strengthen nonprofit infrastructure, and support families in achieving self-sufficiency. While there are no specific focal areas, the foundation values initiatives that empower local communities and address pressing social and environmental challenges effectively.
The Marsh Charitable Trust focuses on providing crucial funding to small organisations, particularly for covering essential running costs such as volunteer expenses, training days, equipment maintenance, and other core outgoings. The Trust focuses on long-term core funding for small organisations, helping with essential running costs like volunteer expenses and equipment maintenance.
The National Lottery Community Fund
National Lottery Awards for All England is a community grant programme funded by proceeds from the National Lottery. This initiative supports a wide range of community projects across England, with grants ranging from £300 to £20,000 for projects lasting up to two years. The grants are designed to bring people together, enhance community spaces, help individuals reach their potential, and support communities facing increased challenges due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Eligible applicants include voluntary or community organisations, and projects must benefit local communities.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but it is recommended to apply at least 16 weeks before you plan to start your project or use the funds.
(*Please note: Availability of the program may vary depending on your location within England).
Bags of Help is Tesco’s local community grant scheme where the money raised by the carrier bag charge in Tesco stores is being used to fund thousands of community projects across the UK*. The projects must meet the criteria of bringing benefits to the community.
Bags of Help is administered by Groundwork which is working with Greenspace Scotland to support successful projects in Scotland.
The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust is a grantmaking organisation dedicated to supporting UK registered charities or exempt organisations across the Midlands, with a particular focus on Coventry and Warwickshire, however groups across the UK are regularly funded.
The Syder Foundation, a family foundation based in Berkshire, UK, annually awards grants to registered charities across diverse charitable purposes. The foundation focuses on supporting regional charities located primarily in Berkshire and surrounding counties. Large grants, totaling between £300,000 and £400,000 annually, are typically around £50,000 each and preferably allocated to capital projects, with exceptions made for exceptional programmes or projects.
The Leonard Laity Stoate Charitable Trust
The Leonard Laity Stoate Charitable Trust provides grants primarily to organisations within specific categories and geographical areas. While the Trust has a particular interest in Methodism, it considers applications from all charitable categories. Preference is given to organisations registered as charities in England and Wales, or those exempt from registration, such as established churches. Other organisations must be small-scale, demonstrate a clear charitable purpose, be non-profit, and operate entirely on a voluntary basis. Innovative projects with significant self-help or voluntary input are favoured.