Funding

Social entrepreneurs who have an idea or are already making a difference and are looking for support to develop their social venture can apply for funding and support to help get started or grow. Starting up grants up to £8000: You are committed to creating social impact in a financially sustainable way. You are at an early stage or have started to make a difference to people's lives, communities, or the planet. Scaling up grants up to £18,000: You are the founder of a financially sustainable social venture that is making a positive difference to people’s lives, communities, or the planet. You have evidence of your social impact and ambitions to build on it.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund provide different levels of funding to heritage of all shapes and sizes. Their grants range from £10,000 up to £10 millions. Current programmes include: National Lottery Heritage Grants - £10,000 to £250,000. National Lottery Heritage Grants - £250,000 to £10 million. The Fund also has a number of strategic initiatives as follows: Heritage places Landscape connections Heritage in need: places of worship Nature cities and towns

The Trust award grants towards projects that make improvements to community facilities and the natural environment. The Trust’s Community Grant Scheme is available to constituted not-for-profit organisations, local authorities and Environmental Bodies (EBs). Grants of between £10,000 and £75,000 are available to create or improve buildings or outside spaces for the benefit of the community. The Habitat and Biodiversity Grant Scheme offers grants between £10,000 and £75,000 whilst the Environmental Improvement Grant Scheme offers grants over £75,000. Nature Conservation grants are also available.

The Tree Council and Network Rail work in partnership to deliver a programme of community tree planting. Together, they have already planted more than 300,000 trees in 108 communities across the UK. Funding for projects is awarded in three bands: Main Grants - Projects between £2,500 and £5,000 Large Grants - Projects between £5,000 and £10,000 Flagship Grants - Projects over £10,000 and up to £15,000 Flagship Grants will be awarded in limited numbers to those projects that deliver a significant impact across our programme priorities. Funding is now open and all details are on the website.

This fund aims to support a variety of projects and activities that make local communities a better place and improve the lives of those within it, such as through sports, arts, education, helping the disadvantaged or improving the environment.

The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust funds United Kingdom Registered Charities operating in the UK in the fields of the advancement of the arts, health and medical welfare and environmental protection or improvement. The Trustees will consider applications for core costs or projects and are very conscious of the work involved in applying for a grant and encourage charities to consider whether their work aligns with the Trust’s priorities for the next three years before submitting an application.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has launched a sixth funding round on the Cheshire West Crowd, with funding pots totalling £230,000 available to community projects across West Cheshire. An on-line workshop will be held on Tuesday 1 April providing an opportunity for would-be project creators to hear more about the Cheshire West Crowd and how projects have benefitted from the initiative in the past. Visit our Events page for details and to register.

Welcome to the Marshes Community Benefit Fund website. The Fund was created in 2016 as an independent entity by the Frodsham Windfarm Limited partners, the Fund is managed by a Panel of independent volunteers and is governed by its Constitution. The Fund receives an annual grant from Frodsham Windfarm Limited of up to £120,000. This annual payment will be provided every year the wind farm operates and is expected to amount to some £3 million. The Marshes Community Benefit Fund (MCBF) Panel will control the administration of the MCBF and will consider applications from groups and organisations for awards of between £250 and £60,000 from the MCBF in each of the two application rounds to be held each year.

Biffa Award’s Main Grants Scheme is aimed at community and cultural groups and organisations, situated in the vicinity of landfill sites, that are in need of funding to improve the quality of life in their community or to conserve wildlife. There are four themes - Community Buildings, Recreation, Cultural Facilities and Rebuilding Biodiversity. Under these themes we provide funding to create or improve community amenities. For example, upgrading kitchens, meeting rooms and toilets in village halls and community facilities; creating new playparks; installing new seating, lighting and exhibitions within theatres and museums; or establishing, protecting and enhancing habitats for biodiversity. Between £10,000 and £75,000 can be awarded to projects that have a total cost of less than £200,000 including VAT. This is a rolling programme and as such there are no deadlines to submit an Expression of Interest in the Main Grants Scheme.

Our Stobart Sustainability fund is aimed at supporting community-led sustainability projects and initiatives lead by non-profit organisations, community groups and educational facilities, such as schools and colleges, to help them transform their local community through projects that tackle climate change, reduce carbon emissions or that protect and enhance the environment. Applications are open all year round.