Funding & Training Focus - 06 August

Funding in Focus: Digital, Youth, Heritage & more

We’re into August now - the rain’s back (of course), but so are the funding opportunities. And whether your group is flat out with summer activities or slowly gearing up for autumn, there’s plenty here to help keep things moving.

This week brings a bit of a digital focus, with opportunities to help you strengthen your online presence or explore more innovative tech-based approaches. Whether it's a small grant to tidy up your website or a larger pot for something more transformative, there’s support available for groups looking to boost their digital confidence.

Not your focus right now? No problem, there’s also funding for early years, youth advocacy, inclusive arts and local heritage projects. A real mix, with something for groups of all shapes and sizes.

So if your project could use a digital refresh, a bit of extra funding, or just some inspiration for the next step. Pop the kettle on, have a scroll, and see what’s out there.

And as always, if anything catches your eye and you’d like a chat about how to apply, I’m here to help: mwollberg@engagerenfrewshire.com

Funding

• Animal Welfare
• Arts and Music
• Armed Forces/Veterans
• Community Projects
• Environment, Nature and Climate Change
• Families and Children 
• Health
• IT/Digital
• Miscellaneous
• Museums and Heritage
• Sport
• Young People

Events/Training

• Tobacco and Cannabis Training
• Webinar: Turning Knowledge into Income’ A guide for third sector organisations
• Families Outside CPD-accredited training for professionals
• Diploma in Counselling

Funding to Support Animal Welfare Charities
The Animal Defence Trust, a UK-based charity dedicated to animal welfare, provides funding to support approved animal welfare charities working to rescue and care for animals that have suffered cruelty. The Trust's main objectives are protecting animals from suffering and mistreatment, promoting research to reduce animal use in scientific experiments, and ensuring proper accommodation for animals during transportation. The grants, which are for capital projects and running costs aim to support a wide range of activities, including providing shelter, medical treatment, and care for abused or neglected animals. The next closing date for applications is 31 March 2026. Find out more

Grants to Help New, Innovative Visual Arts Projects
The Elephant Trust has announced that the next application deadline is midnight on 19 October 2025. The Trust offers grants to artists and for new, innovative visual arts projects. It aims to enable artists and those presenting their work to undertake and complete projects when confronted with a lack of funds. The Trust supports projects that develop and improve fine arts knowledge, understanding and appreciation. Priority is given to artists, small organisations, and galleries who are making or producing new work or exhibitions. The Trust awards typically grants of between £2,000 - £5,000. Find out more
 

Funding Opens for Creative Programmes to Highlight Asian Arts and Culture
Projects that engage with traditional or contemporary Asian culture and feature established or mid-career artists from Asia or its diasporas can apply for grants of between £5,000 and £150,000 through the Bagri Foundation’s 2025/26 Arts & Culture Grants programme. Open to UK-based charities, CIOs, CICs, exempt charities, and experienced creative collectives, the scheme supports a wide range of cultural activity including crafts, exhibitions, performance, literature events, and public commissions. Typically covering 10–40% of total project costs, larger requests over £75,000 require prior contact. Applications open via Submittable on 1 September, with the Stage 1 deadline on 3 October and Stage 2 by invitation on 17 November 2025. Find out more

Funding to Support the Mental Health of UK Armed Forces
UK-based registered charities and Community Interest Companies (CICs) with significant recent experience supporting Armed Forces communities can apply for grants of between £3,000 and £25,000 to support the mental health and well-being needs of marginalised groups within Armed Forces communities. The funding is available through the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust’s Hidden Voices Programme 2024/25. The programme aims to identify and fill gaps in service provision and foster collaborative partnerships between Armed Forces organisations and specialist non-armed Forces organisations. The programme supports projects lasting up to 12 months. Applications must be submitted by 12 noon on 1 October 2025. Find out more
 

Funding to Support Families Caring for Wounded, Sick or Injured Veterans
Grants between £50,000 and £100,000 are available for projects supporting family members who care for wounded, injured or sick serving personnel and Veterans. The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust's Family Focus Programme provides funding for projects lasting up to eighteen months, aimed at enhancing the quality of life for these families. This includes improving access to support, providing targeted assistance that addresses their evolving needs over time, and building resilience for those with a caring role. Applications from UK-registered charities, Community Interest Companies, local authorities and other statutory organisations will be accepted until 12pm on 24 September 2025. Find out more
 

Funding to Provide Early Years Education for Armed Forces Families
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust is offering grants ranging from £5,000 to £80,000 through the Armed Forces Families Fund: Early Years Programme to enhance early childhood education for children from Armed Forces families. Eligible applicants include early childhood education and childcare providers operating near Armed Forces communities, provided at least 50% of enrolled children are from service families; local authorities aiming to deliver specialised training to such providers; and clusters of multiple settings with fewer service children. The grants, supporting projects up to two years, can be used to increase capacity, improve learning environments, or provide staff training to better support service children. The application deadline is 12 noon on 08 October 2025. Find out more

Funding to Alleviate Social Deprivation
Scottish charities with an annual income of less than £1 million that are addressing poverty and deprivation, with a particular focus on women, children, and young people, can apply for grants of up to £15,000 per year for up to three years through the Volant Charitable Trust Large Grants Programme. Managed by Foundation Scotland, the scheme supports both project and core costs, excluding capital and retrospective funding. Funded work may include food provision, mental health support, services for isolated women, and outreach for at-risk youth. Examples of past projects include a community food pantry in Glasgow, a peer support programme for young mothers in Edinburgh, and counselling for teenagers in rural Fife. There is a two-stage application process, with a deadline of 6 October 2025 for stage one applications. Find out more


Funding available for organisations supporting local people affected by poverty or disadvantage.
The Boost Fund is for small community-led organisations across Scotland supporting local people affected by poverty or disadvantage. Groups can apply if their activities will support their communities and the people who live there. Grants are flexible and groups can apply for many different costs. The work you are doing might be about providing practical help, or organising activities and gatherings, or addressing another local need.
The Boost Fund will provide grants of £500-£3,000 to constituted groups and charities with an annual income of £50,000 or less. Unconstituted groups can apply for grants of between £250-£1,500. Find out more

 

Grants of up to £1,000 for Local Environmental and Social Initiatives
Not-for-profit organisations, community groups, and individuals can apply for grants of up to £1,000 to support local environmental and social projects. A total of £150,000 is available through the Veolia’s Annual Sustainability Fund for 2025. This year, eligibility has been expanded to include social initiatives such as youth support, rehabilitation, employment assistance, and community-building, in addition to environmental projects that enhance biodiversity and promote sustainable living. Successful applicants must operate within areas served by Veolia’s recycling and waste services, with projects required to deliver clear, lasting benefits and strong community involvement. In honour of the fund’s fifth anniversary, an exceptional project could receive a special "bumper" grant of up to £5,000. Full criteria and qualifying areas are listed on the Veolia website, with applications open until 30 September 2025. Find out more

New Funding for Community-Based Home Support Services for Families with Young Children
UK-based not-for-profit organisations delivering early years parenting support can apply for grants of between £40,000 and £50,000 per year, available for up to three years. The Together We Begin Fund, launched by the Henry Smith Foundation, aims to improve outcomes for families with children aged 0–5, including during pregnancy. Eligible applicants must have annual incomes under £1 million and be working in areas where child poverty is 24.9% or higher. Funded projects must offer home-based, face-to-face support such as parent coaching, peer mentoring, home visiting programmes, antenatal and postnatal care, parent–child learning activities, and help linking families to local services. The two-stage application process begins with an eligibility quiz and Expression of Interest (EOI), due by 5pm on 28 August 2025. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full application. Accessibility support of £250 (EOI) and £500 (full application) is also available. Find out more

Motability Foundation Announces Funding to Improve Accessible Transport for Disabled People
The Motability Foundation has opened five new grant rounds, offering £50,000 to £1 million per award, to support UK organisations improving accessible transport for disabled people. Eligible organisations—including smaller charities and Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs) with at least £50,000 annual turnover—can apply for funding to enhance access to wheelchairs and mobility aids, promote active travel options, expand travel training schemes, and increase driving tuition support for disabled learners. Applications are accepted until 15 December 2025 (some rounds later), with a focus on projects that deliver practical, scalable solutions and involve disabled people in design and implementation. Priority will be given to initiatives that demonstrably improve transport access, confidence, and choice for disabled people. Full details and application forms are available on the Motability Foundation’s website. Find out more
 

Funding to Help People with Parkinson's to Become & Stay Active
Community groups and organisations across the UK can apply for grants of up to £3,000 to help people with Parkinson's to become and stay active. The Funding is for new activities that encourage people affected by Parkinson’s to participate in physical activity and sports or increased participation in these areas. This could be anything fun that encourages people, particularly those from isolated and ethnic communities, to get moving such as a walking group, a dance class, or playing table tennis. The funding, which is made available through the Parkinson’s UK Physical Activity Grants Programme, can be used to cover costs such as equipment, facility hire, maintenance of equipment, coaching fees, and training. Applications can be made at any time until all of the funding has been allocated. Find out more

Funding to Improve Online Digital Presence for Small Charities
UK charities can apply for funding of up to £2,500 to enhance their online digital presence. The funding is available to charities with an average annual income of less than £1,000,000 to support digital expenditures that other funders may not cover. The funding will help organisations build websites and apps, digitise services, and purchase digital products. The funding is being made available through the Fat Beehive Foundation, and trustees are particularly keen to support traditionally hard-to-fund organisations, such as those supporting prisoners, refugees, or disadvantaged youth. Applications can be submitted at any time and are reviewed at trustee meetings in April and October. The deadline for applications is the end of September for the October meeting and the end of March for the April meeting. The closing date for the next round of applications is 5pm on 30 September 2025. Find out more
 

Funding for Transformative IT Projects
Registered charities, educational establishments, community interest companies, and other not-for-profit organisations can apply for grants of up to £15,000 for IT projects that benefit communities and people across the UK. The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists makes the funding available through their IT4Good Grant Programme, which aims to support innovative projects and activities that use information technology (IT) to create positive impact through education, digital inclusion, charitable, and public engagement initiatives. This could include developing and delivering innovative new services, solutions, training, apps, analytics, AI, robotics, or accessibility features/hardware. Larger grants may be made in exceptional circumstances. Applications can be submitted at any time until 5pm on 18 August 2025. Find out more

Funding to Make the Chemical Sciences More Inclusive & Diverse
Grants of up to £5,000 are now available to individuals and organisations with ideas that will help make the chemical sciences more inclusive and diverse. The funding, provided through the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Inclusion and Diversity Fund will support innovative products, activities and research projects related to gender, disability, socio-economic background, language and the LGBT+ community. The grant scheme is open to everyone, including members of the Royal Society of Chemistry, member-led groups, researchers in academia or industry, museums, community groups, not-for-profit organisations, arts groups, and libraries. Funding greater than £5,000 may be considered for one project each year. The closing date for applications is 15 September 2025. Find out more

Funding for Projects that Defend Human Rights of Marginalised Groups
UK-registered charities focused on promoting and defending human rights, particularly for marginalised and excluded groups, can apply for grants of up to £30,000 per year for up to three years through the AB Charitable Trust’s Open Programme. Funding is available for both core and project costs and supports charities with annual incomes between £150,000 and £1.5 million. Priority areas include upholding the UK’s human rights framework, improving access to justice, reforming the criminal legal system, and supporting migrants, refugees, and people seeking asylum. Eligible organisations may be engaged in legal advice, advocacy, policy work, campaigning, narrative change, or community organising. The next deadline for applications is 24 October 2025. Find out more

Grants Launched to Tackle Loneliness Among Older Adults
Small charities and community groups in England, Scotland, and Wales with annual income under £250,000 can apply for grants of up to £7,500 for community projects that reduce loneliness among people aged 65 and over. The McCarthy Stone Foundation’s 2025 Creating Connections Grants Programme supports initiatives such as befriending services, social groups, and community transport, with over 20 grants expected to be awarded. Eligible applicants include registered charities, constituted groups, and CICs, with priority given to projects in areas of high deprivation affecting older adults. Dementia-specific organisations are excluded from this round, though services inclusive of people with dementia may apply. Applications close at 5pm on 29 August 2025, with funding decisions due in early October. Find out more

Grants Available for Projects Celebrating Scottish Heritage and Connections
The Scottish Government has opened a new round of the Scottish Connections Fund, offering grants between £2,000 and £5,000 from a total pot of £75,000 for 2025–2026. Aimed at individuals and organisations with a Scottish link, the fund supports innovative projects that enhance Scotland’s global reputation by celebrating its values, heritage, and international ties. It seeks to strengthen cultural, sporting, and economic relationships worldwide. Applications close at 5pm on 9 September 2025, with projects to be completed by March 2026. Full eligibility criteria and application guidance are available on the Scottish Government’s website, and enquiries can be directed to diaspora@gov.scot. Find out more

Funding to Support New Female Coaches in Grassroots Sport
Eligible not-for-profit organisations—including sports clubs, youth groups, and community organisations—can apply for up to two grants per organisation to cover the cost of a Level 1 (or equivalent) coaching qualification. Part of the Barclays Community Sport Fund, delivered in partnership with the Sported Foundation, the Female Coaches for Girls Grants provide around £160 for football and £200 for cricket or tennis training, aiming to boost the number of female coaches working with girls in underserved communities. The scheme prioritises areas ranked in the UK’s Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 1–3, with flexibility for disability-focused groups outside those areas. Applications for the Female Coaches for Girls Grants are open until 22 August 2025, or earlier if funding is fully allocated. Find out more
 

Grants Available for Disabled Individuals and Groups to Play Tennis
Disabled individuals, as well as disability groups, tennis clubs, schools, and associations across the UK that work with people with disabilities, can apply for grants from the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust to support participation in tennis. Individuals may receive up to £600, while groups, clubs, or projects can obtain up to £1,600. The grants can be used for coaching with LTA-licensed coaches, court hire, tennis wheelchairs, and equipment like rackets. Applicants seeking sports wheelchairs may be required to make a personal contribution. The Trust holds four funding meetings annually; the next application deadline is 26 October 2025. Find out more

Grants of up to £15,000 Available for Projects that Help Disadvantaged Young People
The Hays Travel Foundation offers grants ranging from £2,000 to £15,000 to registered charities operating in areas where Hays Travel has branches. These grants support projects that aid disadvantaged young people aged 18 to 25 in education, poverty prevention, health, arts, culture, or sports. Charities outside Hays Travel areas must demonstrate the impact of their project on a community with a Hays Travel branch. Match funding is encouraged to increase the likelihood of receiving a grant. Since 2015, the Foundation has awarded over £1 million in grants. Additionally, individual Hays Travel branches have budgets for local good causes. The next closing date for applications is 28 September 2025. Find out more


Funding Opportunity for Charities Supporting Young People to Speak Up and Secure Their Rights
UK-based not-for-profit organisations with an annual income below £5 million can apply for grants of up to £240,000 over 4 years to support independent, rights-based advocacy projects for young people aged 14–25. The funding, available through the Henry Smith Charity’s Shout! Fund, is intended to help young people make informed decisions, express themselves, and secure their rights. Priority will be given to projects working with care-experienced, LGBT+, and neurodivergent young people, as well as those with learning disabilities. There is a particular interest in applications from organisations based in Northern Ireland, Wales, and rural areas. Grants are flexible and can be used for core costs such as staff salaries, rent, safeguarding, and well-being. Around 20 grants are expected to be awarded. To apply, organisations must complete an eligibility test and submit an Expression of Interest by 20 August 2025. Those applicants successful at this stage will need to submit a full application by the 5 September 2025. Find out more
 

Funding to Support the Education of Young People with Physical or Learning Disabilities
Schools, charitable organisations and other groups in Scotland supporting the education of young people under the age of 21 who have a physical or learning disability or are socially disadvantaged can apply for funding to the John Watson Trust. Whilst the Trust operates primarily within Edinburgh and the Lothians, it may also award grants Scotland-wide to eligible individuals and organisations, including schools, established charitable organisations and other groups supporting disadvantaged young people. Grants can cover expenses such as special or additional tuition, school trips, bus passes, school expenses such as books and equipment, and laptops where there is a special education need.  Although applicants can apply for grants of any size, most grants made to individuals by John Watson’s Trust will be in a range between £200 and £2000. The next closing date is 24 October 2025. Find out more
 

Financial Support Available for Schools and Youth Groups to Access Outdoor Learning
Schools or youth groups can apply for financial support to help young people from across the UK access outdoor education programmes run by The Outward Bound Trust. Through its Adventure Fund, the charity offers bursaries that can cover up to 40% of course fees, aiming to remove financial barriers to participation. The funding supports young people aged 11–24 who are UK residents and in full-time education. Applications are open to both individuals and organisations, with priority given to those facing financial hardship or disadvantage. Each year, Outward Bound raises approximately £3.2 million to help thousands of young people build confidence, resilience, and leadership skills through challenging residential courses in wild natural settings. Outward Bound encourages early applications, as funding is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Find out more

Tobacco & Cannabis Training
The next session of our LANDED Tobacco and Cannabis Training will take place on Thursday 21 August, 10am-4pm at the Glynhill Hotel, 169 Paisley Road, Renfrew.
 
Cannabis is the most widely used drug in the world. The course aims to provide practitioners working with young people a deeper understanding of cannabis, giving you and your staff team the knowledge, tools and confidence to open up a conversation around cannabis use with your service users. LANDED is a young persons' charity based in Scotland. One of their services is to provide staff training opportunities to build the knowledge, understanding and confidence of staff members who work directly with young people.

If you are interested in attending the above session please email HealthImprovement.Renfrewshire@ggc.scot.nhs.uk with your Name, Job Title, Organisation and contact details.


Turning knowledge into income webinar
Across the third sector, organisations are being asked to do more with less. Funding is tight. Capacity is stretched. And the pressure to find sustainable income is growing. But many are sitting on an untapped asset: their existing learning content. In this free webinar, you’ll learn how third sector organisations are turning the knowledge they already have into digital learning products that generate income - without compromising their mission. 20 or 21 August 2025 - Book here



The impact of imprisonment on children and families
Wednesday 17 September, 9:30am – 12:30pm
Microsoft Teams
£55 per person
By the end of the training session, participants should be able to:

• Better understand the impact of imprisonment on children and families, including the most common issues facing families
• Give examples of how a family might be affected at each stage of the criminal justice process
• Apply their knowledge when supporting families affected by imprisonment and feel confident when supporting them

Link to register: https://buytickets.at/familiesoutside/1801217