Funding & Training Focus - 25 June

Hello again, fellow funding hunters!

We’re back with another round-up of the latest funding opportunities to your brilliant work flourish across Renfrewshire and beyond. Whether you're growing veg in a community garden, running creative sessions with young people, or keeping vital services going, there’s something in here for you.

This week’s line-up features grants for everything from food projects and mental health support, to climate action through the arts, and even tree planting (because who doesn’t love a tree?). Have a browse, share with your networks, and don’t be shy about putting yourselves forward.

As always, if something catches your eye and you fancy a wee chat about how to apply, drop me a line, I’m always happy to help!
mwollberg@engagerenfrewshire.com


Funding

• Community Projects
• Environment and Climate Change
• Families and Children 
• Housing and Homelessness
• Miscellaneous
• Music and Heritage
• Young People

Events/Training

• Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund - Multi-Year Funding Information Sessions
• Apt Renfrewshire Training Opportunities

Funding available for Community Growing Project
The Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) ‘Growing Food Together’ Fund is once again offering a cash boost to community growing projects across Scotland. Now in its fifth year, the £100,000 fund from the Scottish Government aims to foster community engagement in growing and learning about food, as well as promoting healthy eating and outdoor exercise.
Community growing projects are a key part of creating an environment that allows Scotland and its people to thrive. The Trust is particularly interested in applications that fit community growing into local responses to the present cost of living crisis and deliver aspirations to become a Good Food Nation.
The closing date for applications to the CSGN Growing Food Together Fund is 5pm on Friday 4 July. Find out more
 

Apply to the Co-op Local Community Fund
The Local Community Fund supports projects in our members’ communities that provide access to opportunities and resources to help people thrive.
For our next funding round, Co-op Members will decide how we invest a further £5m through our Local Community Fund which starts in October 2025.
You can apply if your project helps people to thrive in one of the following ways:

• enables people to access food
• creates opportunities for young people
• improves people’s mental wellbeing
• promotes community cohesion
• builds sustainable futures 

You must apply by midnight on 6 July 2025. Find out more
 

Branching Out Fund
The Tree Council is pleased to reopen our Branching Out small grants fund to support a new season of community tree planting. Over the past 20 years, we have supported community groups, volunteer Tree Wardens and many others to plant hundreds of thousands of trees across the UK, thanks to generous Tree Partners and other supporters.
Grants of between £250 and £2,500 are available per application.
Deadline for applications is midnight, 14 November 2025. Find out more
 

Network Rail Community Tree Planting Fund
The Tree Council and Network Rail are once again working in partnership to support a new season of community tree planting. Together, over the past four years, we have already planted 350,000 trees in over 100 communities across the UK.
Grants of between £2,500 and £10,000 are available per application. Round 1 closing date is 31 July 2025. Find out more

Grants for Environmental & Social Projects
UK registered charities can apply for grants to support projects that deliver positive environmental, social or wellbeing outcomes. The funding is provided by the Calisen Impact Charitable Trust, which aims to drive economic and social development within communities by supporting initiatives that focus on sustainable energy solutions, and promote inclusive, safe, and diverse educational and work environments. Supported initiatives include partnerships with Eco-Schools, helping to fund Green Flag accreditation for schools and engaging children in environmental action, as well as Youth Zones, which provide nutritious meals for disadvantaged young people. The Trust does not list a specific total fund value or maximum grant amount per application. The next closing date for applications is the 30 June 2025. Find out more
 

Funding for Community Environmental Projects
Grants of up to £5,000 are available to charities, social enterprises, and community groups for projects that connect communities with nature, aiming to improve physical and mental wellbeing while fostering positive action on climate change. Eligible initiatives may include arts and cultural activities, community gardening, green gyms, mental health support, conservation volunteering, green skills training, and efforts to enhance access to urban and natural green spaces. The funding is made available through the Naturesave Trust. Applications are open until 12pm on 15 July 2025. Find out more


Grants of £100,000 to Use the Arts to Raise Awareness of Climate Change
Two grants of £100,000 each are available to UK registered charities to use the Arts to raise awareness of climate change and engage communities on environmental issues. The ScottishPower Foundation has launched the Art for Climate Fund to harness creative practice in response to sector austerity and the urgent need for community engagement. Each award, payable over two years, supports activities such as exhibitions, installations, performances and workshops that build knowledge and capacity for climate action through evidence-based action, promote sustainable development and foster appreciation of nature. Applications open on 30 June and close on 18 July 2025. Find out more

Grants of up to £10,000 Available to Charities working with Disadvantaged Families and Children
Organisations that support disadvantaged families with children or directly with children aged 0-11 can apply for grants of up to £10,000 per year for up to three years through the Woodward Charitable Trust. Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, CIOs, CICs and exempt charities with annual income under £200,000 and at least 75 per cent of work benefiting the target group. Priority activities include parenting support, in- and out-of-school education, programmes that build children’s wellbeing and development, and pre- or post-natal services. Applications must be submitted online by 12 noon on Thursday 31 July 2025. Find out more
 

Funding to Support Disabled & Disadvantaged Children
Grants of up to £5,000 are available to registered charities to fund equipment and services to support disabled and disadvantaged children under 13 across the UK. The Toy Trust fund helps disadvantaged children and their families to alleviate suffering; support children through awful experiences; encourage achievement through adversity; purchase vital equipment; provide care; bolster existing initiatives; initiate brand new projects; and satisfy basic needs. Groups that have carried out some form of effective fundraising by themselves are particularly encouraged to apply. The next deadline to apply is mid-August 2025 for the September meeting of Trustees. Find out more


Renfrew Tesco Stronger Starts
We are looking for schools, youth groups, schools, sports clubs, etc. to be in the Renfrew Tesco’s Oct - Dec customer votes with awards in Feb ‘26.
To be considered for this in-store voting period applications need to be submitted by the 31 July. Every 3 months 3 projects are in the customer vote and awards of 1^st - £1,500; 2^nd - £1,000 and 3^rd - £500 are received after the vote results are counted. Awardees then have a year to spend the funds.
NOTE that applications that are unsuccessful, or received after 31 July, will be eligible for future voting rounds ie. Jan - March with awards in May ‘26 
Please do get in touch with Community Enabler tamara@greenspacescotland.org.uk or phone her on 07825 671968 with any queries and for helpful application support. More info can be found here Apply for a grant (tescostrongerstarts.org.uk) 
 

Grants of up to £5,000 Available for Projects that Help the Homeless
Small Homeless charities can apply for grants of up to £5,000 for projects that aim to help homeless people rebuild their lives. To be eligible to apply, applicants must be a registered charity and have an annual turnover of under £500,000, with ‘unrestricted reserves’ of under six months. Typically, organisations awarded funding operate residential or training facilities to assist homeless people. The funding is being made available through Help the Homeless, a grant-giving trust, founded in 1975, to help homeless people off the streets and enable them to live healthy, independent lives. Previously funded projects include the Booth Centre, an advice and activity centre for homeless people in Manchester, which received a grant of £1,500 to transform the centre and a grant of £3,000 to the Amber Foundation to enable the Foundation to buy new bedroom furniture for their residential centre in Devon. The next closing date for applications is the 15 September 2025. Find out more

Funding for Activities to Improve People’s Lives
Grants are available for UK registered charities seeking to enhance and improve people’s lives through advancing the arts, health and medical welfare, and the environment. The D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust typically awards grants of between £500 and £6,000 for projects and core costs, with a preference for small-scale, locally based initiatives. Community services could include promoting access to the arts, conservation activities, music and art therapy to improve mental health and wellbeing, and providing breaks for carers. There are three grant-making meetings held annually. Projects should have a start date of at least three months after the meeting date. The next deadline for applications is 11.59 pm on 30 September 2025. Find out more

Unrestricted Grants of up to £1,000 Available to Charities
Grants between £500 and £1,000 are available to support the work of charitable organisations in Scotland. The Paristamen Charity offers unrestricted grants through its Responsive Grant Programme to small and medium-sized charities with annual incomes between £25,000 and £500,000. These grants are intended to impact the organisation's overall operations positively. Applications from UK-wide and overseas charities will also be considered if they have a significant presence in Scotland. Churches and other faith-based organisations are welcome to apply. Trustees meetings are typically held three times a year towards the end of June, October, and February, with decisions generally confirmed by 21st of the following month (July, November, or March). The next closing date for applications is 01 October 2025. Find out more

 

Grants of up to £5,000 Available for Social Welfare Projects
Registered charities based in the UK and working in the areas of medical research; care of the elderly; general welfare; hospices; the deaf and blind; care of the physically & mentally disabled; and the Armed Forces can apply for grants of up to £5,000. The funding is made available through the Iman Charity. Applications must be received by the end of August 2025 to be considered at the Spring meeting. Find out more

Grants of up to £100,000 Available to Make Museum Collections More Inclusive
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation has relaunched its Collections Fund as the Communities and Collections Fund, maintaining its core mission of supporting inclusive museum initiatives with community partners. The new fund offers core grants for single museums to strategically develop their collections and partnership project grants for museums and community organisations working equitably with collections to achieve shared aims for inclusion. Grants of up to £100,000 are available for projects lasting up to three years, with around 12 grants awarded annually across two rounds. The next deadline for submissions of interest is 16 July 2025. Find out more

 

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust Launches Support for Serving Families Facing Service-Related Separation
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust has launched the Apart, Not Alone: Support for Serving Families Facing Service-Related Separation Programme 2025–26, comprising two strands: a Local Impact Grants programme awarding up to £300,000 over three years to UK Local Authorities and charities, and a Support for Serving Families programme offering single-project grants of £5,000–£50,000. Both streams aim to alleviate the effects of deployment and training separations—such as loneliness, reintegration challenges, mental health impacts, and weakened social connections—by funding projects that help families manage isolation, ease post-separation adjustment, and improve overall wellbeing. Eligible applicants include registered charities with recent Armed Forces community experience, community interest companies, and Armed Forces units or bases. There are two application rounds: by 12 pm on 30 July 2025 (decisions by October 2025) and by 12 pm on 21 January 2026 (decisions by March 2026). Find out more

Vinehill Trust Grants - Empowering Music, Heritage and Health Projects
UK-based charitable, educational, and ecclesiastical organisations are eligible to apply to the Vinehill Trust for funding to support music, heritage, and health projects. The Trust prioritises initiatives such as youth choral and organ programmes, built heritage conservation and craft skills training, and health interventions for underfunded or marginalised communities, aiming to strengthen under-resourced traditions and address overlooked health needs. Funding is available year-round with no application deadline Find out more

Funding to Encourage Volunteering Amongst Young People
Grants of up to £500 are available to individuals or groups of young people aged 30 or under who aim to make a difference through volunteering or community service. The funding is made available through the Alec Dickson Trust. It prioritises projects involving many volunteers, addresses the specific needs of disadvantaged communities and individuals, and is innovative and sustainable. The Trust is seeking projects that identify a specific need and propose activities to address it, which are as long-lasting and sustainable as possible. The deadline for submissions is 5pm on 02 July 2025. Find out more

Generations Working Together - Intergenerational training for trainers and practitioners
Wednesday 16 July 2025, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Online via Zoom

You will learn about:

• What is Intergenerational Practice?
• Bringing Groups Together
• Social Impact

Bookings will close on Monday 07 July '25. Book here
https://generationsworkingtogether.org/training/online-intergenerational-training-for-trainers-and-practitioners-16072025

vTues 15 July  Men and Mental Health 
This session explains the facts about men’s mental health and resources and tips for looking after your mental health. Why do we need to talk about mental health? Mental health and stigma.
Signs and signals to be more aware of poor mental health. This session takes place at 10.00-12.30.

Wed 16 July Mental Health and Wellbeing 
This course aims to provide managers with the skills to support and manage positive mental health in the workplace. We will look at the definitions of mental health, common conditions and factors impacting on mental health. As well as practical strategies, reasonable adjustments and how to have supportive conversations. This takes place at 10.00-12.30.

Thurs 24 July Introduction to Suicide Prevention
This course aims to provide learners with a brief introduction to suicide prevention. It is not designed for crisis support. The course explores the latest statistics in relation to suicide in Scotland and the stigma that exists around this topic. This takes place at 10.00-12.30.

Tues 29 July NeurodiversityWorks! Bitesize Training 
This session will increase your understanding of the diverse capabilities and skill-sets neurodivergent people can bring to the workforce. Build your knowledge of inclusive ways of working and the simple adjustments you can make. Build confidence in recruiting, managing and retaining neurodivergent staff. This session will take place at 10.30-13.00.
 
Apt Renfrewshire Training - SUSE - Scottish Union of Supported Employment