Do you want to apply for funding for a community group or organisation? Community foundations are here to support you.

All grant-making is done by local community foundations - CFN's national office does not make grants or handle grant applications.

• Find your local community foundation >>

Some national grant programmes are available locally through community foundations. These include:

• Comic Relief >>
• Fair Share Trust >>
• Grassroots Grants >> 
  

All applications for these are managed by local community foundations.

Community foundations also manage funds provided by local donors eager to support community groups and organisations in their own areas. 

• What do community foundations fund?
• Do community foundations accept applications from individuals?
• What are community foundations unlikely to fund?
• Where do I find my nearest community foundation?
• Do I apply direct to the community foundation?

What do community foundations fund?

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Community foundations can meet all areas of community need such as

• arts and culture
• education
• environment
• health
• community development
• children and young people
• older people
• employment and training

• Each community foundation sets its own priorities, and reviews them frequently. Not all foundations fund all the areas above.
• Some community foundations have many funds from which to make grants. They will either advise you on the most appropriate fund to apply to, or have a common application form for all their funds.
• The grants adviser at your local community foundation is there to help you through the application process, so don't hesitate to contact them.

Do community foundations accept applications from individuals?

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• Only a few community foundations have funds available to help individuals, and then only for people who meet specific criteria, such as young people leaving care. Usually the emphasis is on grants to community groups and projects. Look at your local community foundations website for details.

What are community foundations unlikely to fund?

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• Work outside the local area.
• Major capital appeals
• Standard appeal letters.
• Projects and services with an exclusively religious purpose
• Party political applications

Each community foundation makes its grant-making policy publicly available, so do contact the one in your area.

Where do I find my nearest community foundation?

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• Finding community foundations gives you full contact details of your nearest foundation including a link to its website.
• Community foundation websites have a section for grant applicants, explaining local criteria and procedures.
• There are nearly 60 community foundations, covering all of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and most parts of England.
• Most English community foundations cover a whole county, though some cover smaller areas. Community foundations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland cover the whole of their countries.
• For community foundations in other countries, see Links. Community foundations exist in many countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.

Do I apply direct to the community foundation?

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• Yes, all applications need to be made to a local foundation. We are the national office and do not handle any grant applications ourselves even for national programmes. Each community foundation has its own grant-making policy, criteria and time-scales for dealing with grant applications, reflecting local priorities.
• Community foundations welcome applications and will do all they can to help.
• If you meet the broad criteria outlined above, please contact your local community foundation for more information about its grant programmes.

More information

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• Finding UK community foundations >> Find out more about your local community foundation
• What is a community foundation? >> Community foundations explained
• See how your donation can go further with the Grassroots Grants Endowment Match Challenge>>
• Quality Accreditation >> How community foundations demonstrate quality and accountability
• Community Foundation Network (CFN) >> The role of the national association
• Frequently asked questions >> about community foundations and CFN
• History >> Landmarks in the development of UK community foundations
• Links >> to information on the wider community foundation movement and philanthropy, and press coverage of community foundations
• <<Home