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CVS News

Keeping you informed about the local voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.

Latest Funding Opportunities

22 January 2026

The Radcliffe Trust

Music and Heritage & Crafts Project Grants. Awards typically ranging from £2,500 to £7,500.

  • Music Scheme: Supports classical music performance, training, and education. This includes chamber music, composition, youth orchestras, and music for children and adults with special needs.
  • Heritage & Crafts Scheme: Focuses on traditional crafts and conservation, training, capacity building, and therapeutic skill development.

Deadline 31 January 2026. Details here.


Grow Wild Community Programme

The Grow Wild Community Programme supports groups to transform urban spaces for the benefit of people and wildlife.  

  • £2000 grant to transform an urban space with UK native plants or fungi, support wildlife and involve your local community.  
  • Online knowledge sharing sessions, to connect with other groups and get support from experts (including special guests from Kew). Note: We are looking for groups keen to engage with these sessions.
  • £500 Follow-on Grant for spring 2027 to support ongoing activities (subject to optional application once your project is underway). 

Applications close 3pm 4 February. Details here.


Luton Rising New Horizons Fund

Luton Rising's New Horizons community funding is focused on delivering social impact in line with the Luton 2040 vision, to make Luton a healthy, fair and sustainable town where everyone can thrive and no one has to live in poverty by the year 2040.

Grants of up to £50,000 per year for two years (max £100,000 total per grantee) are available to support Luton residents.

Submit Expression of Interest by 5 February. Details here.

Meet the Funder 28 January. Book here.


Luton Rising Youth Fund

Luton Rising recognises that charitable and community organisations play a major role in contributing to the delivery of priority outcomes for young people in Luton. The Luton Rising Youth fund aims to provide funding for organisations that improve outcomes for young people aged between 10- 18 in Luton, focusing on early intervention approaches that help young people thrive. Grants of up to £50,000 per year for two years (max £100,000 total per grantee) are available.

Submit Expression of Interest by 5 February. Details here.


The Gambling Harms Prevention: Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Grant Fund

 ‘The Fund will support non-clinical gambling-related harm prevention, early-intervention and recovery activities delivered by VCSE organisations in England. This includes work that helps people understand, reduce or avoid gambling-related harm, particularly those at higher risk or who are less likely to access statutory services. Projects may operate at a local, regional or national level, provided they can demonstrate impact, feasibility and value for money. Projects may be directed towards affected others instead of, or in addition to, people who gamble.’

Grants between £5,000 and £3 Million per annum.

Closing date: 6 February 2026, 12:00pm (Midday)

Details here.


Fisheries Improvement Programme

Grants of up to £5,000 for projects that enhance fish habitats, improve angling facilities, and help fisheries adapt to climate challenges. Match funding is required. Eligible applicants include angling clubs, fisheries, and community organisations.

Deadline 6 February. Details here.


Windrush Day Grant Scheme 2026

For 2026, up to £500,000 is available nationally, with grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 for eligible organisations. Funded projects should focus on one of the following aims:

Raising awareness of the Windrush story

Fostering pride in the contribution of the Windrush generation and their descendants

Encouraging and inspiring young people

Applications close 10 February. Details here.


Small Charity Week Match Funding Campaign 2026

The campaign helps small charities maximise donations through match funding, providing vital unrestricted income. Thanks to match funding from Champion funders, including players of People’s Postcode Lottery, public donations made during the campaign will once again be doubled. The Small Charity Week 2026 match funding campaign will run from 22–29 June 2026, aligning with Small Charity Week.

Applications close 11 February. Details here.


The Path Accessibility Fund by The Ramblers

This fund helps community groups remove access barriers—like stiles, steps, overgrown trails—to make UK public rights of way usable by people with reduced mobility, including those using mobility aids or pushchairs. Grants average around £2,500, ‘however we have funded larger amounts which represented good value for money and contained a strong element of match funding, or in-kind funding. The smallest amount awarded was £250’.

Deadline 14 March. Details here.


The Henry Smith Foundation Holiday Grants Programme 

‘offers one-off grants for schools, youth groups and non-profit organisations to take children aged 13 and under on recreational day trips or short residential trips.’ Priority is given to disabled children and those in deprived areas. Grants range between £500 and £3,000.

  • Applications for trips between 12 January and 30 April 2026 are open from 9am, 1 December 2025, until 19 March 2026.
  • Applications for trips between 1 May and 30 September 2026 are open from 20 March and 19 August 2026.
  • Applications for trips between 1 October and 31 December 2026 are open from 20 August and 19 November 2026.

Details here.

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