Community Development Grants & Funding
There are 704 UK funders offering grants for community development charities, with typical awards from £100 to £4,500,000.
Community development funding supports the organisations and initiatives that strengthen local areas across the UK. This encompasses community centres, neighbourhood projects, civic participation, social cohesion, and place-based regeneration. Many of the UK's largest funders — including the National Lottery Community Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, and local community foundations — prioritise grassroots organisations that are rooted in and responsive to their communities. Funding is available for both capital projects (building renovations, community spaces, equipment) and revenue work (staffing, activities, outreach). Community development grants often favour a participatory approach, where local residents are involved in identifying needs and designing solutions. Rural communities, post-industrial areas, and urban estates with high deprivation frequently receive targeted support. The trend toward devolution and community ownership of assets has also created new funding streams for community land trusts, community energy projects, and social enterprises.
Quick Stats
- Total Funders
- 704
- Grant Range
- £100 - £4,500,000
- Open to Applications
- 48%
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Clear filtersFilters use programme details verified from each funder's own published guidance. Funders we haven't verified yet are listed separately below, never hidden.
Community Development Funders
32 of 704 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 154 of 704 funders. 550 not yet verified are listed below; 122 that don't fit were excluded.
Action Together CIO
Matching programme: Ashton Parish Church Charity Small Grants Programme
Action Together CIO, established in 2016 through the merger of Voluntary Action Oldham and Community and Voluntary Action Tameside, serves as the infr...
Co-Operative Community Investment Foundation
Matching programme: Young Gamechangers Fund
The Co-operative Community Investment Foundation, known as the Co-op Foundation, is the charitable arm of the Co-operative Group, established in 2002 ...
Corra Foundation
Matching programme: Henry Duncan Grants
Corra Foundation, an independent Scottish grant-maker established in 1985 (originally Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland), drives positive change, opp...
Cumbria Community Foundation
Matching programme: Cumbria Community Foundation Grants
Cumbria Community Foundation, established in 1999, is an independent UK community foundation dedicated to tackling poverty, enhancing quality of life,...
Dorset Community Foundation
Matching programme: EDC Project Fund for Strength & Sustainability
Dorset Community Foundation is an independent grantmaker dedicated to improving lives and fostering thriving, united communities across Dorset by chan...
Edgar E Lawley Foundation
Matching programme: General Grant Programme
The Edgar E Lawley Foundation, established in 1961, drives a philanthropic mission to advance social welfare and alleviate disadvantage through flexib...
Eric Wright Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Eric Wright Charitable Trust Grants 2025/26
The Eric Wright Charitable Trust embodies a founding vision of responsible business stewardship channeling construction industry profits into perpetua...
Essex Community Foundation
Matching programme: Essex Fund
Essex Community Foundation, established in 1996, is an independent charitable foundation dedicated to enhancing quality of life for Essex residents by...
Forever Manchester
Matching programme: Bright Futures Fund
Forever Manchester is an independent charitable foundation dedicated to empowering grassroots community activity and building resilient neighbourhoods...
Foundation Scotland
Matching programme: Women's Fund for Scotland
Foundation Scotland, Scotland's sole community foundation, drives a mission to empower communities by bridging innovative ideas with resources, foster...
Friends Provident Charitable Foundation
Matching programme: Building Resilient Economies programme
Friends Provident Charitable Foundation, an independent UK grant-making charity established in 2004 with a £33 million endowment from Friends Providen...
Gwinear-Gwithian Sustainable Community Fund
Matching programme: Gwinear-Gwithian Sustainable Community Fund
Gwinear-Gwithian Sustainable Community Fund is a community-rooted charity dedicated to enhancing sustainability, resilience, and quality of life in ru...
Herefordshire Community Foundation
Matching programme: Community Chest Programme
Herefordshire Community Foundation (HCF), established in June 2002, is an independent grant-making charity dedicated to promoting charitable purposes ...
Housing Pathways Trust
Matching programme: Main Grants Programme
Housing Pathways Trust, a historic almshouse charity rooted in seventeenth-century principles, drives community transformation by enabling those in ne...
John Moores Foundation
Matching programme: Grants for Merseyside
The John Moores Foundation, established in Liverpool in 1964 by philanthropist Sir John Moores, is a family-founded independent grant-maker dedicated ...
Kensington and Chelsea Foundation
Matching programme: Earls Court Community Fund
The Kensington and Chelsea Foundation, established in 2008 as an independent place-based charity, addresses profound hardship, exclusion, and inequali...
Len Pick Trust
Matching programme: Grant Under £1,000
The Len Pick Trust is a community-rooted grantmaker inspired by the philanthropic legacy of local farmer and benefactor Len Pick, dedicated to deliver...
Locality (UK)
Matching programme: Locality Awards '24
Locality is a national network and registered UK charity founded in 1994 through the merger of two leading community support bodies, dedicated to empo...
Norfolk Community Foundation
Matching programme: Handelsbanken Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund
Norfolk Community Foundation is an independent local charity dedicated to strengthening Norfolk communities by investing in small grassroots organizat...
Oakdale Trust
Matching programme: Grant Applications
The Oakdale Trust is a small, family-run charitable foundation established in 1946 by Brandon Cadbury, rooted in the Cadbury family's philanthropic le...
Point North Community Foundation
Matching programme: Welcome Spaces
Point North Community Foundation, formerly County Durham Community Foundation and established in 1995 by Sir Paul Nicholson and David Grant, is an acc...
Quartet Community Foundation
Matching programme: Express Grant Programme
Quartet Community Foundation harnesses local philanthropy to tackle entrenched inequalities, promote inclusion, and build resilient communities throug...
Riverside Foundation
Matching programme: Isle of Dogs Community Chest Programme
Riverside Foundation, a registered UK charity established in 1983, transforms lives and regenerates deprived neighbourhoods, primarily where parent ho...
Salford Community & Voluntary Services
Matching programme: Health and Wellbeing Fund
Salford Community & Voluntary Services (Salford CVS), established in 1919 as part of post-WWI social service efforts and independent since 1973, serve...
Sir James Knott Trust
Matching programme: Rolling Grants Programme
The Sir James Knott Trust, established in 1924 by Tyneside shipowner Sir James Knott following the loss of his sons in World War I, is a cornerstone p...
Sussex Community Foundation
Matching programme: Chagossian Fund
Sussex Community Foundation, established in 2006 by the late 10th Duke of Richmond and Gordon, is an independent UK Community Foundation dedicated to ...
Tendring Community Voluntary Services
Matching programme: Sector Sustainability Utility Support Grants
Tendring Community Voluntary Services (CVST), founded in 1973 and incorporated in 2005, serves as the longstanding umbrella charity for the voluntary ...
The Severn Trent Water Charitable Trust Fund
Matching programme: Severn Trent Community Fund (Core Funding)
The Severn Trent Water Charitable Trust Fund, established by Severn Trent Water Limited, champions social responsibility, fairness, and sustainability...
Torbay Community Development Trust Ltd
Matching programme: Torbay Council Community Fund
Torbay Communities, rooted in asset-based community development, empowers local voluntary, community, and social enterprise organizations to foster in...
Two Ridings Community Foundation
Matching programme: Small Grants Fund
Two Ridings Community Foundation, established in 2000 by former Chief Constable David Kenworthy, inspires local giving and channels philanthropic inve...
William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Birmingham and the West Midlands
The William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust, established in 1923 by Quaker philanthropist William Cadbury—former Lord Mayor of Birmingham—advances ...
Woodsmith Foundation Limited
Matching programme: Community Grants
Woodsmith Foundation Limited, established in 2012 as the York Potash Foundation and now funded by Anglo American via a unique 0.5% revenue share from ...
550 funders not yet verified against these filters
We haven't confirmed these funders' programme details yet, so they may or may not fit. Showing the first 10.
Tips for Applying to Community Development Funders
Community development funders want to see that your organisation is genuinely rooted in the area you serve. Demonstrate local knowledge by referencing specific neighbourhood dynamics, community assets, and the relationships you have built over time — not just census data. Describe a participatory needs assessment process: how did residents themselves identify the issues your project addresses, and how will they continue to shape delivery? Partnership working is essential in this space, so detail your collaborations with other local organisations, statutory agencies, and community groups, explaining what each partner brings and how you avoid duplication. Address sustainability explicitly — funders need confidence that your work will continue beyond the grant period through community ownership, income generation, volunteer capacity, or integration into local infrastructure. Include community asset mapping that shows you understand what already exists and how your project builds on strengths rather than starting from scratch. Strong applications demonstrate that the community drives the agenda rather than the organisation imposing solutions. Show how you reach residents who are typically excluded from community engagement processes, and explain your approach to building social capital and civic participation alongside delivering specific project activities.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Community Development Grants
What grants are available for community development charities in the UK?
There are 704+ UK funders offering grants for community development charities. These range from small community grants under £5,000 to large multi-year funding programmes exceeding £100,000. Use Fundermatcher to find the best match for your organisation.
How much funding can community development organisations get?
Grant amounts for community development charities vary widely depending on the funder and project. Typical grants range from £1,000 to over £100,000. Many funders offer multi-year funding for established organisations with a strong track record.
How do I apply for community development grants?
Start by identifying funders whose priorities align with your community development work. Fundermatcher matches your charity's profile against 704+ funders to find the best fit. Our AI assistant can then help you draft compelling grant applications.
How to Find the Right Community Development Funders
Describe Your Charity
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Which of These 704 Funders Are Right for You?
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