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
24 of 704 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 184 of 704 funders. 520 not yet verified are listed below; 160 that don't fit were excluded.
Access - The Foundation for Social Investment
Verified openMatching programme: Local Access
Access – The Foundation for Social Investment drives systemic transformation in the social investment market, empowering charities and social enterpri...
Architectural Heritage Fund
Verified openMatching programme: Project Development Grants (PDG) - Scotland
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF), a UK-registered charity founded in 1976, champions the conservation and sustainable reuse of historic buildings...
Baywind Energy Community Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
Baywind Energy Community Trust champions community-owned renewable energy and environmental sustainability, rooted in the pioneering ethos of the UK's...
City Health Care Partnership Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Small Grants
City Health Care Partnership Foundation, established in 2013 by City Health Care Partnership CIC, is a grant-making charity dedicated to promoting hea...
Civic Power Fund
Verified openMatching programme: Alliance for Youth Organising
The Civic Power Fund, launched in 2022 as the UK's first pooled donor fund for grassroots community organising, unites progressive trusts like Unbound...
Co-Operative Community Investment Foundation
Verified openMatching 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 ...
Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Brighter Futures
The Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust, an independent grant-making charity founded in 1969 by Sir James Colyer-Fergusson, is dedicated to improving li...
Community Foundation in Wales
Verified openMatching programme: Fund for Wales
Community Foundation Wales, established in November 1998 as a registered charity and company, drives philanthropy to strengthen Welsh communities by c...
Cumbria Community Foundation
Verified openMatching 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,...
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Grants
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, established in 1961 by Ian Fairbairn in memory of his wife, is one of the UK's largest independent funders, dedicated ...
Friends Provident Charitable Foundation
Verified openMatching 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...
Housing Pathways Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grants Programme
Housing Pathways Trust, a historic almshouse charity rooted in seventeenth-century principles, drives community transformation by enabling those in ne...
National Lottery Heritage Fund
Verified openMatching programme: National Lottery Grants for Heritage £250,000–£5 million
The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the UK's largest dedicated heritage funder established in 1994 (with roots in the 1980 National Heritage Memorial ...
Northern Powergrid Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Energy Resilience Grants Programme
Northern Powergrid Foundation champions energy resilience and social equity for communities ravaged by extreme weather, with a mission rooted in preve...
Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services
Verified openMatching programme: Port of Milford Haven Community Fund
Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS) serves as the County Voluntary Council championing charitable purposes for public benefit throu...
Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Perth City Heritage Fund (PCHF)
Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust (PKHT), an independent Scottish charity established in 1988, is dedicated to protecting, conserving, enhancing, and p...
R C Snelling Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
The R C Snelling Charitable Trust, established in 1999 by Norfolk businessman Roy Snelling, honors his success with the Snelling Group by reinvesting ...
Salford Community & Voluntary Services
Verified openMatching programme: Salford Centenary Fund – Large Grants
Salford Community & Voluntary Services (Salford CVS), established in 1919 as part of post-WWI social service efforts and independent since 1973, serve...
Suffolk Community Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Central Fund
Suffolk Community Foundation, established in 2005 as one of the UK's 47 community foundations and the largest independent grant-maker to Suffolk's vol...
Sussex Community Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grants Programme
Sussex Community Foundation, established in 2006 by the late 10th Duke of Richmond and Gordon, is an independent UK Community Foundation dedicated to ...
Torbay Community Development Trust Ltd
Verified openMatching 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
Verified openMatching programme: Small Grants Fund
Two Ridings Community Foundation, established in 2000 by former Chief Constable David Kenworthy, inspires local giving and channels philanthropic inve...
Walton on Thames Charity
Verified openMatching programme: Community Grants – Small Grants (up to £10,000)
Walton on Thames Charity, known as Walton Charity, is an ancient local foundation with over 800 years of history rooted in the parish of Walton-on-Tha...
Woodsmith Foundation Limited
Verified openMatching programme: Small Grants for Everyday Essentials and Activities
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 ...
520 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
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