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
58 of 704 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 167 of 704 funders. 537 not yet verified are listed below; 109 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...
Bolton Community and Voluntary Services
Verified openMatching programme: Bolton Housing Partnership Grants – Organisations
Bolton Community and Voluntary Services (Bolton CVS) is a registered charity and local infrastructure organisation dedicated to strengthening the volu...
Castle Cavendish Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Area-Based Grants
Castle Cavendish Foundation is a Nottingham-based registered charity and social impact company, established over 15 years ago, dedicated to enhancing ...
Charles Littlewood Hill Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Charles Littlewood Hill Trust Grant Programme
The Charles Littlewood Hill Trust, established in 1978 by Charles Littlewood Hill, pursues a mission of advancing diverse charitable purposes through ...
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 ...
Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation 2014
Verified openMatching programme: Individual Grant Giving
Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation 2014 serves as trustee for CISWO, a national charity dedicated to advancing health, relieving poverty and ha...
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 for Wiltshire & Swindon
Verified openMatching programme: Community Grants
Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation, founded in 1975 as an independent charity (formerly Community Foundation for Wiltshire & Swindon), tackles...
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...
Cruden Foundation Ltd
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
Cruden Foundation Ltd, established in Edinburgh from a building business legacy, embodies a mission of community regeneration and enduring public bene...
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,...
Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust
The Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust is a family-led foundation embodying stewardship, heritage responsibility, and community flourishing through...
Elmgrant Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Organisation Grants
The Elmgrant Trust, family-founded in 1936 by Leonard and Dorothy Elmhirst and Beatrice, carries forward the Dartington Hall ethos of rural regenerati...
Eric Wright Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Community Grants
The Eric Wright Charitable Trust embodies a founding vision of responsible business stewardship channeling construction industry profits into perpetua...
Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Medium Grant
The Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust (EKCT), established in 1963 by Ernest and Joan Kleinwort, is a family-led grant-making foundation dedicated to m...
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 ...
Forever Manchester
Verified openMatching programme: CDL Fund
Forever Manchester is an independent charitable foundation dedicated to empowering grassroots community activity and building resilient neighbourhoods...
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...
Gannochy Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Major Grants
The Gannochy Trust, established in 1937 by Scottish philanthropist A.K. Bell, is a major charitable funder anchored in Perth and Kinross with a missio...
Geoffrey Watling Charity
Verified openMatching programme: General Grant Programme
The Geoffrey Watling Charity embodies entrepreneurial generosity, local pride, and civic friendship, channeling resources to vitalize communities thro...
Girton Town Charity
Verified openMatching programme: Grants for Organisations
Girton Town Charity is a historic almshouse provider rooted in medieval philanthropy, dedicated to enabling Girton village residents to lead fulfillin...
Greenham Trust Ltd
Verified openMatching programme: Community Wellbeing Fund
Greenham Trust Ltd, founded in 1997 as Greenham Common Community Trust following the closure of RAF Greenham Common, reinvests commercial income from ...
Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland
Verified openMatching programme: COLLABORATE
Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, established over 40 years ago and funded entirely by Lloyds Banking Group profits as one of four autonomous H...
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...
J G Graves Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: General Grant Programme
The J G Graves Charitable Trust, founded in 1930 by Sheffield businessman and philanthropist John George Graves, is a legacy-driven funder dedicated t...
John Moores Foundation
Verified openMatching 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 ...
Joseph Rank Trust
Verified openMatching programme: General Fund
The Joseph Rank Trust is an independent Christian grant-maker established in 2002 from charities founded by Joseph Rank (1854–1943) and family between...
Kelly Family Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Kelly Family Charitable Trust, a UK-based family foundation established in 2004 by the Kelly family, is dedicated to strengthening and preserving ...
Len Pick Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Grant Over £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...
Millennium Awards Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Millennium Awards Trust Scaling Up Award
The Millennium Awards Trust, established in 2002 with an endowment from the UK government's Millennium Commission and National Lottery, catalyses posi...
Milton Keynes Community Foundation Limited
Verified openMatching programme: Community Roots Project
Milton Keynes Community Foundation is an independent place-based funder with a mission to strengthen communities and improve quality of life by channe...
Moto Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Community Grants
Moto Foundation, established in 2005 as Moto in the Community and rebranded in 2022, serves as the charitable arm of Moto Hospitality Limited, the UK'...
Nisbet Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Nisbet Trust Grants
The Nisbet Trust is an independent grant-making charity established in 2011 by the Nisbet family, with roots in Greater Bristol through Andrew Nisbet'...
Oakdale Trust
Verified openMatching 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...
P H Holt Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Action on Abuse Fund
The P H Holt Foundation is a legacy-driven grantmaker rooted in over a century of philanthropy aimed at improving everyday life for Merseyside residen...
Postcode Local Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Postcode Local Trust Core Grant Programme
Postcode Local Trust, established in 2014 as a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, channels proceeds from the People’s Postcode Lotte...
Quartet Community Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Express Grant Programme
Quartet Community Foundation harnesses local philanthropy to tackle entrenched inequalities, promote inclusion, and build resilient communities throug...
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 ...
Rainford Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Rainford Trust, an independent grant-making charity established in 1973 by the Pilkington family—founders of the historic St Helens glassmaking fi...
Richmond Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Partnership Funding
Richmond Foundation, an independent charitable foundation established in 1786 from a royal land donation by King George III and Queen Charlotte, rebra...
Sackler Trust
Verified openMatching programme: The Sackler Trust
The Sackler Trust is a UK-based grant-making foundation established in 2010 with a mission to advance medical science, healthcare innovation, educatio...
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...
Shears Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Small Grants Programme
The Shears Foundation, a family-led charitable foundation established in 1994 by Trevor and Lyn Shears from proceeds of the Go-Ahead transport group f...
Sir James Reckitt Charity
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Sir James Reckitt Charity, founded by Quaker industrialist Sir James Reckitt, advances social, material, and moral welfare for Hull and East Yorks...
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 ...
Tendring Community Voluntary Services
Verified openMatching 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 ...
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...
Triodos Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Triodos Foundation Grant
Triodos Foundation, established in 1996 as an expression of Triodos Bank’s ethos of sustainable, ethical finance, is a UK-registered grant-maker dedic...
Showing 50 of 58 matching funders
537 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
Tell us what your charity does, who you help, and where you work. Takes 30 seconds.
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Which of These 704 Funders Are Right for You?
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