Community Development704+ Funders

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%

Community Development Funders

47 of 704 match your filters

Checked against verified programme data for 155 of 704 funders. 549 not yet verified are listed below; 108 that don't fit were excluded.

Architectural Heritage Fund

Matching programme: Capital Works Grants (CWG) - Wales

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF), a UK-registered charity founded in 1976, champions the conservation and sustainable reuse of historic buildings...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £100,000

Baywind Energy Community Trust

Matching 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...

Grant Range
£100 - £5,000

Civic Power Fund

Matching 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...

Grant Range
£2,500 - £20,000

Co-Operative Community Investment Foundation

Matching programme: Carbon Innovation 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 ...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £30,000

Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation 2014

Matching programme: Recreational Facilities Development

Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation 2014 serves as trustee for CISWO, a national charity dedicated to advancing health, relieving poverty and ha...

Grant Range
Contact funder

Cornwall Community Development Limited

Matching programme: ACRE Village Hall Capital Grants

Cornwall Community Development Limited, operating as Cornwall Rural Community Charity (CRCC), was established in 2001 from the Cornwall Rural Communit...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

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,...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000

Earley Charity

Matching programme: Grants to Organisations – £3,000 and under

The Earley Charity, evolved from historic poor relief traditions, drives its mission to alleviate poverty, hardship, and disadvantage among vulnerable...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

England and Wales Cricket Trust

Matching programme: County Grants Fund

The England and Wales Cricket Trust (EWCT), a registered charity (no. 1112540), promotes community participation in cricket as a means of healthy recr...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £50,000

Football Foundation

Matching programme: Grass Pitch Creation Grant

The Football Foundation, established in 2000 by the Premier League, The FA, and the UK Government via Sport England, is the UK's largest sports charit...

Grant Range
£300 - £100,000

Forever Manchester

Matching programme: Bright Futures Fund

Forever Manchester is an independent charitable foundation dedicated to empowering grassroots community activity and building resilient neighbourhoods...

Grant Range
£500 - £1,500

Fort Augustus & Glenmoriston Community Company

Matching programme: Group Grant (standard)

Fort Augustus & Glenmoriston Community Company, established in 2007 by the local Community Council in the Scottish Highlands, is a community-led organ...

Grant Range
Up to £25,000

Gatwick Airport Community Trust

Matching programme: Gatwick Airport Community Trust Grant Fund

Gatwick Airport Community Trust is an independent grant-making charity established in 2002 through a legally binding agreement between Gatwick Airport...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £5,000

Girton Town Charity

Matching 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...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

Grantscape

Matching programme: SUEZ Communities Fund - England

Grantscape, established in 1997, is a specialist UK charitable grant-maker dedicated to strengthening local communities and protecting the natural env...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £50,000

Greenham Trust Ltd

Matching 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 ...

Grant Range
£500 - £30,000

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...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

Harpenden Trust

Matching programme: Community Fund

The Harpenden Trust is a grassroots charitable organisation rooted in fostering neighbourly compassion and alleviating hardship for local residents th...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

Heathrow Community Trust

Matching programme: Communities Together Small

Heathrow Community Trust (HCT), established in 1996 as an independent grant-making charity, supports and enhances quality of life for communities arou...

Grant Range
£2,500 - £15,000

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 ...

Grant Range
£3,000 - £5,000

Holkham Charitable Foundation

Matching programme: The Holkham Charitable Foundation

The Holkham Charitable Foundation embodies a legacy of family-led stewardship and social responsibility, established to champion local philanthropy as...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

Lancashire Environmental Fund Limited

Matching programme: Green Grants

Lancashire Environmental Fund Limited is a partnership-driven grantmaker dedicated to offsetting landfill impacts through environmental enhancements t...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £30,000

Len Pick Trust

Matching 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...

Grant Range
£500 - £15,000

Lionel Abel-Smith Trust

Matching programme: General Grant Programme

The Lionel Abel-Smith Trust is an endowed grant-making charity founded to perpetuate local heritage and community stewardship, with a mission to enhan...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund

Matching programme: Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund

Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund, established by Manchester Airport Plc, drives a mission to mitigate airport operations' environmental and soc...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £3,000

Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust

Matching programme: Local Grants

The Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust is an independent Welsh grant-maker founded to harness the legacy of the Millennium Stadium for enhancing qual...

Grant Range
Contact funder

Mobbs Memorial Trust Limited

Matching programme: General Grant Programme

The Mobbs Memorial Trust Limited, established in 1956 by Sir Noel Mobbs using family endowment funds, is a family-governed grantmaker dedicated to pre...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £5,000

National Forest Company

Matching programme: Tree planting grants

The National Forest Company pioneers landscape-scale environmental regeneration through tree planting and sustainable land management in post-industri...

Grant Range
£500 - £25,000

National Lottery Heritage Fund

Matching programme: National Lottery Grants for Heritage £10,000–£250,000

The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the UK's largest dedicated heritage funder established in 1994 (with roots in the 1980 National Heritage Memorial ...

Grant Range
£25,000 - £100,000

Northern Powergrid Foundation

Matching 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...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £20,000

Nova Wakefield District Limited

Matching programme: Castleford Pride in Place Community Grants Programme

Nova Wakefield District Limited is the local infrastructure charity empowering Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations across ...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000

People's Health Trust

Matching programme: Advice for Health

People's Health Trust is a national UK charity established in 2011, funded initially by The Health Lottery, dedicated to challenging health inequaliti...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £50,000

R C Snelling Charitable Trust

Matching 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 ...

Grant Range
£500 - £25,000

Riverside Foundation

Matching programme: Community Fund

Riverside Foundation, a registered UK charity established in 1983, transforms lives and regenerates deprived neighbourhoods, primarily where parent ho...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

Rothley Trust

Matching programme: Energy Grants

The Rothley Trust is a grant-making charity established in 1959 to deliver small grants advancing charitable work among disadvantaged communities in t...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £3,000

Sheffield Town Trust

Matching programme: One-Off Project Grants

Sheffield Town Trust, founded in 1297 by Thomas de Furnival, is one of the UK's oldest charities and a pioneering civic trust originally created to gr...

Grant Range
£500 - £3,000

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...

Grant Range
Up to £20,000

South Downs National Park Trust

Matching programme: Pounds for Ponds Fund

The South Downs National Park Trust, established in 2017 as the official independent charity for the South Downs National Park spanning Hampshire, Wes...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

sportscotland

Matching programme: Cycling Facilities Fund - Club Hub and Event Projects

sportscotland, established in 1972 as the Scottish Sports Council by royal charter, serves as Scotland's national agency for sport and an executive no...

Grant Range
Up to £250,000

St Dennis and Nanpean Community Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Matching programme: Grant Application

St Dennis and Nanpean Community Charitable Incorporated Organisation is an independent local grantmaker with a mission to maximise social, economic, e...

Grant Range
£250 - £30,000

Summerfield Charitable Trust

Matching programme: General Grant Programme

Summerfield Charitable Trust advances community resilience, inclusion, creativity, environmental stewardship, and support for disadvantaged population...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £50,000

Sussex Community Foundation

Matching 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 ...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000

The Severn Trent Water Charitable Trust Fund

Matching programme: Severn Trent Community Fund (Project Funding)

The Severn Trent Water Charitable Trust Fund, established by Severn Trent Water Limited, champions social responsibility, fairness, and sustainability...

Grant Range
£2,000 - £200,000

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...

Grant Range
£200 - £30,000

Veolia Environmental Trust

Matching programme: Community Grant Scheme

The Veolia Environmental Trust, a UK-registered charity established in 1997 by Veolia as an independent entity, channels funds from the government’s L...

Grant Range
£10,000 - £75,000

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 ...

Grant Range
£250 - £50,000

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 ...

Grant Range
£200 - £10,000
549 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.

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

1

Describe Your Charity

Tell us what your charity does, who you help, and where you work. Takes 30 seconds.

2

Get Matched Instantly

Our AI ranks all 704 community development funders by how well they fit your specific work.

3

Write Winning Applications

Our AI assistant helps you draft and refine grant applications tailored to each funder.

Which of These 704 Funders Are Right for You?

Browsing 704 funders manually takes hours. Describe your charity once and get your top matches ranked by compatibility — in seconds.

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