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
39 of 704 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 181 of 704 funders. 523 not yet verified are listed below; 142 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...
Adnams Community Trust
Matching programme: Adnams Community Trust
The Adnams Community Trust, established in 1990 by Adnams PLC—a historic brewery based in Southwold, Suffolk—channels at least 1% of the company's ann...
Benefact Trust Limited
Matching programme: Building Grants
Benefact Trust Limited, formerly Allchurches Trust, is an independent UK-registered charity established in 1972 with roots in 1887, headquartered in G...
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...
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 ...
Co-operative Group
Matching programme: Co-op Local Community Fund
The Co-operative Group, the UK's largest consumer co-operative rooted in 1863 principles of economic democracy, co-operative practice, and community s...
Community Foundation for Calderdale
Matching programme: Calderdale Resilience Fund
The Community Foundation for Calderdale (CFFC), established in 1991, is a not-for-profit community foundation dedicated to reducing inequalities and c...
Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
Matching programme: Community Solutions to Housing and Homelessness programme
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, established in 1979 as the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust, is an independent grant-making body with o...
Department for Transport
Matching programme: Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG)
The Department for Transport (DfT), a UK ministerial department established in 2002, provides leadership and strategic frameworks for reliable, safe, ...
Devon Community Foundation
Matching programme: Small Grants
Devon Community Foundation, established in 1996 as Devon’s largest independent grantmaker and a registered charity, harnesses local philanthropy to st...
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Matching 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 ...
Essex Community Foundation
Matching programme: East of England Co-op Community Cares Fund
Essex Community Foundation, established in 1996, is an independent charitable foundation dedicated to enhancing quality of life for Essex residents by...
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...
Geoffrey Watling Charity
Matching programme: General Grant Programme
The Geoffrey Watling Charity embodies entrepreneurial generosity, local pride, and civic friendship, channeling resources to vitalize communities thro...
H&F Giving
Matching programme: Earls Court Community Fund
H&F Giving is a place-based charitable funder established in 2018 through the merger of Hammersmith United Charities and Dr Edwards and Bishop King’s ...
Hackney Council for Voluntary Service
Matching programme: Information and Signposting
Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (Hackney CVS), an independent charity founded in 1997, empowers Hackney’s voluntary and community sector to fost...
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...
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 ...
Hey Smile Foundation
Matching programme: Green Social Prescribing Programme
HEY Smile Foundation, founded in 2008 by Jim Dick OBE, is a Yorkshire-based infrastructure charity dedicated to strengthening the voluntary sector in ...
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...
Isabel Blackman Foundation
Matching programme: Main Grants Programme
The Isabel Blackman Foundation, established in 1967 by the late Isabel Blackman, is a charitable trust dedicated to advancing education and social wel...
Janet and Bryan Moore Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Discretionary Grants
The Janet and Bryan Moore Charitable Trust is dedicated to enhancing and uniting rural communities through grants that preserve heritage and foster co...
Joseph Rank Trust
Matching 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...
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...
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...
London Marathon Charitable Trust Limited
Matching programme: Active Spaces Fund
London Marathon Charitable Trust Limited, operating as the London Marathon Foundation and founded in 1981 by marathon co-founders, champions the life-...
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...
Milton Keynes Community Foundation Limited
Matching 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...
Ministry of Defence
Matching programme: Community Covenant Grant Scheme
The Ministry of Defence (MOD), established in 1964 as the UK's central government department for defence, serves as headquarters for the British Armed...
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 ...
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...
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...
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 ...
Rank Foundation Limited
Matching programme: Pebble Grants
The Rank Foundation Limited, established in 1953 by Arthur Rank, is a UK-wide charitable funder rooted in enterprise, Christian faith, and community s...
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...
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...
Suffolk Community Foundation
Matching 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...
William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust
Matching programme: United Kingdom (The Religious Society of Friends)
The William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust, established in 1923 by Quaker philanthropist William Cadbury—former Lord Mayor of Birmingham—advances ...
Wright's Clock Land CIO
Matching programme: Main Grants Programme
Wright's Clock Land CIO, established in October 2020 as a charitable incorporated organisation succeeding the 1525 Wright's Clock Land Charity endowed...
523 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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