Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation

Could Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.

Typical grants: £1,000 – £5,000
Where they fund: New Forest, Southampton City Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight
Applications: Accepted
How to apply: Two-stage application

Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.

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hiwcf.org.uk

About Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation is a grant-making charity that supports local voluntary and community groups across Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton, and the Isle of Wight. Their work addresses a range of issues grouped under impact themes: tackling poverty and inequality, employability and skills, flourishing communities, health and wellbeing, crime and safety, and the environment. They prioritise community-led solutions and small-scale, place-based interventions, believing that local knowledge and lived experience are key to creating lasting change. The foundation aims to strengthen disadvantaged communities by funding grassroots organisations that understand and respond to local needs.

What Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation funds

The foundation funds work that reaches people living hard and challenging lives, regularly brings together members of the community, and is shaped by local people. Their grants support a variety of activities including core costs, salaries, project delivery, and volunteer expenses. They fund across impact themes such as tackling poverty and inequality, employability and skills, flourishing communities, health and wellbeing, crime and safety, and the environment. Programmes operate county-wide across Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton, and the Isle of Wight, with some initiatives focused on specific local areas like the New Forest, Southampton City Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, and the Isle of Wight.

Who can apply

Registered charities and community groups based and working in Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton, or the Isle of Wight can apply. The foundation prioritises grassroots organisations with deep local knowledge and a community-led approach. They seek applications for work that reaches people living hard and challenging lives, involves regular community gathering, and demonstrates that local people helped shape the activity. There is no religious restriction; applications are open to all eligible groups.

What Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation doesn't fund

The foundation does not fund equipment, capital works such as building projects, or one-to-one work such as counselling. They also exclude work that does not meet all three of their core programme criteria: reaching people living hard and challenging lives, bringing together community members regularly, and being shaped by local people.

How they like to fund

The foundation offers both single-year and multi-year grants, as seen in programmes like the Charles Burnett Memorial Fund and Young Island Lives Fund. They support core costs, salaries, project delivery, and volunteer expenses. They welcome unsolicited applications and operate through an online application process for open programmes. Their funding style emphasises partnership with grassroots organisations and place-based interventions.

How much does Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation give?

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation runs 8 grant programmes. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.

Last verified 8 August 2026 · 52 sourced facts

Charles Burnett memorial FundCurrently closed

Up to £10,000

Multi-year funding

Ford Community GrantCurrently closed

Get Active Get InvolvedCurrently closed

Including CommunitiesCurrently closed

£1,000 – £10,000

Online portal
Single-year grants

Isle of Wight Community FundCurrently closed

Michael Austin Harlick Sports AwardsOpen to applications

Online portal

Portsmouth City Community FundCurrently closed

Young Island Lives FundCurrently closed

Up to £10,000

Multi-year funding

Those are the published figures. What your charity could realistically get — and whether you'd clear their rules on income, location and legal structure — is what the free fit check answers.

What Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation funds — and what they won't

Their stated priorities

The community activities and services that this grants-programme will fund need to meet ALL three of the following programme-criteria: 1) Your application must be for work that reaches people living hard and challenging lives. 2) Your application must be for work that regularly brings together members of the community. 3) Your application must show how local people/ people from your target community helped to shape this work.

Where they fund

New ForestSouthampton City CouncilEastleigh Borough CouncilHampshirePortsmouthSouthamptonIsle of Wight

Costs they'll cover

Core costsSalariesProject deliveryVolunteer costs

They don't fund

EquipmentCapital works & buildings

The full exclusions list (1)

We will not fund work that is carried out on a one-to-one basis e.g. counselling.

Good to know

FaithNo restriction

Focus areas

Poverty & hardshipMental healthChildren & youthHomelessnessDisability

How to apply to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation takes applications via two-stage application.

Published programme route: online portal.
Check whether your charity is in scope before you spend time on a full bid.

What Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation's application asks

We hold the 42 questions from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation's application form, word for word — so you know exactly what you're signing up to answer.

Question 1

“What is the full name of your group or organisation?”

Question 2

“What is the official address of your group or organisation?”

40 more questions from their form, plus answers drafted from your charity's real data if you decide to apply.

How it works

1
Describe your project. Once — used for this funder and others.
2
See if this could be a fit. Honest check on cause, place, size, and rules.
3
Draft if yes. From your real data — or move on if not.

See if Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation could be a fit. Draft if yes.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation provide?

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation runs 8 grant programmes — Charles Burnett memorial Fund: Up to £10,000 · Including Communities: £1,000 – £10,000 · Young Island Lives Fund: Up to £10,000.

Where does Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation fund charities?

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation funds charities operating in New Forest, Southampton City Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight.

Does Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation accept unsolicited applications?

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.

What does Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation not fund?

Their published exclusions include: We will not fund work that is carried out on a one-to-one basis e.g. counselling.. The full exclusions list is further up this page.

How do I apply for funding from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation?

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Community Foundation takes applications via two-stage application. Published programme route: online portal.