Postcode Innovation Trust
Could Postcode Innovation Trust fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.
- Typical grants
- £100,000 – £1,250,000
- Where they fund
- Great Britain, Scotland
- Applications
- Accepted
- How to apply
- Two-stage application
- Decisions
- Quarterly
Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.
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postcodeinnovationtrust.org.ukAbout Postcode Innovation Trust
Postcode Innovation Trust is an independent funder that supports social enterprises and charitable organisations across Great Britain. The Trust focuses on helping social entrepreneurs innovate, break down barriers, increase revenues, and achieve social impact through enterprise training, capacity support, accelerators, incubators, mentoring, and peer support. They also invest in ambitious, well-designed projects capable of delivering meaningful, measurable change in social inclusion, community development, and environmental improvement.
What Postcode Innovation Trust funds
The Trust funds a range of activities across three main programmes. Through the Social Enterprise Support Programme, they provide training, mentoring, and peer support to help social entrepreneurs develop solutions and scale their impact. The Social Investment Programme supports capital works for community development and environmental improvement, prioritising innovative approaches that go beyond the minimum. The Dream Fund backs innovative, collaborative projects that seek to deliver systemic change across Great Britain, with new thematic priorities researched each year. Additionally, the Social Enterprise EDGE Award supports social enterprises based and operating in Scotland.
Who can apply
The Trust welcomes applications from registered charities, asset-locked social enterprises, and other non-profit distributing organisations such as Community Interest Companies limited by guarantee, Community Benefit Societies, Industrial and Provident Societies, and Charitable Incorporated Organisations. Organisations must be legally incorporated and asset-locked. They support work across Great Britain, with a dedicated programme for Scotland. The Trust prioritises projects that address social inclusion, community development, and environmental improvement, and that demonstrate ambition and a clear link between investment and increased impact.
What Postcode Innovation Trust doesn't fund
The Trust does not support core costs, bridging finance, refinancing of existing debt, or routine repair and maintenance of buildings or infrastructure. They exclude organisations with poor credit history, weak governance, or lacking repayment capacity. Projects without a clear link between investment and increased impact are not funded. Additionally, they do not fund Schedule 3 Community Interest Companies, co-operatives, or private companies limited by shares.
How they like to fund
The Trust offers multi-year funding for ambitious projects through the Social Investment Programme and Dream Fund, and provides capital investment alongside enterprise training, mentoring, and peer support. Match funding is not required. They value innovative, collaborative approaches and look for organisations seeking to grow their trading income. The Trust operates a mix of open and invited programmes, and welcomes unsolicited applications for some streams.
How much does Postcode Innovation Trust give?
Postcode Innovation Trust runs 4 grant programmes. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.
Last verified 8 August 2026 · 43 sourced facts
- By invitation only
- 1 rounds a year
- Multi-year funding
- Two-stage process
- By invitation only
- Expression of interest first
- 4 rounds a year
- 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 Postcode Innovation Trust funds — and what they won't
Supports innovative, collaborative and impactful projects that seek to deliver systemic change. New thematic priorities researched and announced each year.
The full exclusions list (6)
- Bridging finance or refinancing of existing debt
- Routine repair and maintenance of buildings or infrastructure
- Projects without a clear link between investment and increased impact
- Organisations with poor credit history, weak governance, or lacking repayment capacity
- Organisations not seeking to grow trading income
- Are not legally incorporated or asset-locked
Good to know
How to apply to Postcode Innovation Trust
Postcode Innovation Trust takes applications via two-stage application.
- Published programme route: by invitation only.
- Decisions are typically quarterly.
- Check whether your charity is in scope before you spend time on a full bid.
How it works
- 1Describe your project. Once — used for this funder and others.
- 2See if this could be a fit. Honest check on cause, place, size, and rules.
- 3Draft if yes. From your real data — or move on if not.
See if Postcode Innovation Trust could be a fit. Draft if yes.
Frequently asked questions
How much funding does Postcode Innovation Trust provide?
Postcode Innovation Trust runs 4 grant programmes — Dream Fund: Up to £1,250,000 · Social Enterprise EDGE Award: Up to £100,000 · Social Investment Programme: £50,000 – £300,000.
Where does Postcode Innovation Trust fund charities?
Postcode Innovation Trust funds charities operating in Great Britain, Scotland.
Does Postcode Innovation Trust accept unsolicited applications?
Postcode Innovation Trust accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.
What does Postcode Innovation Trust not fund?
Their published exclusions include: Bridging finance or refinancing of existing debt; Routine repair and maintenance of buildings or infrastructure; Projects without a clear link between investment and increased impact; Organisations with poor credit history, weak governance, or lacking repayment capacity; Organisations not seeking to grow trading income. The full exclusions list is further up this page.
How do I apply for funding from Postcode Innovation Trust?
Postcode Innovation Trust takes applications via two-stage application. Published programme route: by invitation only.
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Could Postcode Innovation Trust be a fit?
Check free. Draft if yes, or shortlist better matches.