South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited

Could South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.

Typical grants
£500 – £5,000
Where they fund
South Yorkshire
Applications
Accepted
How to apply
Online form

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

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sycf.org.uk

About South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited

South Yorkshire Community Foundation (SYCF) is an independent charitable funder that supports grassroots groups and organisations across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. They aim to strengthen communities by funding initiatives that respond to local needs, engage people facing disadvantage, and deliver wide-ranging benefits. Their approach is collaborative and evidence-led, prioritising groups that are deeply embedded in their communities. The Foundation funds a broad range of charitable purposes including education and learning, poverty deprivation, work and the local economy, health and well-being (both physical and mental), homelessness, social isolation, and support for people with disabilities.

What South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited funds

SYCF funds initiatives that address local needs across South Yorkshire, focusing on education and learning, poverty and deprivation, work and the local economy, health and well-being (including physical and mental health), homelessness, social isolation, and support for people with disabilities. They also support green and blue activities connecting people with the outdoors, particularly for those with mental ill health and communities at risk of health inequalities, such as Black and Ethnic Minority communities, young people, and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals. Grants can cover project delivery, equipment, and capital works, but not retrospective costs.

Who can apply

Eligible applicants include registered charities, community groups, community interest companies (CICs), social enterprises, and unincorporated associations that are based and work in South Yorkshire. The Foundation prioritises groups that respond to their communities’ needs, support people whose needs can be clearly demonstrated, and engage people who face discrimination or disadvantage. They do not fund individuals, for-profit organisations, statutory bodies such as schools or hospitals, or national charities unless locally led and run.

What South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited doesn't fund

SYCF does not fund for-profit organisations, statutory bodies (e.g., schools, hospitals, local councils), overseas organisations or trips, grant-making to other organisations or individuals, activities primarily for the benefit of animals, or projects that promote a particular political or religious point of view. They also exclude retrospective costs, statutory fines and penalties, recoverable VAT, and organisations that discriminate or promote hate speech.

How they like to fund

SYCF offers one-off grants that are to be spent within one year of receipt. They welcome unsolicited applications and fund a range of costs including project delivery, equipment, and capital works. Their funding is not multi-year, and they do not support retrospective costs, consultancy, feasibility studies, sponsorship, endowments, or transport.

How much does South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited give?

South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited runs 4 grant programmes. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.

Last verified 8 August 2026 · 68 sourced facts

Small Grants ProgrammeOpen to applications
£250 – £1,000
  • Online application form
  • Single-year grants
South Yorkshire Green Social Prescribing Grants ProgrammeCurrently closed
Up to £7,500
  • Two-stage process
SYCF Community Grants ProgrammeOpen to applications
Up to £5,000
  • Online application form
  • 2 rounds a year
  • Single-year grants
The Connecting South Yorkshire FundCurrently closed
Up to £1,000
  • Online application form

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 South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited funds — and what they won't

Their stated priorities

Groups that respond to their communities’ needs; support people whose needs can be clearly demonstrated; focus on advancement of education, promotion of good health or relief of poverty and sickness; work in collaboration; engage people who face discrimination or disadvantage; produce wide range of benefits and good value for money

Where they fund
South Yorkshire
Costs they'll cover
EquipmentEventsProject deliveryCapital works & buildings
They don't fund
RetrospectiveConsultancyFeasibility studiesSponsorshipEndowmentTransportIndividualsSchoolFaith groupsPrivate company
The full exclusions list (21)
  • National charities unless locally led and run
  • Organisations with substantial unrestricted funds and income over £10,000
  • Activities that promote political or religious beliefs
  • Statutory bodies
  • Organisations or activities that support animals
  • Contributions to a large project where amount applied for is less than 20% of total project cost
  • More than one application in a 12-month period
  • Grants for IT and associated equipment over £400
  • Activities or organisations that are for personal profit
  • Statutory fines and penalties
  • Recoverable VAT
  • Organisations that discriminate
  • Organisations that promote hate speech
  • For-profit organisations
  • statutory organisations (e.g., schools and hospitals)
  • overseas organisations
  • Overseas trips or expeditions
  • Grant-making to other organisations and/or individuals
  • Organisations or activities primarily for the benefit of animals rather than people
  • Activity that promotes a particular political or religious point of view
  • Organisations with substantial unrestricted reserves and income over £200,000

Good to know

FaithNo restriction
Focus areas
CommunityPoverty & hardshipMental healthDisabilityHomelessness

How to apply to South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited

South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited takes applications via online form.

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

How it works

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

See if South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited could be a fit. Draft if yes.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited provide?

South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited runs 4 grant programmes — Small Grants Programme: £250 – £1,000 · South Yorkshire Green Social Prescribing Grants Programme: Up to £7,500 · SYCF Community Grants Programme: Up to £5,000 · The Connecting South Yorkshire Fund: Up to £1,000.

Where does South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited fund charities?

South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited funds charities operating in South Yorkshire.

Does South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited accept unsolicited applications?

South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.

What does South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited not fund?

Their published exclusions include: National charities unless locally led and run; Organisations with substantial unrestricted funds and income over £10,000; Activities that promote political or religious beliefs; Statutory bodies; Organisations or activities that support animals. The full exclusions list is further up this page.

How do I apply for funding from South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited?

South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited takes applications via online form. Published programme route: online application form.

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Could South Yorkshire Community Foundation Limited be a fit?

Check free. Draft if yes, or shortlist better matches.