This week's Funding Bulletin (August 24th - August 28th 2026)

A short summary of funding opportunities that have come to our attention this week.

National Lottery's Reaching Communities England Programme

Community based organisations are invited to apply for funding through the National Lottery’s Reaching Communities England programme.

The programme supports projects that strengthen communities and improve lives across England. Funding is available for initiatives that support communities to:

• Come together through inclusive places, spaces and activities (either physical or virtual), especially for communities where people are least able to come together

• Help children and young people thrive by developing positive social and emotional skills

• Tackle health inequalities by addressing the conditions in which people live, work and grow

• Be environmentally sustainable by engaging with climate issues, having a positive environmental impact, and improving access to quality natural spaces

Priority will be given to projects that:

• Support places, people or communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination

• Support people and communities to shape the decisions that affect their lives

Grants range from £20,001 to £20 million for projects lasting up to 5 years.

Most awards are under £500,000. Funding can cover a broad range of costs, including staffing, delivery expenses, community engagement and organisational development.

Eligible applicants include registered charities, voluntary groups, CIOs, CICs, schools and public bodies. Partnerships may also apply.

There is no fixed closing date; applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Decisions can take several months due to the programme's scale and demand.

To read more: Reaching Communities England | The National Lottery Community Fund

UK Government's Green Heat Network Fund

Organisations in England can now apply for capital funding to assist new and existing heat networks in transitioning to low and zero-carbon technologies.

This funding is provided through the latest funding round of the Government's £288 million Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF). The fund aims to support the deployment of low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps, solar energy, and geothermal energy. The goal is to enable heat networks to supply clean heating to homes, offices, commercial establishments, and public buildings.

The GHNF is a capital grant fund that supports:

• The commercialisation and construction of new low and zero-carbon (LZC) heat networks, including the provision of cooling.

• The retrofitting and expansion of existing heat networks.

Its objective is to develop and expand the heat network market, addressing challenges associated with decarbonising the UK's heating sector.

Grant amounts for individual projects will vary, with a maximum of £1 million for commercialisation support.

Current deadline: 25th September 2026

To read more: Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF): guidance on how to apply - GOV.UK

The Aviva Foundation's Financial Futures Fund

Grants starting at £100,000 are available through the Aviva Foundation’s Financial Futures Fund for organisations working to improve financial resilience in the UK.

The Aviva Foundation supports people across the UK by funding practical solutions to current challenges and investing in long-term change.

The fund is open to UK-registered charitable, non-profit and social enterprise organisations with annual income of at least £1 million. Funded activity must deliver impact in the UK and support people with low financial resilience.

Funding can support work that helps people manage money, access fair and inclusive financial services, respond to financial shocks, build savings, and address barriers such as debt, housing insecurity and digital exclusion. Priorities include:

• Transformational change

• Impact and evidence

• Inclusion

• Community-rooted delivery

• Learning, influence and scale

The total 2026 grant-making budget is up to £3 million across two rounds. Average grants are usually £250,000 to £300,000 over three years, with no upper limit. Core costs and overheads can be included. Applications are made through a two-stage process.

Current deadline: 7th October 2026

To read more: Financial Futures Fund - Aviva Foundation

Historic England's Heritage at Risk Capital Fund

Grants of up to £1 million are available through Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Capital Fund for projects that repair and conserve historic buildings and sites at risk across England.

Historic England is the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s historic environment.

The fund supports the conservation, repair and conversion of listed buildings, historic buildings in conservation areas, registered parks and gardens, and scheduled monuments. It is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, with up to £60 million remaining for allocation over the next four years to 2030.

Applicants must have legal responsibility for the asset. This includes owners, those with a full repairing lease of at least 21 years, or those with an agreement to acquire the property. Priority will be given to projects in areas with high deprivation and investment need, and those delivering strong community benefit.

Funding can support capital works, professional fees, non-recoverable VAT, insurance, project development linked to capital works, temporary protection of vacant buildings, adaptive reuse, accessibility works and some minor repairs where part of a larger project.

Current deadline: 18th September 2026

To read more: Heritage at Risk Capital Fund | Historic England

The Morrisons Foundation's Connecting Communities Grants

The Morrisons Foundation has announced that its Connecting Communities grants are open for applications, offering up to £20,000 to registered charities for capital projects that improve shared community spaces.

The Morrisons Foundation is the charitable foundation of Morrisons, supporting registered charities that make a positive difference in local communities across England, Scotland and Wales.

The grants are intended to help charities maintain, refurbish and improve accessible local spaces that bring people together, reduce social isolation and keep vital services available. Eligible projects could include:

• Renovations such as roofs, kitchens or accessible toilets

• Fixed equipment such as boilers, security systems, stairlifts or sensory room equipment

• Outdoor improvements such as community gardens, paths or playground equipment

Applicants must be registered charities with at least one year’s registration, filed accounts, and ownership of the property or a lease with at least three years remaining. Smaller charities with annual income under £1 million are prioritised. CICs, exempt charities, animal welfare charities, and organisations promoting religious or political messages are not eligible.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through the Morrisons Foundation website. There is no deadline. Decisions are usually provided by email within eight weeks, although the grant policy states reviews can take up to three months.

To read more: Morrisons Foundation Connecting Communities Grant Request

Veolia Environmental Trust Grants

The Veolia Environmental Trust has opened its latest funding round for community and environmental projects in England.

Funding is available via two schemes:

• The Community Grants Scheme offers £10,000 to £75,000 for improvements to publicly accessible buildings and spaces, including community centres, parks, play areas, sports grounds, community gardens, woodlands and waterways.

• The Habitat and Biodiversity Grants Scheme offers £10,000 to £75,000 for projects that create or improve natural habitats and biodiversity, including woodlands, nature reserves and waterways. Larger grants may be considered for registered charities, Environmental Bodies and local authorities.

Eligible applicants include constituted not-for-profit organisations, local authorities and Environmental Bodies. Applicants must normally own the site or hold a lease with at least seven years remaining.

Successful applicants must arrange a 10% Contributing Third Party payment. Community projects must normally be publicly accessible for at least 16 hours a week.

Current deadline: 1st October 2026

To read more: Eligibility checker - Veolia Environmental trust

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Our past Funding Bulletins will also have grant opportunities that are still open!

Check our 'Funding' tab on our News page to see other funding opportunities you could be eligible for.

Need support applying to any of the above? Get in touch with us at groups@wcvs.org.uk to access bespoke advice and one-to-one support with grant funding.