This week's Funding Bulletin (February 16th - February 20th 2026)

eloisehallwcvs
6 hours ago
8 min read

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

Wirral CVS Funding Opportunities

Small Grants Programme

Wirral CVS has £100,000 from Wirral Council Public Health to deliver a Small Grants Programme, offering grants of up to £5,000, with the majority of awards expected to be under £3,000.

This programme is aimed at small, local organisations that are deeply embedded in their communities. To be eligible, organisations must:

Be based and operating in Wirral
Have had an income of under £10,000 in the last year
Be a charity, social enterprise, or community group with a governing document
Have a bank account in the organisation’s name with at least two unrelated signatories, or an agreement with an appropriate organisation to hold funds on their behalf

Funded activities should contribute to one or more of the following outcomes:

Improved physical and mental wellbeing
Reduced health inequalities
Preventative approaches to health
Enhanced social inclusion and community resilience
Increased access to health and wellbeing activities
Improved self-management of health conditions
Empowered communities taking charge of their wellbeing

This programme is particularly well suited to smaller organisations delivering targeted, community-led activity with a clear health and wellbeing benefit.

Apply: Small Grants Programme

Arts & Culture Fund

The Arts & Culture Fund is open to VCFSE organisations delivering arts and cultural activities that benefit Wirral communities. Grants of up to £5,000 are available.

This fund focuses on strengthening the sustainability and resilience of organisations working in the arts and culture sector, while also increasing volunteer engagement.

Funding can be used to:

Build organisational capacity, including governance, workforce development, financial planning, and digital skills
Support innovative approaches to income generation and long-term sustainability
Enhance the ability of organisations to respond to challenges and opportunities in the sector
Enable arts and culture organisations to adapt, grow, and secure their future

Eligible applicants include registered charities, CICs, CIOs and unincorporated associations with a governing document, provided they are delivering arts or cultural activity that benefits people and communities in Wirral.

Apply: Arts & Culture Capacity & Resilience Fund - Application Form

General Funding Opportunities

The Speech Language and Hearing Foundation

The Speech Language and Hearing Foundation has announced funding to support education, therapy and research aimed at improving the lives of children facing communication challenges and complex developmental needs across the United Kingdom.

The Foundation provides grants to small UK-based charities working with children who have hearing impairments, speech delays, language and communication difficulties, or broader complex needs. In addition to direct educational and therapeutic support, funding is also available for medical innovation and research initiatives that advance understanding and treatment in these areas.

The Foundation prioritises projects that:

Support children with hearing impairment, speech and language delay, or complex developmental needs
Advance medical innovation and new developments relevant to these children
Promote research across topics related to childhood deafness, communication disorders and associated conditions

Recent awards have ranged between £500 and £15,000, although no fixed grant ceiling has been formally specified.

Past grants have supported a wide range of educational, clinical and research projects, including:

The provision of part-time speech and language therapists in schools serving high levels of deprivation, particularly for children who do not meet the criteria for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
Postgraduate training in Educational Audiology at Mary Hare School
Acoustic treatment of classrooms delivered by The Jewish Deaf Association
Research into childhood deafness undertaken by RNID
A pilot project for ICAN’s award-winning “Tots Talking” programme
The provision of laptops to enhance speech and language therapy delivery

By targeting small charities and focused initiatives, the Foundation aims to deliver practical, measurable improvements in access to specialist support and inclusive education for vulnerable children.

Applications for funding may be submitted at any time throughout the year.

To read more: Home

The 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.

Organisations eligible to apply include:

Public sector organisations – e.g. local authorities, government departments, NHS trusts and other statutory bodies.
Private sector entities – registered companies and commercial developers, including corporate project sponsors responsible for heat network projects.
Third sector organisations – such as registered charities, community energy organisations and similar not-for-profit bodies involved in heat network delivery.

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: 1st May 2026

To read more: Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF)

The McCarthy Stone Foundation's Dementia Grants Programme

Grants of up to £7,500 are available to support small dementia clubs and memory cafes across England, Scotland and Wales.

At least 20 grants will be awarded to organisations that provide services to adults over 65 years of age living with dementia and/or their carers. This might include the provision of dementia clubs, carer training, or memory cafes.

The grants awarded will either be

Unrestricted Core Funding, which the recipient organisation can allocate without limitations. Unrestricted funding is only available to registered charities and community groups. Unrestricted grants are not awarded to Community Interest Companies.
Project Funding. This funding is to support a new or existing programme within an organisation dedicated to supporting people over 65.

Applicants need to be registered charities, community groups, or community interest companies with an annual income of under £250,000. Priority will be given to those working in areas of high deprivation.

Current deadline: 13th March 2026

The Charles Hayward Foundation

The Charles Hayward Foundation is inviting UK registered charities to apply for its latest round of Social & Criminal Justice grants. The grants support projects aimed at preventing criminal activity and rehabilitating offenders.

Charities with an annual income between £350,000 and £4 million are eligible for Main Grants of £15,000 to £25,000 per annum, for up to three years. Smaller charities with incomes under £350,000 are encouraged to apply through the Foundation’s separate Small Grant programme.

The funding supports programmes that deliver early intervention for vulnerable families, diversionary projects for at-risk youth, particularly girls and young women, and rehabilitation schemes that bridge prison and community life. Priority is given to initiatives supporting victims of domestic abuse and criminal exploitation, as well as those offering viable alternatives to custody.

There is no initial application form. Instead, eligible organisations must submit a proposal of no more than four A4 pages outlining their project’s need, delivery method, and budget.

Current deadline: 22nd May 2026

The National Lottery Community Fund's Reaching Communities England Programme

Community-based organisations such as voluntary groups, registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, community interest companies and other not-for-profit bodies are invited to apply for funding through the Reaching Communities England Programme.

Delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund, this grant programme supports projects that strengthen communities and improve lives across England. Funding is available for initiatives that address:

Poverty, disadvantage or discrimination
Support children and young people
Tackle health inequalities
Promote environmental sustainability
Create inclusive places and activities shaped by local people

Eligible applicants must be based in England and have appropriate governance structures, including at least two unrelated board or committee members. Partnerships led by eligible organisations may also apply.

Funding can cover a broad range of activity costs, including staffing, delivery expenses, community engagement and organisational development.

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

Easyfundraising's Impact Fund

Funding platform Easyfundraising has launched a new fund to support not-for-profit organisations across the UK.

The Impact Fund offers twenty unrestricted grants of £500 to help organisations continue or improve their services.

The funding can be used where it’s needed most, including equipment, resources, volunteer costs, event expenses, small projects or essential running costs.

The fund is open to organisations including charities, not-for-profits, schools and education settings, sports clubs, CICs and social enterprises, youth groups and faith organisations.

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

Community impact - how clearly the organisation explains what they will do with the £500 grant

Reach and beneficiaries - how clearly the organisation explains who will benefit from the funding

Lasting benefit - the potential for the grant to strengthen the organisation’s ongoing work or facilities

The funding comes from Easyfundraising’s partnerships with retailers, who donate a percentage of online purchases to support good causes.

Current deadline: 5th April 2026

To read more: Impact Fund | easyfundraising

The UK Government's Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund

As part of its national strategy to end homelessness, the government has announced a three-year, £37 million investment in England’s voluntary, community and faith sector.

The Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund will support organisations to:

Increase community-based support to prevent and reduce the number of people experiencing rough sleeping
Enhance or transform existing day support offers through staff, physical infrastructure, service development and partnership working
Support individuals to live independently and prevent them returning to rough sleeping

Organisations can apply for up to three years of revenue funding and one year of capital funding:

Revenue: £50,000 to £200,000 per year (can be requested in Years 1, 2 and 3)

Capital: £50,000 to £200,000 per year (can be requested in Year 1 or 2)

Organisations eligible to apply include:

Registered Charities

Charitable Incorporated Organisations

Community Interest Companies

Community Benefit Societies

Parochial Church Councils

Organisations must have a maximum annual income of £5 million and have delivered support to people at risk of or experiencing homelessness for at least three years.

Partnership applications are welcomed.

Current deadline: 31st March 2026

The Weavers Company's Charitable Grants Programme

The Worshipful Company of Weavers has launched a new funding round through its charitable grants programme.

The fund’s primary focus is on helping young offenders and ex-offenders, and other disadvantaged young people find pathways to meaningful employment and community participation. It also offers backing to smaller charities that work with under-funded groups within the criminal justice system.

Organisations eligible to apply include registered UK charities and charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs). In certain circumstances, community interest companies (CICs) may be considered.

There are two levels of funding:

Small grants of up to £5,000
Main grants with no formal cap, though many typical awards fall in the £10,000–£15,000 range

Current deadline: 12th March 2026

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.