This week's Funding Bulletin (October 19th - October 23rd 2026)
A short summary of funding opportunities that have come to our attention this week.
SUEZ Communities Fund
Not-for-profit organisations in England can apply for funding to deliver projects that improve communities and the environment.
The funding is made available through the SUEZ Communities Fund for projects that improve public amenities, repair religious or historic buildings, or support biodiversity in areas surrounding Suez landfill sites. The maximum grant amount that organisations can apply for is £50,000.
Funding typically covers:
Materials
Equipment
contractors for improvement work
Projects must be located within a funding zone surrounding a qualifying site owned by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK. Please use the Post Code Checker to check eligibility.
The next application deadline is 18 November 2026.
Current deadline: 18th November 2026
To read more: SUEZ Communities Fund - Grantscape
The Paddle Trust
The Paddle Trust has announced that its next funding round will open on 23 October 2026, offering grants of £500 to £10,000 for projects improving public access to waterways across the UK. The Trust may also consider exceptional projects seeking more than £10,000.
The Trust is a UK charity that supports sustainable access to rivers, waterways, and coastlines while protecting the natural environment.
Funding is available to paddling clubs, community groups, parish councils, local authorities and others working to improve water access.
Eligible projects could include:
Launching and landing facilities: Installing or improving platforms, ramps and steps to make it easier and safer to enter and leave the water.
Accessible pathways: Creating or improving paths and routes to the water’s edge, including access for people with disabilities.
Parking facilities: Providing designated or essential additional parking for people using waterways.
Sustainable access points: Developing durable access facilities that use sustainable materials where appropriate.
Environmental improvements: Protecting rivers, coastlines and riverbanks, including measures to prevent erosion caused by water access.
Signage and information: Installing signs promoting responsible water use, environmental protection, hazard awareness and appropriate routes or trails.
Current deadline: 7th December 2026
To read more: Funding Applications | Apply for Paddle Trust funding
The FFC Communities Foundation's Community Action Fund
The FCC Communities Foundation has opened the FCC Community Action Fund, offering grants of £10,000 to £100,000 for improvements to public amenities and biodiversity projects in England. The fund is supported by FCC Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Examples of projects that can be supported through the FCC Community Action Fund include:
Replacing windows or doors in a village hall or community centre.
Installing new play equipment in a public open space.
Building or improving footpaths and cycleways in a public park.
Providing an all-weather surface for a publicly accessible multi-use games area.
Creating improved paths or a dipping platform at a nature reserve.
Installing a skate park.
Refurbishing or improving publicly accessible sports club pavilions and clubhouses.
Improving community spaces within churches where those spaces are available for public hire.
Carrying out landscaping or access improvements at parks, gardens, country parks or woodlands.
Improving museum facilities where these are publicly accessible.
Examples include new play equipment, windows and doors, footpaths, all-weather sports surfaces and habitat improvements. Project costs must not exceed £250,000.
Current deadline: 18th November 2026
To read more: FCC Community Action Fund / FCC
The Henry Smith Foundation's Enterprise Gateway Fund
The Henry Smith Foundation is launching a £6 million Enterprise Gateway Fund to help small voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations and social entrepreneurs develop new sources of earned income and improve their long-term financial resilience. The Foundation is one of the UK’s largest independent charitable funders.
At least four Intermediary Partners will be appointed to deliver the programme. They can apply for £500,000 to £1.5 million over three years to provide onward grants, enterprise development support, peer learning, networking and programme management. Small organisations and social entrepreneurs cannot apply directly to the Foundation.
To read more: Enterprise Gateway - Henry Smith
The Yapp Charitable Trust
The Yapp Charitable Trust is making funding available to support the core costs of small registered charities working with some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised people in England and Wales.
The Trust funds work that focuses on one of their priority groups:
Elderly people
Children & young people
Mental health, disability & learning difficulties
People overcoming addiction, abuse, offending or social disadvantage
Educational disadvantage
Grants of up to £3,000 per year for up to three years are available to support ongoing core costs and regular service delivery rather than new projects.
To be eligible, organisations must have been operating for at least three years and have an annual income of less than £50,000.
Priority will be given to:
Work that is unattractive to the general public or unpopular with other funders
Services that help to improve the lives of marginalised, disadvantaged or isolated people
Applicants that can demonstrate an effective use of volunteers
Applicants that can demonstrate (where feasible) an element of self-sustainability by charging subscriptions/fees to service users
Applications can be made at any time. Trustees meet three times a year to review applications. Decisions can take up to five months.
To read more: WHAT WE FUND – The Yapp Charitable Trust
The National Lottery Community Fund's Climate Action Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund has opened applications to its Climate Action Fund – Food Systems, offering funding of up to £7 million for partnership projects that aim to strengthen the UK’s food systems and reduce food insecurity.
The funding will support long-term projects that increase access to healthy, affordable food in environmentally sustainable ways.
It will do this by supporting projects that:
Work with nature to create resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems (this is called agroecology)
Address the root cause of long-term problems, not just the symptoms (this is called systems change)
Projects must work towards systems change in the way that:
Community organisations grow and produce food – using agroecological methods
Food gets distributed – aiming for equitable access to healthy, affordable food for all
Offers people and communities different food options – especially those experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination
Grants typically range from £3 million to £5 million for projects lasting between three and seven years, with up to ten projects expected to be funded.
Eligible costs include staff costs, transport, utilities, equipment, and costs that help organisations support communities and smaller partner organisations.
Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organisations working in partnership, such as charities, CICs, CIOs, schools, universities and public bodies.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Decisions can take up to nine months.
UEFA's Innovation Programme
UEFA and UK & Ireland 2028 Limited have launched the UEFA EURO 2028 Innovation Programme, offering a share of up to £200,000 to develop and test innovative solutions that create a lasting impact for volunteers and communities.
The programme has two challenges, improving how EURO 2028 volunteers recognise and demonstrate the skills they develop and creating inclusive digital or physical experiences that engage people who would not normally connect with major football tournaments.
Selected innovators will receive funding, mentoring, workshops and opportunities to pilot their solutions.
Applications close 15 November 2026. Selected projects will be developed and tested between February 2027 and May 2028, ahead of UEFA EURO 2028.
Current deadline: 15th November 2026
Read more: The UEFA EURO 2028 Innovation Programme: Empowering volunteers and engaging communities across the UK and Ireland | UEFA EURO 2028 | UEFA.com
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority's Community Environment Fund
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Community Environment Fund (CEF) is offering grants to support community-led environmental projects across the Liverpool City Region. The fund aims to improve local environments, tackle climate change, increase biodiversity, enhance green and blue spaces, improve air quality, reduce waste and encourage sustainable practices that contribute to the region’s net zero ambitions.
Two funding streams are available: Stream 1 offers grants of £1,000 to £4,999, while Stream 2 provides grants of £5,000 to £30,000. Applications are encouraged from community groups, charities, schools, faith groups, residents’ associations and other not-for-profit organisations working to deliver environmental and community benefits.
Eligible projects may include community gardens, tree planting, habitat creation, nature recovery initiatives, environmental education, green infrastructure improvements, sustainable food projects and repair or reuse schemes. The fund also prioritises community engagement and long-term behaviour change, supporting projects that encourage residents to take an active role in protecting and improving their local environment.
Our past Funding Bulletins will also have grant opportunities that are still open!
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.
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