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Phillip Abbiss
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30+ Sources Of Funding For Social Enterprises
Ian McLintock Founder at Charity Excellence Framework Posted 6 years ago
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These are from the free Charity Excellence Framework online toolkit, which also works for CICs. To access the full list of 80 funding sources, register here. It takes 2 minutes and the online toolkit, its huge number of resources and quality mark are all completely free.
Government Contracts
Find funding to start your social enterprise here, or try these.
Contracts Finder - public sector contracts and e mail alerts.
Supply Change - platform for social enterprises to access public sector contracts.
Government Grants & Competitions
GovGrantsHub - non-profit and business grants.
Innovation Funding - Government innovation competitions.
Online Platforms
There are a whole range of platforms that match non-profits to potential supporters, businesses and donors. The CEF has a list of 30+ fundraising platforms, including a number that can match you to potential donors - here are some of them.
Trusts That Fund Social Enterprises
Fundraising is more difficult for social enterprises and it can be hard to find which trusts will consider bids. Here’s a list below and here is some guidance on how to write a compelling core case for support.
Allen Lane Foundation - Grants in the UK for work that makes a difference to people's lives as opposed to simply alleviating the symptoms or current problems and should aim to reduce isolation, stigma and discrimination.
American Express - Philanthropic Programme - Grants for not-for-profit organisations in the areas of developing leadership and community service.
ASDA Foundation - Significant Local Community Projects - Capital grants in the UK for local charitable projects and activities that benefit the wider community, address local needs and make a significant difference to the local community.
BBC Children in Need - Small Grants Programme - Grants for working with disadvantaged children and young people who are 18 years old and younger.
Big Local - National Lottery Community Fund - A place-based investment programme supporting residents in 150 Big Local areas around England to lead change in their area.
First Steps Enterprise Fund - ASDA Foundation - A loan-grant package is available for small organisations based and working in communities in England to help them grow their services and become more sustainable.
Greggs Foundation - Local Community Projects Fund - Grants for not-for-profit organisations based in local communities in England, Scotland and Wales to deliver projects or provide equipment to people in need at the heart of their local communities.
Henry Smith Charity - Main Grants - Improving Lives - Grants to help people in the UK when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available.
High Streets Heritage Action Zones (DCMS) - A £44 million fund which will allow Historic England to work with not-for-profit organisations to find new ways to champion and revive historic high streets across England.
Home Office - Anti-Knife Crime Community Fund - Grants for community projects in England and Wales which reduce knife crime and have a positive impact on young people who are at risk of carrying a knife and committing a crime.
Hyde Charitable Trust - Successful Places Fund - Grants for organisations operating locally, regionally or nationally for the provision of services and activities that address issues on Hyde’s estates and densely populated neighbourhoods.
Inter Faith Youth Trust Small Grants Programme - Grants for organisations involved in inter faith projects for young people that take place in the UK during Inter Faith Week.
Lush Charity Pot - Grants to small volunteer-run grassroots organisations, and particularly campaign groups, working in environment, animal protection and human rights in the UK and overseas with priority for less popular causes that aim to create long-term change and struggle to find funding.
National Lottery Community Fund – Partnerships - Grants to voluntary and community organisations in England which work together with a shared set of goals and values.
One Stop Carriers for Causes Grants - Grants for projects within two miles of a One Stop store in Great Britain that benefit local communities by helping to improve lives and local places.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation - Access and Participation Fund - Grants for organisations to test, implement and develop ambitious plans to widen access to and deepen participation in the arts.
People's Health Trust - Active Communities Funding Programme - Funding for local communities in England, Scotland and Wales to help create a society without health inequalities.
Persimmon Community Champions - One-off grants are available for organisations that have already secured matched funding for local community initiatives across England, Scotland and Wales.
Power to Change - Homes in Community Hands - Grants and support to help community business groups progress projects that build or refurbish homes designed around the needs of local people.
Ragdoll Foundation - Funding is available to support not-for-profit organisations, especially arts organisations, in the UK that are working with children and young people using the arts and creative media.
Resource Action Fund - Grants to support resource efficiency projects in England, with the goal of diverting, reducing and better managing waste, in the areas of food, plastics, textiles, recycling infrastructure and litter.
Skinners Company - Lady Neville Charity - One-off capital grants to grassroots charitable organisations in the UK that offer activities and interests within: local heritage, local community; and performing arts and visual arts.
Sport England - Small Grants Programme - Grants to carry out local community sports projects and encourage more people (aged 14 years and older) to be involved in sport.
Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grant - number of grants to larger not-for-profits for projects in England, Scotland or Wales that provide a significant benefit to communities across the whole of the Centenary region.
Tudor Trust - Grants are available to smaller community-led groups that support people at the margins of society in the UK, encouraging independence, inclusion and integration.
UK Community Foundations - Grants for projects in all sectors of the local community. Each foundation has its own character appropriate to the location and grants may be made to a wide range of activities including: health; children and young people; arts and culture; the environment; services.
W H Smith Trust - Community Grants - Small grants for charities, schools and community groups of any size, provided they support the community in the UK.
How To Find More Sources Of Funding
Here's the CEF guide to finding new sources of funding and, for trusts, you’ll find links to a significant number of free funding finders on the Charity Excellence Resource Hub
Sources: Charity Commission, Funding Central, Small Business UK, SSE, Google.
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