Children and Young People

Grants ranging from £500 to £2,750 are available for schools, youth groups, non-profit organisations, and charities to support recreational trips or holidays within the UK for groups of disadvantaged or disabled children who are 13 years old or younger. Applications from the 20% most deprived areas in the UK will be given priority. The grants can cover up to two-thirds of the total cost of a holiday or trip, which can last from one to seven...

Registered charities (including Schools that are registered as charities for young people with disabilities) that work with disadvantaged children under the age of 25 can apply for funding of up to £10,000. Of particular interest are projects that provide opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people to fulfil their potential and educational activities that develop learning, motivation and skills. Projects could, for example, sup...

Registered charities and mainstream state schools can apply for grants of up to £4,000 to deliver fun and accessible activities for children and young people during the school holidays. The funding is being made available through the John Lyon's Charity's School Holiday Activity Fund (SHAF) and will cover the running costs of holiday programmes which provide activities in accordance with current government guidelines for young people in the b...

Schools and colleges in areas of high deprivation in England and Wales can apply for support towards to cost of a residential stay at a YHA owned hostel. The funding is made available through the Youth Hostel Association’s Bursary scheme. The scheme is open to primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, schools offering alternative provision or colleges based in areas of high social deprivation and that have high numbers (upwards...

Grants of up to £500 are available to individuals in Scotland aged 16-26 looking to make a positive change to the issues that matter to them. The funding can be used by individuals to get their idea up and running and will help cover some of those costs. In addition, business support is available for those who decide to turn their idea into a business. The funding is being made available through the Pounds for Purpose grants programme and to...

Grants of between £30,000 and £50,000 are available to charities and other not-for-profit organisations in England and Wales that are working to support Black and ethnically minoritised children and young people that are at high risk of becoming involved in violence. A total of £2 million in funding is available through the Phoenix Way: Children and Youth Round to support projects aimed at diverting children and young people from crime, pro...

Schools, charitable organisations and other groups in Scotland supporting the education of young people under the age of 21 who have a physical or learning disability or who are socially disadvantaged can apply for funding to the John Watson Trust. Previous awards of around £1,000 have been made for items such as dyslexia tuition or books and equipment. For example, Castleview Primary School, Edinburgh received a grant of £1,000 to support...

Grants of up to £3,000 are available to charities and community groups working to improve the health and social welfare of, and offer training and employment opportunities to disadvantaged young people up to the age of 25 in Scotland. The types of projects the Essentia Foundation are looking to support could include helping those facing long-term challenges living in poverty and inequality, projects that support the participation in mainstrea...

Funding is available to support vulnerable families during the cost-of-living crisis. The Cash for Kids Cost of Living Fund will support families in the South of England who have a genuine need for help and are suffering from disadvantage due to the crisis, allowing them to apply for grants of £50 per child which can be used for basic essentials such as food, heating, clothing, and school uniform. Service providers who support vulnerable chil...

Grants are available to support children and young people living with severe poverty across the UK. The grants which are made available through the BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials programme supports families with children up to the age of 17 who are living with financial, health and social difficulties, by providing items that meet children’s most basic needs such as kitchen appliances, furniture, baby equipment, beds, clothing, a...

Grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 are available to charities and not-for-profit organisations working with young people aged 12-21 who are socially excluded or marginalised, and who may have experienced significant issues within their lives. The grants can be used to support a range of activities, including core costs, project work, and capital expenditure. To maximise the impact of its grants, the Foundation will only fund smaller organi...

Grants are available for UK primary schools interested in opening free breakfast clubs. The Greggs Foundation will provide an initial start-up grant for equipment such as chest freezers to store food items or toys and activities for the club. The average club costs £3,000 to set up and run for a year based on 65 children. Schools should able to attract adult volunteers to help run the scheme which must be able to show that at least 40% of the...

Tesco is introducing a £5 million grant programme to give children across the UK a stronger start in life. The grants will help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and equipment for healthy activities. The grants will help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activitie...

Grants are available to support the core costs of registered charities and other not-for-profit organisations delivering projects and activities that support children with additional needs across Scotland. The funding is made available by Trefoil through their Organisational Grants programme, which supports organisations delivering projects that maximise the independence of young people under the age of 25 who have special needs. This can inc...

Schools, charities, and community organisations seeking to offer breaks for disadvantaged children, young people and their families can apply for support for a residential stay in England and Wales. The Youth Hostel Association’s Breaks Programme offers bursaries to primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, schools offering alternative provision and colleges to help meet the costs of a residential trip. The programme also offers f...

The Happy Days Children’s Charity is inviting applications for funding towards trips, respite breaks and group activity holidays for disadvantaged children and young people with additional needs. The charity awards funding for different types of activities to support families with children aged 3-17 who have a disability, a special need or have been abused. Activities include family day trips, and family holiday breaks. Applications can be s...

Community groups, schools, parents, and caregivers can apply for grants of £500 to £5,000 per project from the Community Play Fund, which was introduced by ChangeX and the LEGO Foundation to support the development of playful experiences for children in communities across the UK. Individuals are eligible to apply but need to be part of a team. To apply, applicants choose the project they want to start based on their community’s needs, fro...

Grants of up to £2,400 are available to support the needs of vulnerable children and young people who have experienced a recent crisis or change in life that has had a significant impact on their social and emotional wellbeing and their education. The funding is being made available through the Buttle UK's Chances for Children Grants. Support might include items and activities to support learning and development such as laptops, books, wi-fi...

The Jack Petchey Foundation has re-opened its internship programme to help young people gain valuable experience in the youth sector. The programme will provide funding for year-long internships at youth organisations in London and Essex. The grant is worth £15,000 per intern and can be used to cover the cost of the intern's salary, as well as other related expenses. The closing date for applications is Friday 8th September 2023

Schools, colleges and community groups in England can apply for grants to support the education and development of children and young people through educational, cultural, sporting and other projects. Of particular interests are projects which will help enhance the self-confidence, team working skills and future employability of children and young people. In most cases grants will be made on a relatively small scale. Many grants will be under...

Schools in deprived areas across the UK are invited to apply for funding to start or improve their breakfast clubs. For a school in England to be eligible, at least 35% of pupils should be recorded as eligible for Pupil Premium. A Primary School in Scotland qualifies for support when at least 55% of pupils are in SIMD Deciles 1 to 4 and/or at least 35% are eligible for FSM. A Secondary School in Scotland qualifies for support when at least 40%...

Not for profit youth organisations supporting disadvantaged young people (aged 14 – 25) can apply for grants of up to £150,000 spread over three years to assist young people who face complex transitions to adulthood. The purpose of the fund is to aid youth organisations to sustain or expand their work. The Foundation provides core funding to organisations that aim for sustainability, growth, and impact. The funding is being made available t...

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to schools, charities, community organisations and local authorities for small one-off projects lasting up to one year that promote the life-chances of children and young people through education and family support. The funding is made available through the John Lyon’s Charity's and projects supported must be located in the boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Kensingt...

Not-for-profit organisations working with children and young people aged 18 or under can apply for grants of up to £40,000 per year for up to three years to support their core costs such as management and administration, HR, monitoring, evaluation and learning, etc. The funding is being made available through BBC Children in Need’s Core Cost programme and will support eligible organisations within the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, or the...

Grants of up to £150 are available to support deaf children and young people to get involved in events and activities, groups, and clubs across the UK. The funding, which is made available through the National Deaf Children’s Society’s Inclusion grants, will support activities that help to build confidence, independence and development in deaf children and young people aged 5-18 years, particularly those from lower incomes and with more c...

Schools, charities and not for profit organisations in the UK can apply for funding for equipment that helps mentally, physical and socially disadvantaged children. The funding is made available through the Wooden Spoon Society's Grants programme and has in the past provided funding for sensory rooms and gardens; playgrounds and outdoor spaces; specialist equipment and facilities; and projects that promote health and wellbeing. The funding av...

Grants of up to £2,400 are available to support the needs of vulnerable children and young people who have experienced a recent crisis or change in life that has had a significant impact on their wellbeing and their education. The funding is being made available through Buttle UK's Chances for Children Grants to provide a flexible range of support, such as items and activities to support learning and development (laptops, books, wi-fi, educat...

Applications are open for UK charities, educational institutions and NHS Trusts seeking funding to support those under the age of 18 who are living with a mental health condition, disability or growing up in poverty. The Hargreaves Foundation aims to help children and young people to fulfil their potential and improve their wellbeing, self-esteem and independence through educational and sporting activities provided. This could include initiati...

Grants of up to £120,000 are available for registered charities and not-for-profit organisations working with disadvantaged children and young people aged 18 and under in the UK, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands, through BBC Children in Need. The grants aim to support the core costs of these organisations, such as HR and payroll expenses, office costs, accountancy and audit, communications and outreach, and governance, regulatory, and...

A new £5 million fund has been launched to support youth groups through the cost-of-living crisis. Organisations with an annual income of up to £500,000 who are facing unprecedented demand or whose work is being hindered due to rising core costs can apply for three-year, unrestricted grants of approximately 10% of their current turnover. The funding is being offered through the UK Youth Fund, established by UK Youth in partnership with the P...

The UK Government is making £12 million in funding available over the next two years to enable vulnerable people struggling with legal problems to access early legal help. The funding will be awarded to charities and organisations providing support for people facing disputes, helping them to better understand their issues and avoid costly court proceedings. It will support organisations to provide specialist guidance in person, by telephone o...

Grants of up to £1,000 are available for affiliated sports clubs and organisations in England to provide recreational facilities for disadvantaged children and young people under the age of 21. The funding, which is made available by the Central Social and Recreational Trust, can be used to purchase equipment, and maintain gymnasiums or buildings to be used for recreational or other leisure time occupations by children who would otherwise be...

The European Youth Foundation (EYF) has launched a special call to support young people from Ukraine affected by the war. Non-governmental youth organisations in the UK and other Council of Europe member states can apply for grants of up to €15,000 to cover the costs of a pilot activity. Activities must be designed for, support and involve young people, and could include peer to peer learning and support, training and workshops, information...

As part of its new grant-making strategy, BBC Children in Need is awarding grants of up to £40,000 per year for up to three years to support the projects costs of registered charities and not-for-profit organisations (including Special Schools) working with disadvantaged children and young people aged 18 years or under living in the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. The funding will support the delivery of a specific piece of work...

Charitable organisations and educational establishments working to support the education of children and young people from disadvantaged or low-income backgrounds in inner London, are invited to apply for funding from the Portal Trust. The funding will support young people below the age of 25 to access educational opportunities and help them realise their full potential. Projects should aim to widen access and participation in further and high...

The BBC’s Children in Need has developed a new grant making strategy which will begin launching in autumn 2022. The strategy will focus on empowering disadvantaged children and young people, building awareness and empathy around issues, and building partnerships to bring communities and investors together. Project-based funding will continue to be offered, and funding for core/organisational costs will be offered as a separate grants scheme....

Sport England, in partnership with the Mayor of London and the London Marathon Charitable Trust, has launched a new £17 million fund to support disadvantaged and underserved young people in London to take part in sport and physical activity. The Sports Collaboration Fund will provide organisations with small and large grants lasting between twelve months and three years that will help young people in areas of low participation in sport, espec...

The Government has launched a public consultation on what future good causes should benefit from £738 million of dormant assets funding in England. Currently, the funding is spent on three social and environmental causes: youth, financial inclusion and social investment. The consultation will be open for twelve weeks to review whether these remain the right causes for where funding from dormant assets can be allocated. The funding is made ava...

Schools, registered charities, and community and voluntary organisations seeking to offer breaks for disadvantaged young people and families with the most challenging lives can apply for support for a residential stay in England and Wales. Organisations can apply on behalf of any individual or group of young people who are experiencing disadvantage including homelessness, disability, long-term illness, bereavement, and other circumstances that...

The National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are putting an extra £12 million of funding into the #iwill Fund to create thousands of new youth social action opportunities for young people across England. The #iwill Fund distributes its investment by working in partnership with other funders that match #iwill Fund monies on at least a £1:£1 ratio and develop funding programmes that enable more...

The Jack Petchey Foundation is making funding available to enable young people across London and Essex to get involved in volunteering projects in the UK. Through the Individual Grants for Volunteering programme, the Foundation will fund up to 50% of the cost of a project, up to the value of £400, to enable young people aged 11-25 to take on new challenges and develop their personal and social development through volunteering in areas such as...

Parents, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists of a child or young person under the age of 18 living with a disability or long-term health condition, can now apply for funding to purchase a new wheelchair. The funding is made available by children’s charity Variety, which will fund bespoke wheelchairs for any purpose, including manual, powered and sports wheelchairs that are not available through local authority wheelchair services i...

Grants of up to £1,500 are available to support talented children and young people who face barriers to reaching their potential due to a lack of funding. The Sirius Foundation’s Young and Talented Fund will help disadvantaged young people up to the age of 18 (up to 25 for care leavers and those with special educational needs and disabilities) living in Scarborough Borough, the North York Moors National Park, and Redcar and Cleveland to pro...

Grants of up to £1,000 are available towards the cost of a short respite holiday, day trip or activity for disabled, sick, convalescent or disadvantaged children whose families are unable to afford the cost. The funding which is being made available through the Charity Service Cinderella Fund and is available to individuals living in in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire, North East Cheshire and North West Derbyshire. Applications must be co...

Registered not-for-profit organisations in Kent can apply for grants of up to £75,000 for projects that support the rehabilitation of offenders and to help reduce the consequences of their imprisonment. Grants are offered to local organisations working in Kent and national charities currently offering, or planning to offer their services in the county. Collaborative/partnership working is particularly welcome, but consortium applications must...

Registered charities in Scotland working with young children (under 3) and their parent/families, or with a parent/families expecting a baby can apply for grants of between £3,000 and £25,000. Projects working with families experiencing deprivation or in crisis will be given priority. Grants may be for project funding, or for core funding including salaries and general running costs in smaller organisations. The Trustees prefer to fund reven...

The High Sheriff of Cumbria has launched a new initiative to increase the number of youth workers. The Better Tomorrows Fund, administered by Cumbria Community Foundation, will award grants of up to £25,000 to charitable, not-for-profit organisations setting up or providing new youth work opportunities for local people in Cumbria. The three-year initiative will fund youth work salaries, with the ultimate objective of substantially increasing...

The PH Holt Foundation has opened a new £250,000 Resilience Fund which aims to address the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic upon charities already supporting vulnerable or disadvantaged communities in Merseyside. This is a one-off grant fund available to eligible organisations with a track record of delivering successful and effective programmes, and who can demonstrate how the funding will make a difference. New and previous applic...

The Department for Education is making £16 million in funding available to councils to ensure there is a local champion for children with a social worker in every local authority in England from September 2021. The funding will enable local authorities to extend the role of virtual school heads which provide targeted support for looked-after children to help them level up their outcomes in education and reach their full potential. A further �...

A new charity has launched to better the lives of disadvantaged and underprivileged communities & individuals across the Greater London area. The Empower London Foundation will partner with charities and public sector organisations to run educational programmes, provide funding for start-ups and roll out public awareness campaigns to help underprivileged communities, under-realised individuals and disadvantaged children. By raising funds via a...

Charities, community and voluntary organisations, and social enterprises can apply for grants of up to £1,500 for innovative and successful crime prevention projects carried out by young people in Bath, North East Somerset and the North Somerset area. Grants from the Somerset Crimebeat Trust are available for projects that educate disadvantaged young people aged between 5 and 25 years on the causes and effect of crime, and give them the oppor...

Charities, voluntary and community groups, and other not-for-profit organisations can apply for funding for projects that support and inspire young people in Cumbria, particularly those from challenging backgrounds. The Young Persons Opportunity Fund, managed by Cumbria Community Foundation, will fund projects which work with specific groups of young people over a period to expand their horizons and self-confidence. Funding will also support t...

We Love MCR has launched a new £200,000 fund to give disadvantaged young Mancunians financial support to allow them to take opportunities that may otherwise be out of their reach. The Manchesters' Rising Stars Fund awards grants of up to £2,000 to young people aged 16 to 25 years old (or up to 30 if the individual has lived experience of homelessness) to purchase equipment, fund courses and accreditations, and to support other costs relating...