Funding available for local charities

The Gatwick Foundation Fund is open to charities, social enterprises, community groups and voluntary organisations working in West Kent, specifically the boroughs of Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & Malling and in particular, Sevenoaks.

The maximum grant available is £10,000 for exceptional projects, although we anticipate many successful applications will be for less than this amount.

The Fund will prioritise projects which promote:

• Employment, training & skills – helping people to gain confidence and raise aspirations through training and development of new skills.
  
• Families – supporting families and children in need and projects which combat social isolation and disadvantage.
  
• Widening horizons / providing opportunities – supporting projects that enable young people to have opportunities that they would not otherwise have and to help them to widen their horizons and aspirations.
  
• Elderly People - improving access to facilities and reducing isolation for the older generation.
  

Grants may be used to fund existing services and facilities or new initiatives. Applications from groups who have not applied before are particularly encouraged.

There may also be the possibility for successful projects to receive support from Gatwick employees – either a general volunteering contribution or specific skills.

Please contact admin@kentcf.org.uk for further information on the Gatwick Foundation Fund. 

Capital and infrastructure projects that strengthen robust, registered charities with a solid track record over at least three years. Minimum income more than £100K, grant request must be less than 10% of this total income. Equipment, new construction, renovation and expansion will be considered, alongside strategic IT projects and consultancy (for example, to give specialist input to mergers/planning). Applicants must show how they will use the investment to achieve significant measurable outcomes in terms of new levels of achievement, efficiency and sustainability i.e. money saved, increased number of beneficiaries, increase in hours of service delivery, quality of intervention increased, additional income generated etc. Click here for more information about the fund guidelines.

Please call to speak to Natalie Smith, our Director of Grants & Impact, on 01303 815 159, to discuss your project before filling out the application form.

Local community Projects/Groups within 10 kilometres of the Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm.

TO APPLY PLEASE FIRST CONTACT NATALIE@KENTCF.ORG.UK

Do you know someone – a colleague, volunteer, friend – who has a brilliant idea that could have a significant impact for social good? Do they struggle to find time or resource to follow their idea through?

The Martello Fund, administered by Kent Community Foundation, has launched the Out of the Ordinary Fund; a new fund to encourage experimentation and enterprise.

It is offering a catalyst grant of up to £5,000 to individuals seeking support to investigate/focus on/incubate an idea that they think has real potential.

Potential grantees should be nominated for a grant by a third-party organisation that knows them (and their idea!) well. Any grants awarded would be paid to the nominating organisation.

We anticipate the grant will be spent on things such as staff time, expert advisor input, expenses (for example, to see a similar idea in practice in a different part of the country), and to test out the idea.

The Out of the Ordinary Fund allows time, space and resource for innovation. The ideas can be small or large, they just need to be something new and bold.

If you’d like to find out more, or would like to nominate someone to receive a grant from this dynamic new fund, please contact Natalie at Kent Community Foundation natalie@kentcf.org.uk in the first instance.

APPLY THROUGH THEMED FUNDS

This fund supports projects across Kent and  Medway, working around four broad themes – Children Young People & Families, Elderly & Isolated, Employability, Skills & Enterprise and Vulnerable Adults. Project and core costs considered, as are small capital requests. Decisions are made quarterly. 

Applications up to £5,000 from locally-based charities - apply to Kent Community Foundation. The trustees of The Lawson Trust sometimes award larger grants by invitation only - contact Hayley Corker in the first instance at enquiries@lawsontrust.org

You can apply to Lawson twice a year, six months apart, via our themed funds. Your application will be considered by the Lawson panel, and by any other KCF panels which we think may be interested in it. Please note Lawson is unlikely to fund the same organisation more than once in a year – whether directly or via Kent Community Foundation.

If you are not sure whether to apply via Kent Community Foundation or direct to Lawson, please contact natalie@kentcf.org.uk for advice

APPLY THROUGH THEMED FUNDS.

To support local projects addressing a range of community needs within Kent to improve the lives of disadvantaged, isolated and vulnerable people. 

Some particular areas of interest include; projects focusing on prevention; young people, teenagers, education and grittier projects dealing with challenging issues such as self-harm and teenage pregnancy. Projects local to Edenbridge are also a particular interest. 

To support disadvantaged young people (secondary school age and up) within a 10 mile radius of Cranbrook. Particular, although by no means exclusive, interest in agriculture/farming related projects.

Volunteer led groups working in Canterbury, Herne Bay and surrounding areas with preference for projects supporting children and young people.

Projects that aim to protect, conserve and enhance the use and character of the rural landscape and its communities. Funding will be considered for native planting e.g. trees/hedgerows in areas accessible to the public.

Projects providing respite breaks for unpaid carers. This application form is for groups of carers wishing to take time out from their caring role organised by charities or community groups which cater for carers.

For individuals wishing to apply for funding for respite breaks, please see our individual funding page for information on submitting a nomination form.

Projects with a focus on reducing offending and re-offending rates or encouraging entrepreneurship among young people and the disadvantaged. Projects providing musical opportunities or countryside activities for disadvantaged children. 

The Port of Dover Community Fund has been established to benefit the Dover community. We are seeking projects in two key areas:

Skills & Jobs – projects that provide opportunities to develop skills, support people on the pathway into employment and assist job creation, with a particular focus on young people.

Community - activities that enrich the social, cultural and environmental life of local communities, enhancing Dover as an attractive and welcoming place to live, work and visit.

All applications must demonstrate a long-term sustainable impact on Dover, improved quality of life for all and the needs of Dover’s young people, with a particular emphasis on aspiration, education and employability. Successful projects will bring people together, raise aspirations and standards within Dover and promote a pride in the community and place.

All projects need to show how they will benefit the Dover community and will be evaluated in terms of the impact they can demonstrate they are likely to have. Priority will be given to projects that can explain how they will make a sustainable difference. Applicants are encouraged to set out any match funding they have raised or plan to raise. One off events will be considered but applicants will need to demonstrate their long-term benefit to the community.

The panel would like to see evidence that local events are coordinated to avoid duplication and maximise impact. Consideration will be given to funding exceptional projects over three years, focusing on delivering long-term sustainable outcomes within Dover. Applications from individuals will not be considered. Geographical reach: Dover and its immediate environs.

If you have any questions please contact us at admin@kentcf.org.uk

The Pargiter Trust Fund will provide grants to not-for-profit organisations who are providing support to elderly people living in Kent and Medway who are over 65 years of age.

The Fund will support projects meeting one or more of the following themes:

• Improving health & well-being – Reducing isolation, providing hot meals and refreshments and helping older people to stay active through sports, arts, recreation, social clubs and volunteering;

• Improving access to facilities, advice and training – Providing transport, supporting projects providing respite for carers, supporting Good Neighbourhood and befriending schemes and improving access to information and IT for older people, particularly where this involves intergenerational work;

• Overcoming problems - Helping elderly people who are experiencing difficult circumstances due to an illness, injury, disability, bereavement or financial difficulty; The fund will focus providing grants to smaller, grassroots groups (as opposed to larger organisations). The Fund would like to be active in areas of greatest need in Kent and will prioritise underrepresented BAME and LGBT groups where possible. By exception the fund will also consider potential requests that meet the theme of innovation.

The Tampon Tax Community Fund aims to support women who are most marginalised to overcome barriers that prevent them from fulfilling their potential. The programme will benefit women and girls, investing in a wide variety of projects, that make a tangible and long-term difference to health, well-being, confidence and social/economic activity, as well as addressing equality gaps.

This programme aims to fund small-scale interventions, which will make a considerable difference to the lives and happiness of women and girls by raising the aspirations of girls and young women and combating the influences that affect their confidence.

Click here to download further guidance notes.

Funding for charities, community groups or social enterprises supporting people living in Kent and Medway (as defined by the ME postcode) and have an income of £250,000 or under in the most recent financial year.

Projects should meet one of the following themes:

• Improving people’s personal finance capabilities (debt and financial advice/education)

• Improving physical and/or mental health

• Providing support which enhances, creates and sustains positive family relationships

• Addressing issues of low educational attainment and improving learning outcomes

• Providing people with opportunities to reduce inequality, exclusion and disadvantage, including projects which increase access to employment.

Priority will be given to small, community organisations in areas of social, financial and welfare disadvantage. 

The Nationwide Building Society Community Grants programme is offering community grants of up to £50,000 for local housing projects that will make a real, local impact. 

Projects should meet one of these objectives:

• Local housing projects that will strengthen your local community by supporting the most vulnerable
  
• Finding new approaches to increasing the supply of housing or by reinventing renting for both tenants and landlords 
  
• Positively impacting upon homelessness – prevention of homelessness, provision of accommodation, advice and support to the homeless/vulnerably housed, helping people to remain in their homes and helping people into a home 
  

To find out more visit www.nationwide.co.uk/communityfunding

Download Guidance 

Download Criteria

Download financial due diligence guidance for applicants 

FAQs

To discuss your application please contact Natalie Smith via 01303 815 159 or natalie@kentcf.org.uk

To causes related to children up to the age of 18, with priority given to small organisations and Thanet-based projects.

Grants usually up to £5,000 but consideration up to £10,000 will be given for exceptional applications.

Applications accepted from local community groups, charities and social enterprises to fund projects working with children and young people, plus projects providing support to the elderly across Kent and Medway.

The Fund is open all year round and decisions are made three times a year. 

Local community groups and charities working to achieve positive social outcomes, using early intervention where possible, tackling disadvantage, deprivation and social exclusion. This fund is specifically seeking to fund small grassroots groups with an annual income of below £100,000. 

The fund will support projects for children, young people and families, participation in sports, improvements to community facilities such as village halls and community centres, volunteering, employability, the elderly and the disabled in South East Kent with a priority given to Ashford. Current focus of this fund is uniformed youth groups and children's sports groups within a 5 mile radius of Ashford

The Gatwick Foundation Fund is open to charities, social enterprises, community groups and voluntary organisations working in West Kent, specifically the boroughs of Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & Malling and in particular, Sevenoaks.

The maximum grant available is £10,000 for exceptional projects, although we anticipate many successful applications will be for less than this amount.

The Fund will prioritise projects which promote:

• Employment, training & skills – helping people to gain confidence and raise aspirations through training and development of new skills.
  
• Families – supporting families and children in need and projects which combat social isolation and disadvantage.
  
• Widening horizons / providing opportunities – supporting projects that enable young people to have opportunities that they would not otherwise have and to help them to widen their horizons and aspirations.
  
• Elderly People - improving access to facilities and reducing isolation for the older generation.
  

Grants may be used to fund existing services and facilities or new initiatives. Applications from groups who have not applied before are particularly encouraged.

There may also be the possibility for successful projects to receive support from Gatwick employees – either a general volunteering contribution or specific skills.

Please contact admin@kentcf.org.uk for further information on the Gatwick Foundation Fund. 

Capital and infrastructure projects that strengthen robust, registered charities with a solid track record over at least three years. Minimum income more than £100K, grant request must be less than 10% of this total income. Equipment, new construction, renovation and expansion will be considered, alongside strategic IT projects and consultancy (for example, to give specialist input to mergers/planning). Applicants must show how they will use the investment to achieve significant measurable outcomes in terms of new levels of achievement, efficiency and sustainability i.e. money saved, increased number of beneficiaries, increase in hours of service delivery, quality of intervention increased, additional income generated etc. Click here for more information about the fund guidelines.

Please call to speak to Natalie Smith, our Director of Grants & Impact, on 01303 815 159, to discuss your project before filling out the application form.

Local community Projects/Groups within 10 kilometres of the Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm.

TO APPLY PLEASE FIRST CONTACT NATALIE@KENTCF.ORG.UK

Do you know someone – a colleague, volunteer, friend – who has a brilliant idea that could have a significant impact for social good? Do they struggle to find time or resource to follow their idea through?

The Martello Fund, administered by Kent Community Foundation, has launched the Out of the Ordinary Fund; a new fund to encourage experimentation and enterprise.

It is offering a catalyst grant of up to £5,000 to individuals seeking support to investigate/focus on/incubate an idea that they think has real potential.

Potential grantees should be nominated for a grant by a third-party organisation that knows them (and their idea!) well. Any grants awarded would be paid to the nominating organisation.

We anticipate the grant will be spent on things such as staff time, expert advisor input, expenses (for example, to see a similar idea in practice in a different part of the country), and to test out the idea.

The Out of the Ordinary Fund allows time, space and resource for innovation. The ideas can be small or large, they just need to be something new and bold.

If you’d like to find out more, or would like to nominate someone to receive a grant from this dynamic new fund, please contact Natalie at Kent Community Foundation natalie@kentcf.org.uk in the first instance.

APPLY THROUGH THEMED FUNDS

This fund supports projects across Kent and  Medway, working around four broad themes – Children Young People & Families, Elderly & Isolated, Employability, Skills & Enterprise and Vulnerable Adults. Project and core costs considered, as are small capital requests. Decisions are made quarterly. 

Applications up to £5,000 from locally-based charities - apply to Kent Community Foundation. The trustees of The Lawson Trust sometimes award larger grants by invitation only - contact Hayley Corker in the first instance at enquiries@lawsontrust.org

You can apply to Lawson twice a year, six months apart, via our themed funds. Your application will be considered by the Lawson panel, and by any other KCF panels which we think may be interested in it. Please note Lawson is unlikely to fund the same organisation more than once in a year – whether directly or via Kent Community Foundation.

If you are not sure whether to apply via Kent Community Foundation or direct to Lawson, please contact natalie@kentcf.org.uk for advice

APPLY THROUGH THEMED FUNDS.

To support local projects addressing a range of community needs within Kent to improve the lives of disadvantaged, isolated and vulnerable people. 

Some particular areas of interest include; projects focusing on prevention; young people, teenagers, education and grittier projects dealing with challenging issues such as self-harm and teenage pregnancy. Projects local to Edenbridge are also a particular interest. 

To support disadvantaged young people (secondary school age and up) within a 10 mile radius of Cranbrook. Particular, although by no means exclusive, interest in agriculture/farming related projects.

Volunteer led groups working in Canterbury, Herne Bay and surrounding areas with preference for projects supporting children and young people.

Projects that aim to protect, conserve and enhance the use and character of the rural landscape and its communities. Funding will be considered for native planting e.g. trees/hedgerows in areas accessible to the public.

Projects providing respite breaks for unpaid carers. This application form is for groups of carers wishing to take time out from their caring role organised by charities or community groups which cater for carers.

For individuals wishing to apply for funding for respite breaks, please see our individual funding page for information on submitting a nomination form.

Projects with a focus on reducing offending and re-offending rates or encouraging entrepreneurship among young people and the disadvantaged. Projects providing musical opportunities or countryside activities for disadvantaged children. 

The Port of Dover Community Fund has been established to benefit the Dover community. We are seeking projects in two key areas:

Skills & Jobs – projects that provide opportunities to develop skills, support people on the pathway into employment and assist job creation, with a particular focus on young people.

Community - activities that enrich the social, cultural and environmental life of local communities, enhancing Dover as an attractive and welcoming place to live, work and visit.

All applications must demonstrate a long-term sustainable impact on Dover, improved quality of life for all and the needs of Dover’s young people, with a particular emphasis on aspiration, education and employability. Successful projects will bring people together, raise aspirations and standards within Dover and promote a pride in the community and place.

All projects need to show how they will benefit the Dover community and will be evaluated in terms of the impact they can demonstrate they are likely to have. Priority will be given to projects that can explain how they will make a sustainable difference. Applicants are encouraged to set out any match funding they have raised or plan to raise. One off events will be considered but applicants will need to demonstrate their long-term benefit to the community.

The panel would like to see evidence that local events are coordinated to avoid duplication and maximise impact. Consideration will be given to funding exceptional projects over three years, focusing on delivering long-term sustainable outcomes within Dover. Applications from individuals will not be considered. Geographical reach: Dover and its immediate environs.

If you have any questions please contact us at admin@kentcf.org.uk

The Pargiter Trust Fund will provide grants to not-for-profit organisations who are providing support to elderly people living in Kent and Medway who are over 65 years of age.

The Fund will support projects meeting one or more of the following themes:

• Improving health & well-being – Reducing isolation, providing hot meals and refreshments and helping older people to stay active through sports, arts, recreation, social clubs and volunteering;

• Improving access to facilities, advice and training – Providing transport, supporting projects providing respite for carers, supporting Good Neighbourhood and befriending schemes and improving access to information and IT for older people, particularly where this involves intergenerational work;

• Overcoming problems - Helping elderly people who are experiencing difficult circumstances due to an illness, injury, disability, bereavement or financial difficulty; The fund will focus providing grants to smaller, grassroots groups (as opposed to larger organisations). The Fund would like to be active in areas of greatest need in Kent and will prioritise underrepresented BAME and LGBT groups where possible. By exception the fund will also consider potential requests that meet the theme of innovation.

The Tampon Tax Community Fund aims to support women who are most marginalised to overcome barriers that prevent them from fulfilling their potential. The programme will benefit women and girls, investing in a wide variety of projects, that make a tangible and long-term difference to health, well-being, confidence and social/economic activity, as well as addressing equality gaps.

This programme aims to fund small-scale interventions, which will make a considerable difference to the lives and happiness of women and girls by raising the aspirations of girls and young women and combating the influences that affect their confidence.

Click here to download further guidance notes.

Funding for charities, community groups or social enterprises supporting people living in Kent and Medway (as defined by the ME postcode) and have an income of £250,000 or under in the most recent financial year.

Projects should meet one of the following themes:

• Improving people’s personal finance capabilities (debt and financial advice/education)

• Improving physical and/or mental health

• Providing support which enhances, creates and sustains positive family relationships

• Addressing issues of low educational attainment and improving learning outcomes

• Providing people with opportunities to reduce inequality, exclusion and disadvantage, including projects which increase access to employment.

Priority will be given to small, community organisations in areas of social, financial and welfare disadvantage. 

The Nationwide Building Society Community Grants programme is offering community grants of up to £50,000 for local housing projects that will make a real, local impact. 

Projects should meet one of these objectives:

• Local housing projects that will strengthen your local community by supporting the most vulnerable
  
• Finding new approaches to increasing the supply of housing or by reinventing renting for both tenants and landlords 
  
• Positively impacting upon homelessness – prevention of homelessness, provision of accommodation, advice and support to the homeless/vulnerably housed, helping people to remain in their homes and helping people into a home 
  

To find out more visit www.nationwide.co.uk/communityfunding

Download Guidance 

Download Criteria

Download financial due diligence guidance for applicants 

FAQs

To discuss your application please contact Natalie Smith via 01303 815 159 or natalie@kentcf.org.uk

To causes related to children up to the age of 18, with priority given to small organisations and Thanet-based projects.

Grants usually up to £5,000 but consideration up to £10,000 will be given for exceptional applications.

Applications accepted from local community groups, charities and social enterprises to fund projects working with children and young people, plus projects providing support to the elderly across Kent and Medway.

The Fund is open all year round and decisions are made three times a year. 

Local community groups and charities working to achieve positive social outcomes, using early intervention where possible, tackling disadvantage, deprivation and social exclusion. This fund is specifically seeking to fund small grassroots groups with an annual income of below £100,000. 

The fund will support projects for children, young people and families, participation in sports, improvements to community facilities such as village halls and community centres, volunteering, employability, the elderly and the disabled in South East Kent with a priority given to Ashford. Current focus of this fund is uniformed youth groups and children's sports groups within a 5 mile radius of Ashford