Grants of up to £5,000 are available to grassroots, community-led organisations in England that are making a positive difference in their local communities. Funding is intended for organisations that draw on the lived experience of the people they support and are working to address local challenges.

The programme will support work focused on:

• Basic Needs – including homelessness, food poverty, community hubs, welfare advice and cost of living support
• Early Childhood Development – helping children aged 0-8 to grow, play and learn in safe and supportive environments
• Safety – including violence against women and girls, and support for refugees and people seeking asylum

Flexible funding can be used for core costs or project costs, including staff salaries, rent, utilities, training, venue hire, outreach work and volunteer-led services.

Key Information

• Grants of up to £5,000
• Open to grassroots, community-led organisations in England
• Core and project funding available
• Projects must be completed by 30 September 2027
• Around 120 grants are expected to be awarded from a funding pot of approximately £600,000
• This is the only funding round for 2026/27 and is expected to be highly competitive

Example projects:

• A community hub providing food and welfare support
• Early years play and learning activities for young children
• Support services for refugees and asylum seekers
• Programmes tackling violence against women and girls
• Outreach projects addressing local cost of living challenges