Funding & Training - 10 June

Another week, another list of funding opportunities. From climate action and community wellbeing to heritage, housing and youth support, there is a wide mix on offer this week for groups across Renfrewshire (and beyond).

A few themes are standing out: practical support for local places and green spaces, continued interest in climate and nature projects, and a few opportunities aimed at helping children, young people and families thrive.

As always, deadlines vary from “plenty of time to think about it” to “better not leave it until after your lunch break”. And alongside the funding, there are a few training sessions worth a look if you are in the mood to sharpen up governance, digital skills or just hear directly from funders.

If you’d like to chat through any of the opportunities below, I’m here: mwollberg@engagerenfrewshire.com


Funding

• Art and Culture
• Children & Families
• Communities
• Environment, Nature and Climate Change
• Housing and Households
• Miscellaneous
• Young People
• Vulnerable People

Training/Additional Support

• Canva training for Community Groups
• The Child Protection Learning & Development Calendar
• Ask the experts: charity law and governance
• Meet the Funder with the Postcode Lottery 
• Naloxone Training
• Power of Attorney & Guardianship 

Music and Heritage & Crafts
The Radcliffe Trust is one of Britain’s oldest charities, founded in 1714 by the will of Dr John Radcliffe. Today, The Radcliffe Trust continues his charitable bequest through the support of Music and Heritage & Crafts

• The Radcliffe Trust supports the development of the skills, knowledge and experience that underpin the UK’s cultural heritage and crafts sectors.
• The Radcliffe Trust supports classical music performance and training, especially chamber music, composition and music education.

Applications open on 1st May and close on 31st July. 

Funding to Promote Excellence in the Arts
Arts organisations across the UK can apply for grants to deliver projects that demonstrate excellence in the arts. The funding is made available by the Golsoncott Foundation, an arts-funding trust whose objective is to promote, maintain, improve, and advance the public's education in the arts, particularly the fine arts and music. The trustees meet four times a year. The maximum grant available is £3,000. The deadline for the next meeting is the 31 August 2026. However, the fund may close early if the application limit has been reached.

Grants to Safeguard Endangered UK Crafts Now Open for Applications
Individual craft practitioners and organisations promoting crafts can now apply for grants of up to £2,500 to support traditional craft skills at risk of disappearing. The funding can be used for activities such as training, purchasing tools or materials, developing specialist equipment, or promoting endangered crafts, provided projects demonstrate clear public benefit. This initiative is part of a wider effort to protect practices listed on the Red List of Endangered Crafts and is made possible through the Endangered Crafts Fund, run by Heritage Crafts with support from the Radcliffe Trust, the Pilgrim Trust, and the Dulverton Trust. The deadline to apply is 5pm on 16 October 2026.

Hugo Burge Foundation Invites Grant Applications for Arts and Culture Projects
UK schools, local authorities, charities, community groups, museums, educational institutions, arts organisations, festivals, fairs, and community groups can apply for grants of up to £15,000 to support creativity in individuals and communities across the UK. A total of £300,000 is available to support creative education, creative communities and UK-based artists. The eligibility and funding levels vary according to which funding strand individuals and organisations apply to. A limited number of multi-year grants of up to three years are also available, and an access support fund will help applicants who need assistance to apply. The funding is being made available through the Hugo Burge Foundation and applications will close on 31 July 2026.

Funding for Leisure Activities for Children with Additional Needs
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 submitted by parents, guardians, grandparents or siblings, as well as GPs, consultants, nurses or social workers. Groups that work with special needs children, including SEN schools and women’s refuges, are also eligible to apply for funding for either a day trip, theatre visit, or a group activity holiday. Applications can be made at any time.

Funding to Support Early Years Parenting
UK-registered charitable organisations with annual income of £100,000 to £5 million can apply for four-year grants totalling £225,000 to support early-years parenting work delivered in the UK. Funding is flexible and can be used towards general running costs for sustained, face-to-face support that promotes development among children from birth to age 5. Eligible organisations need to show that they work closely with and understand parents of children aged newborn to five in the communities the fund is targeting, including Black, Pakistani, and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller families, and families in the most deprived 20% of areas nationally. Expressions of interest close at 5 pm on 1 July 2026, with invited full applications due by 5 pm on 21 August 2026. The funding is being provided by the Henry Smith Foundation Early Years Parenting Fund.

Renfrewshire Town Centre Regeneration Fund
Renfrewshire Council is now accepting Expressions of Interest for a new grant - the Town Centre Regeneration Fund. This new grant seeks to assist owners/long term leaseholders in bringing vacant, underused or derelict properties/sites in Renfrewshire’s Town Centre’ s back into active use. It will specifically prioritise substantive programmes of work for significant buildings or sites where redevelopment has stalled. To be considered for the grant, applicants must own the property/site or hold a long-term leasehold interest (minimum 10 years).

The Scottish Government - Global Solidarity Fund
The Fund aims to strengthen an informed, engaged and active global citizenship community in Scotland. It supports organisations and communities to work in partnership with counterparts in the Global South to address shared global challenges and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (https://sdgs.un.org/goals).
Global Solidarity Fund has a particular focus on strengthening the capacity and impact of smaller organisations and community groups. It is designed to support capacity development by empowering small Scottish‑based civil society organisations (CSOs), social enterprises and local groups that operate on a not‑for‑profit basis. By providing targeted, accessible funding, GSF enables these organisations to develop, build meaningful international partnerships, and engage people across Scotland in global issues.
The fund aims to achieve this through three grant types, as outlined below:

• Scottish Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Strengthening Grant
• Global Citizenship Engagement Grant
• Shifting the Power Grant

The Co-op Local Community Fund
The Co-op Local Community Fund gives money to local causes, helping to bring people together and make a difference. They give preference to projects run by small, local organisations that make a real difference to people in their community.
You can apply if your project supports People or our Planet in the following ways.
They're looking for projects that:

• enable people to access food
• create opportunities for young people
• improve people’s mental wellbeing
• promote community cohesion
• build sustainable futures.

RenCAN - Climate Action Grants
Opens 2nd June, 12pm. On-going until funds are allocated
To help community groups in Renfrewshire to deliver action for climate and nature in their local area. To apply you’ll need to be a RenCAN member. Grants will be up to a maximum of £1000 per organisation. Applications can be made to one of the three strands: Open Fund - £9,000, Circular Renfrewshire - £3,000, Creativity and Climate - £3,000.

Funding for Community Tree Planting Schemes
Local authorities, charities, community groups, educational establishments, and landowners can apply for grants of up to £10,000 to support community tree planting projects across England, Scotland, and Wales. The Network Rail Community Tree Planting Fund, delivered in partnership with the Tree Council, aims to improve biodiversity, increase climate resilience, and create greener places for people and wildlife. Funding can be used for a wide range of activities, including planting street trees, Miyawaki forests, orchards, hedgerows, and trees in parks or other public spaces. It can also cover tree protection, equipment and delivery costs. Projects must be located near the Network Rail network, and demonstrate clear community benefit and involvement, such as volunteering, education or wellbeing activities. The deadline for applications is 19 July 2026.

Funding Available for Local Green Spaces and Healthier Communities
Grants of £500 to £2,000 will be available to charities, schools, not-for-profit organisations, local authorities and social housing providers across the UK and Ireland for practical projects that improve local green spaces and support healthier communities. Funding can be used to make community spaces greener, healthier and more accessible, including outdoor classrooms, forest schools, sensory gardens, community allotments, pocket parks, playgrounds and similar improvements. The programme opens for applications on 1 June 2026 and closes on 30 June 2026, and is delivered in partnership with Groundwork UK. The funding is being provided by the Bupa Foundation Green Community Grants programme.

Grants of up to £20,000 Available for Community Climate Projects
Grants of up to £20,000 are available for community projects that help tackle climate change through sustainable water systems, solar energy schemes, or nature-based solutions such as habitat restoration and tree planting. Schools and not-for-profit organisations across the UK can apply. Applicants can either submit their own project idea or apply to run one of three existing climate initiatives. These are youth-led solar projects, projects that restore local natural habitats or plant trees, and projects that tackle plastic pollution in the local area. Between three and five projects will receive funding. The funding is being made available through the ServiceNow Community Improvement Fund, which is delivered by ChangeX. ChangeX is registered charity and community engagement platform that helps local groups, schools and not-for-profit organisations start or expand community projects. The deadline for applications is 19 June 2026.

Grants & Loans for Social Housing Projects
Registered charities with annual turnover below £1.5 million can apply for Quaker Housing Trust loans and grants to support housing projects for people in need across England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Support includes Project Development Grants of up to £6,000 for feasibility studies, professional advice and planning costs. Capital funding includes interest-free loans of up to £30,000 for rent-generating projects, and grants of up to £20,000 for projects supporting people with No Recourse to Public Funds. Priority will go to projects in underrepresented areas, and those supporting older people, minoritised groups and people facing exclusion. Capital Expressions of Interest close at 5pm on 1 July 2026. Project Development Grant applications close at 5pm on 11 August 2026.

New Funding Round Opens to Help Households Facing Cold Homes and High Energy Bills
A new £30 million funding round has opened through phase three of the Ofgem Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme to support charities and community energy organisations working with households at risk from cold homes and high energy bills. Funding is available across England, Scotland and Wales for projects that support vulnerable households, reduce carbon emissions, develop innovative energy products and services, and contribute to a just transition to net zero. Six funding streams are available, with grants ranging from £20,000 to £2 million, including support for energy advice, impact monitoring, small projects, innovation, carbon reduction and community renewable energy. Registered charities, community interest companies, co-operative societies and community benefit societies can apply, provided their projects meet the scheme’s priorities. Since 2018, the Energy Redress Scheme has funded more than 790 projects, supporting around 900,000 households. The deadline for applications is 5pm on 23 June 2026.

Unrestricted Grants of up to £1,000 Available to Charities
Grants between £500 and £1,000 are available to support the work of charitable organisations in Scotland. The Paristamen Charity offers unrestricted grants through its Responsive Grant Programme to small and medium-sized charities with annual incomes between £25,000 and £500,000. These grants are intended to impact the organisation's overall operations positively. Applications from UK-wide and overseas charities will also be considered if they have a significant presence in Scotland. Churches and other faith-based organisations are welcome to apply. Trustees meetings are typically held three times a year towards the end of June, October, and February, with decisions generally confirmed by 21st of the following month (July, November, or March). The next closing date for applications is 1st October 2026.

Grants of up to £25,000 Available to Prevent People Entering the Criminal Justice System
UK registered charities working in social and criminal justice can apply for grants of up to £25,000 through the Charles Hayward Foundation’s Main Grants Programme. The funding supports projects that help prevent people from entering the criminal justice system, as well as projects that help those already involved to rebuild their lives. The Foundation is interested in early intervention work with vulnerable families, projects that steer young people away from crime, support for girls and young women, prison and community-based rehabilitation programmes, help with accommodation, family relationships, mentoring and employment, and practical alternatives to prison, especially for women and young people. Charities must have an annual income of between £350,000 and £4 million. The next application deadline is 18 September 2026.

Grants Available to Help Armed Forces Communities Connect Locally
Community groups across the UK can apply for grants of up to £50,000 for projects that help members of the Armed Forces community connect with others, reduce loneliness and access local support services. The programme is open to not-for-profit organisations with a formal constitution that can show their project will support people who meet The Royal British Legion’s eligibility criteria. Funding can support activities such as regular social events, sport and shared activities, creative projects, community improvements, Armed Forces celebration events, youth groups, and links to welfare and wellbeing support. Small grants of up to £500 may also be available for one-off community events. Applications close at 23:59 on 2 August 2026, although the programme may close earlier if demand is high. Decisions are expected by the end of October.

Funding to Support the Education of Young People with Physical or Learning Disabilities
Schools, charitable organisations, and other groups in Scotland supporting the education of young people aged 21 or under who have a physical or learning disability or are socially disadvantaged can apply for funding from the John Watson Trust. Whilst the Trust operates primarily within Edinburgh and the Lothians, it may also award grants Scotland-wide to eligible individuals and organisations, including schools, established charitable organisations and other groups supporting disadvantaged young people. Grants can cover expenses such as special or additional tuition, school trips, bus passes, school supplies and equipment, and laptops for students with special education needs. Although applicants can apply for grants of any size, most grants made to individuals by John Watson’s Trust will be in the range of £200 to £2000. The next closing date is 24 July 2026.

The Swan Mountain trust
The Swan Mountain trust is a small grant making trust. For the next three years we will focus on organisations concerned with refugees and asylum seekers, with particular emphasis on the mental health of young people in these categories.
The Trustees meet three times a year in February, June and October. Applications can be submitted at any time, and an email enquiry in the first instance is appropriate. We generally focus on small organisations (under £500k income) and the usual level of our grants is in the £2,000 -£4,000 range. We aim to support particular needs within our target organisations.

Funding for Charities Supporting Vulnerable People
Grants of up to £5,000 are available to UK-registered charities working to reduce disadvantage and improve quality of life for vulnerable people. Funding is available for projects across a range of priority areas, including poverty relief, disability inclusion, and health and wellbeing. It also supports work with children and young people, older people and veterans, as well as projects in the arts, heritage and environment. Eligible applicants include small and grassroots charities with an annual turnover below £500,000, as well as medical charities with an income below £15 million. Applications are made through a two-stage process, and the deadline for initial applications is 15 August 2026. The funding is provided by the Grocers’ Charity through its Open Grants Programme.

Grants of up to £5,000 Available for Small Charities Supporting Vulnerable People
Grants of up to £5,000 are available for small charities working to improve the lives of vulnerable people across the UK. The funding is provided by the Wise Music Foundation, which aims to make a positive difference for people facing hardship, illness, or poverty, particularly children, the homeless, older people, and those with disabilities. The Foundation also supports a wider range of causes, including education, cultural activities, arts and heritage, health and disability support, overseas famine relief, food banks, and other charitable initiatives. Charities with an annual turnover of up to £500,000 are eligible to apply. The average grant awarded is £1,500. Trustees meet quarterly to consider applications, and the next closing date is 31 August 2026.

Additional Support/Training

Canva Training for Community Groups
Wednesday, July 1, 10 AM - 12 PM at Engage Renfrewshire
Do you need help create posters, presentations, social media posts, reports or updates for your community group?
This practical, hands-on training session will help you build confidence using Canva to create clear, engaging and accessible materials that promote your group’s work.
During the session, you will explore how to use Canva to develop useful content such as event posters, social media graphics, simple presentations, visual updates, case studies and impact stories. You will also look at how to present your group’s work clearly, whether you are sharing an event, celebrating volunteers, reporting to funders or showing the difference your project makes in the community.
 

Renfrewshire Child Protection Learning & Development Calendar (June, July & August)
The Child Protection Learning & Development Calendar lists the various interagency learning opportunities available in Renfrewshire Council.
Interagency partners can apply for courses highlighted in this calendar by completing an Interagency Staff Booking form.
Please contact training.sw@renfrewshire.gov.uk to find out more and receive up to date information o training opportunities.
 

Ask the experts: charity law and governance
 13:00-14:00, 25 June 2026, SCVO (online)
Anderson Strathern, our partners in the SCVO Legal Advice Service will outline the recent changes to charity law in Scotland and how they affect charities. They will also look at the common governance challenges facing small charities and the practical steps trustees can take to ensure good governance on their board.
 

Meet the Funder with Postcode Lottery
 10:00-11:00, 4 August 2026, SCVO (online)
During this webinar, attendees will hear directly from People’s Postcode Trust about their grant funding and how they support charities and good causes across Scotland. Find out how funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery helps organisations, projects and community groups to deliver local activity, tackle poverty and inequality, improve wellbeing, and protect the environment.
Attendees will gain an overview of the Trust’s main funding opportunities and how these can support organisations working across Scotland. The session will highlight the types of activity that can be funded and provide practical advice on making strong applications.