Bolton Community and Voluntary Services grants
Bolton's Fund, run by Bolton Community and Voluntary Services, makes grants to voluntary and community groups delivering activities that benefit Bolton residents, with its Small Grants tier offering up to £5,000.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Bolton Community and Voluntary Services runs Bolton's Fund, a grants programme for voluntary groups, community groups, charities and other not-for-profit organisations that are based in Bolton, or that deliver activities in Bolton benefiting Bolton residents. The fund is split into Micro, Small and Medium grants depending on an applicant's annual income: Micro Grants are for organisations with an income under £100,000, Small Grants for those with an income between £10,000 and £1m, and Medium Grants for those with an income over £100,000. The Small Grants tier offers up to £5,000. In the most recent year on record, Bolton Community and Voluntary Services made grants to organisations totalling £2,399,354, from an income of £3,127,645.
What they fund
Bolton's Fund supports general charitable purposes, in particular projects that build the capacity of Bolton's voluntary and community sector.
Who and where
It funds other charities and voluntary bodies based in, or delivering activities in, Bolton, in the North West of England.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Bolton Community and Voluntary Services says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
Who they say they'll fund
“We welcome applications from voluntary groups, community groups, charities or other constituted not for profit groups who are based in Bolton or who deliver activities in Bolton and that benefit Bolton residents.”
Source: boltoncvs.org.uk — Bolton's Fund - Bolton CVS →
Income limits they mention
“In order to be eligible for a grant in the Micro Grants fund your organisation must have an income of less than £100,000 in the last full financial year.”
Source: boltoncvs.org.uk — Bolton's Fund - Bolton CVS →
“In order to be eligible for a grant in the Small Grants fund your organisation must have an income of over £10,000 but under £1m in the last full financial year.”
Source: boltoncvs.org.uk — Bolton's Fund - Bolton CVS →
“In order to be eligible for a grant in the Medium Grants fund your organisation must have an income of over £100,000 in the last full financial year.”
Source: boltoncvs.org.uk — Bolton's Fund - Bolton CVS →
Deadlines they mention
“Submission dates for applications in 2026: Sunday 3rd May Sunday 5th July Sunday 6th September Further dates to be announced.”
Source: boltoncvs.org.uk — Bolton's Fund - Bolton CVS →
“Small Grants Summary Sheet Grant size – Up to £5,000 Closing date – There is no closing date. The fund will close only if all the funding for the period has been allocated.”
Source: boltoncvs.org.uk — Bolton's Fund - Bolton CVS →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
'3.2 the objects of the charity ('the objects') are: 3. 1 to promote any charitable purposes for the benefit of the public, principally but not exclusively in the metropolitan borough of bolton (hereinafter called the "area of benefit") and, in particular, but not exclusively, to build the capacity of voluntary and…
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
How much does Bolton's Fund typically give?
The Small Grants tier offers up to £5,000. The fund's own website does not publish a set amount for its Micro or Medium Grants tiers, so check its guidance for current figures.
What does Bolton's Fund support?
It funds general charitable purposes and supports voluntary and community sector organisations, in particular by building their capacity and providing support, information and services in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton.
Who can apply?
Voluntary groups, community groups, charities or other constituted not-for-profit groups that are based in Bolton, or that deliver activities in Bolton benefiting Bolton residents.
When can I apply?
Some parts of the fund have set submission dates - the next published date is 6 September 2026, with further dates to be announced. Other parts have no fixed closing date and stay open until the funding for that period is allocated, so check the current position on the fund's website.
How do I apply?
Apply through Bolton's Fund on Bolton Community and Voluntary Services' website. Check the funder's own website (www.boltoncvs.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1003123) for current guidance, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for Bolton Community and Voluntary Services?
Type your charity’s name and we’ll check this funder — and every other active UK grant-maker — against your purposes, your area and your size. Free, and nothing to fill in: we read your entry on the official register.
Check my charity’s matches — free →Thinking of applying? Start here.
Finding a funder is the easy part. These short guides help with the part that decides whether you get the money.
Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Bolton Community and Voluntary Services.