Dorset Community Foundation grants
Dorset Community Foundation is a regional grant-maker that gave around £1.7m to organisations across Dorset in 2024, with most grants between £1,000 and £5,000.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Dorset Community Foundation is a regional community foundation supporting voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises and individuals in the county of Dorset. Most of its grants are between £1,000 and £5,000, and it has worked with NHS Dorset and Community Action Network to distribute a further £1 million for grassroots mental health projects that ease pressure on clinical services. In its latest year (2024) it made 601 grants, with a median award of £3,500.
What they fund
Dorset Community Foundation funds disability, health, general charitable purposes, poverty relief, arts and culture, economic and community development, amateur sport, and education and training, including a partnership with NHS Dorset on community mental health projects.
Who and where
It supports voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises and individuals across the county of Dorset, welcoming applications from diverse communities including those facing discrimination.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Dorset Community Foundation 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.
What they say they're looking for
“DORSET Community Foundation is working with NHS Dorset and Community Action Network to distribute another £1 million in funding to grass roots community groups and charities for mental health projects that alleviate pressure on clinical services.”
Source: dorsetcommunityfoundation.org — Home - Dorset Community Foundation →
“Our awards to individuals support young people to develop and improve their life chances.”
Source: dorsetcommunityfoundation.org — Apply for a grant - Dorset Community Foundation →
“We want our grants to support and reflect the diversity of our county and we welcome applications from groups supporting diverse communities including those who may be facing discrimination.”
Source: dorsetcommunityfoundation.org — Apply for a grant - Dorset Community Foundation →
Who they say they'll fund
“The Foundation awards grants to support local voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises and individuals in the county of Dorset.”
Source: dorsetcommunityfoundation.org — Apply for a grant - Dorset Community Foundation →
Grant sizes they mention
“Most of the grants we award are between £1,000 and £5,000.”
Source: dorsetcommunityfoundation.org — Apply for a grant - Dorset Community Foundation →
How they say to apply
“Your application will be assessed and decisions about funding made by a grants panel. Our grants panels are made up of DCF trustees and fundholders, and people who have professional or lived experience of local needs and the services & activities supporting our communities.”
Source: dorsetcommunityfoundation.org — Apply for a grant - Dorset Community Foundation →
“Pre-application support is available for anyone in need of advice about the application process, or if you are unsure whether your project/activity is suitable.”
Source: dorsetcommunityfoundation.org — Apply for a grant - Dorset Community Foundation →
What a typical grant looks like
| Typical (median) grant | £3,500 |
|---|---|
| Middle half of grants | £2,000 – £5,000 |
| Grants published openly | 601 |
| Most recent published grant | 2024 |
Recent grants
- St Mary's Church, FerndownGrant to pay for simple food (E.g. pizza, jacket potato), soft drinks and a craft activity for the children in our monthly support meetings in 2024£620February 2024
- East Dorset and Purbeck Citizens AdviceTo distribute Surviving Winter Grants of £200 to households experiencing fuel poverty£2,940February 2024
- Water Lily ProjectWe would like to set up a Walking Mindfulness Group which would run for 8 weeks at a time for up to 8 beneficiaries three times next year£5,000February 2024
- The Absolute Music TrustWe will give adults with poor mental health across BCP regular inclusive structured groupwork sessions that include instrumental and singing tuition; song-writing; recording and performance; delivered in a purpose-built resource.£5,000February 2024
- WIREDThe continuation of our Pay What You Can Afford therapy model£5,000February 2024
- The Memory Box FoundationPathways to Memories Group - a weekly activity group for over 60's who experience loneliness or social isolation. Activities include reminiscence, games, quizzes, armchair travel, music and singing.£4,985February 2024
From grants Dorset Community Foundation publishes openly via 360Giving (the UK open grants-data standard), used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
The objects for which the charity are established are: 1 the promotion of any charitable purposes for the benefit of the community in the borough of bournemouth county of dorset and borough of poole and its immediate neighbourhood and in particular the advancement of education the protection of good health both mental…
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 Dorset Community Foundation typically give?
Most of its grants are between £1,000 and £5,000. In its latest year (2024) it made 601 grants, with a median award of £3,500 and the middle half of grants falling between £2,000 and £5,000.
What does Dorset Community Foundation fund?
It funds work covering disability, health and the saving of lives, general charitable purposes, the prevention or relief of poverty, arts and culture, economic and community development, amateur sport, and education and training. Alongside its general funds, it has worked with NHS Dorset and Community Action Network to distribute £1 million for grassroots community mental health projects that ease pressure on clinical services.
Who can apply to Dorset Community Foundation?
It funds voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises and individuals in the county of Dorset. It welcomes applications from groups supporting diverse communities, including those facing discrimination, and its awards to individuals support young people's development and life chances.
How do I apply to Dorset Community Foundation?
Applications are assessed by a grants panel made up of trustees, fundholders, and people with professional or lived experience of local needs. Pre-application support is available for anyone unsure whether their project is suitable. Full guidance is on its website (www.dorsetcommunityfoundation.org). Its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1122113) lists its accounts and trustees.
Is your charity a fit for Dorset Community Foundation?
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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 Dorset Community Foundation.