UK Community Foundations grants
UK Community Foundations is a national network that gave around £8.9m to organisations in its latest year, through members across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
UK Community Foundations is a national body supporting a network of community foundations rooted in local communities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In its latest year it gave around £8.9m to organisations, and it reports that 34% of its funding has supported mental and physical health and wellbeing. It also runs targeted programmes, such as the Community Powered AI programme, backed with £3m, with first grants expected in autumn 2026 — a reminder that funding programmes and deadlines change, so it is worth checking current opportunities directly.
What they fund
UK Community Foundations funds general charitable purposes, economic and community development and employment, and education and training, with 34% of its funding supporting mental and physical health and wellbeing.
Who and where
It works through community foundations rooted in UK communities, reaching grassroots voluntary and charitable organisations across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Who they help
Where they fund
What UK Community Foundations 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
“34% of funding supported mental and physical health and wellbeing”
Source: ukcommunityfoundations.org — UK Community Foundations →
Who they say they'll fund
“Community foundations are proud to be rooted in UK communities, working closely with fantastic voluntary and charitable organisations that are the heartbeat of community life.”
Source: ukcommunityfoundations.org — UK Community Foundations →
Grant sizes they mention
“£5,500 was the average size of our grants, supporting grassroots organisations”
Source: ukcommunityfoundations.org — UK Community Foundations →
How they say to apply
“The first grants are expected to be awarded in autumn 2026.”
Source: ukcommunityfoundations.org — £3m to help communities shape the future of AI and confront the 'wisdom gap' →
What a typical grant looks like
| Typical (median) grant | £48,913 |
|---|---|
| Middle half of grants | £18,753 – £323,717 |
| Grants published openly | 250 |
| Most recent published grant | 2021 |
Recent grants
- Borashabaa Refugee Community OrganisationRestricted funding for COVID-19 Relief (led by people of Black, Asian and/or Minority Ethnic Heritage)£20,000March 2021
- GYROSRestricted funding for COVID-19 Relief (led by people of Black, Asian and/or Minority Ethnic Heritage)£20,000March 2021
- Support NorthamptonshireRestricted funding for COVID-19 Relief (led by people of Black, Asian and/or Minority Ethnic Heritage)£20,000March 2021
- African Rainbow FamilyRestricted funding for COVID-19 Relief (led by people of Black, Asian and/or Minority Ethnic Heritage)£19,970February 2021
- Essex Cultural Diversity ProjectRestricted funding for COVID-19 Relief (led by people of Black, Asian and/or Minority Ethnic Heritage)£1,250January 2021
- The ROOT MHSF CICRestricted funding for COVID-19 Relief (led by people of Black, Asian and/or Minority Ethnic Heritage)£19,500November 2020
From grants UK Community Foundations 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):
To promote and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of community foundations in direct pursuit of their objects in such manner as may be thought fit and in particular by raising and distributing funds for application for the general purposes of such foundations (b) to advance education of the public in the work of…
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 UK Community Foundations typically give?
Across 250 recorded grants (the latest from 2021), the median award was around £48,913, with the middle half of grants falling between £18,753 and £323,717 — reflecting a mix of grant sizes distributed through its network. Separately, it reports that £5,500 was the average size of the smaller grants reaching grassroots organisations through that network.
What does UK Community Foundations fund?
It funds general charitable purposes, economic and community development and employment, and education and training. It reports that 34% of its funding has supported mental and physical health and wellbeing.
Who does UK Community Foundations help?
It works through a network of community foundations rooted in UK communities, channelling funding to grassroots voluntary and charitable organisations, and its funding has reached grassroots recipients across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
How do I apply to UK Community Foundations?
UK Community Foundations distributes funding through its network of local community foundations rather than directly. It also runs specific programmes, such as the Community Powered AI programme launched with £3m, with first grants expected in autumn 2026. For current opportunities, check its website (www.ukcommunityfoundations.org) or its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1004630).
Is your charity a fit for UK Community Foundations?
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 UK Community Foundations.