Funding - Disadvantaged / Inequality
This page is updated regularly with new funding opportunities
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
JRCT’s Peace and Security Programme accepting UK applications
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) is accepting applications from UK not-for-profit organisations to support projects in the UK aimed at working towards the creation of a peaceful and just world.
JRCT seeks a shift in the UK defence and security paradigm away from the highly militarised and “securitised” responses towards a new approach based on participatory and accountable governance, human rights, non-violence, diplomacy and mediation, and environmental sustainability.
Funding is at the discretion of the Trustees and is available for work in the following areas:
- Challenging militarism – work which highlights and holds the UK government to account for the human, economic, environmental and security costs of militarised response to conflict.
- Scrutiny of counter-terrorism measures in the context of human rights and peacebuilding
- Building support for alternative approaches to defence and security.
- Responding to the harms of systemic racism related to JRCT policy areas.
The Trust is primarily interested in supporting work focused on achieving an impact in the UK context. Work focused on European or other international institutions (such as the UN and NATO) will only be considered if it has the capacity to have a significant impact in the UK context.
Grants are made to a range of organisations and to individuals. It is not necessary to be a registered charity to apply to the Trust, however, the Trust can only support work which is legally charitable as defined in UK law. Applicants should be undertaking work at a national level, ie, work that seeks to make positive change across the UK as a whole, or across one or more of its member countries.
Groups who have not registered on the JRCT grants management system need to do so by 8 August 2025 in order to submit an application for the current round.
The deadline for applications is 22 August 2025.
Deaf and Disabled People's organisations fund
A new grant programme working with Deaf and Disabled people experiencing poverty
A new grant programme from the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales is open to small charities and CICs led by and working with Deaf and Disabled people experiencing poverty.
Grants of £75,000 over three years are available alongside tailored organisational support.
Sign up for your free pre-application webinar on 16 July here.
The closing date for applications is 4 September 2025 at 5pm
Social and Criminal Justice - Charles Hayward Foundation
Funding to support social and criminal justice projects in the UK
The Charles Hayward Foundation offers grants of £15,000 – £25,000 per year for up to three years to UK charities with annual incomes between £350,000 and £4 million.
Funding supports projects that prevent criminal justice involvement or aid rehabilitation. Priority areas include early intervention for vulnerable families, youth diversion schemes (especially for girls), rehabilitation combining prison and community support, alternatives to custody, and support for domestic abuse survivors.
Projects must address complex needs, be locally tailored, well-monitored, and sustainable. Innovative and specialist approaches are welcome.
Stage 1 applications for the third 2025 round close on 19 September
Randal Charitable Foundation
Open for applications
Randle Charitable Foundation is offering grants of between £5,000 and £30,000 for UK-based charities with a global operation to deliver innovative projects and initiatives that drive positive, life-saving, and life-transforming change and address poverty, health inequality, and access to clean water.
The Foundation’s current call for funding is for projects that fall under the following categories:
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Alleviating poverty, specifically directly and sustainably alleviating extreme poverty.
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Healthcare and nutrition for the most vulnerable, making lasting change, and bringing immediate benefit.
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Clean water and sanitation for the most vulnerable, for long-term impact, including supporting improvements at a community level.
Funding is for projects shown to deliver proven, effective impact, as well as innovative, novel, or disruptive projects that can make a real difference.
Proposed projects should be completed within 12 months of the receipt of funding.
Applications can be submitted at any time until a sufficient number of applications have been received.
True Colours Trust
Funding to support disabled children and children with life-limiting conditions across the UK
Grants of up to £10,000 are available for registered charitable organisations with an annual income of less than £350,000 across the United Kingdom to deliver projects that work to improve the lives of disabled children and young people up to the age of 25, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families.
The True Colours Trust Small Grants Programme will support projects such as activities for disabled children, children with life-limiting conditions and their families; activities which support siblings of disabled children or siblings of children with life-limiting conditions; bereavement support for children and young people and families bereaved of a child; family and parent-led peer support for parents of disabled children; respite which supports the whole family.
Priority will be given to organisations that operate in areas of high deprivation. Eligible costs include renovation work, upgrading, and additional equipment for hydrotherapy pools and multi-sensory rooms, minibuses, and specialised play equipment or access to play for disabled children, children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
Applications can be submitted at any time.
Womble Bond Dickinson Foundation Community Grants
The Womble Bond Dickinson Foundation is committed to giving back to local communities
The Womble Bond Dickinson Foundation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation established by Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP in April 2017. Their charitable objectives are broad and open to changing. The Foundation is focusing on the following themes for their 2024/25 cycle: Climate action and environmental protection, LGBTQ+ inclusion, supporting inclusion of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, Increasing women’s opportunities in life and work, Disability and neurodiversity inclusion, and Mental health and wellbeing support.
They accept applications from registered charities across the UK, although will generally prioritise projects operating within their local communities. The maximum one-off grant size is £5,000.
Applications accepted at any time
Parkinson's UK
Physical Activity Grant open for 2025 applications
Our Physical Activity Grants programme is open for the 5th successive year. Following a record year in 2024, we hope to offer even more funding opportunities for activity providers across the UK, and to help more people living with Parkinson’s to get active.
Projects must run for a minimum of three months and a maximum of 12 months and must start within three months of receiving the grant. The funder is planning to provide specific grants to support physical activity projects for people with Parkinson’s from marginalised communities and underrepresented groups. Further details are expected later this year.
Applications are open and will be accepted until all of the funding has been allocated.
Trusthouse Charitable Foundation Small Grants
Helping to address deprivation and disadvantage in communities in the UK
The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation has small grants of between £2,000 and £10,000 to be used for core costs, salaries, running costs, and project costs. You can apply for a maximum of 50% of the total cost of the project. They do not fund capital projects. They will prioritise projects that address the challenges of local communities, with a preference for front-line organisations working directly with people in need. They are unlikely to support campaigning, organisational development, capacity building, or new work that is a marked shift away from your usual business unless they consider this work to be logical. You can apply if: Your organisation’s postcode falls within the following on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation; Your project has a focus on community support; Your annual income does not exceed £250,000; You can start spending our grant within 1-2 months of receipt and You are embedded in your local community. Please note that they do not fund Community Interest Companies (CICs).
This is a rolling programme and there are no deadlines
Barchester's Charitable Foundation
Grants of up to £2,000 for projects tackling loneliness amongst older people and adults with a disability
Grants of up to £2,500 are available to charitable organisations for projects that tackle loneliness amongst older people and adults with a disability. The funding made available through Barchester’s Charitable Foundation offers these grants to support projects that connect or re-connect people with others in their local community. This could include activity projects, equipment and materials, member transport, and day trips. The foundation also offers grants of up to £1,000 to help individuals with mobility issues. Grants can purchase wheelchairs, scooters, bikes, or car adaptations.
There are no deadlines, and applications can be submitted at any time.
Boost Charitable Trust
Funding and supporting inspiring programmes which help improve the lives of the disabled and disadvantaged through the power of sport
Small grants of up to £750 are available to charities or non-profit making organisations with a focus on sport. You will need to submit a short application on two sides of A4 that gives your organisation details, information on your project and the amount of funding require alongside a budget. Applications should be sent to Sarah Johnson at sarah.johnson@boostct.org.
There is no deadline, you are welcome to apply at any time. Please note, that decisions may take up to three months
Making sure the smallest voice in the third sector is heard
Reaching Communities Fund
National Lottery Community Fund announces new priorities for Reaching Communities Fund
This funding will help strengthen communities and improve lives across England. Our priority is the places, people and communities that need it most. By ‘community’ we mean people living in the same area. Or people with similar interests or life experiences, even if they do not live in the same area.
Our priorities are to fund projects that support places, people or communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination and support people and communities to shape the decisions that affect their lives.
Your project must achieve one of our missions, which are to support communities to come together, through inclusive places, spaces and activities (either physical or virtual). Especially for communities where people are least able to come together; help children and young people thrive, by developing positive social and emotional skills; be healthier, by addressing health inequalities. And helping prevent poor health; be environmentally sustainable. By engaging with climate issues and having a positive environmental impact. And improving access to quality natural spaces.
Funding starts at £20,001 but most applications we fund are for less than £500,000. After our updates to Reaching Communities on 1 April we expect continued high demand. This means you currently have a lower chance of getting funding than usual.
Application deadline ongoing
Reaching Communities Fund
National Lottery Community Fund announces new priorities for Reaching Communities Fund
This funding will help strengthen communities and improve lives across England. Our priority is the places, people and communities that need it most. By ‘community’ we mean people living in the same area. Or people with similar interests or life experiences, even if they do not live in the same area.
Our priorities are to fund projects that support places, people or communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination and support people and communities to shape the decisions that affect their lives.
Your project must achieve one of our missions, which are to support communities to come together, through inclusive places, spaces and activities (either physical or virtual). Especially for communities where people are least able to come together; help children and young people thrive, by developing positive social and emotional skills; be healthier, by addressing health inequalities. And helping prevent poor health; be environmentally sustainable. By engaging with climate issues and having a positive environmental impact. And improving access to quality natural spaces.
Funding starts at £20,001 but most applications we fund are for less than £500,000. After our updates to Reaching Communities on 1 April we expect continued high demand. This means you currently have a lower chance of getting funding than usual.
Application deadline ongoing
Reaching Communities Fund
National Lottery Community Fund announces new priorities for Reaching Communities Fund
This funding will help strengthen communities and improve lives across England. Our priority is the places, people and communities that need it most. By ‘community’ we mean people living in the same area. Or people with similar interests or life experiences, even if they do not live in the same area.
Our priorities are to fund projects that support places, people or communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination and support people and communities to shape the decisions that affect their lives.
Your project must achieve one of our missions, which are to support communities to come together, through inclusive places, spaces and activities (either physical or virtual). Especially for communities where people are least able to come together; help children and young people thrive, by developing positive social and emotional skills; be healthier, by addressing health inequalities. And helping prevent poor health; be environmentally sustainable. By engaging with climate issues and having a positive environmental impact. And improving access to quality natural spaces.
Funding starts at £20,001 but most applications we fund are for less than £500,000. After our updates to Reaching Communities on 1 April we expect continued high demand. This means you currently have a lower chance of getting funding than usual.
Application deadline ongoing