Funding from trusts, foundations and public sector bodies

Find funding opportunities

Funding Central is a free website for charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises and provides access to thousands of funding and finance opportunities, plus a wealth of tools and resources. 

Public sector funding

Arts Council

The Arts Council offers grants for individuals, arts organisations, national touring and other people who use the arts in their work.

The National Lottery Community Fund

The National Lottery Community Fund is supported by the Arts Council England, Big Lottery Fund, Heritage Fund and Sport England. Awards of between £300 and £10,000 for art, sport, heritage and community activities. The application process is simple and you can apply for an award at any time.

Mayor of London’s culture resources

The Mayor of London has a list of sector-specific information, advice and support schemes from across London’s night-time economy and culture and creative industries.

British Film Institute (BFI) Film Fund

The BFI Film Fund supports filmmakers in the UK who are emerging or world class and capable of creating distinctive and entertaining work.

Take It Away

The Take It Away scheme aims to make musical instruments and tuition more affordable for aspiring musicians.

Trusts and foundations

The Public Engagement Fund (Wellcome Trust)

The Public Engagement Fund supports creative projects that get people more engaged in health research.

Baring Foundation

The Baring Foundation strengthens the voluntary sector, arts in education and community.

Directory for Social Change Trust Funding

The Directory for Social Change Trust Funding is a website listing grant-making trust funds. You need to pay an annual subscription to use the site.

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation has launched a new funding approach that is open and less prescriptive. Core interests remain culture, education, environment and social development.

Gulbenkian Foundation

The priorities of the Gulbenkian Foundation are arts, education and social welfare, strongly focused on capacity building in local groups and neighbourhoods and exploring new forms of area management and service delivery.

Jack Petchey Foundation

The Jack Petchey Foundation, established in 1999, gives grants to programmes and projects that benefit young people aged 11–25. The foundation is eager to help young people take advantage of opportunities and play their full part in society. Grants are given through different programmes including: Achievement Award Scheme, Leader Award Scheme, Projects Grants and Sponsorship.

Lloyds TSB Foundation

The Lloyds TSB Foundation is one of the UK's largest grant-making trusts. They give grants to charities that help people, especially those who are disadvantaged or disabled, to play a fuller role in their communities. This includes activities which encourage people to participate in cultural activities.

Musicians' Benevolent Fund

The educational role of the Musicians' Benevolent Fund role is advanced through a number of award schemes which provide financial support to highly talented young musicians, usually in their final stages of study. Awards are made following audition towards study fees, maintenance and instrument purchase up to a maximum of £5,000.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation is a fund for refugee and asylum seeker young people.

William Wates Memorial Trust

The William Wates Memorial Trust is a small trust that aims to enhance the lives of disadvantaged young people aged 7–18. It focuses on sport, arts and education and invests in sustainable projects when possible. It only considers applications from not for profit organisations, based in London and the South East with a turnover of less that £15,000 a year.

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation Grants Programme

The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation Grants Programme provides funding for arts and education through its small grants scheme (up to £10,000) and large grant scheme (up to £30,000). Only not-for-profit organisations can apply. Majority of grants under £5,000.

Google Grants

Google Grants supports organisations that share Google's philosophy of global community service including areas such as the arts. Registered charities can apply at any time.

VOLANT

The VOLANT Charitable Trust was set up by J K Rowling to support charitable causes that alleviate social deprivation. Emphasis on women's and children's issues. You can apply for open grants funding from the VOLANT at any time.

Other useful sites

Arts and Business

A and B is the world's most successful and widespread creative network. They offer a range of programmes, initiatives and services, with the aim of developing mutually beneficial links between the arts and business.

Arts Hub

Arts Hub is an arts jobs information service and independent arts news outlet.

Directory for Social Change Company Giving

This is a database of all companies in the Guide to UK Company Giving, as well as newly discovered givers. Annual subscription to use this site.

Directory for Social Change Grants for individuals

This is a guide to grants for individuals in need and educational grants directory. Annual subscription to use this site.

Directory for Social Change Trust Funding

This is a website listing grant-making trust funds. Site users must pay an annual subscription.

Financial support for black artists

The Black Artists Grant (BAG) offered by Creative Debuts as a no-strings attached financial support to help black artists. They can spend the grant on whatever they want – be that new work, equipment or materials, travel, research, visit exhibitions or conferences, or to even just cover some life expenses.

This grant has been set up because black artists are systematically under-supported by the art world; by:

• institutions
• curators
• the artist-led scene
• major and minor funding bodiea
• the market
• art schools
• audiences 

Creative Debuts recognises that a full institutional overhaul and dismantling of racist structures is required to transform the industry permanently, but they hope in a small way that this grant will help enable recipients to continue their artistic practice when the odds are so stacked against them.

Contact:: Creative Debuts

Live Arts Development Agency

The Live Arts Development Agency provides artistic and professional development opportunities for London-based artists including bursary schemes, training programmes and masterclasses.

London Funders

London Funders offers an e-resource providing the voluntary and community sector with a single gateway to information and resources on London funders.

NESTA

The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts has a range of programmes that aim to support innovation and imagination through creativity in these three key areas.

Sutton Trust

The Sutton Trust promotes social mobility through evidence-based programs, research and policy-making, helping young people succeed from birth to the workplace.

The Sutton Trust helps disadvantaged youth access top universities and careers through free programs in partnership with universities and employers. Students receive practical advice and inspiration, with all costs covered by the Trust and partners.

VAN

The Voluntary Arts Network is not a grant-making body but aims to give advice and guidance when seeking or applying for funds.