Applications open for Step Change Fund (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 30-Oct-26

The Oxfordshire Community Foundation is inviting applications from local charities seeking to achieve a significant step change in their capacity, sustainability, cost-effectiveness, or impact when supporting disadvantaged communities across Oxfordshire. The Step Change Fund supports charitable organisations that are ready to transform their operations and build a stronger foundation for delivering their core work. Grants are designed for organisations with strong leadership and future-focused strategies that can demonstrate substantial benefits for disadvantaged people in Oxfordshire.

About the Step Change Fund

The Step Change Fund was established to help Oxfordshire’s charitable sector become more resilient and effective in addressing complex social challenges faced by local communities. Rather than focusing primarily on individual service delivery projects, the fund supports organisational capacity building that can create lasting improvements in how charities operate and deliver their work. Supported projects should enable a significant shift in areas such as: - Organisational capacity. - Cost-effectiveness. - Sustainability. - Ability to deliver core services. - Overall organisational impact. What Does the Fund Support? The fund is particularly interested in projects that can demonstrate a clear and measurable organisational transformation.

Projects should have:

- A well-developed and future-oriented strategy. - Strong organisational leadership. - Clear performance indicators. - A defined and measurable step change. - A substantial benefit for disadvantaged people in Oxfordshire. - A clear connection between organisational improvement and community impact. Applicants should demonstrate how the proposed investment will strengthen their organisation and ultimately improve outcomes for people experiencing disadvantage. How Much Funding Is Available? Grant amounts available through the Step Change Fund range from £10,000 to £50,000.

Key funding limits include:

- Grants from £10,000 to £50,000. - Total grants are capped at £75,000. - Grants would not normally exceed 30% of the applicant’s annual income. Applicants should ensure that the amount requested is proportionate to their organisation’s annual income and the scale of the proposed organisational transformation. Volunteer Project Manager Support An important feature of the Step Change Fund is that each grant includes support from a volunteer project manager. The volunteer project manager will typically have experience in: - Business strategy. - Management. - Organisational development. The project manager will work alongside the successful grantee to develop a clear, costed plan and support the organisation in achieving agreed project milestones. This additional expertise is intended to strengthen the implementation of the funded organisational change. Performance and Project Milestones Projects supported by the fund are expected to demonstrate measurable progress towards their intended step change. Applicants should identify clear performance indicators connected to the improvements they want to achieve. The volunteer project manager will support the grantee in developing a costed plan and working towards the project’s milestones. Who Can Apply? The Step Change Fund is intended for established local charitable organisations that meet the programme’s eligibility requirements.

Eligible applicants must:

- Be a registered charity or similar organisation. - Have been operating for at least three years. - Have an annual turnover between £100,000 and £1,000,000. - Have at least 80% of beneficiaries based in Oxfordshire. - Demonstrate how the proposed project will improve the lives of people experiencing disadvantage in the community. Oxfordshire Beneficiary Requirement The fund has a strong local focus. At least 80% of an applicant’s beneficiaries must be based in Oxfordshire. Applicants should therefore be able to demonstrate that their organisational development will ultimately benefit people living in Oxfordshire, particularly those facing disadvantage. Focus on Disadvantaged Communities A central requirement of the fund is that projects demonstrate a meaningful benefit for disadvantaged people in Oxfordshire.

Applicants should explain:

- Who will benefit from the proposed organisational change. - How the organisation’s improved capacity will affect its work. - What improvements disadvantaged communities are expected to experience. - How the project will contribute to better outcomes for local people. Who Is Not Eligible? The fund excludes a number of applicants and project types.

Ineligible applicants include:

- National charities. - Public bodies. - Animal-focused charities. - Individuals. Certain types of projects are also excluded under the fund’s eligibility requirements. Applicants should therefore review the relevant exclusions carefully before preparing a proposal. Why the Step Change Fund Matters Charities addressing complex social challenges often need to strengthen their internal systems, leadership, strategy, and long-term sustainability to increase their impact. The Step Change Fund provides targeted support for organisations that are ready to make a significant organisational transformation. The combination of grant funding and volunteer project management expertise gives successful organisations both financial resources and practical strategic support to develop and implement their plans. What Makes a Strong Step Change Fund Project? A strong proposal should clearly demonstrate that the funding will create a significant and measurable organisational improvement.

Applicants should focus on:

- The organisational challenge or opportunity. - The proposed transformation. - Why the change is important now. - The expected improvement in capacity, sustainability, cost-effectiveness, or impact. - Clear performance indicators. - A realistic and costed implementation plan. - Strong leadership and organisational