Call for Proposals: Small Grants Programme (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 31-Dec-26

The Small Grants Programme provides funding for local charities and grassroots organisations operating in Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, Purbeck, and East Dorset. The programme supports a range of organisational needs, including core costs, community projects, and small capital items such as equipment and minor repairs. With applications accepted throughout the year on a monthly rolling basis, the programme is designed to help local organisations respond quickly to community needs. The Small Grants Programme provides timely financial support to organisations delivering services and activities that benefit local communities. The programme is designed to make funding accessible to local charities and grassroots groups, particularly organisations applying for funding for the first time.

Funding can be used for:

The rolling application process allows eligible organisations to apply when funding is needed rather than waiting for a single annual application round. Each successful applicant can receive up to £5,000.

Key funding features include:

This makes the programme suitable for organisations seeking relatively small amounts of funding for immediate community needs. The Small Grants Programme can support different types of organisational expenditure.

Eligible funding purposes include:

Funding can contribute toward core or operating costs that help organisations continue delivering their community-focused work. Grants can support expenses associated with community projects, activities, and services delivered within the programme’s area of benefit. Funding can also support small capital requirements, including items such as: The programme is open to a range of local charitable and community organisations.

Eligible applicants include:

Applicants must meet the programme’s organisational, governance, banking, and geographical requirements. Applicants must either be based in or deliver services within the specified area of benefit.

The eligible area includes:

Organisations should demonstrate a clear connection to the communities they seek to benefit through the proposed funding. The programme is particularly supportive of first-time applicants. It also welcomes organisations that have not received funding from the Small Grants Programme within the past eighteen months. This provides an opportunity for organisations that may not have recently benefited from the programme to seek support for new or ongoing community needs. Applicants are not required to provide match funding. This means organisations can apply for up to £5,000 without having to secure an equivalent or additional contribution from another funder. The absence of a match requirement can make the programme more accessible to smaller grassroots organisations with limited financial resources. Applications can be submitted at any time throughout the year. The programme operates on a monthly rolling basis, allowing organisations to apply when they are ready rather than waiting for a fixed annual deadline. Funding decisions are typically made within five to six weeks of submission. Applicants should therefore plan their applications in advance of when funding is required. Applicants must meet the programme’s governance requirements. Eligible organisations should also have appropriate banking arrangements in place. These requirements help ensure that funding is awarded to properly constituted organisations with suitable systems for managing grant funds. Applicants should ensure that their governance structure and banking arrangements meet the programme requirements before submitting an application. The programme is designed to provide flexible support to organisations responding to local community needs. By supporting core costs, projects, equipment, and minor repairs, grants can help grassroots organisations maintain and expand their activities.

The funding can therefore contribute to:

Applicants should clearly explain how the requested funding will benefit the local community.

A strong application should demonstrate:

Applicants should ensure that their proposed expenditure is clearly connected to their charitable, community, or social objectives. The Small Grants Programme provides financial support to local charities and grassroots organisations for core costs, community projects, and small capital items in Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, Purbeck, and East Dorset. Each grant provides up to £5,000. No. Applicants are not required to provide match funding. Applications are accepted throughout the year on a monthly rolling basis. Decisions are typically made within five to six weeks of submission. Funding can support core or operating costs, project expenses, and small capital items such as equipment and minor repairs. Eligible applicants include registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, community and voluntary groups, faith organisations for community activities, state schools for non-statutory projects, industrial and provident societies, CICs limited by guarantee, and eligible social enterprises. Yes. Faith organisations can apply for funding for eligible community activities. Yes. State schools may apply for non-statutory projects. Applicants must either be based in or deliver services within Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, Purbeck, or East Dorset. Yes. The programme is particularly supportive of first-time applicants and organisations that have not received Small Grants Programme funding in the previous eighteen months. Yes. Social enterprises may apply if they have a clear not-for-profit clause and charitable or social objectives. The Small Grants Programme provides up to £5,000 to help local charities and grassroots organisations in Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, Purbeck, and East Dorset meet core costs, deliver community projects, and purchase small capital items. With no match funding requirement and applications accepted throughout the year on a monthly rolling basis, the programme o