The Leeds Fund Small Grants (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 20-Oct-2026

The Leeds Fund Small Grants provide flexible funding to smaller community organisations in Leeds to deliver activities that strengthen their capacity, build resilience, and benefit local communities. The fund is designed to recognise the important role of grassroots organisations in responding to local needs and priorities. Funding can support organisational development, staff and volunteer training, new activities, health and wellbeing initiatives, employability programmes, and other community-focused work. Grants of up to £5,000 are available for projects lasting up to one year.

About the Leeds Fund Small Grants

The Leeds Fund Small Grants programme aims to empower smaller community organisations by providing flexible financial support for activities that create meaningful local impact. Grassroots organisations can face challenges related to staffing, skills, organisational systems, funding, and capacity. The fund helps organisations address these challenges while continuing to provide valuable services and activities to their communities. The programme particularly recognises projects that strengthen organisational resilience and help community organisations become more sustainable. How Much Funding Is Available? Eligible organisations can apply for up to: £5,000 per project Projects can last for up to one year. The funding can be used to support eligible activities and costs that help organisations strengthen their capacity or deliver benefits to their communities. What Projects Are Prioritised? Priority is given to projects that help organisations develop their organisational resilience and capacity.

Examples of eligible activities include:

- Capacity-building activities. - Staff training. - Volunteer training. - Policy development. - Process development. - Testing new activities. - One-off community projects. - Expansion of existing initiatives. - Employability programmes. - Marketing consultations. - Health and wellbeing activities. - Activities providing new experiences. - Projects that help create safe and friendly communities. - Skill development initiatives. Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed activity will strengthen their organisation or provide meaningful benefits to the communities they serve. Organisational Resilience and Capacity Building Building organisational resilience is an important priority of the Leeds Fund Small Grants. Funding may help organisations improve their internal systems, develop staff and volunteer skills, strengthen policies and processes, or test new approaches. These investments can help grassroots organisations become better equipped to respond to changing community needs. Staff and Volunteer Training Small community organisations can use eligible funding for activities that strengthen the knowledge and skills of their staff and volunteers. Training can contribute to organisational resilience by improving the ability of teams to deliver services and manage community activities effectively. Policy and Process Development Funding can also support the development or improvement of organisational policies and processes. This can help smaller organisations establish stronger internal structures and improve the way they operate. Testing New Activities The fund can support organisations that want to test new activities or approaches. This provides grassroots organisations with an opportunity to explore whether a new initiative can effectively respond to local needs before potentially developing it further. Other Eligible Activities The fund is not limited to organisational development.

Eligible activities may also include:

- One-off projects. - Expansion of existing initiatives. - Employability programmes. - Marketing consultations. - Health and wellbeing activities. - New experiences. - Safe and friendly community initiatives. - Skill development activities. Projects should demonstrate a clear benefit to the organisation or the local community. Who Can Apply? The Leeds Fund Small Grants are intended for smaller community organisations based in Leeds. Eligible applicant structures include several types of not-for-profit and community organisations.

These include:

- Incorporated not-for-profit organisations registered with the Charity Commission. - Incorporated not-for-profit organisations registered with Companies House. - Incorporated not-for-profit organisations registered with the FCA Mutuals Public Register. - Registered charities that are not incorporated, subject to restrictions on staff funding. - Small unincorporated and unregistered organisations with annual income below £10,000. Applicants should ensure that they meet the relevant organisational and registration requirements before applying. Small Unincorporated Organisations Small community groups that are not incorporated or registered may still be eligible. To qualify, these organisations must have an annual income below £10,000. This provision allows smaller grassroots groups without formal incorporation or registration to access funding, provided they meet the other eligibility requirements. Registered Charities That Are Not Incorporated Registered charities that are not incorporated may also be eligible. However, restrictions apply to staff funding for these organisations. Applicants in this category should ensure that their proposed budget complies with the applicable restrictions. Who Is Not Eligible? Several categories of organisations and activities are excluded from the fund.

Ineligible applicants include:

- For-profit organisations. - Overseas organisations. - Statutory organisations. - Groups without a constitution. Organisations should confirm their eligibility before investing time in preparing an application. What Activities Cannot Be Funded? Applications must not request funding for certain activities or costs.

The fund does not support:

- Activities or costs that have already taken place. - Discriminatory activities. - Political promotion. -