Grants Programmes

Supporting you through the application process

Current Programmes (please SCROLL DOWN for each programme’s criteria and how to apply)

• Cheshire Community Foundation Main Grants Programme

• Cheshire Community Foundation Small Grants Programme

• Warrington Older Peoples Fund Main Grants Programme 

• Warrington Older Peoples Fund Small Grants Programme

• High Sherriff Programme 2019 (soon to be launched)

• MBNA Inspiring Education Programme 2019

   

We give grants to groups addressing priority needs within Cheshire and Warrington.

Through our grant making we aim to:

• Target community need that is informed by local research and local consultation
• Focus support to achieve maximum effectiveness
• Enhance community and voluntary activity in Cheshire
• Encourage best practice among community and voluntary groups
• Give help where it is needed most

We strive to make our grants process simple and easy for you. Our grants team are available to talk with you about your project idea and if the project is eligible to apply, and will suggest the most relevant grants programme for your application. Please contact us on 01606 330607 with any questions you may have.

Grants programmes open and close regularly so please do check the latest opportunities and deadlines. Applying to the most appropriate grants programme helps improve your chances of success and so we recommend you read and fully understand the guidelines for each programme.

For our Grant Making Complaints procedure please click here.

We recommend that you apply early within a grants programme application window – particularly where there may be a limited amount of funding available – as some programmes become over subscribed quickly. Wherever possible, avoid leaving the submission of your application to the last week or few days of the applications window as we have found that where an applicant has rushed in an application, it can affect the quality of the submission. It can also be beneficial for someone not closely connected to the project, to read the application, to see if they fully understand the project before it is finalised.

Capital projects

Recently we have found that there are less funds available to fund capital projects (building refurbishment or purchase of larger capital items). If you do have a capital project that you are considering applying for, please do talk to us about the likely chances of success with the project, before embarking on the application process.

Below you will find further details of our current open grants programmes including application deadlines. If you would like to discuss which fund is best for you, please call the grants team on 01606 330607 or email us at grants@cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk

Cheshire Community Foundation: Small Grants Programme
Grant type	Project costs (see Cheshire Community Foundation criteria below)
Fund supporters	Click HERE to see our current donors and key themes
Status	Open
Applications accepted from social enterprises?	Yes
Age range of beneficiaries supported by this programme	All ages
Minimum/maximum	£1-£1000 (Note: for a one off trip or lunch the maximum contribution is £250) – if your project is for a larger request, please call to discuss
Frequency	Rolling programme
Deadlines	No deadline ongoing programme
Criteria	Please click HERE for the Grant Making Principles that apply to this Programme   We are  particularly interested in supporting smaller charities through this programme  (with a turnover of less than £300,000) and to assist local grass roots organisations that support one, or more, of the following priority areas: • Homelessness • Disadvantaged and exploited young people, with a preference for prevention and early intervention projects • Education and skills (for ages 3 to 18) • Community support  – to include support for older people
Application form	Please click HERE to go directly to the application form
Date you will hear the outcome of your application	We aim to provide an outcome of your application within six weeks from receipt of a complete application (including the  required documents)

  

Cheshire Community Foundation: Main Grants Programme
Grant type	Project costs (see Cheshire Community Foundation criteria below)
Fund supporters	Click HERE to see our current donors and key themes
Status	Currently closed – opens 15th July 2019
Applications accepted from social enterprises?	Yes
Age range of beneficiaries supported by this programme	All ages
Minimum/maximum	£1,000-£25,000 (Note: The average grant awarded is typically £8,000)
Frequency	The main grants programme is moving to two grant panels in 2019 with the dates for these being April 2019  and October 2019
Current deadline	For the October Panel applications must be submitted by 23rd August 2019
Criteria	Please click HERE for the Grant Making Principles that apply to this Programme
Application form	Please call 01606 330607 for a discussion about your proposed application. We are reliant on funding for this programme from a number of donor funds, some of which are restricted to a particular geography, disadvantage or need. We encourage applicants to contact us beforehand to discuss likely chances of success. If we feel that there are potential donor funds available, we will provide you with a link to the application form.
Date you will hear the outcome of your application	For the April Panel –  applicants will hear their outcome in the week commencing 6th May 2019  For the October Panel the week commencing 28th October 2019

Warrington Older Peoples Fund – Small Grants  Programme
Grant type	Project costs (see Cheshire Community Foundation criteria below)
Fund supporters	The Warrington Fund has been created through the transfer of two dormant Warrington Trusts Funds which have created the fund for this programme
Status	Open
Applications accepted from social enterprises?	Yes
Age range of beneficiaries supported by this programme	People over 50 in Warrington
Minimum/maximum	£1-£1000 (Note: for a one off trip or lunch the maximum contribution is £250)
Frequency	Rolling programme
Current deadline	No deadline – we aim to provide an outcome of your application within six weeks from receipt of a complete application
Criteria	Please click HERE for the Grant Making Principles that apply to this Programme.  For additional criteria relevant to the Warrington Fund please click HERE
Application form	Please click HERE to go directly to the application form
Date you will hear the outcome of your application	We aim to provide an outcome of your application within six weeks from receipt of a complete application (including the  required documents)

Warrington Older Peoples Fund – Main Grants  Programme
Grant type	Project costs (see Cheshire Community Foundation Criteria below)
Fund supporters	The Warrington Fund has been created through the transfer of two dormant Warrington Trusts Funds which have created the fund for this programme
Status	Closed re-opens 13th May 2019
Applications accepted from social enterprises?	Yes
Age range of beneficiaries supported by this programme	People over 50 in Warrington
Minimum/maximum	£1,000 to typically £5,000
Frequency	Three Grants Panels per year in March, July and November. For this programme applicants are asked to come along to the Grant Panel, please see our top 10 tips for this process HERE
Current deadline	For the July Panel applications must be submitted by 14th June 2019
Criteria	Please click HERE for the Grant Making Principles that apply to this Programme. For additional criteria relevant to the Warrington Fund please click HERE
Application form	Please click HERE for the application form
Date you will hear the outcome of your application	Week commencing 7th March – February Panel  Week commencing 15th July – July Panel Week commencing 11th November – November Panel

Partner Grants Programmes Managed by Cheshire Community Foundation

#iWill Programme 2019 (Formerly Youth Social Action)
Grant type	Project costs (see #iWill Criteria)
Fund supporters	Department for Culture Media & Sport   Big Lottery Fund
Status	Currently Closed – check back for further updates
Applications accepted from social enterprises?	Yes
Age range of beneficiaries supported by this programme	Young people 10 to 20 years (up to 25 for disabled young people) with a priority for children 10-14 years old
Minimum/maximum	£1,000-£10,000
Opening	TBC
Current deadline	There are currently no deadlines for this programme
Criteria	Please click HERE for the Programme criteria and HERE for background to the Programme
Application form	Please check back at a later date
Date you will hear the outcome of your application	Please check back

MBNA Inspiring Education Programme 2019 Round
Grant type	This programme is for State secondary education organisations (Schools, Academies and Multi Academy Trusts – referred to below collectively as “schools”) which have been nominated to apply by an MBNA Associate.   The aim of the programme is to provide increased extra-curricular opportunities for young people in secondary education, allowing them to develop their passion and inspiration for learning by encouraging them to try new activities at a time of increasing exam and social pressures.  The programme encourages applications which support vulnerable or disadvantaged young people to take part – particularly from areas which are most densely populated by MBNA staff, working at MBNA’s Chester Campus. Under the MBNA programme, over £600,000 will be made available over the next three years – with approximately £200,000 available in the first round in 2018 and a further £200,000 in 2019.
Fund supporters	MBNA Foundation
Status	Opens 4th March 2019
Applications accepted from charitable organisations and social enterprises?	Charitable organisations including social enterprises can be a partner to an application, however a secondary education School, Academy or Multi-Academy Trust must be the lead applicant with the application in their name.
Minimum/Maximum	Maximum £8,000 with typical grant size being £6,500
Opening	Open 4/3/19 –  by nomination only
Current deadline	Applications must be submitted by midnight 26th April 2019
Criteria	Schools are strongly advised to download the MBNA Inspiring Education Programme Criteria  before applying to see the full criteria.
Application form	Only an MBNA associate nominating your school, can provide your organisation with a link to the online application form.  We will only accept applications on this bespoke application form.
Date you will hear the outcome of your application	You will hear the outcome for the 2019 round in early July 2019.

High Sheriff Fund 2019
Grant type	A new High Sheriff Fund for 2019 is coming soon.     Projects will need to be complete and fully spent including completing an online monitoring form by the 31st December 2019
Fund supporters	The High Sheriff of Cheshire
Status	Opening soon
Applications accepted from social enterprises?	Yes
Minimum/Maximum	Maximum £1,000
Opening	Currently Closed – opening date TBC
Current deadline	When the programme re-opens it will be open on an ongoing basis until sufficient applications to distribute the funds have been received. Should we receive three times the total value of applications the programme will be closed therefore groups are encouraged to apply early.
Criteria	You will be able to download the High Sheriff Fund 2019 programme criteria HERE when the programme launches
Application form	You will be able to click HERE for the application form when the programme reopens
Date you will hear the outcome of your application	Applications will be assessed and reviewed monthly by our Panel. We aim to process you application within six to eight weeks of receipt of a fully complete application.

Tampon Tax Community Fund
Grant type	This programme will support project/activity costs
Fund supporters	The Tampon Tax Fund allocates funds generated from the VAT on sanitary products to projects that improve the lives of disadvantaged women and girls.   Cheshire Community Foundation is delighted to be working in partnership with UK Community Foundations to deliver the Tampon Tax Community Fund in  Cheshire and Warrington.
Status	Closed
Applications accepted from social enterprises?	Yes – Registered UK charities, Constituted Community groups,Companies Limited by Guarantee with charitable aims,  Community Interest Companies, Co-operatives – registered Community Benefit Societies and registered Industrial and Provident Societies, Credit Unions and Social Enterprises are all eligible to apply
Minimum/Maximum	£5,000 to £10,000. This​ programme aims to fund ​small​-scale interventions, ​​which​ ​will​ ​make​ ​a​ ​considerable difference to the lives and happiness of women and girls by raising the aspirations of girls and women and combating the influences that affect their confidence.
Frequency	TBC
Current deadline	Closed
Criteria	TBA
Application form	Closed
Date you will hear the outcome of your application	Closed