Funding is a fundamental aspect of the voluntary and community sector. Support Cambridgeshire understands the importance of identifying funding opportunities for your organisation. As part of that, we are offering an annual event that looks at this critical topic.

This three-day event comprises lots of separate webinars open to any organisation within Cambridgeshire, including Parish and Town Councils. All webinars are free to attend; you can get involved in as many as you wish. Just sign up for those which catch your eye.  Each day’s speakers have been organised through a different partner, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with the organiser directly with any enquiries.

Following these webinars, Support Cambridgeshire will hold a ‘Tips for making a successful grant application‘ online workshop on 21st March (12:00-13:30) run by CCVS. This session is free to attend, and we welcome all groups working within Cambridgeshire. We encourage all those attending any of the webinars, and considering applying for funding to attend this workshop, as it will support you in your funding application. Please note that spaces are limited in the workshop. Click HERE to find out more.

Scroll down to see the speakers for each day.

Thanks to our friends at Community Matters Yorkshire, they have allowed us to join their two-day Funding Fair and listen to the fantastic range of national funders talk about their fund and take questions.

What time are the sessions, and do I have to attend them all?

The sessions are all separate webinars, click on the BOOK Here image or title to be taken to the Eventbrite page, which has more details, including timings and how to book a place.

Unlike any other countywide event, each speaker has their own booking page. Here you will be sent the separate zoom link for that speaker. You can sign up to as many speakers as you wish.

How to book

Each title below is highlighted. Please click on the title or the BOOK HERE button and follow the instructions. You will need to book each webinar session you wish to attend.

Recording

As Community Matters Yorkshire organises this event, they have decided not to record it.

Whom do I contact regarding this event?

Please get in touch with Community Matters directly office@communitymatters.org.uk

Tuesday 14th  March

Agenda 

larger click here green logoSession 1: Grantscape from 9:00 am

We administer community funds (CF) on behalf of Local Authorities, large-scale renewable energy developers, including wind farms and solar farms, landfill operators (through the Landfill Communities Fund), and other renewable energy plants.

Grantscape funds are very geographically specific, please check that you are in the correct area: Please look at the website to check which areas are eligible

Grantscape website.

larger click here green logo Session 2: Lloyds Bank Foundation from 10:00  am

We have committed to funding at least 700 charities at any one time, for longer, more flexibly and with more money. We will provide a wide range of developmental support, including training, consultancy and mentoring alongside our funding to strengthen charities.

larger click here green logoSession 3: Garfield Weston Foundation from 11:00 pm

The Foundation aims to be responsive to where need is greatest and therefore supports a wide range of charitable activity in the following categories:

  • Arts
  • Education
  • Youth
  • Health
  • Museums & Heritage
  • Community
  • Environment
  • Faith
  • Welfare

The foundation only makes grants to registered Charities and CIOs

larger click here green logoSession 4: Bernard Sunley Foundation from 12:00 pm

A family grant-making foundation which supports charities in England and Wales working to raise the quality of life and provide greater opportunities for the young, the elderly, the disabled and the disadvantaged.

larger click here green logo Session 5: Henry Smith Charity from 1:00 pm

The Henry Smith Charity aims to bring about lasting change in people’s lives, helping them to benefit from and contribute to society. We achieve this by funding organisations that work with people to reduce social and economic disadvantage. We want to help people for whom other sources of support have failed, been inappropriate or are simply not available. To achieve this, we aim to make grants that work towards one or more of our key values.

  • Increasing resilience
  • Creating opportunities and life chances
  • Empowering communities

larger click here green logo Session 6: Groundwork from 2:00 pm

Groundwork has two grant programs Tesco bags of Help and Comic Relief small grants.

larger click here green logoSession 7: National Lottery Community Fund from 3:00 pm

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A NATIONAL TALK. WE HAVE THE SAME PRESENTATION BUT WITH THE CAMBS REGIONAL TEAM TAKING QUESTIONS ON THE 16TH. 

The National Lottery Community Fund aims to support ideas and projects that matter to people and communities. Using funding and relationships to help create stronger, more connected communities, the National Lottery Community Fund distributes over £600m a year to communities across the UK, raised by players of The National Lottery.

Wednesday 15th  March

Agenda 

Click here to book YellowSession 1: Key Fund from 9:00 am

The Key Fund offers flexible loans and grant/loan packages to help community and social enterprises to start up, become sustainable, or grow.

Click here to book YellowSession 2: Good Things Foundation from 10:00 pm

The Foundation helps people to improve their lives through digital. We tackle the most pressing social issues of our time, working with partners in thousands of communities across the UK.

Click here to book YellowSession 3: Easyfundraising from 11:00 pm

Easyfundraising is the UK’s biggest charity shopping site where you can raise money for your good cause when your supporters shop on line. easyfundraising turns everyday online shopping into free donations for your cause – your supporters shop as normal (but start on your easyfundraising cause page), and then retailers will make a small donation to say “thank you”.

If you would like to set up your free easyfundraising page before the session, you can do that here

Click here to book YellowSession 4: Clothworkers Foundation from 12:00 pm

The Clothworkers’ Foundation improves the lives of people and communities – particularly those facing disadvantage, deprivation and/or discrimination – through grant-making. The Foundation was set up in 1977 to be the primary vehicle of charitable giving for The Clothworkers’ Company. Since then, The Foundation has awarded more than £152 million in capital grants to charities registered in the UK or not-for-profit organisations working across the nine areas of priority defined in its Main and Small Grants programme.

Click here to book Yellow Session 5: Co-op Local Community Fund from 1:00 pm

Funding is available to local charities and grass-roots community organisations to maintain and enhance vital community projects through Co-op’s Local Community Fund which comes from the money raised when Co-op members buy own-brand products and services. In addition, Co-op and Crowdfunder have teamed-up to unlock additional funding as now Local Community Fund grants are able to count on Crowdfunder’s website towards match funding.

Click here to book Yellow Session 6: Arts Council from 2:00 pm

The Arts Council have a wide range of funding opportunities, from small grants for individuals and organisations to larger developmental grants for arts and culture projects and more beyond this. This is an opportunity to understand how the Arts Council might be part of your funding mix.

Click here to book Yellow Session 7: Heritage Lottery Fund from 3:00 pm

We believe that understanding, valuing and sharing our heritage brings people together, inspires pride in communities and boosts investment in local economies. We distribute National Lottery grants from £3,000 to £ 5 million and over, funding projects that sustain and transform the UK’s heritage, increasing resilience.

Along with national funders, we wanted to bring you information about those who fund within Cambridgeshire and allow you to hear what grass root funding is available.

What time are the sessions, and do I have to attend them all?

The sessions are all separate webinars, click on the BOOK Here image or title to be taken to the Eventbrite page, which has more details, including timings and how to book a place.

Unlike any other countywide event, each speaker has their own booking page. Here you will be sent the separate zoom link for that speaker. You can sign up to as many speakers as you wish.

How to book

Each title below is highlighted. Please click on the title or the BOOK HERE button and follow the instructions. You will need to book each webinar session you wish to attend.

Recording

None of these events will be recorded on the day.

Whom do I contact regarding this event? Please get in touch with Support Cambridgeshire at info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk.

Thursday 16th March

Agenda 

Session 1: Cambridge City Council from 9:15  am

Cambridge City Council will discuss their 2024-2025 Community Grants and briefly mention the 24-25 Homelessness Prevention Grant and Sustainable City Grant.

Session 2: Fenland Funding from 10:00 am

In this Fenland slot, we will hear from the Fenland District Council, who will talk through their ‘Changing Views’ funds available to voluntary, community interest / charitable organisations keen to improve the appearance of empty buildings or vacant sites. This talk will be followed by Clarion Housing, who will discuss their Clarion Futures funding, which has not yet been released but is expected following the session.

Session 3: Wind Farm Funding from 10:45 am

Wind farms are fast becoming a new way for energy to be produced. With every new Wind Farm created, there is a pot of money for the local communities around the farm. Both Fenland District Council and Cambridgeshire Community Foundation administer Wind Farm funds. This session brings them together to discuss how to access this funding.

Session 4: Cambridgeshire Community Foundation from 11:45 pm

Cambridgeshire Community Foundation administers various opportunities for funding for groups and charities across Cambridgeshire from several sources. In this session, Sara Marshall will discuss the opportunities open to groups and how to apply for them. This session is longer than the other sessions due to the number of funding pots to discuss. Sara will take general questions at the end.

Session 5: East Cambs District Council from 1:00 pm

East Cambridgeshire District Council will be discussing their Community Fund and Facilities Improvement Grants, available to organisations working within the East Cambridgeshire district.

Session 6: National Lottery Community Fund from 1:45 pm

National Lottery Community Fund will be attending to talk through their Awards4All and Reaching Communities funding programmes. There have also been some changes with the regional staff, so this will be an opportunity to meet those supporting future funding applications.

Session 7: South Cambs District Council from 2:30 pm 

South Cambridgeshire District Council will discuss their Community Chest & Zero Carbon Communities Grant available to those working within the South Cambs district. They will also be touching on the Electric Vehicle Charge Point Grants available for Parish councils, Village halls or community centre/community building Trusts, and Charitable and not-for-profit organisations directly involved in running village halls, community centres, and community buildings with parking.

Session 8: The Evelyn Trust from 3:15 pm

The Evelyn Trust is a grant-making charity supporting medical research and health and wellbeing projects in Cambridgeshire. In this session, they will be talking about their larger grants, which range from £10,000 up to a maximum of £250,000.

Session 9: Huntingdonshire District Council from 4:00 pm 

Huntingdonshire District Council will be talking about their Community Chest, available to those groups working within the district of Huntingdonshire.