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Small grants

We award small grants of up to £3,000 per year, for up to three years, to approximately 100 UK registered nonprofit organisations each year.

Our grantmaking plans

An important update for 2025/26

Martineau Gardens

What we do

Our small grants programme is dedicated to supporting UK-registered nonprofit organisations that make a meaningful difference in key areas such as social inclusion, health and wellbeing, education, environment, countryside, and heritage and conservation. You can learn more about our funding themes here.

Guided by our Founder’s interests, we place a special focus on initiatives that work with some of the most disadvantaged communities—both urban and rural—helping to create opportunities and drive positive change where it’s needed most.

While our grants are typically modest, their impact is far-reaching. We take pride in shining a spotlight on important projects, raising awareness of critical social and environmental issues, and acting as a catalyst to inspire further support and engagement.

We believe that even small contributions can spark big change, and we’re excited to offer support through our small grants programme.

The application window will next open for organisations working across our environment and countryside funding themes between the 6th and 20th August. Further application windows will be announced on this page – check back for updates.

Eligibility criteria

We will consider small grant applications from organisations who meet the following criteria, as per their last published accounts:

  • Are a UK registered nonprofit organisation;
  • Have an annual income between £25,000 and £500,000;
  • Have completed two years of activity;
  • Have less than 6 months unrestricted free reserves;
  • If seeking funding for a project, the total cost of the project should not exceed £50,000;
  • Have waited at least two years from the date of any previous unsuccessful application;
  • Applicants who have previously received funding may reapply two years after the end date of their last award period.

We do not award small grants to:

  • Individuals and public bodies;
  • Organisations that mainly distribute grants to other organisations;
  • Organisations with political associations or interests;
  • Cover capital expenditure with the exception of community-based heritage, conservation and restoration projects aimed at preserving the fabric of historic buildings;
  • Organisations that are tackling food waste, food insecurity or food poverty in the UK. These organisations may apply to our Coronation Food Project grant programme;
  • Organisations with consistent late reporting regulatory history. Any exceptional reasons for this should be included in the application form.

The application process

We aim to be a responsible and flexible grantmaker and consider each funding application on its own merits.

Organisations can apply for a grant on this website when the Fund is inviting applications. Please note we do not accept applications outside of the stated application windows and any unsolicited applications will not be considered. For more information, please see the guidance notes below.

  • You can apply for a grant on this website, when the grants round is open as advertised at the top of this page and on our social media channels. The application window will next open for organisations working across our environment and countryside funding themes between the 6th and 20th August.
  • You may start your application, save it and return to it at another time within the grant round.
  • A confirmation email and copy of your application will be emailed to you after submission.
  • We strongly recommend you read the guidance notes before you begin your application.
  • It may also be useful to refer to our Frequently Asked Questions.

  • Initial assessment and shortlisting of the funding request will be carried out by an officer of the Fund.
  • Awards will be considered by the Small Grant Committee.
  • Committee recommendations are then considered and ratified by the Board of Trustees.

  • Grant decisions are communicated to applicants via email within two months of the application window closing.
  • We will send you an award agreement and online bank details form for your completion, after which payment will be made.
  • At the end of the grant period, we will ask you to submit a progress report. Any further funding is contingent on this.

  • Grant decisions are communicated to applicants via email within two months of the application window closing. Please note that these sometimes go to your spam folder.
  • We are unable to provide specific feedback due to the volume of applications received. The grant decision email includes possible reasons the application was not selected for a small grant.

  • Only one application will be considered from each organisation in any two years for any of our open grant programmes.
  • A further application will be considered two years from the date of any previous unsuccessful application or two years from the date of the end of the award period for previously successful applicants.

What information will I need?

Read our useful application guidance notes before you start completing the online form.

Review our resources

A range of resources for grantees are available.
Guidance for grantees