We regularly share grant and funding opportunities for charities, social enterprises, voluntary and community groups working across Oxfordshire.
This page is updated every week, with new funding opportunities, upcoming deadlines and funds that are currently open for applications.
We hope it helps you find funding that can support your organisation, your projects, and the people and communities you work with.
Please check the funder’s website before applying, as eligibility, deadlines and other details can change.
We recommend using our funding ready checklist before you begin. This can help you identify anything you may need to prepare before applying.
Keep checking back to see the latest opportunities.
If your organisation is a member, we can also run a funding search for you as part of your member benefits. This can help identify grants that may be a good fit for your work, location and beneficiaries. Find out more about member benefits
Not-for-profit organisations can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 towards community amenity projects through the FCC Community Action Fund.
Projects must be located within 10 miles of an eligible FCC Environment waste facility and meet the requirements of the Landfill Communities Fund.
Applicants can check their eligibility using the online pre-application checker before applying.
The fund is highly competitive and there are restrictions on the types of projects and costs that can be supported, so organisations are advised to read the applicant guidance carefully before submitting an application.
Next funding round: Opens 2 September 2026 and closes at 5pm on 18 November 2026.
Funding decisions are usually made around 16 weeks after the application round closes.
Great British Energy (GBE) has announced £30 million in funding to support the growth of community energy, including £20 million in grants through the GBE Community Fund to help local organisations develop clean energy projects under community ownership.
The fund is open to eligible community organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including registered charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs), community benefit societies, co-operatives and development trusts.
Funding is available at three stages of project development:
Projects can include solar, wind, hydropower, battery storage and other eligible clean energy technologies.
Applicants must be legally constituted and incorporated, with projects designed to be at least 50% community-owned once operational. Projects must also demonstrate clear benefits for local communities, such as reducing energy costs, reinvesting income locally or supporting community services.
Organisations in England can access advice and support with their applications through their Local Net Zero Hub, including feedback on draft applications.
Applications are open now and close at 11:55pm on Thursday 12th November 2026.
View the full eligibility criteria, funding guidance and details of how to apply.
Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) is opening its Living Essentials Fund on 26 October 2026, offering grants of £1,000 to £10,000 to charitable organisations providing crucial ongoing support to people in Oxfordshire, helping to ensure they have the basics needed for a safe and decent life.
Funding will support charitable groups that are helping people with unaffordable essentials. The fund will support challenges such as homelessness, housing insecurity, food insecurity, debt advice, and managing heat and cold.
Grants can be spent over one or two years, with an anticipated funding pot of around £250,000 available.
Applications open on Monday 26 October and close at midday on Monday 23 November 2026.
OCF’s Grants team will also be holding online drop-in sessions on 2 and 4 November to answer questions and provide guidance on applications. Details of how to book will be available when the fund opens.
For further information, eligibility criteria and application details, visit the Living Essentials Fund webpage.
For any questions, contact Oxfordshire Community Foundation’s Grants team on 07927 539699, 01865 798666 or email grants@oxfordshire.org.
Active Oxfordshire is opening a new round of small grants to support practical ideas that help Early Years children and their families to be more active.
Applications opened on 26 October 2026 and close at midnight on 22 November 2026. Please note that applications may close earlier if a high volume of eligible requests is received.
Grants of between £100 and £1,000 are available for simple, practical ideas that can make a difference locally. This could include new or improved activities, equipment, workforce development, inclusive opportunities, or testing a small-scale idea that responds to a gap in provision.
The key requirement is that funding must directly benefit Early Years children and/or their families. Applications that do not meet this requirement will not be eligible.
Active Oxfordshire has intentionally kept the application process straightforward and is particularly interested in ideas that:
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by 30 November 2026. Successful applicants will then have six weeks from notification to submit their invoice to Active Oxfordshire, with invoices due no later than 10 January 2027.
View further information, eligibility criteria and the application form.
The Toy Trust offers grants of up to £4,000 to small, registered charities supporting disadvantaged children under the age of 13. Funding is available for equipment and services that help relieve hardship and suffering, improve children’s wellbeing, and provide practical support to children and their families. Eligible charities must have been operating for at least one year, have an annual income below £500,000, unrestricted net assets of no more than £200,000, and administration and overhead costs of less than 30% of income. Applications must demonstrate clear benefits for disadvantaged children, and research projects are not eligible.
The next application deadline is mid-November 2026, for consideration at the December Trustee meeting. The Trust reviews applications four times a year, with further deadlines in mid-February, mid-June and mid-August.
Charities meeting the eligibility criteria can apply online and must provide two years of signed financial accounts and a trustee report. Successful applicants cannot reapply for two years. For full eligibility criteria and to apply, visit the Toy Trust website.
The next round of South Oxfordshire District Council’s Councillor Community Grant Scheme opened in August and closes at midday on 4 December 2026.
Each South Oxfordshire district councillor has a budget of £7,500 to support projects and services that provide community benefits within their ward.
Eligible projects may include:
Organisations can apply for grants from £250 up to £7,500 per councillor, subject to the councillor’s available budget. In wards represented by more than one councillor, applications may be considered jointly by all ward members.
Applicants are encouraged to contact their local councillor before applying to discuss whether the project is something they may be interested in supporting.
For further information, visit the website.
The South Oxfordshire District Council Councillor Grant Scheme is open for applications for 2026/27, offering funding for projects and activities that benefit local communities. Each district councillor has a budget of £7,500 to allocate to projects in their ward, with grants ranging from £250 to £7,500, subject to available funding. Organisations delivering projects across a wider area can apply to councillors in up to five wards.
The deadline for applications is midday on Friday 4 December 2026. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact their local district councillor before submitting an application to discuss their project. For eligibility criteria, guidance and details of how to apply, visit the Councillor Community Grant Scheme webpage. You can also find your local district councillor and their contact details
West Oxfordshire District Council has launched West Oxfordshire Crowdfund, a new funding programme to help charities, voluntary and community groups, and not-for-profit organisations raise money for local projects. A total of £120,000 is available in 2026/27, with eligible projects able to receive Council match funding of up to 50% of their crowdfunding target, capped at £12,000 per project.
The fund supports community-led projects that make a positive difference in West Oxfordshire, particularly those focused on community wellbeing, climate resilience and nature recovery.
Funding is available to a range of organisations, including registered charities, Community Interest Companies and constituted voluntary groups. Projects must raise funds through Crowdfunder UK, reach 100% of their target and secure support from at least 25 individual supporters to qualify for a Council funding pledge.
Applications are open until 18 January 2027, with Council funding pledges expected to be announced between 15 and 19 February 2027. A second funding round will open later in 2027.
Find out more and apply:
Since it began in 2007, the ICCM Recycling of Metals Scheme has donated more than £19 million in grant funding to over 700+ UK charities.
The scheme has a particular focus on bereavement and end-of-life charities, but each participating council or crematorium decides which charities to support. Some have awarded grants to a wide range of local charities, with funding typically ranging from around £1,000 to £15,000.
Many participating crematoriums appear to run annual grant funding rounds, while others award grants biannually. More than half of the UK’s crematoriums, around 260, are members of the scheme.
If you are looking for local funding, it may be worth checking whether your nearest crematorium is a member. You can use the crematorium directory to find one near your charity, although it may not be fully comprehensive. It is also worth searching online for “crematoriums near me”.
And if your local crematorium is not yet a member, why not approach your council? The scheme is free to join and helps councils promote recycling while also creating a valuable source of funding for local charities.
You can find the scheme details here and you can find your local council using your postcode.
With thanks to Ian McLintock from Charity Excellence Framework for sharing details of this funding opportunity.
The Veterans’ Foundation Small Grants programme offers grants of £500 to £5,000 to charities and not-for-profit groups supporting serving armed forces personnel, veterans, operationally qualified seafarers, and their immediate families.
The programme is aimed mainly at small, grassroots groups delivering community-based activities, such as breakfast clubs, drop-in centres, and projects supporting underrepresented groups. Grants must be spent within 12 months.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with no specific closing date. Organisations can apply once per quarter and will usually receive a decision within around eight weeks.
Applicants must complete the Small Grants eligibility quiz before accessing the application form. Organisations with an annual income above £100,000, statutory organisations, individuals, private limited companies, and some Community Interest Companies are not eligible.
For more information, visit the website or email the Veterans’ Foundation Grants Team at grants@veteransfoundation.co.uk.
Charities can apply to The Syder Foundation for small grants of £2,000 towards capital projects or items of equipment. The Foundation sets aside around £100,000 each year for these awards, which are available to registered charities in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire. Funding is not available for programmes, running costs or salaries, and national charities are unlikely to be supported.
Applications can be made at any time and are assessed monthly. Charities should submit an application of no more than two sides of A4, along with their latest accounts and details of recent income and expenditure, annual fundraising costs and the expected impact of the project.
The Foundation only supports registered charities, so CICs and other non-charitable organisations are not eligible. For full eligibility criteria and details of how to apply, visit The Syder Foundation website.
The Blue Spark Foundation has announced that applications are open for its small grants programme supporting projects that improve the education and development of children and young people in England.
The charity provides grants for educational, cultural, sporting and related activities, with a particular interest in projects that build self-confidence, teamwork and future employability.
Eligible applicants include schools, community groups, clubs, societies and other not-for-profit organisations, while individuals may also apply in some cases. Projects must benefit children and young people in England aged between 5 and 22.
Grants are generally for relatively small projects. Many awards are under £2,000 and none exceed £5,000. Funding can be used for:
Match funding is not required, although being able to contribute part of the costs can strengthen an application, especially for requests above £2,000.
Applications can be submitted at any time. Find out more.
Funding is available for practical environmental action in local communities through The National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All England Environment programme.
The programme is open to groups that want to take small, practical steps to make a positive difference to the environment and help people connect with and care for nature in their area.
Organisations do not need to be environmental groups to apply. Funding is available for a wide range of community-led projects, including:
Across London and the South East, communities are already taking practical environmental action, from repair cafés and community-run pollinator gardens to climate literacy projects, circular economy initiatives and improvements to community buildings to reduce energy use. There are also examples of migrant-led nature projects and neighbourhoods reclaiming small areas of land for wildlife.
Grants range from £300 to £20,000 and can support costs including equipment, volunteer expenses, transport, utilities and some organisational running costs.
The South Oxfordshire Nature and Climate Action Fund has £100,000 available to support local projects that help communities take action on climate change, adapt to its impacts and support nature recovery.
Grants of between £250 and £10,000 are available for projects across South Oxfordshire.
Funding can support work focused on areas such as :
If you would like to chat through your project ideas before applying, you can email the Climate Action team at: climateaction@southandvale.gov.uk.
For more information about the scheme and for ideas of projects, visit South Oxfordshire District Council’s website.
The Morrisons Foundation Connecting Communities Fund offers grants of up to £20,000 to registered charities for capital projects that improve community facilities and shared spaces.
Funding can support refurbishment, maintenance, accessibility improvements and upgrades to buildings or outdoor spaces that bring people together, reduce isolation and help vital local services remain open and accessible.
Eligible projects could include village halls, community centres, youth clubs, community gardens, disability and therapeutic centres, SEN facilities, refuges, homeless shelters, wellbeing centres, warm hubs and other community spaces. Applicants must be registered charities, own the property or hold a lease with at least three years remaining, and have at least one set of accounts filed with the relevant charity regulator. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
For full eligibility criteria, exclusions and details of how to apply, visit the Morrisons Foundation website.
The Shanly Foundation provides grants to charities, CICs and community organisations supporting people and communities across parts of South East England, including Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
Its funding supports a wide range of causes, with a particular focus on young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, homelessness, mental health, physical disabilities, injury and life-limiting illness. In 2025, the Foundation awarded 493 grants worth more than £2.2 million, with awards ranging from small grants of up to £2,000 to grants of more than £50,000.
The Foundation offers several funding routes, including its General Applications Fund, which is open throughout the year, as well as funds focused on homelessness and careers in construction. Organisations should check that they operate within the Foundation’s eligible area and meet its criteria before applying.
Trustees meet monthly and applications are usually considered within three months, so applicants are advised to apply at least 10 weeks before they need a decision.
For full eligibility criteria, funding options and details of how to apply, visit their website.
The Greaves & Withey Foundation (previously known as the Robin Greaves Foundation) provides grants to charitable organisations working to promote sport and recreation in Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.
Funding can support a range of activities, including amateur sport, encouraging community participation in healthy recreation, and providing or improving facilities for sport. There is no minimum or maximum grant amount, so awards can vary depending on the project and level of need.
Eligible applicants include charitable organisations working in sport and recreation, as well as schools with charitable status. Previous grants have ranged from under £2,000 to more than £30,000, supporting organisations including sports clubs, schools and youth organisations.
The fund is open to applications at any time, with no fixed deadline.
The National Lottery Community Fund have funding programmes open to local groups who want to take practical steps to make a positive difference to the environment and help people connect with nature in their area. National Lottery Awards for All England – Environment grants range from £300 to £20,000 and Reaching Communities England grants range from £20,001 to £20m.
Communities across the area are taking practical, everyday environmental action — from repair cafés in busy high streets to communities reclaiming small pockets of land for wildlife. From volunteers planting native trees for long term environmental change to community gardens.
You don’t need to be an environmental organisation – funding is available for everyday community groups taking action close to home.
The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) is offering grants to registered charities supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged children in their early years. Funding is available for projects that improve children’s development, health and wellbeing, and help families access the resources and support they need to thrive.
Applications are open on a rolling basis, with no fixed deadline. Eligible charities can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) at any time, with successful applicants invited to complete a full application. Organisations should complete the eligibility test before applying.
For further information, visit the MCF Early Years funding page.
Alongside the opportunities listed above, there are a number of grants and funding sources specifically for groups working in Oxfordshire.
Funding for projects that benefit older adults aged 65+ and adults aged 18+ with additional needs. The next funding round opens on 6th October 2026.
Oxfordshire Community Foundation
Funding opportunities for charities, community groups and voluntary organisations working across Oxfordshire.
Local council grants
Grants may also be available through local parish, town and district councils. Check the relevant council website for current funding schemes, eligibility criteria and deadlines:
Public sector tender opportunities
With government at all levels increasingly contracting rather than giving grants to the voluntary sector you may want to consider public sector contract opportunities.
For an overview on this income stream, visit NCVO’s information on delivering public services and read the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Guide on the government website.
Places to search for opportunities are listed below: