Grant / Funding Available
If you are looking for a grant for a community, voluntary or charity group project, below are contact details for some of the key organisations which provide funding.
If you need help writing a successful funding application, please see our help and advice section here https://rravs.org.uk/funding-advice/

Rochford Community Fund
Rochford Community Fund has been set up to give Rochford’s Communities the opportunity to promote local initiatives to improve the quality of life for local people living in the district. With the support of Find Your Active Rochford and Castlepoint and Rochford Health and Wellbeing Board, grants of up to £2,000 are available for applicants.

The Rochford Community Fund will open for applications on Tuesday 1st April 2025 and will close on Friday 1 August 2025.

Find out more https://www.rochford.gov.uk/funding

1. Communities

PFCC Community Safety Development Fund (CSDF), is designed to support the local voluntary ans community safety sector in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour across the county, building safer and stronger communities. Groups apply to the CSDF for grants upto £20,000.  Please visit – Community Grants – Essex PFCC  for more details if you have any questions, Claire Claire.hanrahan2@essex.police.uk would be happy to speak with you. Open for applications until 10th September.

Parkinsons UK – Marginalised Communities Grants: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/physical-activity-grants-marginalised-communities (Deadline of 10th August)

Barchester Group – https://www.bhcfoundation.org.uk

Essex Community Foundation – General Grants The Foundation awards grants to voluntary or community groups and charitable organisations that are working for the benefit of people in Essex, Southend or Thurrock https://www.essexcommunityfoundation.org.uk

Tesco Stronger Starts provides grants for up to £2,000 for projects which bring benefit to the local community https://tescostrongerstarts.org.uk/

Maureen’s Gift (Sanctuary Housing) – Grants up to £500 for projects that benefit residents across the Rochford District Council area email getinvolved@sanctuary-housing.co.uk or call Chris Silvey 0800 131 3348 / 0300 123 3511. https://www.sanctuary.co.uk/rochford-district

National Lottery Community Fund – a variety of grants are available depending on the size of the project. Under £10k and over £10k
https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding

Essex Association of Local Councils – EALC are currently offering grant for projects providing food support to benefit communities.  For further information email funding@ealc.gov.uk
https://ealc.gov.uk/food-support-fund/

2. Arts & Heritage
Arts Council England – Grants for arts activities that benefit people in England or that help artists and arts organisations to carry out their work. Supported aims of the programme include helping more people to take part in the arts and helping the development of artists, arts organisations and the creative economy.
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk

Heritage Lottery Fund – Heritage Grants fund projects relating to the national, regional or local heritage of the UK which aim to conserve and enhance diverse heritage and/or encourage more people to be involved in their heritage. https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/

3. Health and Disability
Comic Relief – Grants are available for projects based on the following themes -: Better Futures, Healthier Finances, Safer Lives and Fairer Society. Grants of over £10,000 are available. CURRENTLY NO LIVE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
https://www.comicrelief.com

Parkinsons UK – Physical Activity Grants: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/grants-physical-activity-providers

4. Young People

Applications are now OPEN for the Jack Petchey Internship Programme 2026! – The Jack Petchey Foundation is now accepting new applications from youth organisations to host an intern on our next internship programme. We will part-fund up to 20 internships for one year in youth organisations across London and Essex.

The Jack Petchey Internship Programme is designed to give young people a flying start in the youth sector and to help youth organisations increase the support they provide for young people in London and Essex. This will be the eighth cohort of our successful internship programme, which has so far supported over 170 young people into essential jobs in the youth sector.

You are eligible to apply for a grant to help fund a paid intern at your organisation starting in March 2026, if you:

  • are a youth charity or CIO working with young people in London or Essex
  • are currently running the Jack Petchey Achievement Award Scheme
  • have an income between £150k and £5m

Application deadline: 9am, Monday 8 September 2025.

​​​​​​​Before starting your application, please read the application guidance notes very carefully, which includes details on eligibility criteria, what kind of roles we are looking to fund and what else is involved in hosting a Jack Petchey intern.

For more information and how to apply, visit this link: https://www.jackpetcheyfoundation.org.uk/opportunities/internships/

VVU Community Grants (2026/27), The criteria for this fund is based on the VVU/ECVYS Listening Report and has a local/district/area focus.  The fund is open for application from local ‘not-for-profit’ voluntary or community clubs or organisations with a registered office based address in, and delivering work in, Essex, Southend and Thurrock only. Applicants can apply for up to £22,000 to deliver projects between 1st April 2026 – 31st March 2027 with young people. Please visit – Funding News « Essex Council for Voluntary Youth Services  for the full criteria and to apply.  Also Jim Pearson from the VVU is coming along to our ECVYS cluster meeting on 15th July to share more about this. But if you have any questions about this fund please contact Beks Beks@ECVYS.org.uk  or Jim james.pearson@essex.gov.uk  and we would be very happy to speak with you. Open for applications until 10th September.

The Kings Trust – NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE BUT OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE LISTED AT THE LINK BELOW.
https://www.kingstrust.org.uk/how-we-can-help/who-else/employment/grants-funding/community-projects

BBC Children in Need – several schemes are available including the emergency essentials funding for young people facing extremely difficult circumstances.
https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/grants/

5. Sports
Sport England – Small Grants Programme – The Sport England Small Grants Programme has been set up to support local community sport projects that seek to increase participation, sustain participation or develop opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport.
Movement Fund: https://www.sportengland.org/funding-and-campaigns/our-funding