The funding alerts below are updated regularly to let you know of important information about funding deadlines for community groups and charities.
If your group is awarded a grant from any of the funds highlighted in these alerts, please let us know by emailing ExternalFunding@eastayrshireleisure.com.
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Latest funding alerts
East Ayrshire Council - Anti-Poverty and Inequalities Grant
East Ayrshire Council has created an Anti-Poverty and Inequalities Grant Programme which is targeted at providing resources for innovative projects which will help to tackle poverty.
Applications are welcome from any constituted third sector partner who would like to propose new initiatives, enhance a current initiative, or add long term sustainability to a current initiative.
Projects should be connected to one or more of the strategy’s themes of:
- household poverty
- child poverty
- health and wellbeing inequalities
- building individual and community resilience
- building organisation capacity to tackle poverty
The fund is open on the East Ayrshire Council website. There is no current deadline for applications.
Apply at Engagement East Ayrshire: Anti-Poverty and Inequalities Grant
CVO East Ayrshire - Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund
Support grassroots community-based initiatives that promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing and/or mitigate and protect against the impact of distress and mental ill health within the adult population (aged 16 or over).
Specifically, the Fund aims to:
- tackle mental health inequalities through supporting a range of ‘at risk’ groups
- address priority issues of social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention and poverty and inequality with a particular emphasis on responding to the cost-of-living crisis and support to those facing socio-economic disadvantage
- support small ‘grass roots’ community groups and organisations to deliver such activities
- provide opportunities for people to connect with each other, build trusted relationships and revitalise communities
The fund will be split across three grant streams:
- micro grants up to £2,000
- small grants up to £5,000
- large grants up to £15,000
The fund is open on the CVO East Ayrshire website. The deadlines for applications are as follows:
- micro grants - 24 November 2025
- small grants - 26 January 2026
- large grants - 26 January 2026
Apply at CVO East Ayrshire: Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund
Bòrd na Gàidhlig - Seachdain na Gàidhlig Small Grants Fund
Funding is available for activities taking place during Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week), which will run from 23 February 2026 to 1 March 2026. The theme for 2026 is 'Use it or Lose It'.
Grants of up to £500 are available to individuals (over 18), voluntary and community groups, schools, educational institutions and professional organisations.
Projects must align with the following objectives:
- promote interest and participation in Gaelic
- increase opportunities to experience Gaelic
- strengthen and broaden the network of people engaging with Gaelic
- raise the profile of Gaelic locally, nationally, and worldwide
Ensure activities are inclusive and accessible to as many people as possible.
The fund is open on the Bòrd na Gàidhlig website. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2025.
Apply at Bord na Gaidhlig - Seachdain na Gaidhlig Small Grants Fund
Corra Foundation - Racial Equity Fund
Not-for-profit organisations in Scotland that are led by, and working with, people from Black and racially minoritised backgrounds can apply for unrestricted multi-year grants.
The fund is designed to support groups that have historically been under-resourced.
Grants of up to £50,000 are available across five years, with no more than £10,000 awarded in any single year.
Funding is unrestricted, allowing organisations to use grants to deliver any aspect of their work.
The fund is open on the Corra Foundation website. The deadline for applications is 29 October 2025.
Apply at Corra Foundation: Racial Equity Fund
COSARAF - Hardship Fund
COSARAF is offering grants of up to £2,000 to organisations that support families and individuals from across the UK who are in financial need and struggling with everyday costs such as basic expenses, utilities, or rent arrears.
The Hardship Grants Programme supports recognised third-party social organisations, such as charities, housing associations, schools, and social services, which are acting on behalf of a family or individual in need.
The fund is open on the COSARAF website. Applications can be submitted at any time.
Apply at COSARAF: Hardship Fund
EventScotland - National Events Programme
EventScotland is inviting applications for Round 55 of the National Events Programme, offering financial support to cultural and sporting events taking place outside of Glasgow and Edinburgh. The programme aims to assist events that align with the national events strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage, and that support domestic tourism within Scotland. Funding awards of between £5,000 and £25,000 are available.
Events must have a delivery budget exceeding £20,000 and attract more than 1,000 in-person attendees. Eligible activities include innovation to grow the event, marketing and PR, hired equipment to enhance the visitor experience, and initiatives focused on accessibility, inclusion and environmental sustainability. Applicants must be legally constituted organisations running live public-facing events.
Support is available for both new and established events occurring in eligible regions across Scotland.
The fund is open on the EventScotland website. Applicants must apply to the deadline relevant to the date their event will take place:
- 22 October 2025 for events taking place between April and September 2026
- 14 January 2026 for events taking place between September and December 2026
Apply at EventScotland: National Events Programme
Home Instead Charities
Funding to support local community events that enhance and enrich the lives of people over the age of 55 to combat loneliness and sometimes isolation ensuring they stay fit, active, healthy and connected and contributing to their local communities.
There are two levels of funding:
- grants of up to £500 for small grass roots organisations
- grants of up to £1,500 for small local registered charities
- larger grants can be considered for exceptional projects
The funder will only fully fund a grant request where the applicant holds no more than three months operating costs in reserve. For organisations that have more than this, up to 50% of the project costs will be funded.
The fund is open on the Home Instead website. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2025.
Pakinson's UK - Grants for Physical Activity Providers
The funding is for projects that can demonstrate the following desired impact:
- people with Parkinson's become and stay active, and/or significantly increase their levels of activity if they are already active
- more physical activity provision for everyone with Parkinson’s across the UK
- improved social wellbeing in people with Parkinson’s as a result of attending the project - Grants of between £500 and £3,000 are available
The fund is open on the Parkinson's UK website. The deadline for applications is 23 October 2025.
Apply at Parkinson's UK: Grants for Physical Activity Providers
Robertson Trust - Nurturing Relationships
Under the Nurturing Relationships theme, the Trust is particularly interested in initiatives that offer:
- preventative support for families experiencing poverty, including children and caregivers, to strengthen relationships and reduce the risk of intergenerational trauma
- whole-family support for those involved in or at risk of entering the care system, including services for young people with care experience who are not in a family setting
- crisis support at the point of family breakdown, especially for women and children affected by domestic abuse
- recovery and restorative approaches addressing experiences of homelessness, substance use, and/or contact with the criminal justice system
The fund is open on the Robertson Trust website. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Apply at Robertson Trust: Nurturing Relationships
Shared Care Scotland - Better Breaks
Grants of up to £35,000 for constituted third-sector organisations (£10,000 for unincorporated organisations) across Scotland to develop and deliver a wide range of short breaks projects and activities for disabled children and young people (aged 20 and under), their carers, and their families.
This can include breaks away and days out, or shorter, regular activities and sessions.
The fund is open on the Shared Care Scotland website. The deadline for applications is 3 November 2025.
Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust - Love Your Network
The programme supports communities living near the National Cycle Network to help maintain, improve, and enhance the spaces along local paths, as well as supporting wildlife conservation.
Applications are being accepted from constituted community groups, registered charities, and social enterprises.
Funding will take the form of equipment and training bundles of up to £1,000 in value rather than money. These may include:
- litter picking bundles
- hand tool bundles
The fund is open on the Scops Arts Trust website. The deadline for stage one applications is 26 February 2026.
Apply Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust: Love Your Network
East Ayrshire Council Community Grants
To check the next deadline date for applications please contact Democratic Services at Council Headquarters on 01563 554400 for further information.
Apply for a Community Grant
Renewable Energy Funds
To check the next deadline date for applications please contact Democratic Services at Council Headquarters on 01563 554400 further information.
Apply to the Renewable Energy Fund
Tincornhill Quarry Fund – Sorn
For further information on application criteria and deadlines please email secretarytqf@gmail.com
Previous funding alerts
East Ayrshire 4 Community
You can also search for grants and check your eligibility at East Ayrshire 4 Community, which is a free service.