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
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - Hidden Voices Programme
UK registered charities, CICs and local authorities can apply for grants of up to £25,000 to support that enable accessible, bespoke mental health and wellbeing support for those with seldom heard needs in the armed forces community.
The funding is for projects that meet both of the following outcomes:
- those who are underrepresented, or whose voices are seldom heard, within the armed forces community, have equitable access to mental health and wellbeing support which meets their specific needs
- awareness of the needs of underrepresented groups within the armed forces community has been raised among organisations supporting them, through mutual learning and knowledge exchange to embed best practice
The fund is open on the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust website. The deadline for applications is 21 January 2026.
Apply at Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Hidden Voices Programme
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - VALOUR Recognised Centres Development Fund
The funding is for existing organisations or consortiums to provide a set of fixed services, including health, housing and employment guidance and support.
Projects need to deliver all of the following outcomes:
- help reduce the postcode lottery by delivering more equity of access and a level of consistency in service quality
- enhance collaboration and coordination within your area between statutory and non-statutory organisations
- help improve understanding of need through sharing data and information on veterans and the wider armed forces community
Round 1 offers grants of between £500,000 and £1 million to support projects delivered over a period of three years.
The fund is open on the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust website. The deadline for applications to round one is 14 January 2026.
Apply at Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - VALOUR Recognised Centres Development Fund
Energy Saving Trust - Energy Redress Scheme
Community energy groups, including co-operatives, community benefit societies and community interest companies, are now eligible to apply for grants through the Main and Small Funds, alongside registered charities.
Funding will support projects that help households most at risk from cold homes and high energy bills.The scheme also prioritises projects that develop innovative energy related products or services and empower people to reduce their carbon emissions, through the Innovation and Carbon Emissions Reduction Funds.
The funding streams available are:
- Main Fund – aimed at projects seeking grants between £50,000 and £2 million that will support households in vulnerable situations
- Impact Fund – aimed at projects monitoring the impact to households, of energy advice and other interventions. Applicants can apply for grants between £20,000 and £500,000
- Small Project Fund – aimed at projects seeking grants between £20,000 and £49,999 that will support households in vulnerable situations
- Innovation Fund – aimed at projects that will develop innovative products or services to benefit households. Applicants can apply for grants between £20,000 and £1 million
- Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund – aimed at projects that will reduce UK carbon emissions and empower households to reduce their carbon footprint. Applicants can apply for grants between £20,000 and £1 million
- Just Transition Fund – aimed at projects that will develop community renewable energy which will benefit energy consumers in vulnerable situations. Applicants can apply for grants between £20,000 and £250,000
The fund is open on the Energy Saving Trust website. The deadline for applications is 2 December 2025.
Apply at Energy Saving Trust: Energy Redress Scheme
Historic Environment Scotland - Heritage and Place Programme
Grants to not-for-profit organisations, local authorities, and national parks across Scotland to deliver community-led regeneration of the historic environment, supporting the development of vibrant and sustainable communities and places.
While no set value can be applied for, development phase grants will typically be up to 50% of the total costs. Delivery phase grants will typically range between £750,000 and £1.5 million, depending on the project size and match funding.
There is a two-stage application process, wherein groups must submit an Expression of Interest before being invited to complete a full application.
The fund is open on the Historic Environment Scotland website. The deadline to submit an Expression of Interest is 16 January 2026.
Apply at Historic Environment Scotland: Heritage and Place Programme
Inspiring Scotland - Improving Access Fund
The Fund aims to advance equality for disabled people by funding peer-led initiatives that follow the social model of disability. It seeks to strengthen financial support for disabled households, promote inclusion and improve mental health outcomes.
Incorporated groups can apply for up to £80,000, while unincorporated volunteer-led groups can seek up to £5,000.
The fund is open on the Inspiring Scotland website. The deadline for applications is 19 January 2026..
Apply at Inspiring Scotland: Improving Access Fund
Lintel Trust – Small Grants Programme
Small, registered charities and community groups working in Scotland can apply for grants of either £500 or £1,000.
The funding is intended to support projects with a housing focus that will deliver positive outcomes for beneficiaries in Scotland under the following aims:
- tackling social isolation in housing communities
- promoting digital participation in housing communities
- enabling older people to remain independent and in their own home
- enabling people with disabilities to live independently
- assisting people moving from homelessness into a secure tenancy
The fund is open on the Lintel Trust website. The next deadline for applications is 4 February 2026
National Deaf Children's Society - Community Grants
Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 for community groups, charities, and other not-for-profit organisations across the UK to deliver projects and activities that support early years deaf children (up to the age of five) and their families.
The fund is open on the National Deaf Children's Society website. Applications can be submitted at any time.
Apply at National Deaf Children's Society: Community Grants
Paul Hamlyn Foundation – Ideas and Pioneers Fund
Grants of up to £20,000 for up to 18 months are available for individuals, groups and small organisations to explore a new idea for social change that has the potential to transform the way things are currently done within the UK.
Ideas should be ‘bold and brave’, have a charitable purpose and be:
- Challenging injustice. Ideas should show a clear vision to help build a better society and contribute to shifting power and challenging and transforming the root causes of systemic oppression. There is interest in ideas working at a local level as those working at a national level
- Emerging. The funding is for ideas that are still forming. Applicants need to have a clear sense of the learning and experimenting they need to do to progress their idea.
- Long-term potential - ideas with a long-term impact.
The fund is open on the Paul Hamlyn Foundation website. The deadline for applications is 2 December 2025.
Apply at Paul Hamlyn Foundation: Ideas and Pioneers Fund
Rosa – Voices from the Frontline
Grants of up to £10,000 to women’s and girls’ organisations to support campaigning and influencing work that enables women and girls in the UK to use their voices to achieve change.
The campaigns could be targeted at local communities, the general public, local or national government, media, service providers or businesses.
The fund is open on the Rosa website.The deadline for the online application and three minute video is 9 December 2025.
Apply at Rosa: Voices from the Frontline
Weir Charitable Trust
Grants of up to £25,000 to small charities and community groups across Scotland with an annual income of less than £150,000 to deliver projects and activities that improve the quality of life for local communities.
The Trust will support projects and activities that fall within the following categories:
- sport
- recreational facilities
- animal welfare
- health
- culture
The fund is open on the Weir Charitable Trust website.The next deadline for applications is 6 February 2026.
Apply at Weir Charitable Trust
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.