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
Ayrshire360 - Summer of Sport Grant Scheme
The Summer of Sport 2026 Grant Scheme will support and enable clubs and organisations to provide opportunities for children and young people in East Ayrshire (ages 3 to 26) to get active, stay active, remain active and improve their lives.
Activities should be free, targeted or offered at a reduced cost to maximise engagement and address barriers to participation. Funding is for activity delivered from June 2026 to March 2027.
The following are eligible to apply:
- sports club or organisations providing sport, physical activity or outdoor adventure experiences and opportunities in East Ayrshire
- sports clubs or organisations working with children and young people in East Ayrshire (ages 3 to 26)
- sports clubs or organisations who are affiliated to East Ayrshire Sports Council or East Ayrshire Youth Work Network
- sports clubs or organisations who are not affiliated members can do so by emailing CommunityPathways@ayrshire360.com and you will be supported by the appropriate staff member
Grants of up to £7500 are available.
The fund is open on the Ayrshire360 website. The first deadline for applications is 19 June 2026.
Apply at Ayrshire360: Summer of Sport Grant Scheme
Alec Dickson Trust
Supports volunteering or community service projects in the UK that are organised and run by young people aged 30 and younger.
Grants of up to £500 are available to individuals or small groups of young people in the UK to help them put their ideas into action and run projects that benefit the lives of others, particularly the most marginalised and disadvantaged.
The fund is open on the Alec Dickson Trust website. The deadline for applications is 1 July 2026.
Apply at Alec Dickson Trust
Art Fund - Jerwood Art Fund Commissions
Provided through a partnership between Art Fund and Jerwood Foundation, the programme aims to enable museums and galleries to fully resource commissions for early to mid-career artists, supporting the creation of innovative, high-quality work while adding contemporary pieces to public collections.
Two awards will be made, with each commission ranging from £70,000 to £100,000. The money is intended to cover the full costs of delivering and presenting each commission with the partner museum.
The fund is open on the Art fund website. The deadline for applications is 2 October 2026.
Apply at Art Fund: Jerwood Art Fund Commissions
cardfactory Foundation - Community Fund
Applications will be accepted from UK registered charities with an income of less than £3 million per annum (particularly smaller, local charities where a £10,000 grant will deliver real impact), who have been actively operating for at least 18 months and who are working within one or more of the Foundation's priority areas:
- Families experiencing financial disadvantage
- Hardship and Crisis Support (Acute)
- Vulnerable children and young people (0–25)
The fund will open on the cardfactory Foundation website on 22 June 2026 and close on 3 July 2026..
Apply at cardfactory Foundation - Community Fund
Co-op - Local Community Fund
The funding is for projects that help people to thrive in one of the following ways:
- enable people to access food
- create opportunities for young people
- improve people's mental wellbeing
- promote community cohesion
- build sustainable futures
The funder is also keen to support projects that promote and celebrate diversity and inclusion. Successful groups will receive a minimum of £500 to support their projects
.Projects must take place or still be running after November 2027.The deadline for applications is 24 June 2026.
The fund is open on the Co-op website. The deadline for applications is 24 June 2026.
Apply at Co-op: Local Community Fund
Corra Foundation - You're Only Young Once (YOYO) Fund
The funding supports activity that helps children, young people and families shape and share experiences, create connections and build the conditions for them to influence participation, policy and practice across Scotland.
Grants of up to £10,000 are available.
The fund is open on the Corra Foundation website. The deadline for applications is 1 September 2026.
Apply at Corra Foundation: You're Only Young Once (YOYO) Fund
Heart Research UK - Healthy Hearts Grant
Grants of up to £15,000 is available for new community projects aimed at supporting adults to reduce their risk of coronary heart disease, helping them to lead healthier, happier and longer lives.
Applications will be accepted from small registered charities and community interest companies (CICs) with an annual income of less than £1 million. Groups are expected to have an in-depth knowledge of the specific needs and demographics of the communities they intend to work with and their project activities need to specifically address the problems within that community.
Funding is for new projects that work with communities to prevent heart disease, particularly for vulnerable and isolated groups of individuals who are at an increased risk of developing heart problems in the future.
Projects that are likely to have a big impact and have considered novel ways to encourage people to look after their hearts and promote positive lifestyle changes are also sought.
The fund is open on the Heart Research UK website. The deadline for applications is 8 July 2026.
Apply at Heart Research UK: Healthy Hearts Grant
His Majesty's Revenue and Customs - Voluntary and Community Sector Grant Funding
Grants of between £40,000 and £1 million per year, with a maximum threshold set at 50% of the organisation's turnover (last audited accounts) are available.
The funding programme is to commence 1 April 2027. The funding aims to help customers return to mainstream HMRC channels by building capability and confidence, and by resolving issues that act as barriers to engagement, including HMRC debts and outstanding tax obligations.
The support is for customers HMRC finds hardest to reach, including people with reduced mobility, sensory disabilities, low digital capability or confidence, mental health conditions, neurodiversity, language barriers and those affected by life events such as bereavement or relationship breakdown, as well as prisoners and people on probation.
The fund is open on the His Majesty's Revenue and Customs website. The deadline for applications is 3 July 2026.
Apply at His Majesty's Revenue and Customs: Voluntary and Community Sector Grant Funding
People's Postcode Trust
Organisations in Scotland will soon be able to apply for up to £50,000 across a three-year period.
The organisation's main activities and objectives must be focused on one of this year's funding themes:
- preventing or reducing the impact of poverty
- enabling participation in the arts
- supporting marginalised groups and/or tackling inequality
- improving mental health with a focus on organisations that are actively supporting specific mental health issues as a core purpose, rather than general mental wellbeing activities
Applications will open on the People's Postcode Trust website on 24 June and close on 1 July 2026.
Apply at People's Postcode Trust
The Wildlife Trusts - Green Community Grants Programme
Flexible grants of up to £25,000 to organisations whose main aims and objectives fit with one of the following themes:
- contributing to nature recovery and responding to the climate emergency
- improving nature-rich spaces and access to them
The grants can be used for a wider range of sustainable activities, including recycling, litter picking, beach cleans or sustainable transport.
Groups can apply for no more than 25% of their annual income listed on their most recent set of signed accounts.
Applications will open on the The Wildlife Trusts website on 24 June and close on 15 July 2026.
Apply at The Wildlife Trusts: Green Community Grants Programme
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust - ArtRoots Fund
Grants are intended to help communities in Scotland develop small projects that make routes more attractive and encourage more people to travel actively by walking or cycling. The fund also aims to support local involvement in shaping the environment around National Cycle Network paths.
Grants of £2,500 are available. Awards of up to £6,000 may be considered where applicants can show the higher amount would significantly improve outcomes and lead to a greater increase in new active travel journeys. An Access Fund is also available for applicants with additional support needs, allowing a request of up to 10% of the original grant applied for.
Support is for projects or items that improve the aesthetics of eligible routes and demonstrate community engagement. Eligible costs can include sculptures, murals and mosaics, benches and seating, decorative signage, planters, interpretation boards, lighting, repairs to existing artworks, designer and artist fees, contractors and machinery hire, insurance and planning or event permission. Project management fees are eligible but must not exceed 10% of the total requested.
The fund is open for Expressions of Interest on the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust website. The deadline to submit an Expression of Interest is 14 July 2026.
Apply at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust: ArtRoots Fund
Walking Scotland - SPT Community Path Fund
The fund intended to help not-for-profit organisations develop routes that improve connectivity and make existing paths more accessible and easier to use.
Grants of up to £15,000 are available.
Support can be used to build new paths that strengthen links within local path networks, or to upgrade existing routes. Eligible costs also include producing technical designs for path projects to help applicants through tendering and construction stages.
The fund is open on the Walking Scotland website. The deadline for applications is 12 August 2026.
Apply at Walking Scotland: SPT Community Path Fund
Youthlink Scotland - Youth Arts Open Fund
The fund forms part of Creative Scotland's wider support for children and young people and aims to build capacity among smaller organisations, with priority given to applications from these groups.
Support is available to freelance artists and to organisations to deliver high-quality, accessible arts activity. Funding must be used for free, community-based activity that is open and accessible to all children and young people.
Freelance artists can apply for up to £10,000. Organisations can apply for up to £20,000. Awards are intended to support delivery for up to 12 months.
Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funded organisations are eligible to apply. Any proposed work must be separate and distinct from their existing Creative Scotland-funded activity.
th fund is open on the Youthlink Scotland website.The deadline for applications is 21 July 2026.
Apply at Youthlink Scotland: Youth Arts Open Fund
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
CIT Funding Alert 19 June 2026 (PDF 324 KB)
CIT Funding Alert 5 June 2026 (PDF 306 KB)
CIT Funding Alert 25 May 2026 (PDF 357 KB)
CIT Funding Alert 12 May 2026 (PDF 337 KB)
CIT Funding Alert 20 April 2026 (PDF 243 KB)
East Ayrshire 4 Community
You can also search for grants and check your eligibility at East Ayrshire 4 Community, which is a free service.