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
Amazon - Regional Creatives Fund
The funding is aimed at small-to-medium-size single charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs), Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) and regional consortiums that already run established creative upskilling activity and want to grow, maintain or reimagine existing delivery.
Applicants are expected to show measurable impact to date and provide clear plans for how the money will improve or extend work already underway, rather than create a new project.
The following grant tiers are available this year:
- boost grants range from £1,000 to £5,000
- sustain grants from £5,001 to £12,000
- strengthen grants from £12,001 to £20,000
- scale grants from £20,001 to £30,000
- consortium grants of up to £100,000
The fund is open on the Amazon website. The deadline for applications is 2 August 2026.
Apply at Amazon: Regional Creatives Fund
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust
This round will focus on projects supporting unpaid carers giving therapeutic support, including healthy eating and outdoor activities.
Projects must focus exclusively on unpaid carers, without extending services to other groups. In this round, grants of £1,000 are available for UK-registered charities with an operating income of between £100,000 and £1 million.
Applications will not be accepted from CICs or other not-for-profit organisations that are not a UK-registered charity.
The fund is open on the Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust website. The deadline for round three is 31 July 2026.
Apply at Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust
Barchester's Charitable Foundation
Grants to small community groups and local charities for projects that help reduce isolation and loneliness, promote group activities, and generally improve mobility and quality of life for older people and adults with physical, learning, or mental disabilities.
Grants of between £100 and £2,600 are available to help small community groups and local charities with the following:
- activities
- equipment and materials for use by members
- transport costs to enable members to attend
- day trips, outings, and group holidays in the UK
Priority will be given to innovative projects that help older people and those with a disability to get active, meet people, and reduce isolation.
The is open on the Barchester's Charitable Foundation website. The next deadline for applications is to 31 July 2026.
Apply at Barchester's Charitable Foundation
Cycling UK - Cycling Access Fund
The Fund aims to remove barriers to cycling for people least likely to have access to a bike, with a focus on supporting adults and others who are struggling financially.
Support is available through five strands:
- Individual Bike Ownership
- Shared Use
- Recycle
- Repair
- Cycle Parking and Storage
There is no limit to the number of strands an organisation can apply for, although Cycling UK notes that availability under the Individual Bike Ownership strand is extremely limited.
A wide range of applicants are eligible, including charities and social enterprises, commercial businesses such as bike shops, local authorities, educational establishments and housing associations.
The Individual Bike Ownership and Shared Use funding strands have a two-stage application process. Recycle and Repair have a single-stage application process.
The fund is open on the Cycling UK website. The fund will close when the funds have been fully allocated or on 31 March 2027, whichever occurs soonest.
Apply at Cycling UK: Cycle Access Fund
Corra Foundation - Alcohol and Drugs Fund
This fund forms a key part of the national strategy to prevent harm, promote recovery and improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
The programme is structured around four funding streams, each designed to support different types of organisations and interventions across Scotland:
- local Support Micro Grants
- Local Support Grants
- Partnership and Delivery Grants
- Children, Young People and Families Grants
The fund is open on the Corra Foundation website. The deadline for applications to the Partnership and Delivery Grants and Children, Young People and Families Grants is 18 August 2026.
Apply at Corra Foundation: Alcohol and Drugs Fund Local Support Micro Grants
Apply at Corra Foundation: Alcohol and Drugs Fund Local Support Grants
Apply at Corra Foundation: Alcohol and Drugs Fund Partnership and Delivery Grants
Apply at Corra Foundation: Alcohol and Drugs Fund Children, Young People and Families Grants
James Tudor Foundation - Mental Health Grant
UK registered charities can apply now for grants of up to £25,000 for projects that help children and young people recover from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), plus support parents affected by ACEs, mental illness or addiction.
Applications will be considered from UK-registered healthcare charities with an annual income below £20 million and at least five years audited or independently examined accounts. Charities can be either regionally or nationally based.
The fund is open on the Jams Tudor Foundation website. The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 31 August 2026..
Apply at James Tudor Foundation: Mental Health Grant
James Tudor Foundation - Physical Health Grant
UK charities working in physical health, with a focus on therapeutic interventions, health information and direct healthcare, can apply for grants of up to £25,000 from 1 July. Through this programme, support is given to:
- evidence-based physical therapies for:
- people living with neurodegenerative physical conditions and/or neuromuscular conditions
- people living with physical disabilities
- people recovering from life-changing injuries
- specialist, single-condition charities – typically these are national charities that provide information about a specific condition via nurse-led helplines and via digital and print materials.
- charities whose main focus is delivering direct healthcare services to these inclusion health groups:
-
- people experiencing homelessness
- street sex workers
- vulnerable migrants
The fund is open on the James Tudor Foundation website. The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 31 August 2026.
Apply at James Tudor Foundation: Physical Health Grant
Scottish Government - Childcare Support Fund
Grants to third sector organisations to widen access to flexible and affordable childcare for families on low incomes.
Individual grants will range from £250,000 to £1 million. Successful applicants must spend the money by 31 March 2027.
Applications are open on the UK Government website on behalf of the Scottish Government. The deadline for applications is 9 July 2026.
Apply at Scottish Government: Childcare Support Fund
Tesco - Fruit and Veg Grants
Funding is intended to help deliver activities that increase the availability of fruit and vegetables and support physical and mental wellbeing.
Grants are awarded through a customer voting process in Tesco stores. Three local projects are shortlisted at a time, with awards of up to £1,500 for the project receiving the most votes, up to £1,000 for second place and up to £500 for third place. Shortlisting takes place every four months.
The initiative is open to schools, registered charities and not-for-profit organisations, including voluntary and community groups, social enterprises, parish and town councils, local authorities and housing organisations. Community Interest Companies must be limited by guarantee and have been operating for at least two years.
Applications are open on the Tesco website This is a rolling programme, and applications can be made at any time during the year.
Apply at Tesco: Fruit and Veg Grants
The Fore
Unrestricted funding for small charities and social enterprises with a turnover under £500,000 that are making a big impact and want to significantly grow, strengthen, or become more efficient or resilient.
To apply for funding, organisations must first register some basic contact details at the start of the funding round. Once their place on the funding round has been confirmed by email, they have three to four weeks to submit an application.
Only organisations that have registered with the Fore and are allocated a place may submit an application for the specific funding round.
The fund will open for registration on 8 July 2026 on The Fore website. The deadline for registration is 15 July 2026.
Apply at The Fore
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 3 July 2026 (PDF 333 KB)
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.