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@ayrshire360.com.
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Latest funding alerts
Allander Youth Activities Charitable Trust
Support is primarily intended for training activities organised by the 24th Glasgow (Bearsden) Scout Group. If that group does not use all available resources, grants may be provided for similar activities organised by other scout groups, guides, boys brigade, girls brigade and previous applicants, provided they are charitable in law.
Applicants must directly seek to improve young people's welfare through training or education. Local groups and groups belonging to a national organisation can apply, but scout districts, scout regions, national scout associations and equivalent bodies are excluded. Grants generally reflect the number of participants under 18, along with the nature and length of the activity.
Awards typically range from £10 to £200 per person, although the Trustees decide the amount available to each applicant.
Equipment awards are based on expected use. The grants can support outings, expeditions and visits in the UK or abroad, provided they extend the group's normal activities.
The fund is open on the Allander Youth Activities Charitable Trust website. The deadline for applications is 22 November 2026.
Apply at Allander Youth Activities Charitable Trust
Barchester Healthcare Foundation
Grants to small community groups and local charities across England, Scotland, and Wales 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
The fund is open on the Barchester Healthcare Foundation website. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2026.
Apply at Barchester Healthcare Foundation
CVO East Ayrshire – Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults Micro Grants
The Micro Grants Programme provides an opportunity for third sector and community organisations to access funding to support local activities, projects and initiatives that promote positive mental health and wellbeing, reduce social isolation, and help build stronger, more connected communities.
The maximum grant is £5,000.
The fund is open on the CVO East Ayrshire website. Expressions of Interests can now be submitted.
Apply at CVO East Ayrshire: Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults Micro Grants
Foundation Scotland - Gateway Exchange Fund
Grants of up to £5,000 for activities that help people move forward in their lives and fulfil their potential.
The fund supports activity across Scotland that helps people who might otherwise lack opportunities, with an emphasis on innovative approaches, creative self-expression and building a strong and connected sense of community.
Not-for-profit organisations and community groups can apply, provided they meet Foundation Scotland's common eligibility criteria.
Smaller grassroots organisations will be given priority where there is competition for funding.Priority will be given to projects supporting prisoners and ex-prisoners, people recovering from drug addiction, and women and men recovering from sexual abuse.
The fund is open on the Foundation Scotland website. The deadline for applications is 7 December 2026.
Apply at Foundation Scotland: Gateway Exchange Fund
Genius Within - Blooming Genius: Empowering Neurodivergent Youth
The initiative aims to support grassroots organisations and communities working to improve access to information and support around neurodiversity. Grants are available to UK grassroots organisations delivering activities for neurodivergent children under 18 and their families.
The funding aims to help neurodivergent young people thrive in life and education, with a particular focus on communities that may have limited access to information and support around neurodiversity.
There is no fixed maximum award. Previous grants have ranged from a few hundred pounds to around £2,000.
The fund is open on the Genius Within website. The deadline for applications is 24 October 2026
Apply at Genius Within: Blooming Genius - Empowering Neurodivergent Youth
Historic Environment Scotland - Places of Worship Fund
Representatives of Scotland's places of worship can apply now for a refund grant to cover VAT paid on eligible works.Projects must involve a listed building used as a place of public worship a minimum of six times a year.
Works must be currently underway or have been carried out or completed since first April 2026.
The funding is to be used for internal works to the building fabric, as well as fixed items of furniture and religious ritual, and external repair and maintenance works.
The fund is open on the Historic Environment Scotland website. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2027, or until all available funding has been allocated.
Apply at Historic Scotland: Places of Worship Fund
Hostelling Scotland - Happy Hosteller Funded Breaks
Hostelling Scotland is offering schools, early years centres, youth groups, and charities working with disadvantaged young people across Scotland funded residential trips at Hostelling Scotland Youth Hostels.
The Happy Hosteller Funded Breaks Programme gives disadvantaged youth aged between 6 and 25 access to residential trips for up to two nights that include:
- accommodation in a youth hostel from a wide selection of locations, with shared private rooms for young people, with separate rooms for families and leaders.
- a 'wee breakfast' as well as other catering options, depending on the hostel and group size.
- personalised guidance from Hostelling Scotland to help plan trip activities related to the theme(s) chosen by the group.
Funded breaks can include activities that fall within two of the following themes:
- Nature and the Environment – Exploring Scotland's natural landscapes, wildlife, and ecosystems.
- Culture and Historic Heritage – Discovering the Scottish stories and cultural gems.
- Wellness and Play – Engaging in physical fun activities that promote health and self-discovery.
The fund is open on the Hostelling Scotland website. The deadline for applications is 6 November 2026.
Apply at Hostelling Scotland: Happy Hosteller Funded Breaks
Museums Association - Esmee Fairbairn Communities and Collections Fund
The fund offers:
- Partnership project grants to museums and community organisations that work equitably together and share aims for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Proposals should have ambitious and compelling ideas for inclusive project work with collections, with a focus on how the work contributes to local community agendas and needs.
- Core grants to museums that have established strategic aims for DEI, and that are ready to use their collections and the funding to support social and climate justice in ways that are relevant to local contexts and relationships.
The work needs to address organisational or systemic change with potential for strong legacy and future community partnership.
Applicants should move away from a project output approach and focus more on the organisational or systemic change that they wish to influence through their work.
Grants of £50,000 to £110,000 are available over a period of up to three years.
The fund is open on the Museums Association website. The next deadline for Expressions of Interest is 20 January 2027.
Apply at Museums Association: Communities and Collections Fund
National Archives - Community Hub Project Grants
Grants of up to £30,000 are available to support collaborative partnerships between GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums), heritage organisations and community organisations to deliver co-designed and community-led projects and activities that create meaningful changes and strengthen the relationship between GLAM or heritage organisations and the communities they serve.
The funding will support in-depth research, skills development, and the creation of long-lasting resources that reflect diverse voices and experiences.
The fund is open on the National Archives website.The deadline for applications is 16 November 2026.
Apply at National Archives: Community Hub Project Grants
Rosa – Voices from the Frontline
This fund is offering between 35 and 40 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.
Applications will be accepted from not-for-profit women's and girls' organisations in the UK that have been active for at least one year and can produce annual accounts for an entire year.
The fund is open on the Rosa website. The deadline for applications is 16 November 2026.
Apply at Rosa: Voices from the Frontline
Scottish Wildlife Trust - Riverwoods Development Grant
Grants to help organisations develop River Woodland Development Plans. These plans aim to improve flood resilience, enhance water quality, create habitats for wildlife, and expand access to nature in Scotland.
A total of £250,000 is available in this round with grants of up to £20,000 for up to 90% costs. Funding requests are expected to be within the £10,000 - £20,000 range.
Projects should take place between February 2027 and June 2028. The funding is intended to allow local organisations to overcome barriers in scoping, planning, and designing development plans, the first step toward restoring and protecting river woodlands.
The fund is open on the Scottish Wildlife Trust website. The deadline for applications is 1 December 2026.
Apply at Scottish Wildlife Trust: Riverwoods Development Grant
Trefoil - Organisational Grants
Registered charities and constituted not-for-profit organisations with an annual turnover of less than £500,000 can apply for a grant (there is no minimum or maximum amount).
These grants will support the core costs of projects and activities that are for the benefit of children and young people under the age of 25 with additional support needs, including but not limited to physical disability, caring obligations, other disadvantages or learning and psycho-social needs (or a combination thereof) and to foster their independence, confidence, and assertiveness.
The fund is open on the Trefoil website. The deadline for applications is 6 November 2026.
Apply at Trefoil: Organisational Grants
Theatres Trust – Small Grants Programme
Grants of up to £7,500 are available for not-for-profit theatres across the UK to deliver small essential works to improve a theatre's resilience, sustainability or accessibility, or to improve the diversity of audiences.
The Theatres Trust will support small capital improvements and repairs, such as:
- improvements and repairs to building fabric
- purchase of key plant and machinery
- purchase of capital items that improve physical access and the audience/participant experience
- purchase of equipment to improve digital access
The fund is open on the Theatres Trust website.The deadline for applications is 25 January 2027.
Apply at Theatres Trust: Small Grants Programme
UK Government – Pathways to Work Innovation Fund
The Department for Work and Pensions has opened the first round of the Pathways to Work Innovation Fund, offering grants for new approaches to help disabled people and those with long-term health conditions move towards, enter, stay and progress in work.
UK-based organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors can apply.
Eligible applicants include:
- charities and voluntary organisations
- social enterprises
- community interest companies
- businesses, academic and research bodies
- local authorities and mayoral strategic authorities
Partnerships and consortia can also submit applications.
Funding can be used to develop, test, deliver, monitor and evaluate innovative proposals.
Eligible activity includes developing technology, equipment or artificial intelligence solutions, testing interventions, piloting products and services and carrying out user research or co-design. Other eligible costs include staff, volunteer and participant expenses directly related to delivery, specialist support, partnership activity and monitoring and evaluation.
Projects may also develop employer support, improve coordination across employment, health and skills services or apply an existing approach in a substantially different context or with a new target group.
The fund is open on the UK Government website. The deadline for applications is 26 October 2026.
Apply at UK Government: Pathways to Work Innovation Fund
Wildlife Trusts – Green Community Grants Programme
One-year 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.
The fund is open on the Wildlife Trusts website. The deadline for applications is 21 October 2026.
Apply at Wildlife Trusts: Green Community Grants Programme
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 9 October 2026 (PDF 332 KB)
CIT Funding Alert 25 September 2026 (PDF 315 KB)
CIT Funding Alert 11 September 2026 (PDF 337 KB)
CIT Funding Alert 28 August 2026 (PDF 303 KB)
CIT Funding Alert 10 August 2026 (PDF 355 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.