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SUPPORTING DEVON'S COMMUNITIES: FINDING FUNDING

In this blog post, the first in a new series, our Grants & Engagement Officer, Sophie, shares her knowledge of grant funding and tips on how community organisations can find the right funding for them. Stay tuned for her next blog, which will focus on how to write grant applications to increase your chance of success.

Since joining Devon Community Foundation, I’ve been amazed at the passion, resilience, and hard work of the teams behind our community organisations. But, beyond the dedication of the wonderful people who deliver this work, one other thing has become clear: the difficulties in accessing funding to keep their fantastic work going.

Finding that funding can be a challenging and time-consuming process. With high competition, sometimes complex application requirements, and ever-changing funding priorities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

At Devon Community Foundation, our commitment to tackling inequalities and strengthening communities goes beyond our own grant making, and that’s why we want to share our knowledge about accessing funding with you.

This blog includes my top tips on navigating the world of grant funding, along with a roundup of some of the main funders for community groups, charities, and other not-for-profit organisations in Devon. Whether you’re applying for the first time or looking to refine your approach, we hope you’ll find some useful suggestions to help your communities get the funding they need.

Tips for Finding Funding

  • Use a funding finder – There are many free online search tools which can help you find funders interested in supporting specific themes or groups, such as Mental Health, Buildings and Children and Young People. We recommend Charity Excellence and Get Grants as our go to resources for finding regional and national funding.  
  • Connect with your local community and voluntary networks – These are a fantastic resource to help groups develop, and many have regular funding bulletins sharing the latest grant opportunities. Some, including CAG Devon, Devon Communities Together and Plymouth Octopus Project, even have their own funding available.  Visit Devon County Council’s website for a list of some of the Councils for Voluntary Service (CVSs) in Devon. 
  • Check eligibility criteria carefully – Every grant has specific requirements. Make sure your organisation and project align before spending time on an application. 
  • Look for smaller, local grants – Large national grants are competitive, but smaller, local funds may have less competition and be easier to secure. 
  • Build relationships with funders – For some funders, applications are by invitation, so making connections can make a big difference. Reach out to grant providers, attend networking events, and join funding workshops. 
  • Sign up to our newsletter!– Our monthly newsletter shares details of our latest funding opportunities, as well as those across the sector. Sign up here. 

Devon Based Funders

  • Biffa Award: Grants between £10k and £75k for community buildings, cultural facilities, recreation, and rebuilding biodiversity. Open to charitable and not-for profit organisations within a 5-15 mile radius of a Biffa site. 
  • Clare Milne Trust: Grants from £2,500 open to registered charities and non-profit-making organisations which will benefit people with disabilities who live in Devon and Cornwall. 
  • Devon County Council: Local councils, including Plymouth and Torbay, offer a range of grants, including Locality Budgets and Growing Communities small grants. 
  • Devon Environment Foundation: Funding for environmental projects. 
  • The Gibbons Trusts: Grants for organisations and individuals, prioritising East Devon relating to health, financial hardship and children and young people and older people. 
  • Misses Barrie Charitable Trust: Small grants, usually £1-3k, open to charities. 
  • The Norman Family Trust: Grants for registered charities and other non-profit/voluntary organisations (including state schools) prioritising Exeter and East Devon. 
  • The Northcott Devon Foundation: Grants for individuals facing extreme difficulties where such financial help may offer some long-term benefit. 
  • Pencarrie Foundation–  funding organisations supporting children and young people aged 0 to 21 in Devon, particularly those facing poverty, rural isolation, mental health challenges, family stress, educational barriers or limited access to opportunities.
  • Postcode Local Trust: Grants up to £25k for not-for-profit organisations that are making a difference to communities in Barnstaple, Bideford, Exeter and Ilfracombe.  
  • South West Water Community Grants: Small grants for not-for profit organisations and individuals in financial hardship, inspire physical activities, education, health and wellbeing and positive environmental outcomes. 
  • The Naturesave Trust: Grants of up to £5k for social, environmental, and conservation projects, charities, CICs, and organisations. They open for three funding windows a year, each with a different theme eg sustainable fashion, food, energy, soil, plastics, travel, and water. 

Retailers and Supermarkets

  • Asda Foundation: Provides various grants up to £500k, including the Outdoor Community Spaces Fund, Colleague Match Funding for Local Causes, and Local Community Emergency Donations. 
  • Co-op Local Community Fund: Annual partnership funding for community organisations.  
  • Morrisons Foundation: Offers grants of up to £10k to registered charities for capital expenditure or direct project delivery.  
  • Screwfix Foundation: Grants up to £5k to support projects that improve, fix and repair buildings, homes and facilities specifically used by people in need. 
  • Tesco Community Grants: open to charities and community organisations to apply for a grant of up to £1,500, with priority given to projects that provide food and support to young people.  

Databases and Additional Resources

  • Devon Funding News: A free resource provided by Devon County Council, offering information on current regional and national funding opportunities. 

  • Charity Excellence Funding Finder: A free and customisable funding finder for regional, national and international grant funding. Charity Excellence also has a range of resources to help organisations with policies, bid writing and governance. 

  • Get Grants Funding Finder: A free funding finder where organisations can search by activity area and also access paid for training workshops. 

If you have any questions or need further guidance about Devon Community Foundation’s funding, please get in touch with me at ssmith@devoncf.com or our grants team at grants@devoncf.com . You can also find me on Facebook and X. 

Sophie Smith
Read Sophie's blog on organisational development and capacity building
Read Sophie's blog on writing successful grant applications