Supporting recreational activities

Grants for Good is funded by the John Good Group and is designed to direct funding only to small and growing local charities, voluntary groups or social enterprises that are making a big impact on communities, people or the environment. To be eligible, applicants must: Be a local community group, charity, voluntary group or social enterprise that has a positive impact on communities, people or the environment. The programme is unrestricted, and money can be used to cover any of the organisation’s costs, including running costs.

Up to £5,000 for local grants and up to £10,000 for regional grants

In recognition of their 50th anniversary, Local Solutions has launched a new £50,000 social impact fund to empower change and inclusivity across the Liverpool City Region.

The Community Empowerment Fund provides grants of up to £2,000 to increase opportunities for local individuals and voluntary groups to deliver services that make a difference in people’s lives.

Applications for small grants of up to £10,000 can be accepted at any time.

Applications for large grants of between £10,001 and £50,000 (£100,000 in exceptional circumstances) must be submitted by 5pm on the 20 March 2024.

Themes of the Fund - grants available up to £4000 (applicants must be based in Manchester).

See list of deadlines and decision dates.

Nobody knows what's best for our communities better than the communities themselves. We listen to their ideas and help where we can. Applications must meet at least one of the fund’s core themes. We’re happy to discuss whether your project fits our themes before application.

Interest-free loans are available to musicians at all stages for the purchase of musical instruments and equipment, to help ensure that more people across England and Northern Ireland can access instruments and learn to play music. 

The loans, which are made available through the Take it Away Scheme, work with 130 music retailers to allow applicants to buy almost any musical instrument and can also be used for musical equipment, software and tuition. 

UK charities and community groups can apply for grants of up to £1,000 to run activities for older people over the Christmas period.
The funding is made available through the McCarthy Stone Foundation Christmas Connections 2023 grants programme, which aims to helps people over 65 to feel connected and supported over the festive period.

The grant can be used for a variety of activities such as:

Small not-for-profit organisations and community groups with charitable aims can apply for grants of between £500 and £5,000 to deliver activities, projects and services that strengthen communities experiencing inequalities and disadvantage, or improve the lives of local people who face difficulties and have limited access to appropriate or affordable services and support. This can be geographic communities and/or communities of people brought together by race or ethnicity, age, disability, gender, or sexual orientation.

Charities, community groups and social enterprises that can demonstrate that their aims have identifiable public benefit in Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham including Hartlepool can apply for funding to the Sir James Knott Trust.  Special consideration will be given to charitable activities that are known to have been of interest to Sir James Knott including: 

The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust funds United Kingdom Registered Charities operating in the UK in the fields of the advancement of the arts, health and medical welfare and environmental protection or improvement.

The Trustees will consider applications for core costs or projects and are very conscious of the work involved in applying for a grant and encourage charities to consider whether their work aligns with the Trust’s priorities for the next three years before submitting an application.