Business Advice and Support

Social Enterprise and Third Sector

Help for Social Businesses, Charities and Community Groups

Community Ownership Fund (opens in a new tab) 

The community ownership fund has now opened.
The Fund will provide financial support to communities across the UK to take ownership of assets, amenities and facilities at risk of being lost but have value for the local people and place.
Communities will be able to bid for up to £250k matched-funding to help them buy, take over or renovate physical community assets at risk, to be run as community-owned businesses.

Sport Resilience Fund (opens in a new tab) 

This fund will be used to support sports clubs and partner networks which play a role in ensuring the nation is able to remain active and enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits that sport brings.
The fund will be led by Sport Wales.

WCVA Fast Track Loans (opens in a new tab) 

Loans will be tailored to each applicant’s individual needs in terms of amount, term and repayment profile. They start with a blank piece of paper – what do you need? What best suits you in terms or repayments? The application process is minimal and the majority of organisations being approved will see money in their bank accounts within 7 days of submitting a completed application (subject to prompt signature of documentation).  

Tampon Tax (opens in a new tab) 

The £15 million fund is intended for charitable, benevolent and philanthropic organisations across the UK with projects directly benefit disadvantaged women and girls, tackle violence and support their mental health and wellbeing.

Funding for Domestic Abuse national services (opens in a new tab) 

The Home Office has now published the guidance for a £2 million fund for domestic abuse services. The fund will be aimed at:

• Organisations which provide a national service (i.e. covering all of England and/or Wales).
• Organisations where the supported victims are very geographically dispersed over multiple Police and Crime Commissioner areas, and/or no one Police and Crime Commissioner area is the clear base for the majority of victims.
• Umbrella or second tier organisations.
• Organisations which do capacity building, or which support other organisations to support victims and survivors. This includes those supporting the police in their response to domestic abuse. It also includes those supporting local authorities or other statutory bodies.

Domestic Abuse local services (opens in a new tab) 

The Ministry of Justice have also launched a further part of the domestic abuse funding, involving:

• £10 million for domestic abuse services which are already commissioned by Police and Crime Commissioners; and
• £5 million for domestic abuse services which are not currently commissioned by Police and Crime Commissioners

Sexual Abuse local services (opens in a new tab) 

The Ministry of Justice has also now launched:

• £5 million of funding for sexual violence services, covering organisations already commissioned by Police and Crime Commissioners and those which are not currently commissioned by Police and Crime Commissioners; and
• A separate £5 million fund for organisations which are already funded through the national Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RSF).

Places of Worship Security Funding Scheme (opens in a new tab) 

The Home Office Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme is now open to places of worship and associated faith community centres across England and Wales. 

Screwfix Foundation (opens in a new tab) 

The Screwfix Foundation is now open for applications from registered charities and not-for-profit organisations across the UK. To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be helping those in need by reason of financial hardship, sickness, distress or other disadvantages in the UK.
• Be looking for funding to support projects that relate to the repair, maintenance, improvement or construction of homes, community buildings and other buildings.

Grants of up to £5,000 are available for projects that relate to the repair, maintenance, improvement or construction of homes, community buildings and other buildings in deprived areas or for those in need. This can include repairing run-down buildings and decorating the homes of people living with illness and disability. Projects should be environmentally friendly.

Sustainable Management Scheme - Supporting Natura 2000 Restoration (opens in a new tab) 

The Sustainable Management Scheme - Supporting Natura 2000 Restoration aims to support landscape-scale capital investment, delivering action to improve the condition of Natura 2000 sites around Wales by March 2021. Natura 2000 is a network of core breeding and resting sites for rare and threatened species, and some rare natural habitat types which are protected in their own right. The scheme has been set up in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which the Welsh Government says has brought a spotlight on the value of nature and the importance of access to the natural environment to health and wellbeing.

The minimum grant will be £10,000 and the maximum will be £4 million. The Welsh Government expects the majority of bids to be in the range of £50,000 - £500,000, however, this does not preclude applications for smaller projects with a minimum value of £10,000 or large collaborative multiple projects in excess of £500,000.