Community grants for science-based activities & events, & more funding opportunities
Melanie May | 1 October 2024 | News
Grants for activities and events during British Science Week, learning grants for fundraisers, and a reminder that the Aviva Community Fund can be applied to at any time – all part of this latest funding round up.
Community Grants for British Science Week 2025 now open for applications
Supported by UK Research and Innovation and managed by the British Science Association, these grants are designed to help eligible community groups organise engaging events and activities during British Science Week 2025 (7-16 March 2025) to make science more accessible.
Applications are via complete the Community Grants application form, and close on 5 November at 4.59 pm.
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Grants of £500 and £1,000 are available for community groups working with people typically underrepresented in science to support events and activities that not only engage the local community but also challenge stereotypes and inspire a lasting interest in science. For inspiration, there are some Community Grants case studies on how past recipients have used the funding for their own projects.
More information here.
The Road Safety Trust launches Autumn 2024 funding round focused on road safety inequalities
The Road Safety Trust’s Autumn 2024 funding round is focused on the theme Inequalities in Road Safety, with applications open until 1 November.
This grant programme seeks to identify and address disparities that mean road use is not equally safe for all in order to save lives and reduce injuries on UK roads.
Funding is available for both small grants (£10k to £50k) and large grants (£50k to £300k).
The Trust is inviting applications for projects in one or more of the following areas:
- The impact of social determinants such as income and health and other demographic factors on local communities and their exposure to risk related to: illegal, dangerous and anti-social use of the roads, the effectiveness of current counter-measures and innovative methods for risk reduction; the unique challenges faced by rural communities and different age groups within them; access to, and the effectiveness of, safety-enhancing technologies
- Road safety issues for children with special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, as well as issues for their carers
- Improving the availability and quality of demographic evidence and information, and how it can be strategically used alongside road safety evidence to support practitioners and policymakers
UK based organisations, public and professional associations, registered charities and university can apply.
Digital Learning Grants for fundraisers
From FundraisingEverywhere and sponsored by JustGiving, Digital Learning Grants are available to help fundraisers improve their digital fundraising skills through training.
This year, the grants will enable 200 fundraisers to learn, network, and get 1:1 support to boost their digital fundraising skills and confidence. All must be committed to regularly engaging with the content and applying it to a digital fundraising project they’re working on.
Successful applicants receive:
- Access to FundraisingEverywhere’s digital fundraising learning portal: a series of sessions and workshops designed to increase digital fundraising skills
- A completion certificate once they have completed the modules
- Instant access to 700+ hours of fundraising training on Fundraising Everywhere
- Automatic registration for all Fundraising Everywhere virtual webinars, conferences, and workshops between January – June 2025 (including Events, Corporate, Legacy, F2F, Supporter Experience, and Leadership Conference)
- The opportunity to book 1:1 coaching calls to discuss a fundraising or charity challenge
The learning grant begins on 7 January 2025 and runs to the end of June 2025, and it is recommended that participants spend two hours each week engaging with the content available.
More information here.
Formula E opens applications for S11 Better Futures Fund
Formula E has launched the application process for its flagship charitable support programme, the Better Futures Fund, which supports local impact projects and causes across all race locations in Season 11. In the UK, this is London.
For Season 11, the Fund will focus on:
- Empowering underserved communities in race locations, to tackle social inequalities
- Environmental protection, prioritising nature and air quality in urban environments
- Community engagement with the transition to more sustainable lifestyles
€25,000 is available per city. Alongside the funding itself, Formula E is committing to working with each charity, by providing awareness of the causes, engaging directly with the organisation and offering volunteer support while in the city.
Organisations will also be included within Formula E’s wider sustainability strategy, including hosting representatives at track and introducing them to the wider Formula E ecosystem as part of the series’ Inspiration Hour held every race week, to engage local communities with Formula E’s races.
The deadline for an expression of interest for London charities is 4 November.
More information here.
Donations matched with Aviva Community Fund
Aviva is reminding charities about its Aviva Community Fund, which focuses on two key areas: climate action and financial wellbeing.
The fund matches donations up to £250 – with a total of up to £50,000 in match funding available for eligible organisations, and charities can apply at any time.
In 2024, Aviva has committed £1.8 million to projects supporting people’s financial wellbeing and taking action against the negative impacts of climate change. Charities can apply through the Crowdfunder platform, which also helps causes to create a public webpage, making it easier for supporters to donate.
The Fund offers tools, resources and support coaching, with webinars and weekly Q&A sessions available to give advice about applying and promoting projects to new and existing supporters.
In addition, Aviva employees have up to 21 hours every year of paid volunteering leave. As part of the application process, causes can tell Aviva what help they need, and Aviva will let employees know. Thousands of Aviva UK employees are also given vouchers to donate to participating projects – with the next vouchers coming soon.
More information here.
Facility makeover opportunity for London groups
Community groups, charities, sports clubs and schools in London are being given the chance to win their share of a £10,000 jackpot to revamp their facilities.
Decorating and DIY specialist Leyland has launched its Big Community Makeover campaign, offering good causes across the capital the opportunity to overhaul their premises. One winner will receive £5,000 to spend at Leyland, while two runners-up will bag £2,500 each.
Nominations are open from today, (October 1) to October 31, and judges at Leyland will select 10 finalists from the nominations before a public vote is held to decide the winners.
Leyland ran a similar campaign last year, open only to schools, which got more than 500 nominations and 10,000 votes. Latchmere School in Kingston won the top prize and was able to revamp classrooms and corridors, as well as making necessary repairs around the main buildings.
The winning groups will be able to select any products from Leyland’s extensive range, including paint from leading brands, tools, timber and plumbing parts.
How to enter: Visits www.leylandsdm.co.uk/bigcommunitymakeover and submit 100 words explaining how the funding would help.
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.