More funding opportunities in February 2026
Howard Lake | 17 February 2026 | News
Our second selection of funding opportunities and developments in February 2026 include the Spring Funder from Black Funding Network, new grants and strategy from the Quilter Foundation, a major grants programme from the Veterans’ Foundation, a new fund from the SP Energy Networks, and an independent evaluation of the impact of the £11.8 million Commonwealth Games legacy fund.
£10,000 trust donation saves disabled children’s charity’s drama club from closure
The future of Friends for Leisure’s Macclesfield drama group has been secured thanks to a £10,000 donation from The Pastest Charitable Trust, the result of a chance family conversation.
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Hugh Campbell, a trustee of The Pastest Charitable Trust, found out about the drama club’s situation from his daughter, Isla, who is a volunteer at Friends for Leisure, and has stepped in with the generous donation.
Amanda Hunt, General Manager at Friends for Leisure, said: “The Macclesfield group has been running for over 20 years, and it would have been incredibly sad to have shut its doors. Thanks to this donation we’re able to plan for the future and the kids can continue building on the friendships they’ve already made while attending the drama sessions.”
Heart of the Community Awards
The Making a Difference Locally Heart of the Community Awards funding giveaway closes on Friday this week. If you know a community group or local project that could benefit from £1,000 towards their great work, now’s the time to act. Nominations can be made by anyone, including those who work or volunteer for the local group.
Call into your local Co‑op Wholesale supplied convenience store and ask them to enter on your behalf.
Applications open for Spokesperson Leadership Programme 2026
Sounddelivery Media’s seven-month Spokesperson Leadership Programme supports grassroots leaders to amplify their lived experience and expertise with purpose. People receive tailored training, one-to-one support, peer learning, and media and public speaking opportunities, building the confidence and skills to drive meaningful change. The programme is free to take part in.
They are looking for 14 new grassroots leaders who are advocating for their communities and are ready to grow their reach and influence.
You may want to apply if you:
- Run or are part of a user-led organisation, charity, CIC or collective
- Use your lived experience to raise awareness and advocate for change
- Want to speak more publicly, particularly in the media and with policymakers
- Are ready to take on new opportunities and expand your impact
Applications for Sounddelivery Media’s Spokesperson Leadership Programme close on Friday 20 March 2026 at 12pm.
Black Funding Network’s Spring Funder
Applications for the Black Funding Network’s Spring Funder are open to eligible organisations with an annual income of under £100,000.
The funding is for “Black-led grassroots organisations doing meaningful work within UK communities”.
If you apply you need to be able to show your impact, your leadership, and the future that you are focused on and how your change will last.
If your organisation is shortlisted you will need to be available for a virtual introduction session, two online pitch practices, as well as the Spring Funder event itself (mid-April, 3pm–9:30pm, London).
You can download the Black Funding Network’s guide for applications. The deadline for applications is 22 February 2026 at midnight GMT.
Quilter Foundation announces new strategy and grants
The Quilter Foundation has announced a refreshed strategy and the launch of new charity grants, marking a shift from traditional short-term grant-making to developing deeper, strategic partnerships focused on building financial capability at key life stages.
This change introduces two main funds:
- New Financial Futures Fund: This fund offers substantial multi-year grants worth up to £1 million over five years. It is designed to support large-scale UK programs that deliver financial education to priority groups at critical life moments (e.g., entering the workforce, financial hardship, retirement planning).
This fund also underpins a volunteer-led ‘Financial Education in Schools’ initiative launching by the 2026/27 academic year, developed with partner Money Ready.
Expressions of interest are invited by 13 March, with a pre-application webinar on 23 February. - Brighter Together Fund: This has developed from the previous Local Community Fund and provides two levels of funding:
- Initial Grants: Up to £5,000, distributing funds raised by Quilter employees and advisers to trusted local organisations for tailored, impactful community support. These are not yet available for application as Quilter employees and advisers submit nominations for the grants.
- Growth Grants: Up to an annual commitment of £10,000 for three years, available only to organisations that have previously received Quilter Foundation funding or an initial Brighter Together grant, offering longer-term, higher-level support.
- Initial Grants: Up to £5,000, distributing funds raised by Quilter employees and advisers to trusted local organisations for tailored, impactful community support. These are not yet available for application as Quilter employees and advisers submit nominations for the grants.
The Foundation emphasises a “funder plus” approach, combining financial grants with non-financial support to enable charity partners to thrive and foster long-term, collaborative relationships. Since 2018, the Foundation has donated over £4.3 million.
The Quilter Foundation was established by Quilter plc, the wealth management business.
Major grants programme from Veterans’ Foundation for organisations supporting the military family
The Veterans’ Foundation is launching a new major grants programme next month, offering grants of between £200,000 and £500,000 for “collaborative, partnership-led projects that test new approaches, generate insight, or explore solutions to complex challenges facing veterans and their families”.
Launched in its 10th anniversary year, the programme increases the charity’s investment in organisations delivering real support to serving personnel, veterans and their families across the UK. To date the Foundation has awarded more than £32 million in grants to over 550 charities.
Grants will be available for projects running from 12–24 months, supporting work such as:
- Testing or piloting new approaches
- Action learning or feasibility projects
- Impact research
- Cross-sector partnership working
The opportunity is for partnerships involving two or more organisations, with a registered charity or CIC (Ltd by Guarantee) as the lead partner.
The grants will support organisations working across the Foundation’s five key themes, including: Community & Relationships, Employment Skills & Education, Health & Wellbeing, Housing& Homelessness and Tackling Disadvantage.
Stewart Macgregor, Head of Grants at the Veterans’ Foundation, said:
“The programme will enable charitable organisations to test ideas, learn together, and shape better long-term support. We welcome applications from those already supporting veterans and their families, partnerships ready to explore new approaches, and groups with the ambition to influence wider practice, policy or system change.”
Expressions of Interest in the Veterans’ Foundation’s Major Grant programme open on Monday 2 March 2026 and close on Monday 20 April 2026.
SP Energy Networks opens its new Community Benefit funding programme
Scottish Power Energy Networks has opened its new Community Benefit funding programme . The first tranche of funding will offer grants from a pot of £7.8mn alongside practical support to community groups based near eligible transmission infrastructure in central and southern Scotland.
From creating opportunities for skills development and employability support to improving cohesion and enhancing green spaces, the funds aim to bring community-led projects to life through grassroots, local and strategic grants.
SP Energy Networks and delivery partner Localgiving will also roll out a programme of capacity-building support, including in-person upskilling events, online guidance and tailored workshops to help communities develop impactful projects.
Applications for Scottish Power Energy Networks Community Benefit fund opened on 20 January and will close on 8 May 2026.
Benefits of Commonwealth Games legacy fund revealed
More than one in 10 people across the West Midlands and Warwickshire have benefitted from a
major £11.8 million Commonwealth Games legacy fund, a new study has found.
An independent report evaluating the impact of the Inclusive Communities Fund (ICF), which saw
over £11.8 million awarded to 388 organisations making a difference to communities right across the
region, has been published.
It has revealed that 468,908 people benefitted from the ICF – amounting to 122 people in every
1,000 of the West Midlands and Warwickshire population.
The ICF was set up by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) with funding from the
Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS), and administered by the Heart of England
Community Foundation in 2024.
The funding supported a variety of projects and initiatives, ranging from providing accessible sports
activities for young people and community music classes, to funding support for survivors of
domestic abuse and help for those dealing with addiction, with the report finding that more than a
third of overall projects helped improve mental health and wellbeing.
A total of 56% of projects helped reduce social isolation, 53% increased access to sport
and 51% supported vulnerable people.
The impact report has revealed that the largest amount of funding was spent on staff, with £3.8
million helping to create 149 jobs and attract more than 5,400 volunteers.
A full list of projects awarded funding through the Inclusive Communities Fund (ICF) can be found at the Heart of England Community Foundation.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games were held in Birmingham from 28 July to 8 August 2022, involving 11 days of sport with over 6,600 athletes from 72 nations. It was the biggest multi-sport event in England since 2012.
Rewilding Innovation Fund applications deadline nears
The Rewilding Innovation Fund aims to remove barriers to rewilding across Britain. Whether your site or project is in the early planning stages or looking to try out a new approach, you can apply to this fund.
From business plans to feasibility studies, community engagement to trialling the latest technology, Rewilding Britain funds works that could potentially unlock further funding for you or move you up the rewilding scale.
We choose the projects, which must be in England, Wales or Scotland, that they consider will have the highest impact on people and nature, on land and sea, with opportunities for shared learning with the Rewilding Network.
Projects have two opportunities to apply for funding through the Rewilding Innovation Fund each year, in the new year and summer. Applications for our Rewilding Britain Rewilding Innovation Fund are open until 28 February.
- Funding opportunities in February 2026 (9 February 2026)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.