Unity Trust Bank doubles grants to £100,000
Howard Lake | 3 September 2026 | News
Unity Trust Bank has doubled its annual impact grants programme, with £100,000 now available to community organisations. Applications opened on 1 September.
In addition to this expansion, the business bank has added a category this year for green and sustainable initiatives. The new Unity Environmental Impact Grants will provide four grants of £10,000, for work that delivers positive environmental change or improves environmental sustainability.
The existing Unity Social Impact Grants category will provide £5,000 grants to 12 customers, for projects, operational costs or capital spend.
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Open to customers of more than a year
The grants are open to organisations that have banked with Unity for more than a year. Last year’s recipients included organisations supporting disadvantaged communities, people affected by domestic violence or trauma, mental health and wellbeing, adults facing barriers to education and employment, and people with physical or learning disabilities.
One recipient, North Sea Conservation, received a grant towards its Whitby Lobster Hatchery programme, which rears lobster larvae to two months old before releasing them, improving their chances of survival and helping replace depleted stocks.
Third year of the programme
Joshua Meek, chief impact officer at Unity Trust Bank, said:
“Supporting good causes through grant funding, fundraising, volunteering and charitable donations is an important part of who we are as a social impact bank.”
He added:
“Having launched the impact grants programme three years ago to mark the bank’s 40th anniversary, it’s great that we’ve been able to double the amount of money available each year. This enables us to support even more organisations delivering meaningful change to people’s lives.”
The restriction to existing customers narrows the field considerably, but for charities and social enterprises already banking with Unity this is an unusually accessible pot, and the environmental category is new ground.
- Unity Trust Bank gives staff five days a year to volunteer (5 January 2006)
- Weston Charity Awards offer support and funding to up to 22 charities (19 November 2025)
- Big Give’s Earth Raise campaign aims for £10 million for 330 environmental charities (10 April 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.