Hi there, here is April’s update!
Welcome to your free monthly Straight Forward Funding Newsletter for April 2026. I usually try and get this newsletter out at the beginning of the month, but I felt this time, waiting for the holidays to finish might be more useful.
Some of you may have spotted the new header image on this newsletter – my mission this month is to update all my digital presence with more up to date photos. A lot has changed over the last 10 years, since I first founded Straight Forward Funding – particularly my hairstyles!
I’m also busy updating my website, as what Straight Forward Funding does and offers has evolved so much over the last decade. Hopefully all the updates will be live soon – so I can share in May’s issue of the newsletter.
Here’s this months round up:
#Funding News
Diaphonique funds collaborative projects in contemporary classical music that involve at least two of the three countries: France, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
They support:
- Projects built around a genuine collaboration, not just the programming of existing works
- Works composed within the last 30 years, with priority given to premieres and new commissions
- Professional artists and organisations (e.g. ensembles, festivals, venues, research studios, conservatoires)
Eligible applicants include:
- Ensembles or collectives
- Venues or festivals
- Educational or research institutions
Closes on 17 May 2026
AI for All advances diversity, equality, and inclusion across AI technologies through thoughtfully combined financial support and expert mentorship. Through our dual support model of finance and mentorship, we partner with UK charities to further access and opportunity for members of underrepresented and diverse communities in AI innovation.
Eligibility: UK Charities with annual turnover between £150,000 – £1.15M and 1-10 employees
Grant Amount: Up to £2,500 per application
2026 Funding Rounds:
Junes’s Grant Round: Applications open Feb 1st – April 30th
October’s Grant Round: Applications open June 1st – August 31st
Biffa Award are currently accepting Expressions of Interest for between £250,000 and £1,000,000 to the 2026 Partnership Grants Scheme. Expressions of Interest can now be submitted for the Built Environment and Natural Environment themes.
The project site must be within 25 miles of a significant Biffa Operation or active Biffa Landfill Site and ALSO be within 10 miles of a licenced landfill site
Expression of Interest submission deadline date: Noon 5pm, 29 May 2026
The BRIT Trust welcomes applications for grant funding consistent with its mission of “improving lives through the power of music and the creative arts”.
They ask that:
- the applicant organisation is a registered charity
- the planned activity is music-focused
- the planned activity is aimed at ages 16 and above
The Grant Application Window will close on Thursday 30th April 2026 at 5.30pm
The Leathersellers Main Charity Grants Programme aims to help prevent and address the harm of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
If your charity meets the eligibility criteria, you can apply for an unrestricted grant of between £20,000–£25,000 per year for a period of up to four years.
They are particularly interested in hearing from organisations working in Northern Ireland, North West England and the East Midlands and welcome applications from charities who support under-represented groups.
Expressions of Interest need to be submitted by 5pm on Thursday 30 April 2026
The Goldsmiths’ Foundation is focused on advancing creative, technical, and vocational skills, education and training in the craft and trade of goldsmithing, silversmithing and jewellery, the wider creative industries, and other fields, through grants, advocacy, and support to charity partners. Their Open Grants Fund (Spring 2026) is open to applications from Monday 9 March at 10:00am GMT until Monday 11 May 2026 at 10:00am BST. Registered Charities must be a lead partner/applicant.
They aim to:
- Strengthen technical and vocational skills infrastructure in underserved craft communities.
- Champion the contribution that skilled makers, designers and craftspeople make to more just and equitable communities.
- Grow the systems and networks that allow craft and vocational practice to thrive equitably.
Whether you’re looking for operating/core costs or funds for a project, you can apply for a grant (between £30,000 – £50,000).
Northern Powergrid Foundation have launched a new strategy for 2026. They will launch a series of new funding programmes across their three strategic priorities:
Enhancing Resilience – Energy Resilience Grant first application assessment window of 2026 is 15th April – 5th May!
Creating Opportunities
Overcoming barriers
They have redesigned their application journey to make things simpler, clearer and quicker. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) at any time 14‑day review time for EOIs. New assessment dates published throughout the year with the First assessment starting 15 April 2026
The Big Bike Revival Grant funding applications for 2026 are now open. Are you part of a community group, social enterprise or not-for-profit? You could get funding to run free cycling events in your area. “We strongly recommend speaking to a member of our team or regional officer to discuss your grant application and plans before applying.”
Grant funding up to £3,500 per application is available to support the delivery of events. Your funding amount will be shaped by your events plans and organisational costs. Every application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Esmée Fairbairn Communities and Collections Fund is the evolution of the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, with a new name that better represents our dual focus on collections and inclusion. We award the fund on behalf of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and have awarded £16m in over 200 grants since 2011.
The overall purpose of the Communities and Collections Fund remains the same as in 2023-24. However, we have updated our processes to better support the best of the types of application we have been receiving; and to take the fund further in the direction of the changes made in 2022.
The fund places more emphasis on equitable working, supporting wellbeing and legacy planning. We now offer core grants to single museum organisations for strategic development of their inclusive collections work; and partnership project grants for museums and community organisations working equitably with collections to achieve shared aims for inclusion.
Expressions of interest are now open for December 2026 grants. The next deadline is 22 July 2026.
National Lottery Awards for All England provide funding for projects that bring people together to build strong relationships and improve communities in England.
You can apply for a grant of between £300 and £20,000 for projects lasting up to 2 years.
You can use the funding to:
- start a new activity or continue an existing one
- help your organisation adapt to new challenges
They fund projects that:
- bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities
- improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
- help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage
- support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis
You can apply if your organisation is a:
- constituted voluntary or community organisation
- constituted group or club
- registered charity
- charitable incorporated organisation (CIO)
- not-for-profit company
- community interest company (CIC) limited by guarantee or limited by shares (if limited by shares, you must follow the Regulator of Community Interest Companies’ guidance on sharing profits)
- school –can only fund your project if it mainly benefits and involves the communities around the school
- statutory body (including local authorities, town, parish, and community councils)
- community benefit society
#Just for Schools
Sheila Coates Foundation Coming soon: £5,000 funding to support autistic students
Applications open on 21 April for two themed rapid impact fund rounds to support autistic students in mainstream secondary and college education in England.
Rapid impact fund 11 – summer 2026: building autism-inclusive cultures.
We are seeking creative, innovative projects that:
- support autistic students directly
- strengthen inclusive culture across a department or whole setting
- deliver sustainable change beyond individual or group interventions.
Projects should be co-produced with autistic students. Apply between 21 April and 13 May.
Rapid impact fund 12 – autumn 2026: tackling or preventing non-attendance.
This round will fund projects that:
- support identified autistic students or groups
- improve and sustain attendance
- enable students to achieve and thrive.
Projects should be co-produced with autistic students and their parents and carers. Apply between 21 April and 14 July
Who can apply?
Mainstream secondary schools and colleges in England. If your setting is looking to strengthen inclusion or improve attendance for autistic students, we encourage you to apply.
#Useful Stuff
Benefact Group provide free access on their website to a range of free charity support and fundraising webinars produced in collaboration with the Directory of Social Change, offering expert views to help guide you through the current challenging environment. Plus a series of free articles, reports and guides.
The Summer Jobs Programme Calling all youth organisations, community partners and local services!
UK Youth is seeking referrals for young people to its Summer Jobs Programme 2026. Young people aged 16-20 who are at risk of violence will receive a paid and supported 5-week work placement.
Referral deadline: 8 May 2026
NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit have a range of safeguarding tools which will help you to:
- make sure you’ve got all the bases covered when it comes to safeguarding and protecting children
- work through the standards for safeguarding and protecting children in sport
- establish or improve your case management process
- plan your event – whether it’s in a local park or a national stadium
See you next month!
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