Hi there, here is August’s update!
Happy August!
The year certainly does seem to be hurtling past doesn’t it.
If you are juggling multiple priorities at the moment it’s worth trying to carve out a few minutes for yourself (I know, I know, I’m as bad as anyone…do as I say, not as I do!)
I’ve recently been watching Makari Espe on You Tube and she recently signed off one of her videos with this idea:
When things are feeling tough……
- Go for a walk
- Take a photo of a flower
- Smile and say hello to a stranger
- Walk slightly uphill
(Remember – you can also join the Free Facebook Group: Straight Forward Funding Sources (and Resources) for further news.)
#Funding News
Henry Smith Foundation have announced their new priorities and new grant opportunities:
Priority: Getting Started – Supporting families to give their young children a strong start
Fund organisations that support families during pregnancy and the first five years of a child’s life. This includes helping parents feel confident and connected, and making sure children get the best possible start.
Grant Fund Launching 31st July: Together We Begin: Investing in home-based early years support.
Grants will fund in-home, face-to-face support for families with young children. Will fund organisations that strengthen parenting, build parental confidence, and improve early child development; helping families feel connected, supported, and better able to navigate local services and opportunities.
Priority: Building Independence – Helping young people move into adulthood with confidence, skills and hope.
Fund work that helps young people build resilience, raise aspirations and feel equipped for the next stage of life. We also support work that joins up fragmented services and pushes for policies that reflect the real experiences of young people.
Grant Fund Now Open: Shout!: Supporting organisations working with young people. This fund will help young people be heard when the world doesn’t listen. Will support advocacy services helping care-experienced, LGBT+, neurodivergent or learning-disabled young people speak up, make informed choices, and secure their rights.
Priority Safer Futures – Supporting people to rebuild their lives after abuse, displacement or prison.
Fund work that supports people as they rebuild their lives following some of the most challenging experiences imaginable. This includes people leaving prison, people who have experienced domestic abuse, and those seeking refuge and safety after conflict or persecution.
Grant Fund Launching in August: Domestic abuse fund: Back organisations offering support to help people break free from abuse and rebuild their lives. That includes emotional and practical help, safe accommodation and long-term recovery. Also support work that improves services and ensures survivors’ voices shape how support is designed and delivered.
(Refugees and People seeking asylum/Leaving Prison coming soon)
Legacy Programmes
Holiday Grants: Supporting fun, enriching experiences for children
Clergy: The Christian Grants programme supports initiatives that promote Anglican Clergy Wellbeing.
The Fat Beehive Foundation awards small grants of up to £2,500 to help charities improve their digital presence. They support UK-based charities with an annual turnover of under £1 million, offering funding for a wide range of digital projects. Whether that’s building a new website, developing online resources, or improving digital accessibility, their aim is to help you reach more people, raise more funds and deliver more impact.
The Forbes Charitable Foundation is a registered charity and distributes funds to help people with a learning disability or to charities and community interest groups supporting them.
The grants they award aim to improve the technical, social, personal and occupational skills of people with a learning disability. They can be for revenue programmes, capital development, or specific items of equipment or for the personal needs of individuals.
Grants are awarded to UK registered or exempt charities and community interest groups that provide services principally to people with mild to moderate needs.
Priorities include:
- Employment and Training
- Financial And Inclusion
- Support Networks
- Accommodation
Parkinsons UK Physical activity grants for marginalised communities is aiming to help more marginalised communities to deliver physical activity sessions for people living with Parkinson’s. Marginalised communities in the UK can apply for up to £3,000 in funding as part of our new grants pilot. The grants will help more people with Parkinson’s from marginalised communities to get active and to engage in local physical activity classes.
Funding can be offered for exercise class provision, consultation with the Parkinson’s community and towards engagement events. Applicants can apply for up to 60% of their funding to contribute to physical activity sessions and 40% towards community engagement.
Applications are open until Sunday 10 August.
The Hilden Charitable Fund support smaller UK-based charitable organisations delivering projects within the UK to support social justice and to tackle disadvantage in specific areas of focus – providing unrestricted or project/core funding.
Asylum Seekers and Refugees – want to support organisations and projects which provide essential services; which help meet their needs; and which support their participation within the wider community.
Penal Affairs – want to support work “through the door” where charitable organisations go into prisons with projects and support to help prisoners (especially women) cope and/or maintain family bonds and to be better able to resettle positively when released. Equally we welcome applications for post-release projects which support positive resettlement; re-stablishing family bonds; and a reduction in the likelihood of reoffending.
They will prioritise:
- Organisations which either have a significant number of people on their boards and/or staff team who have lived experience of the issues they are addressing, or have robust systems in place for people with lived experience to be able to shape the services provided.
- Organisations which have a clear track record and/or expertise in delivering the services you wish us to support. In some cases a recognised qualification or quality mark may be required (eg for formal advice services; or delivery of ESOL).
- Organisations holding less than 50% of annual income in free unrestricted reserves.
Please note – if demand is high may also prioritise organisations which are based outside Greater London, as they typically have less access to potential funding.
Open to applications until 3pm on Thursday 21st August.
Music for All are offering financial support to community projects and individuals in the following categories:
- Physical mobility or accessibility needs (groups and individuals)
- Mental health and loneliness/isolation
- Choral groups
- Working with early years aged children
- Descant recorder pack and music pack
Applications should be received by 12 noon on Wednesday 24 September 2025 (with witness statement forms received by 12 noon on Friday 26 September 2025).
#Just for Schools
Would you like a bit of extra help with preparing, creating and submitting your funding applications?
Take a look at the
Straight Forward Funding Membership Programme.
Low cost, high impact support delivered on a month to month basis
No contracts, no commitment, a simple ‘pay as you go’ process.
OPEN NOW
This is a really practical programme; there are no meetings involved, no commitments required – simply a ‘pick and mix’ offer of information, resources and 1:1 support.
This is what one of out members had to say this week after booking in for a Members Only SOS Call:
“Thank you so much for your time on Wednesday and for all the information that you have sent over, I just had a really quick look and it is so, so helpful so thank you very much…I really appreciate it!!”
Find out more here
#Useful Stuff
Youth Endowment Fund new Beyond the Headlines report looks past the media and political debate to ask a vital question: are we keeping children safe from violence?
Data from 2023/24 paints a concerning picture across England and Wales:
- Over 500 children were hospitalised with knife injuries.
- Knife crime is the leading cause of teenage homicides, with the number of 13 to 19-year-olds killed by knives more than doubling over the past decade.
- 46 children were convicted of homicide—a 77% increase on ten years ago.
CatalyseHer powered by INCO and supported by Visa Foundation, accelerates the growth of early-stage women-led businesses with a focus on social and environmental impact in the UK, through expert guidance and cash microgrants to unlock new opportunities.
- 2-month training, with 10-15 hours online total required to complete the program
- For women founders, co-founders, or CEOs of businesses based in the UK (registered on Company House or HMRC registered)
- Business Under 5 years old, with less than £2M revenue
Applications close: Sunday 7th September 2025
Training starts: Wednesday 17th September 2025
Before I go…..
Are you making the most of my free resources? Use these links to receive my:
Schools and Education free termly newsletter
Visit my resources page for a host of free tools and resources
‘Straight Forward Funding Resources’ Facebook Group, where I post more info about funding, along with any useful information and resources.
See you next month!