Lloyds Bank Foundation – Good place to live: New Beginnings Fund

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Lloyds Bank Foundation launches brand new funding under their new strategy – Good place to live: New Beginnings Fund.

 

All the details can be found on their website HERE.

They will make 40 – 50 grants across England, Wales, and the Isle of Man.

 

If you are an existing grant holder your grant must end before 9th September 2027 to be eligible.

If any VCFSE organisation has questions or needs clarification the Foundation states:

1.     There is an eligibility quiz on our website.

2.     We are holding a webinar on Wednesday 29th July | 10:30 – 12:00

Register for the webinar HERE

3.     A recording of the webinar will be available on our YouTube channel a couple of days after this date in case you can’t make it. Link HERE

4.     If you still have questions after reading the guidelines and completing the eligibility quiz, you can book a meeting to speak to someone from our team before you apply. 

Lloyds Bank Foundation issue a new Strategic Plan and Funding

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Lloyds Bank Foundation have issued their new Nine-Year Strategy entitled “in a good place“

it has several elements not all of which will be delivered at once. These are

  • I am in a good place which is focused on financial resilience and digital inclusion.
  • My home is a good place which is focused on homelessness prevention and access to social housing, including skills development for charities and boards to develop properly.
  • My community is a good place which is focussed specifically on place-based funding.

Not all these pillars will be live at the same time. The first element of these will be work around the homeless strand. This is likely to be launched as a grant program in the middle of July 2026, and the Foundation are currently working on the key elements of this.

The other strands are still being processed, and the Foundation will be looking to develop Place based work in early 2027. The Places where the Foundation will be working will be identified using the Good Place Index, which is still being finalised.

Further updates to follow as the guidelines become finalised and clearer.

West Northamptonshire release 260K in Community Funding

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Charities, social enterprises, and community groups across West Northamptonshire are set to benefit from a £260,000 investment to unlock more funding, grow skills and volunteering, strengthen their voice in local decision making, and reach more residents. 

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is inviting Expressions of Interest from voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations to deliver a new Local Infrastructure Organisation (LIO) grant, providing targeted capacity building and sustainability support – particularly for small and micro organisations, resident led groups, and those working in priority Local Area Partnership (LAP) neighbourhoods.

 

The LIO will play a central role in supporting WNC’s Prevention Strategy, the development of Local Area Partnerships (LAPs) and the wider ambition to reduce crisis demand, build community resilience, and enhance the impact of local community organisations.

The grant will appoint a single organisation (or consortium) to deliver a programme that:

  • Strengthens the VCFSE sector in West Northants, building organisational capacity, governance, safeguarding, finance, risk and HR.
  • Grows funding and investment, helping local organisations secure external funds and become bid ready.
  • Builds community based early help and prevention, aligned with the Prevention Strategy and Local Area Partnership (LAP) priorities.
  • Amplifies a strong, representative VCFSE voice in local system decision making.
  • Improves workforce skills, quality and impact, including volunteering pathways and quality assurance.

Delivery will include:

  • Tailored support for small charities, CICs, faith and resident led groups in priority LAP areas.
  • Workforce development covering safeguarding, trauma informed practice, governance, charity law, fundraising, volunteer management and strategic leadership.
  • Training, templates and coaching to develop robust plans, policies, and fundable proposals.
  • 1 to 1 organisational development for groups under pressure or experiencing growth.
  • Brokerage of volunteers and trustees to strengthen capacity.


Further information and the full criteria are available via the Community Funding Grants Framework on the WNC website. 

To discuss eligibility or request an Expression of Interest application form, please email communitygrants@westnorthants.gov.uk with your contact telephone number and the Community Funding Grants Team will be happy to arrange a call.

The deadline for submitting applications is 10am on Wednesday 13 May 2026.

Community Transport Funding 2026/2027

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West Northamptonshire Council has announced a £172,000 funding pot for community transport grants across West Northamptonshire and is encouraging local groups and parish councils to apply for a share of the money.  

The funding aims to increase the number of transport options available, especially in rural areas and places where there are no regular bus services. The grants will support projects that help people to:

  • Reach work, training, school, health appointments, and social activities.
  • Stay connected with their local community.
  • Travel safely with trained drivers who understand their needs.
  • Reduce loneliness and live more independently.
  • Use shared transport that is better for the environment and helps cut traffic.
  • Find affordable travel options if they do not have access to a car.

Community groups, faith groups, social enterprises, and town and parish councils are encouraged to apply for the grants, with full details to be available on the Council’s Community Funding Grants webpage shortly:  The deadline for grant applications is 10am on 24 April 2026. 

Community Mental Health Prevention and Wellbeing Grants (organisations with income greater than and less than £100,000)

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West Northamptonshire are launching two funds:

  • Community Funding Grants Framework (CFGF) for larger VCFSE organisations with an income of over £100,000; and
  • Community Investment Business Case (CIBC) for smaller VCFSE organisations with an income of under £100,000.

Each route has an allocated budget of £106,500, bringing the total available funding to £213,000 over the period from May 2026 to March 2028.

The CFGF grants will offer a minimum award of £20,000 for projects running over a 23-month period, while the CIBC route will provide smaller grants of between £2,000 and £7,000 to support a community‑led, place‑based approach that builds on existing local strengths and actively involves residents in identifying and addressing priorities to improve mental health and wellbeing.  

Projects funded through these funding routes will need to address one or more of the following five priority areas:

  • building emotional resilience and positive mental wellbeing.
  • improving mental health awareness and reducing stigma.
  • supporting active lives and healthy lifestyles.
  • reducing loneliness and social isolation.
  • suicide prevention for high-risk groups.

To request the application form and guidance, please email communitygrants@westnorthants.gov.uk stating which grant you are interested in (greater than £100K or less than £100K).

All applications must be submitted by 31 March 2026.

Health Inequalities Funding – Lottery Community Fund

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The National Lottery Community Fund will be releasing their Health Inequalities Funding on the 15th of October 2025.

In this first year of their Programme, it is important to emphasise that they are looking to award only an initial 10 awards working with up to 10 partners. There are also some very specific criteria for awards in this first year, which will be explained on the website and at the webinars they will be delivering. More information on the fund can be found here: Health Inequities: Structural Racism and Discrimination Partnership | The National Lottery Community Fund

For those organisations in West Northamptonshire who are interested in applying but are unable to provide the wrap around Project Management Support please contact russell.rolph@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

Grant Provision for Warm Welcoming Spaces

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Community organisations are now able to apply for funds via West Northamptonshire Council as applications are now open for the Welcoming Spaces Grant Scheme which will run until October 2025. 

These spaces offer a safe, warm, and welcoming environment for local people, especially during colder months, and can provide vital services and support to those in need.

Using funds from the Household Support Fund for West Northamptonshire, the Council is seeking to support the creation or development of Welcoming Spaces across the area.

These spaces provide a non-judgemental, safe environment where residents can come together, enjoy refreshments and access wider support services.

Grants of £500 to £1,500 are available to community and voluntary organisations, registered charities, and other qualifying bodies, with funding intended to provide support until the end of March 2026.

The closing date for all applications is 10 am on Monday 6 October 2025.  

Organisations can apply once during the funding period. Applications will be assessed based on the strength of the proposal and the organisation’s ability to deliver the project effectively.

Please visit this link for more information: Grant scheme applications now open for community organisations to provide Welcoming Spaces for residents | West Northamptonshire Council

Lloyd’s Bank Foundation – funding for Deaf and Disabled Peoples Organisations

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Lloyd’s Bank Foundation have launched a programmed aimed to support registered charities, CICs and CIOs which are led by and working for Deaf and Disabled people. Organisation must have an income between £25,000 to £500,000. All grant are three-years and unrestricted £75,000.

The programme closes at 5:00pm on the 4th September

More information can be found

https://www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/funding/deaf-and-disabled-peoples-organisations-fund/

We will be holding a live webinar on 16 July 2025 to talk through the programme. This will include eligibility and shortlisting criteria. There will be an opportunity to ask questions live. You can learn more and sign up for this webinar by clicking here.

If you still have questions after reading the guidelines and completing the eligibility quiz, you can book a meeting to speak to someone from our team before you submit an application.

Lloyds Bank Foundation Racial equity programme

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This programme is aimed at registered charities and CICs which are led by and working with people who are experiencing economic inequity because of their race or ethnicity.

Your organisation will be led by the communities you serve, working with people over the long term to help them break free from poverty and achieve their potential. Your organisation will be directly delivering services that help people from racially minoritised communities experiencing significant economic disadvantage.

Under this programme, successful applicants will receive a grant of £75,000 over three years (£25,000 per year), along with a breadth of tailored support aimed at helping strengthen charities and building the knowledge, skills and capabilities of their staff and trustees. Learn more about what to expect from working with us in this way.

The grants will be unrestricted, meaning that you will be able to use the grant to support any costs that further your organisation’s social purpose.

Deadline for applications:       29th May 2025

More information on our website here

Contact Gary Beharrell at gbeharrell@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk if you wish to discuss further.

Aspire NN Funding Fair

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Aspire North Northants are holding a Funding Fair across February and March 2025, with a great line up of Funders.

The workshops will take place both online and in person at venues across North Northants.

Although the Funding Fair is primarily for voluntary and community groups in North Northants, colleague organisations in West Northants are welcome to join the Online Funder sessions!

For booking please go to:  https://aspirenn.org.uk/funding-fair-2025/