This page lists current funding pots that mental health user-led community groups and organisations may be interested in applying for. New funding we become aware of will also be shared in our weekly NSUN member’s bulletin, which you can sign up for by becoming a member for free here.
These are external funding opportunities. NSUN sometimes runs grants programmes for members, and any current grants will be advertised on the Our Grants page.
Please get in touch if you know of funds that might be useful for community-led mental health groups and we can add them.
You can also get in touch with us if you are involved in running a user-led group and would like advice and support around making funding applications.
Other funding directories
- A directory of funders from Edge Fund.
- The Charity Excellence Framework have a directory of grant funders for small UK charities and community groups.
- Local councils sometimes offer funding for community projects: you can search with your postcode.
You may also be interested in Disability Rights UK’s Locating funding: An online resource to support Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs).
To explore other useful resources for user-led groups, visit our Resources for Groups page.
Bursaries for Communities Tackling Islamophobia
At Spark, we are committed to supporting communities affected by systemic inequalities. As part of this commitment, we are offering four small bursaries of £250 to fund grassroots community organising. These bursaries will support individuals and organisations actively working to respond to and tackle Islamophobia in the UK.
Who can apply?
- We welcome applications from:
- Community groups involved in grassroots organising
- Registered entities (community interest companies, charities, and charitable incorporated organisations)
- Individual consultants or freelancers
- Community organisations providing care or support to the Muslim community in the UK.
Your work should focus on:
- Campaigning, advocacy, or community organising to raise awareness of and tackle anti-Muslim hate and Islamophobia
- Providing safer spaces, care, or direct support to the Muslim community
- Developing tools, resources, or guidance to support the Muslim community.
The deadline for applications is 12 am (midnight) Thursday, 12th June 2025.
More information and application.
The National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund
On 7th September 2015, the twelfth anniversary of the death of Mikey Powell, who was killed in the custody of West Midlands Police, campaigning news group 4WardEver UK, (which was set up in June 2006 by his cousin Tippa Naphtali), launched the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund (NMPMFF) online appeal.
The fund is the first permanent national resource of its kind for those affected by deaths and killings in state custody, making small grants available for families and their campaign groups across the UK to provide practical wellbeing and domestic assistance, to further the work of their own campaigns or to assist them in engaging in other local, regional or national campaigns, events and initiatives.
More information and application.
Regional Funding, Blagrave
We provide unrestricted grants where we can, investing in the whole of an organisation. We fund for three years, and, where partnerships thrive, can renew this three times to a maximum of nine years. The minimum funding we provide is £10k per year. We do not have a maximum figure but we will not fund more than 20% of your expected turnover this year.
Blagrave’s partners are aligned with our vision and mission of bringing lasting change to the lives of the young people we seek to serve. We aim to create a world where all young people have hope, access to the support they need, a stake in society and influence over their futures.
The organisations we fund are:
- Registered charities or CIC’s and CIOs (community interest companies)
- Youth organisations, or organisations that have significant expertise in work with young people
- Based in, or with a long standing presence in, Berkshire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Sussex and /or Wiltshire only
- Under £5m turnover
Our regional funding is available on an ongoing basis.
More information and application.
Small Charity Week
Small charities are the heartbeat of communities, tackling social challenges and transforming lives with limited resources. Our inaugural, Small Charity Week match funding campaign will help to build the resilience, skills and profile of the small charity sector whilst helping them raise vital, unrestricted funding to further their impact.
Small Charity Week utilises our ‘1:1’ model of match funding. Small charities apply to Big Give and their application is assessed by Big Give and our partner, Global’s Make Some Noise. Successful charities are awarded a sum of match funding which is ring-fenced for their organisation. This match funding is unlocked by public donations given through Big Give’s online fundraising platform during the week of the campaign.
The deadline for this opportunity is April 2nd 2025.
More information and application.
Lloyds Bank Foundation local collaborations programme
This programme is aimed at supporting impactful collaborations that are led by small and local charities that have the specialist knowledge, compassion for people, and the drive to push for long lasting change.
We are awarding flexible grants of £100,000 over two years. Collaborations will have the opportunity to extend by a further year and additional £50,000. We anticipate making grants to 15 collaborations in this round of funding.
We would expect your influencing work to align with at least one of these themes:
- making the social security system work better for those facing the greatest challenges;
- making sure people facing complex issues have access to suitable accommodation;
- improving support and services for asylum seekers and refugees.
The deadline for expressions of interest is 30th April 2025.
The Clothworkers Foundation
Our Open Grants Programme accepts applications from UK registered charities or not-for-profits and who meet our eligibility criteria, for funding towards capital projects (related to buildings purchase, construction, renovation or refurbishment; fittings, fixtures, and equipment; vehicles).
The work of the organisation must fit within one or more of our specified programme areas:
- Communities Experiencing Racial Inequalities
- Disabilities (including Mental Health & Visual Impairment)
- Domestic & Sexual Abuse
- Economic Disadvantage
- Homelessness
- LGBT+ Communities
- Older People Facing Disadvantage
- Prison & Rehabilitation
- Substance Misuse & Addiction
- Young People Facing Disadvantage
Deadline: ongoing.
More information and application.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
The Paul Hamlyn Foundation works collaboratively with organisations and individuals who are working to build a just society. They often have several open grants programmes at once, focussing on arts, education and learning, migration and young people.
More information about open grants programmes via the Paul Hamlyn website.
National Lottery Community Fund programmes including Awards for All
The NLCF has reopened its “Awards for All” funding for Voluntary and Community Organisations in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. This funding aims to provide a quicker way to apply for smaller amounts of funding between £300-£10,000 for up to one year.
“Our funding can be used to deliver activities, but also to help your organisation recover, adapt and thrive. This includes supporting you to become more financially resilient and operate in a more digital world. We can cover core costs to help your organisation develop, share learning with others, support you to test activity designed to help your organisation work in new ways and help you better understand the difference you make.”
Deadline: this is an ongoing/rolling funding opportunity.
You can find out more about Awards for All and their other funding programmes via the NLCF website.
Blagrave Trust
The Blagrave Trust funds and collaborates with partners to bring lasting change to the lives of young people. They often have several open grants programmes at once, across four areas:
- Investing in youth organisations
- Investing in young people directly
- Investing in youth organising
- Investing in better youth policy
More information about open grants programmes via the Blagrave website.
Leathersellers’ Small Grants Programme
The Leathersellers’ Small Grants Programme will consider applications for one-off grants of up to £5,000 from charities and Charitable Incorporated Organisations in the UK meeting the following criteria:
- Operate in a geographical area of deprivation in the UK
- Deliver activities to meet an identified need for vulnerable members of the community
- Have a planned expenditure of under £200,000 in 2023/24
Deadline: this is a rolling/ongoing funding opportunity operating in “rounds” throughout the year.
More information and apply via The Leathersellers’ Company website.
Cost of Living Grants
Over recent months an increasing number of UK households have been struggling with rising prices for food, fuel and other essential goods leading to a cost of living crisis.
To alleviate the impact of the cost of living crisis, support organisations such as charities and community groups, as well as individuals can apply for a range of grants. Funding may be available from a range of sources including:
- Central Government
- Local Authorities
- Community Foundations
- Grant Making Bodies
The Andrew Wainwright Reform Trust
The objectives of the Trust are framed in general terms to work for a just and democratic society and to redress political and social injustices. It is a wide-ranging remit for reform, but the Trust will prioritise organisations that are ineligible for charitable funding because they are considered too political or radical to come within the Charity Commission’s guidelines. The Trust’s approach is similar to that of the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust with which it maintains informal links.
The Trust will support work undertaken at both regional and national level and may also consider pioneering projects operating on a more local basis that have a potentially wider impact.
Deadline: this is an ongoing/rolling funding opportunity with decisions being made at specific points in the year.
More information and apply via The Wainwright Trusts website.
The Critical Social Policy Solidarity Fund
Critical Social Policy has and continues to be a political project grounded in international socialist, feminist, anti-racist and radical perspectives, relating to the experiences of people struggling within or against the state within national and global contexts. The Critical Social Policy Solidarity Fund seeks to support activist projects that align with the aims and mission of Critical Social Policy.
The Critical Social Policy Solidarity Fund recognizes the struggles of resistance, emancipation, and political transformation for social justice in order to counteract unequal power relations of exclusion, subordination and domination, due to oppressive constructions of identity, representation and position. In a small, but hopefully effective way, The Critical Social Policy Solidarity Fund will enable activist, advocate, practitioner, and users of service groups in their actions to promote people before profit approaches to social policy, welfare and the state.
The Fund will support:
- Hard to fund activist projects.
- ‘Pump priming’ activism (small amount of funding provided to help lay the foundation for an activity)
- Overheads
- Activist training and development projects
- One off activist events
- Dissemination of activism
- Other activist projects
Deadline: this fund appears to be continually open but they state that they have a deadline each year of the 20th May.
More information and information on how to apply here.
City Bridge Trust
City Bridge Trust is London’s largest independent funder. Their vision is for London to be a city where all individuals and communities can thrive, especially those experiencing disadvantage and marginalisation.”
At any one time they usually have several open grants organised under different themes. Previous themes have included “deaf and disabled people: inclusive services and better access”, “mental health”, and “strengthening voice and leadership”.
Deadline: varied.
More information on City Bridge Funding programmes via their website.
Small Grants Scheme – Foyle Foundation
Our Small Grants Scheme is designed to support charities registered and operating in the United Kingdom, especially those working at grass roots and local community level. Online applications can be accepted from charities that have an annual turnover of less than £150,000 per annum.
Our focus will be to make one-year grants only to cover core costs or essential equipment, to enable ongoing service provision, homeworking, or delivery of online digital services to charities that can show financial stability. Organisations can apply for between £1,000 and £10,000. There are no deadlines for submission. Online Applications can be received at all times, but it may take up to four months to obtain a decision from Trustees.
Deadline: ongoing.
For more information including on how to apply, please click here
Supporting Small Scale Change – The Wakeham Trust
The Wakeham Trust provides grants to help people rebuild their communities. They are particularly interested in neighbourhood projects, community arts projects, projects involving community service by young people, or projects set up by those who are socially excluded. They favour small projects – often, but not always, start-ups and they try to break the vicious circle whereby you have to be established to get funding from major charities, but you have to get funding to get established. The best way to understand the kinds of projects they support is to look at their website.
Application: Apply in writing by email
Deadline: ongoing.
Email: TheWakehamTrust@icloud.com
Funding for research – Wellcome
Wellcome funds research to improve life, health and wellbeing through new knowledge and understanding. They fund lead applicants at various stages of their research careers. They currently have strategic programmes around ‘Discovery Research‘ and also health challenge areas including mental health.