Grants are now available to help communities celebrate Windrush Day in 2020, educating local people about the Windrush Generation's contribution to British social, economic and cultural life. 

The government has created the grant scheme to help charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs), local authorities and community groups fund their celebrations, involving people from all ages and all backgrounds.

The Cold Weather Fund from Homeless link will distribute £1 million to charities or CICs not commissioned by local authorities, to support homeless people.

Rough sleeping is a particular concern in winter time, and the funding aims to cut the number of rough sleepers on the streets by helping them find short-term and long-term accommodation. 

Grants of up to £25,000 will fund work with either one or both of these aims:

The National Garden Scheme Community Gardens Award has funding available to support community garden projects around the UK.

So far it has supported 59 projects, giving a total of £112,174 in funding, in memory of the garden writer and journalist Elspeth Thompson. 

Somerset Community Foundation is managing a major grant investment programme for charities and community housing organisations looking to provide and improve homes for the most vulnerable in society.

Partnerships and consortia are also welcome to apply. Grants can be put towards a range of costs, including:

City Funds, an investment funding initiative for Bristol, will offer mixed funding and early-stage lending to a range of projects that tackle inequality in the city. The aim is to bring together investment, grant, and local authority support.

There are four priorities for investment:

1. No Child Goes Hungry - helping communities grow, prepare and cook fresh food that is healthy and affordable.

2. Economic inclusion - making the local economy more diverse, and including deprived areas of the city, helping to secure employment.

If your capital project (including long-term use equipment) will cost less than £1 million, and you’ve already raised a third, then this fund is worth a look. UK registered charities and recognised churches can apply.

Applications are being accepted for the January 2020 trustees’ meeting.

To find out more, click here.

The Wingate Foundation has announced that the next deadline to apply is the 4th December 2019.

The Foundation supports projects, institutions and activities in the following areas:

Bristol Libraries has launched a new fund to help community groups develop innovative ideas for their local library.

The Library Innovation Fund was launched at the Citywide Friends’ Group Meeting last night, and will see just over £100,000 split between the city’s 27 libraries.

The fund will enable communities to lead on putting the ideas they have about their local library and the library building into action.

The next closing date for Quartet's Wesleyan Grants is this Friday, 11 October. Grants of up to £10,000 will be considered from community groups (that have a constitution), registered charities, not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee and social enterprises based in Bristol that focus on:

To celebrate British Science Week (6-15 March 2020), grants of up to £1,000 will be available for community groups that work directly with traditionally underrepresented people or communities who are not currently involved in science activities.

Funding has been made available from the British Science Association, which runs British Science Week, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Underrepresented people or communities include: