Community Foundation for Surrey
CatalogAbout
Community Foundation for Surrey is a UK-based charitable organization working to make Surrey a fairer and stronger community. The foundation connects donors with charitable organizations to ensure philanthropic giving makes the best possible impact in local communities. They manage over 85 funds and provide grants to local charities, community groups, and voluntary organizations across Surrey. Their services include grant-making, matching skilled volunteers with grassroots charities through their Funder Plus scheme, and helping donors establish individual, family, corporate, or in-memoriam funds to support causes they care about.
Funding Opportunities
David Tyson Memorial Fund
The David Tyson Memorial Fund was established in 2017 to support young people pursuing careers in rail engineering and related engineering disciplines. The fund provides grants between £100-£500 (up to £1,000 in exceptional cases) to encourage and support young people aged 14-25 from Surrey and surrounding counties to pursue careers in railway systems engineering, including computer design systems, civil engineering and rolling stock engineering. Funding is focused on supporting young people who are experiencing financial disadvantage and who may not otherwise have the opportunity to explore a career in engineering. The fund was created in memory of David Tyson (1948–2015), a highly respected permanent way engineer whose expertise shaped major railway projects in the UK and overseas. Grants can be used for course fees and accreditation, essential study resources, travel to courses and training sites, specialist equipment and tools, and work-based training costs. Applications are open year-round with no closing deadline, and outcomes are typically provided within six weeks.
Carers Support (Guildford) Fund
The Carers Support (Guildford) Fund is a dedicated initiative under Guildford Philanthropy, designed to provide small grants to carers (aged 18 and over) living in the Borough of Guildford. Managed by the Community Foundation for Surrey, the fund offers much-needed respite and support to those who provide unpaid care for loved ones, helping to improve their well-being and quality of life. The fund provides grants to help carers take a break, develop new skills, or simply enjoy activities that improve their well-being. Grants may be used for short respite breaks or holidays, club memberships, training courses, second-hand computers or IT equipment, holiday play schemes, travel costs, and respite care cover. Applications must be submitted through organisations that work directly with carers and can verify their needs, including Action for Carers Surrey, Surrey County Council Social Care and Health Teams, NHS Older Adult and Mental Health Teams, and local charitable organisations supporting carers. This fund exists thanks to the generosity of Carers Support (Guildford)'s former trustees, and the partnership between Guildford Philanthropy, Community Foundation for Surrey, and Guildford Borough Council. Through careful management, it ensures that carers continue to receive financial assistance and respite opportunities into the future.
Guildford Young Carers Fund
The Guildford Young Carers Fund is a dedicated initiative under Guildford Philanthropy, established to provide grants of up to £400 to young carers (aged 5-18 inclusive) residing in the Borough of Guildford. These grants aim to support their educational, emotional, and social needs, thereby enhancing their overall well-being. Initiated by Councillor Mike Parsons during his mayoral year in 2018/19, the fund addresses the often-overlooked challenges faced by young carers. It is estimated that up to 20% of children aged 5 to 18 in certain areas of Guildford undertake caregiving responsibilities, which can negatively impact their academic performance, mental health, and social development. The fund provides grants to support various aspects of a young carer's life, including educational support such as additional non-statutory assistance in school or college, extra tuition outside regular educational settings, and IT equipment to support learning needs. It also covers extracurricular activities including school trips, outings, residential activities, courses, music, sports, play activities, and other club memberships outside school. Additionally, the fund supports peer support opportunities to meet and connect with other young carers, fostering a sense of community and shared experience. Applications must be submitted through organisations that work directly with young carers, specifically Guildford Schools or Action for Carers Surrey (ACS).
Surrey Young People's Fund
The Surrey Young People's Fund was established in October 2014 to support disadvantaged young people in Surrey to gain access to training and employment. The Fund provides funding for individuals aged 16-25 inclusive who are resident in Surrey. The purpose of the funding is to assist young people to move towards an identified goal in education, training, apprenticeship, or employment. Grants will typically be between £50 – £350 (and could consider up to £750 in exceptional circumstances) and will fund items that will directly enhance the young person's employability skills, such as assisting them to obtain qualifications, certificates or licenses, developing vocational or technical skills, and providing self-development opportunities that improve social skills, motivation and confidence. The Fund is a funder of last resort and applicants will be expected to have been unable to obtain funding from other sources. Successful applicants will be financially disadvantaged and typically fall into categories such as young people with fewer than 5 GCSEs at grades 4-9, young people not in full-time employment, young people with disabilities or health conditions, those in or leaving care, carers, young people at risk or in trouble with the law, those eligible for free school meals, or refugees. Grants are awarded by a panel of experienced volunteers who have a passion for assisting young people in Surrey to improve their employment prospects. Examples of what grants may be used for include course fees and examination costs, travel costs for education or training, childcare for short-term education, equipment and tools, work-related clothing, volunteering or work placement costs, and online learning.
Crisis Funding
The Community Foundation for Surrey's Crisis Funding provides limited emergency support to help charitable organisations bridge short-term cash flow gaps and ensure they can continue operating while developing long-term sustainability. This funding is designed for organisations facing urgent financial difficulties, typically providing grants in the region of £10,000. Applicants must demonstrate that the funding will make a material difference to their ability to continue operating, show they have taken steps to diversify income or make savings, have a clear plan for sustainability, and demonstrate the crisis is a temporary funding gap rather than an ongoing financial issue. The programme prioritises organisations that can demonstrate impact in terms of need and disadvantage, where the loss of the organisation would have wider impact on others, and where there is no credible alternative provider. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with priority given to registered charities and CIOs that have previously been funded by the Community Foundation for Surrey.
Main Grants Programme
The Community Foundation for Surrey's Main Grants Programme brings together a family of over 80 funds with different criteria and areas of interest to support the breadth of social welfare needs across Surrey. The programme runs three regular application rounds through the year and provides funding to community groups, charities, and other members of the voluntary and community sector. Applications begin with an Expression of Interest (EOI), and the strongest matched EOIs are invited to submit full applications. The programme funds a wide range of social welfare activities including access to heritage and natural environment, capacity building, community cohesion, digital exclusion, educational opportunity, employability, creative industries for young people, financial literacy, homelessness, human rights and equality, independent living, loneliness and isolation, mental health, physical health, climate change response, sport and leisure, substance misuse, impact of poverty, violence and crime, and wellbeing. Small capital grants are also available for organisations providing palliative care or supporting those with long-term illnesses. Due to high demand, smaller applications of £7,000 or less are more likely to be successful than larger requests. The Foundation's purpose is to help make life better for the people of Surrey through supporting community-based initiatives that address social welfare challenges.
At a Glance
- Total Funding Opportunities
- 6
- Active Now
- 6
- Source Domain
- cfsurrey.org.uk
Catalog Data
This funder profile was automatically extracted from grant listings. Information may be incomplete.
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