Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation
CatalogAbout
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF) is the leading local grantmaker in the county. The foundation is passionate about improving the lives of people in Bedfordshire and Luton, known for ground-breaking initiatives, investment in supporting local charities, and deep relationships with grassroots groups. BLCF focuses on three priority areas: eradicating poverty in the county, creating a healthy Bedfordshire, and growing stronger communities. The foundation partners with businesses, local people, and national organisations to build partnerships that connect donors with local projects to strengthen communities.
Funding Opportunities
Greener Future Fund
The Greener Future Fund is a grant program offered by Bedfordshire & Luton Community Foundation in partnership with LLAOL (London Luton Airport Operations Limited), which has a goal of achieving net zero for emissions by 2040. As part of their 'Greener Future' grant funding, they seek applications that demonstrate how they can support biodiversity and carbon reduction through education, innovation programmes and initiatives. Grants of up to £10,000 are available and will only be considered for organisations delivering work and operating within a 5-mile radius of the airport. Higher bids may be considered for exceptional one-off innovation projects. The fund has three main objectives: increasing biodiversity, environmental education, and reducing carbon emissions. Applications go through a two-stage process beginning with an Expression of Interest, followed by invited full applications that are decided by a community panel of local residents. In 2025, 60% of applications for the Greener Future Fund were successful.
SWEF Enterprise Fund
SWEF provides business grants for young people aged between 18-30. The aim of SWEF is to change things for young people who are perfectly capable of taking their business to the next stage but don't have access to the finance to do so. BLCF are working in partnership with SWEF to provide business grants of up to £2,000 to young entrepreneurs in Bedfordshire that are aged between 18-30. As part of the programme SWEF provides the opportunity to join a network of peers who are also in the early stage of starting their business to share ideas, experiences and learn.
LuDun
The LuDun fund was established with proceeds from the sale of premises in Dunstable. This grant provides access to training and education opportunities for adults with physical or learning difficulties and/or diagnosed mental health issues. The fund offers grants of £1,000 to support educational and training needs for eligible beneficiaries. Applicants must either live in Central Bedfordshire (specifically postcodes LU5, LU6, LU7) or be previous employees of the LuDun facility in Liscombe Road, Dunstable, regardless of current residence. This is an ongoing fund with no application deadline, managed by the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation.
Whitbread Plc. Chairman's Fund
The Whitbread Plc. Chairman's Fund provides grants of up to £5,000 to charitable organisations delivering work in South Bedfordshire, including Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard, and the surrounding rural communities as far as the County Boundary to the South West. The fund has been created to support charities and community groups whose beneficiaries are resident in South Bedfordshire. Applications are managed through an Expression of Interest process, followed by full applications for selected organisations. The main objectives of this fund are skills and inclusion, the reduction of rural social isolation, and community cohesion. Applicants must demonstrate that their project meets one of these fund priorities. Following the Expression of Interest deadline, the Grants Team may contact applicants to discuss a possible application. Organisations with prospective applications which closely align with the fund priorities will be invited to make a full application for funding, subject to available funds. The outcome of these full applications is decided by a community panel of local residents who meet regularly and best understand the change needed in their local area.
Community Trust Fund
The Community Trust Fund provides grants of up to £10,000 for charitable organisations delivering work in Central Bedfordshire, Dacorum, Eastern parts of Aylesbury District (Great Brickhill, Wing, Wingrave, Cheddington, Edlesborough and Pitstone), Luton, North Herts District, St. Albans District, and Stevenage. The fund has three main objectives: Healthy Today (mental and physical health and wellbeing), Skilled Tomorrow (upskilling young people up to the age of 30), and Alleviating Poverty (supporting people to support themselves). Applicants must demonstrate that their project meets one of these fund priorities. The application process begins with an Expression of Interest, after which organisations that closely align with fund priorities will be invited to submit full applications. Decisions are made by a community panel of local residents who understand the change needed in their local area. Please note that groups that have received funding from London Luton Airport Operations Ltd in the past 12 months or any other London Luton Airport Ltd funding stream managed by BLCF cannot apply.
Near Neighbours
The Near Neighbours fund provides grants to charitable organisations working in specific geographic areas to support community development and improvement initiatives. The fund focuses on five main objectives: securing a strong economic recovery, protecting the most disadvantaged, making a child-friendly town or village, becoming greener and more sustainable, and building strong and empowered communities. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year with quarterly deadlines. Following an Expression of Interest submission, organisations that closely align with fund priorities will be invited to submit full applications, which are then reviewed by a community panel of local residents who understand local needs.
Jane Cart Trust
The Jane Cart Trust provides support to Church of England clergy, clergy widows/widowers, and maiden daughters of clergy (aged over 45) who currently or in the past have lived or worked in the Diocese of St. Albans. The Trust originated from the benefactions of Mrs Jane Cart (1653-1736), a resident of Dunstable, who left a large estate for the annual relief of poor clergymen, their widows and daughters. The Trust makes grants in several categories including standard living grants for those facing exceptional costs and circumstances, special grants for unforeseen hardship due to illness or accident, one-off grants for newly appointed or retiring clergy, and grants for retreats for clergy with significant ministry experience. The Community Foundation manages the day-to-day operations of this specialist fund, with applications being considered by Trust members.
At a Glance
- Total Funding Opportunities
- 12
- Active Now
- 7
- Source Domain
- blcf.org.uk
Catalog Data
This funder profile was automatically extracted from grant listings. Information may be incomplete.
Visit official website