Discover Funding Opportunities

The Barker Family Fund

The Barker Family Fund provides grants for not-for-profit organisations which help to empower young people and support the advancement of education, and for disadvantaged young people, including young farmers, aged 25 and under who live in Cumbria. The fund prioritizes activities which support the advancement of education, projects that help and empower young people, disadvantaged young people under 25, and young farmers. Examples of supported activities include business training for young people, supporting young people with a disability into employment, disadvantaged young farmers who need further qualifications, and promoting life skills and confidence in young people. The fund will not support staff costs for youth groups, trips, or university costs in addition to normal exclusions.

Swales Trust Fund

The Swales Trust Fund provides grants to support individuals who are residents of Cumbria for education in the farming, forestry, game-keeping or horticultural industries. The fund supports individuals studying in Cumbria or at appropriate institutions outside the county, as well as those requiring qualifications to support employment. Examples of supported activities include study materials, specialist equipment, exceptional study travel costs, and hardship costs that enable completion of studies or courses. Grants will normally be less than £500, though awards could be up to £1,000 in exceptional circumstances. Awards are typically only for a proportion of the anticipated expenditure (approximately 50%), although full costs might be considered in exceptional circumstances. Evidence of anticipated expenditure and match funding sources are required with each application.

Positive Enterprise

The Positive Enterprise programme aims to give young people aged 14-25 years from disadvantaged backgrounds in West Cumbria and Furness the opportunity to have their ideas and ambitions heard and the potential to have them realised. The programme challenges young people to think creatively and in more enterprising ways, empowers them and gives them a voice, supports them to test out their enterprising ideas, and breaks down barriers for aspiring young entrepreneurs by developing an enterprising culture based on encouragement and support. Successful applicants receive expert support, funding and learning opportunities to bring their ideas to life. This includes a grant of £1,000, a learning programme including coaching, mentoring and workshops to help young people develop their enterprising ideas and themselves as leaders. They also have the opportunity to learn from local entrepreneurs who've created successful initiatives, work alongside a peer group of young people committed to creating positive change, and are linked to other organisations to help them put their plan into action. The programme is delivered in partnership with the Centre for Leadership Performance, a not-for-profit organisation that shares ambitions for young people in West Cumbria. Several of its existing programmes align with and complement the aims of Positive Enterprise to support, nurture and empower leaders of the future.

Lawrence Fund

The Lawrence Fund provides grants to support disadvantaged people in the study of horticulture or music, particularly those studying music therapy, and young musicians in North Cumbria. This fund was established by a private individual to support talented young musicians and those seeking education in horticulture or gardening. Priority is given to projects that support young talented musicians, include the study of music therapy, or involve education in horticulture or gardening. Examples of supported projects include additional tuition costs for talented young individuals, music therapy classes for groups with dementia or mental health issues, concert costs for community choirs, and gardening-for-health projects by charitable organisations. The fund is administered by Cumbria Community Foundation, a charitable organization connecting people who care with causes that matter in the Cumbria region of England.

Herdy Fund

The Herdy Fund provides grants to support Cumbria's rural communities, with a particular focus on upland fell farming and projects that reduce social isolation. The fund aims to create innovative and ambitious solutions to the problems facing farmers and rural communities in Cumbria. Priority is given to projects that make long-term, strategic investments in people or organizations, offer inclusive activities and reduce isolation, support rural communities, and leverage additional funds. The fund is administered by Cumbria Community Foundation and funded by The Herdy Company Limited. The fund is currently closed and will not be accepting applications again until April 2026.

Crofton Trust Fund

The Crofton Trust Fund provides grants to support community projects which educate the public about agriculture, forestry, and the countryside environment. The fund also helps maintain woodland, agricultural land and buildings for educational purposes. Funded by the Crofton Charitable Trust and administered by Cumbria Community Foundation, this grant program supports voluntary and community groups in Cumbria working on agricultural and environmental education initiatives. Eligible activities include exhibitions and displays, lecture series, practical demonstration projects, and conferences that enhance public understanding of agriculture, forestry, and the countryside.