Discover Funding Opportunities

Mary Grave Trust Fund

The Mary Grave Trust Fund provides grants for young people aged 11-21 who were born and are residing in the old county of Cumberland (pre-1974 boundaries) to support travel abroad for educational purposes. The fund is specifically designed to assist those from low-income households or facing challenging circumstances. Priority is given to young people residing in the borough of Workington or the urban district of Maryport. Supported activities include school or youth organization trips abroad, gap year activities, and work-experience opportunities abroad. The fund aims to provide educational travel opportunities to young people who might otherwise not be able to afford such experiences, helping them broaden their horizons and gain valuable international experience.

High Pow Community Fund

The High Pow Community Fund provides grants to voluntary and community groups for charitable activities that are environmental, community or education-related, and which benefit the communities in the Parish of Boltons, located close to the High Pow Wind Farm in Cumberland. The fund is managed by Cumbria Community Foundation and sponsored by High Pow Wind Farm Limited. Grants are available for voluntary groups, community groups, or local partnerships which benefit the residents of Boltons Parish. Examples of previously supported projects include maintenance and upkeep of the parish church and village hall, replacement boilers for community centres, building renovation of childcare units, and provision for hot meals for pre-school children. The fund will not support individuals in addition to the foundation's normal exclusions.

Gibb Charitable Trust Fund

The Gibb Charitable Trust Fund provides grants to support students and trainees in vocational studies. The Trust was established in the 1930s to enable incoming firms to train labour in what was the West Cumberland Development Area. The Trustees subsequently amended the criteria to assist students and trainees, and the Trust's assets were transferred to Cumbria Community Foundation in 2007 to create The Gibb Charitable Trust Fund. This fund is open to individuals aged 16 years and over who have been a resident and/or employed for not less than two years in the former districts of Allerdale (excluding the parish of Keswick), Copeland or the Parish of Alston Moor. Priority is given to activities which support the advancement of education and provide employment skills for disadvantaged individuals. The fund supports activities such as hairdressing kit and uniform for college courses, work experience activities, activities that are part of a further or higher education course, and equipment and travel costs. Grants will normally be £500 over one year. The fund does not support groups, only individuals.

Edmond Castle Educational Trust Fund

The Edmond Castle Educational Trust Fund provides grants to support the education and training of disadvantaged young people under the age of 21 in Cumbria. The fund prioritizes young people who are, or have been, looked after by Cumberland Council or Westmorland and Furness Council. The trust supports activities that help build self-confidence and skills, promote civic engagement and leadership, cover equipment or course fees, and provide new opportunities for young people to train and learn. Examples of funded projects include fees for private tutors, travel expenses to sports training, course-related costs for academic study, and development of employment skills for young people. Both individuals under 21 and volunteer-led community groups and organizations that work with young people are eligible to apply.

Cumberland Educational Foundation Fund

The Cumberland Educational Foundation Fund provides grants to support the education of young people under the age of 25 who live, or whose parents live, in the former county of Cumberland (Allerdale, Copeland, Carlisle and the northern part of Eden districts) and who are in need of financial assistance. The fund supports a wide range of educational and training-related costs including kit and training expenses for aspiring athletes, course-related costs such as books, computer equipment, and travel expenses, theatre workshops for young people, voucher schemes for training and technical courses for young farmers, and community projects like gardens which help young offenders develop social and employment skills. Grants will normally be less than £2,000 over one year, though there is no minimum or maximum award amount. Awards may be given as a single payment or as a series of payments over up to three years, dependent on progress. The fund is administered by Cumbria Community Foundation and is currently closed until April 2026.

Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Fund

The Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Fund provides grants to charitable not-for-profit groups benefiting people living in the Cumberland & Westmorland Herald's main circulation area. This geographic area includes Penrith, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Kirkby Stephen, and Alston. The fund was established by the Cumberland & Westmorland Herald newspaper and is administered by Cumbria Community Foundation. The fund supports a variety of community projects that improve the quality of life for residents in the circulation area. Past grants have supported diverse initiatives including riding workshops and sessions for people with disabilities, improvements to community buildings, exercise classes for older people, camping equipment for youth groups, and sporting activities for people with disabilities. Grants typically range up to £1,000 over one year, though there is no maximum award amount specified. The fund does not support individuals or projects that fall under the foundation's normal exclusions. Applications are accepted on a periodic basis, with the fund currently closed until April 2026. The fund represents a partnership between local media and community philanthropy, enabling charitable organizations to deliver important services and activities that benefit local residents across the rural communities of Eden and eastern Cumbria.