Discover Funding Opportunities

Westmorland Community Fund

The Westmorland Community Fund focuses on supporting the communities in which Westmorland Ltd colleagues live. Grants are available for projects that help these communities thrive, create a legacy and deliver long term benefits. The fund was established in 2009 by the Dunning Family of Westmorland Ltd, which includes Tebay Services, Rheged, Westmorland Hotel and J38 Truckstop. Priority is given to projects that help named communities to thrive, support young people to reach their potential, improve mental health and wellbeing, have synergies with the Westmorland Family's business interests around sustainable development and awareness of the value of local produce, farming and craft, and have the potential to grow and have a real legacy. The fund serves the communities of Appleby-in-Westmorland, Brough, Kirkby Stephen, Penrith, Stainton, Shap, Tebay and Kendal. In addition to providing grant funding, Westmorland aims to build lasting, supportive relationships with the groups it supports. The goal is to create a two-way connection to ensure a circular benefit – where funded organisations, local communities, and Westmorland colleagues can share ideas, learn from each other, and grow stronger together over time. Examples of supported projects include skills training programmes boosting young people's confidence and employability, mental health workshops offering peer support, community building renovation, youth clubs offering creative and active sessions, and enterprise projects supporting new ideas through mentoring and training. Grants range from £500 to £10,000, with multi-year grants considered for projects that show strong potential to grow their impact over time. The fund supports community groups that work with young people, manage community facilities, or operate community-based services in the eligible area.

The Janet Hartley Fund

The Janet Hartley Fund provides grants for charitable, not-for-profit organisations delivering projects that benefit communities within the towns and surrounding areas of Appleby, Brough, Kendal, Kirkby Stephen, Penrith, Sedbergh, and Tebay in Cumbria, England. This fund was created for Out of Eden in 2016 and renamed The Janet Hartley Fund in 2025 in honor of Janet Hartley, who founded the company with her husband in 1993. Janet was a committed Christian who believed in community service and supporting organisations that strengthened local society. The fund continues her legacy of supporting local charities and organisations that strengthen local communities and help those in need. Grants support projects including support for workers helping vulnerable families with young children, youth mentoring and skills development programmes, activities for rurally isolated older people, and vocational training and education for people with disabilities.

myLakeland Community Fund

The myLakeland Community Fund provides grants to charitable organizations that improve the health and wellbeing of local people and projects that protect the environment, with a priority for those located in South Cumbria. The fund is supported by Lakeland Limited, a retail company founded in Windermere that has retained its principal headquarters and distribution facilities in Windermere and Kendal. Priority is given to projects that support community needs in or around Windermere, Kendal, and South Lakeland; support young people; have minimal opportunity for raising funds or have exhausted other funding opportunities; and help address new or emerging needs. The fund explicitly does not support individuals, environmental projects primarily related to tree planting, or arts-related projects.

Dowker Bindloss Charity Fund

The Dowker Bindloss Charity Fund provides grants to voluntary and community organisations which provide relief for need, hardship or distress for the residents of Kendal. The fund was formed in 1987 from the merger of Miss Dowker's Spinsters Hospital (established 1831) and the Will of Agnes Sarah Bindloss (1895). Trusteeship of the Charity was transferred from Kendal Town Council to Cumbria Community Foundation in April 2012. The fund prioritizes projects that help people facing disadvantage in Kendal. Eligible applicants include voluntary and community organisations based in Kendal, as well as those based outside of Kendal as long as the supported activity benefits Kendal residents. The fund supports a wide range of community projects addressing various forms of need and hardship. Examples of previously supported projects include refurbishment of community facilities for homeless people, counselling services for victims of domestic abuse, climbing walls for children and young people with disabilities, and intergenerational art projects for visually impaired people. Grants will normally be £1,000 or less over one year, although there is no maximum award amount. Individuals are not eligible to apply. Organizations should contact Sarah Thompson at Cumbria Community Foundation for further information about applying to this fund.

CiFR Community Flood Resilience Fund

The CiFR Community Flood Resilience Fund provides grants to organizations across Cumbria to support communities in building resilience to flooding and adapting to climate change. The fund has three primary purposes: (1) to provide support, resources, and equipment to communities at risk of flooding, including the indirect impacts such as power loss and displaced residents; (2) to enable those communities to test and trial ways to become better prepared for flooding and its impact; and (3) to enable communities to be better able to respond to and recover from flooding by building awareness, skills, and capacity within their community. The fund supports equipment purchases such as flood barriers, radios, torches, hi-vis clothing, pumps, generators, and battery packs, as well as activities and training to improve community resilience including community events, first aid training, and events connecting communities with local responder organizations. In specific larger communities (Appleby, Carlisle, Cockermouth, Kendal, and Keswick), funding is also available for Community Emergency Response Coordinators. The fund is administered by Cumbria Community Foundation and aims to strengthen community emergency planning, response, and recovery capabilities throughout the region.