Discover Funding Opportunities

Rural England Prosperity Fund

The Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) is a capital-only fund offering support to small businesses and community infrastructure projects in rural England. The fund aims to improve productivity and strengthen the rural economy and rural communities. It provides grants of up to £10,000 per application for businesses and organizations within Babergh and Mid Suffolk districts, with exceptional grants of up to £15,000 for projects strongly supporting Net Zero Infrastructure or Farm Diversification priorities. The fund is a top-up to and complementary to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and succeeds EU funding from LEADER and the Growth Programme which were part of the Rural Development Programme for England. The fund operates at a 50% intervention rate, meaning projects must be match-funded at 50% of total project costs. All payments are made as reimbursements at the end of the process, so projects must be fully funded upfront. Priority areas include investment in net zero infrastructure, SME investments and diversification, farm diversification outside of agriculture, and visitor economy business expansion. For 2025/26, Babergh received £186,377 and Mid Suffolk received £246,455 in REPF allocations. All projects must be completed and grants claimed by 1 March 2026. Available funds are now extremely limited and close to fully committed. Potential applicants must first contact the Economic Development team on an invitation-only basis if their project meets the mandatory grant criteria, though funding availability cannot be guaranteed.

Fisheries Grants

The Fishmongers' Company and its Fisheries Charitable Trust provide one-off grants for smaller programmes aligned with its vision to support a better future for the UK's seafood industry, freshwater and marine fish and their habitats. The grants cover projects in four main programme areas: freshwater fish, fisheries and catchment management; marine fish, fisheries and environmental management; the sustainable and innovative development of aquaculture; and supporting and developing the fish trade. These programmes are aligned with general themes including education and communication initiatives, working with research and academic establishments to support evidence-based approaches, and the development of international links. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are typically considered within 14 working days.

Broadcast Content Fund

The Broadcast Content Fund aims to help the sustainable growth of Scotland's broadcast production sector, encouraging the development of new projects, the scaling up of already successful activities and the production of commissioned programmes. The Fund will prioritise projects which have the potential to generate lasting benefits to build companies of scale, reflect or promote Scottish culture, creativity and diversity, as well as projects which offer significant opportunities to people currently under-represented in the screen sector. The Broadcast Content Fund accepts applications for all genres of broadcast content including factual and scripted programming where there is a clear and demonstrable need for public funding. The fund offers two routes: Broadcast Content Development Funding for development costs of a single project or slate of projects, and Broadcast Content Production Funding for production costs of a single project (one-off or series).

Film Development and Production Fund

The Film Development and Production Fund exists to offer development and production funding for feature length films and documentaries being made by filmmakers based in Scotland. This fund can support Single Project Development Funding for initial development costs of a single feature film or documentary project, as well as Film Production Funding for production costs. The aim of this funding is to support filmmakers who are working in live-action, animation and documentary, to develop a range of feature film projects across all genres that reflect Scotland's culture, creativity and diversity. The fund supports projects with international appeal that have the potential to be distinctive, high-quality and commercially and/or creatively-driven, as well as projects that enable artists and filmmakers to take risks creatively. As part of a two-year pilot, the BFI Diversity Standards are part of the eligibility criteria for all applications to ensure a more representative and inclusive Scottish film industry.

Connected Communities Fund

The Connected Communities Fund is a partnership between OCVA, Community First Oxfordshire, and Oxfordshire County Council to support The Oxfordshire Way, a countywide vision to help people live well and independently in their communities for as long as possible. It's all about building resilience, reducing isolation, and creating opportunities for people to stay active, connected, and supported close to home. The fund supports regular, ongoing activities that bring people together and create lasting impact, including activities that help people connect and socialise, projects that support mental and physical wellbeing, initiatives that reduce isolation including language, cultural, or caring barriers, and intergenerational or community-wide projects focused on benefits for older people. The fund especially welcomes projects that fill gaps in local support, add to what's already available locally, try something new such as tackling digital exclusion or using local spaces creatively, work with local businesses to create social, environmental, or economic benefits, support unpaid carers, and help build strong, resilient communities that last beyond the life of the grant. Organisations can apply for up to £5,000 to help cover costs of running activities that benefit older adults (50+) and adults (18+) with additional needs, including people living with physical or mental health conditions, neurodivergent adults, those experiencing loneliness or social isolation, people facing language or cultural barriers, and unpaid carers. Projects can focus on community-based socialising, health and wellbeing, arts, culture and creativity, green/environmental and outdoor activities, and learning new skills. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with no closing date until all funding has been allocated. The fund is currently paused with updates to be announced on their website and social media channels.

Timmissartok Foundation Grants for Exploration

The Timmissartok Foundation was founded in 2000 to assist individuals with adventurous projects that will take place in a foreign country. The foundation believes that one individual with a dream can be more powerful than a string of committees and wants to invest in people with big dreams who have a strong enough heart to make their dreams come true. The foundation partially supports projects that involve 'travel with a purpose' in which a particular passion is to be explored, embodying the philosophy that the journey is more important than the destination. The foundation is particularly interested in projects that allow exposure to foreign languages and different cultures, supporting people who are not afraid to take risks and who realize that the greatest achievements are possible in those areas. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis from individuals of all nationalities and all ages seeking adventure in foreign lands.

Neville Shulman Challenge Award

The Neville Shulman Challenge Award aims to further the understanding and exploration of the planet - its cultures, peoples and environments - while promoting personal development through the challenges involved in undertaking a research project or expedition. Established in 2001 by Neville Shulman CBE for the Royal Geographical Society, each year two awards of up to £10,000 are given to challenging research projects or expeditions. Applicants must demonstrate how the project is challenging – both physically and in terms of the issue being studied and the new insights that will be generated. Projects should have elements of both local and global interest, a clear purpose to advance geographical knowledge through well outlined methods of data collection, and with opportunities to share findings widely. Applications are invited from both individuals and groups. Project proposals directly relating to PhD or MSc research will not be accepted. It is expected that the grant will provide the majority of funding needed to undertake the project.

Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust Grants

The Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust continues Dame Catherine's generous philanthropy through grants and funding to charitable organizations. The Trust primarily supports local charities within the North East of England, or those in which Dame Catherine had an interest and/or have a local benefit. The Trustees prefer projects and schemes which involve or are directed towards capital expenditure. Areas of support include education and training, medical health and sickness, children and young people, religious activities, animal welfare, disability, and arts and culture. As a matter of general policy, the Trustees do not consider applications which would involve core funding or on-going financing, applications with a foreign element, personal applications, or applications for sports clubs and associations.