Discover Funding Opportunities

Welcome Fund

The Welcome Fund provides grants to relieve hardship and support displaced people, such as refugees and asylum seekers, living in Cumbria. The fund was created in response to growing need to support all displaced people who have been displaced by circumstances in their home countries. Funded by public donations and community fundraising events, the Welcome Fund offers hardship grants to individuals and families who must be supported by a recognised professional such as a caseworker, faith leader, support worker, representative of support organisation, or host family. When funding levels allow, the fund may also support organisations seeking to provide services for refugees and asylum seekers that lead to reduced social isolation and increased integration into local communities. The fund supports items or support in the relief of hardship not covered by Home Office funds and other Government support, initiatives that help support resettlement including access to work and education, and initiatives that promote community integration and cohesion while reducing social isolation. Currently, due to funding levels, the fund is only available to support applications from individuals.

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.

NHS North Cumbria – HomeWell: Children & Young Peoples' Mental Health Urgent Care Fund

This funding opportunity seeks to support innovative projects that make a real difference for children and young people aged 10–18 in North Cumbria. The aim is to provide timely, compassionate support outside of regular hours, helping young people and their families through challenging times and preventing unnecessary hospital admissions. The service will focus on providing intensive, home-based support for children and young people who are at imminent risk of psychiatric hospital admission or have recently been discharged, ensuring timely intervention at critical moments when support is most needed. Projects should provide support across the North Cumbria NHS footprint, be able to provide an immediate on-line/telephone response within service hours, be ready to help within 48 hours when a young person is in need, deliver focused mental health support including home visits, combine therapeutic interventions, family support, and crisis planning to create lasting positive change, and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of young people at every stage.

NHS Building the Right Support: Annual Health Checks Fund

This fund provides grants to increase the uptake of Annual Health Checks for individuals aged 14 and over with a learning disability and/or autism living in the former districts of Allerdale, Carlisle and Eden in North Cumbria. The fund aims to improve health outcomes of individuals with learning disabilities by helping meet the national target of more than 75% Annual Health Checks, which equates to at least 150 additional health checks. The program focuses on improving knowledge of Annual Health Checks and Health Action Plans, earlier diagnosis and support to manage health needs, increased engagement at health appointments, and decreasing barriers to taking up Annual Health Checks through reasonable adjustments. Funded organizations are expected to work with individuals, families, carers, and schools to increase uptake from 68% to over 75%, provide education about the importance of annual health checks, promote Health Action Plans, identify barriers to engagement, secure sustained engagement with statutory and community services, and develop sustainable plans to improve uptake beyond March 2026. The fund supports community groups and charitable, not-for-profit organizations that specialize in supporting users with mild learning disabilities and/or autism and can cover the full North Cumbria ICB footprint.

Kipling Fund for Younger People

The Kipling Fund for Younger People provides grants for individuals and charitable not-for-profit groups helping children and families facing disadvantage in Cumbria. Established from a legacy from a Cumbrian farmer, this fund prioritizes support for young people with mental health needs, children and young people generally, and households on low incomes. The fund has supported various projects including youth groups, equipment for family groups, educational projects for teenagers, accredited learning programs, and young carers' projects. Grants normally range between £500 and £1,000 over one year, providing crucial support to vulnerable young people and families in the community.

Genesis Homes Community Fund

The Genesis Homes Community Fund provides grants to charitable and not-for-profit organisations to enable them to support their local communities. Priority is given to projects in communities where Genesis Homes have building sites. The fund supports organisations dedicated to helping people facing challenges and making a positive impact in their communities. Priority areas include improving the lives of children and families in need of extra support, providing care and connection for older people, promoting health and wellbeing, and building stronger, more resilient communities. Examples of previously supported projects include equipment for sports training to encourage participation and wellbeing, environmental improvements to enhance community spaces, inclusive activities that bring people together and foster social connections, and projects that create new opportunities for young people in rural areas.

English Lakes Hotels Trust Fund

The English Lakes Hotels Trust Fund provides grants to support employees of English Lakes Hotels and charitable or not-for-profit groups delivering community projects in specific areas of Cumbria and Lancashire. The fund was established by English Lakes Hotels and is administered by Cumbria Community Foundation. It offers flexible grant amounts based on applicant type, with individual grants typically exceeding £100 and group grants typically under £1,000, though there are no maximum award limits. The fund prioritizes projects that address hardship, assist families in crisis, promote education (particularly internships and apprenticeships), and support the Christian church and community projects. Examples of supported projects include funeral costs for families experiencing hardship and premises hire for hubs serving homeless young people.

Eden Rural Community Fund

The Eden Rural Community Fund provides grants for charitable and not-for-profit organisations to deliver services benefiting residents of Eden District and surrounding rural areas who are in need due to frailty, age, ill health, mental or physical disability. The fund supports projects that enable people over 18 years old to live independently and safely in their own homes, improving quality of life for beneficiaries, their families, and carers. Priority is given to projects supporting older people (particularly vulnerable and isolated older people), adults aged 18 or over with physical disabilities, mental health needs, and/or learning disabilities, carers, and community and volunteer-led initiatives to deliver or improve access to services for rural areas. The fund was established by Eden Housing Association using charitable funds held following the dissolution of Eden Community Alarms.

CCL Secure Fund

The CCL Secure Fund provides grants for small voluntary and community groups and organisations providing activities that benefit people and communities in the former districts of Allerdale and Copeland in Cumbria. The fund prioritizes projects that improve the lives of disadvantaged children and families, improve life skills, education, employability and enterprise for disadvantaged people, support vulnerable older people, improve the health and wellbeing of people, and strengthen and support fragile communities. Examples of supported projects include improvement of facilities for disabled people, staff salaries for youth clubs for disadvantaged young people, drop-in services for people with mental health problems, advisory services on tackling debt and benefit entitlement, and access to services which tackle social isolation for older people. Grants will normally be between £500 – £2,500 over one year, although there is no maximum award amount.