Discover Funding Opportunities

Staff 10th Anniversary Fund

The Staff 10th Anniversary Fund provides grants for projects which support the Foundation's priorities in two main themes: Improving Lives and Strengthening Communities. Under Improving Lives, the fund addresses reducing poverty, reaching potential, improving health, and tackling social inequality. Under Strengthening Communities, it supports nurturing sense of place and acting on climate change. The fund was established by former and current staff of Cumbria Community Foundation to support both charitable groups and individuals in Cumbria. Example projects include specialized equipment for disabled children, travel costs for elderly individuals, hospitality and cooking courses for socially disadvantaged young people, and community sports days. Grants normally range up to £1,000 over one year, though there is no maximum award amount. The fund is currently closed and will not accept applications again until April 2026.

Shepley Group Grassroots Fund

The Shepley Group Grassroots Fund provides grants to charitable and not-for-profit organisations for initiatives that reduce poverty, improve health, tackle social inequality, and help people reach their potential. The fund also supports projects that nurture a sense of place or promote climate action. Priority is given to projects that benefit people and communities in areas where Shepley Group employees live, specifically within the former local authority districts of Allerdale, Barrow-in-Furness, Carlisle, and Copeland in Cumbria, England. The fund is administered by Cumbria Community Foundation and supported by Shepley Engineers Limited. Examples of supported projects include equipment for junior football clubs, community cafés, community allotments, refurbishment of spaces for community workshops, functional skill classes for unemployed people aged 16+, and respite activities for young carers. Grants are normally up to £2,000 over one year. The fund does not support individuals in addition to the foundation's normal exclusions. Applications are welcome from charitable and not-for-profit organisations working to address community needs in the specified geographic areas of Cumbria.

Nuclear Waste Services LLWR Grassroots Fund

The Nuclear Waste Services LLWR Grassroots Fund provides grants to charitable organizations for initiatives that support children and young people. The fund focuses on projects that meet one or more of the following priorities: reduce poverty, improve health, tackle social inequality, and help people reach their potential. Additionally, the fund supports projects that nurture a sense of place or promote climate action. The fund is administered by Cumbria Community Foundation and supported by LLW Repository Limited trading as Nuclear Waste Services. Examples of supported projects include scenery hire for local theatre musicals, astro-turf rebound boards for community sports grounds, activities helping young people learn about entrepreneurship, and coaching costs for junior cricket clubs. Grants are normally awarded up to £5,000 over one year to charitable, not-for-profit organizations working with children and young people in Cumbria.

Johnson Fund

The Johnson Fund provides grants to support individuals and volunteer-led and community organisations that support disadvantage in the Cumbria region. Applications are accepted from the former local authority areas of Allerdale, Carlisle, Eden and South Lakeland. The fund supports projects aligned with Cumbria Community Foundation's top funding priorities including reducing poverty, reaching potential, improving health, tackling social inequality, nurturing sense of place, and acting on climate change. Priority is given to projects that help carers of people with dementia and support young people to fulfil their potential. For individuals, applicants must be under the age of 30, with household income taken into account. The fund has supported diverse projects including music therapy sessions for disabled children, training materials for students to increase employability, respite trips for carers of those with mental health issues, and contributions to living costs for students pursuing advanced degrees. Maximum grant awards are typically up to £2,500 over one year.

Cumbria Fund

The Cumbria Fund provides grants for charitable projects that address Cumbria Community Foundation's two key priorities: Improving Lives and Strengthening Communities. Theme 1: Improving Lives focuses on reducing poverty by providing opportunities for financial stability including support for financial advice, food and fuel security, and housing stability; reaching potential by empowering people, especially children and young people, through education, skills development, and personal growth; improving health by addressing unmet health needs, reducing inequalities, and promoting wellbeing including mental health services; and tackling social inequality by promoting equality, inclusion, and social justice for those facing systemic barriers. Theme 2: Strengthening Communities focuses on nurturing sense of place by creating stronger, more inclusive communities where people feel connected, safe, and supported; and acting on climate change through local action that builds environmental resilience and empowers communities to respond to the climate crisis. The fund prioritises revenue (operational) costs over capital (infrastructure or equipment) costs for more immediate and sustained impact. Examples of supported projects include advisory services on tackling debt and benefit entitlement, youth mentoring and skills development programmes, community mental health drop-in sessions, language classes for refugees and asylum seekers, digital access support in rural communities, and community-led climate action workshops.