Grants of up to £25,000 Per Year for Charities Tackling Adverse Childhood Experiences
The Leathersellers' Foundation has announced the opening of its ACEs Main Grants Programme 2025, aimed at preventing and addressing the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) across the UK. Eligible charities can apply for unrestricted grants ranging from £20,000 to £25,000 per annum for up to four years.
The ACEs Main Charity Grants Programme is open to UK registered charities or charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs) but not Community Interest Companies (CIC) that:
- expect to have an organisational income of £200,000-£2,000,000 in 2025-26
- have as their core focus, the goal to prevent and/ or reduce the impact of ACEs by providing services to children, young people and/ or adults (our definition of ACEs is outlined in ‘what we fund’ below)
- can demonstrate that the vast majority of people using the service have experienced ACEs/ are supporting people who have experienced ACEs, such as parents and caregivers
- use a trauma-informed approach and evidence-based interventions
- can demonstrate the effectiveness of their approach through evaluation or external research
- can demonstrate that the voice of service users/ experts by experience informs service design and delivery
The Foundation is particularly interested in organisations utilising creative arts, nature, and sport in their approaches, as well as those operating in Northern Ireland.
Expressions of interest need to be submitted by 5pm on the 30 April 2025. Given the high volume of applications—498 expressions of interest were received last year, with 17 grants awarded, and interested organisations are encouraged to apply promptly.
To apply, organisations should review the eligibility criteria and FAQs provided on the Leathersellers' Foundation website. A Word version of the expression of interest form is available for drafting purposes before online submission. For charities with an income under £200,000, information about the Small Grants Programme is also available.
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Grants of up to £10,000 Available to Address Local Skill Shortages (UK)
Registered charities, social enterprises, colleges, further education providers, and other City & Guilds clients can apply for grants of up to £10,000 for community-led projects addressing local skills shortages across the UK. The City & Guilds Foundation's Local Community Skills Fund aims to support innovative initiatives that may not qualify for traditional funding, focusing on areas with limited access to training and development opportunities. Eligible projects should assist individuals aged 16 and above who face barriers to employment, fostering skill development to enhance job prospects. Applicant organisations must have a voluntary income of less than £1 million annually. Individuals and community groups may also apply if partnered with a qualifying organisation willing to receive funds on their behalf. The fund operates on a rolling basis with applications reviewed monthly.
Funding to Reduce the Likelihood of Children Becoming Involved in Crime (England & Wales)
The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) has launched an open call for organisations across England and Wales that are working to reduce children’s involvement in crime and violence. The aim is to fund and evaluate projects that support 10 to 18-year-olds at risk of or affected by violence, offending or exploitation. Projects must align with one of the following sectors: youth services, children’s services, youth justice, policing, neighbourhoods, health, or education. The fund will support well-established projects that can scale and generate new insights in areas with existing evidence gaps. Proposals are invited from registered charities, companies, statutory bodies, and CICs. Partnerships between organisations and YEF evaluators are also encouraged. Applications can be made at any time.
Funding for Youth-Led Climate Justice Initiatives
A new fund has been launched to support youth-led organisations fighting for climate justice in England.
The Roots & Routes Fund aims to empower young people aged 18 to 30, particularly those from underrepresented groups who are most affected by climate injustice, to drive systemic change.
For this fund, underrepresented groups are defined as:
- Communities experiencing racial injustice
- Disabled communities
- LGBTQIA + communities
- Working class communities
- Women
In its pilot phase, the fund offers unrestricted funding of up to £20,000 to five organisations, as well as resources and networking opportunities.
Projects may include advocacy, research, training, or activities aimed at achieving lasting impact.
The fund is delivered by the Blagrave Trust, in partnership with the Co-op Foundation, the Energy Saving Trust Foundation, OVO Foundation, and Impatience Earth.
Insights from these organisations and beneficiaries will help shape future iterations of the fund.
Organisations with an annual income of between £10,000 and £500,000 are eligible to apply.
Applications close on the 2nd June 2025.
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Dormant Assets Scheme to Allocate £350 Million (England)
The UK's Dormant Assets Scheme is set to distribute £350 million across four key areas in England from 2024 to 2028. This funding, sourced from unclaimed financial assets like inactive bank accounts, will be equally divided, providing £87.5 million each to initiatives focused on youth services, financial inclusion, social investment wholesalers, and community wealth funds. This is designed to address social and environmental challenges, enhancing facilities for the youth, improving financial management skills, boosting social enterprise investments, and empowering local communities to direct funds towards critical local projects. The management and allocation of these funds are handled by Reclaim Fund Ltd, which ensures adequate reserves for reclaiming while distributing surplus funds through The National Lottery Community Fund to various initiatives
Funding to Improve the Lives of Vulnerable Young People (UK)
Grants of up to £2,400 are available to support the needs of vulnerable children and young people who have experienced a recent crisis or change in life that has had a significant impact on their wellbeing and their education. The funding is being made available through Buttle UK's Chances for Children Grants to provide a flexible range of support, such as items and activities to support learning and development (laptops, books, wi-fi, educational toys, tuition, etc); clothing and school uniforms; social, sporting and leisure activities; and items for children/young people’s bedrooms. Applications will only be accepted from frontline professionals working for a registered charity, housing association or public sector organisation including schools and colleges. Applications can be made at any time.
Government Launches National Youth Strategy (England)
The UK government has announced a National Youth Strategy aimed at improving opportunities for young people across the country, inviting them to participate in a national conversation to collaboratively shape the initiative and ensure opportunities are available in every community. The strategy will prioritise better-coordinated youth services and policies at local, regional, and national levels, with a total funding allocation of £185 million, which includes £85 million to address the urgent need for more youth facilities and £100 million from the Dormant Assets Scheme. This funding will also provide £26 million for youth clubs to purchase new equipment and make essential renovations through the Better Youth Spaces programme, as well as launch a Local Youth Transformation pilot to assist councils in rebuilding youth services.
Funding to Tackle Hunger Amongst Young People (UK)
Schools and other not-for-profit organisations can apply for grants of up to £1,500 for projects and activities that help children across the UK have a stronger start in life. Priority is given to initiatives that provide food and support to young people. These grants assist schools and organisations in offering nutritious food, healthy activities that promote physical and mental wellbeing—such as breakfast clubs or snacks—and equipment for healthy pursuits. Every three months, three local good causes or projects are selected for the blue token customer vote in Tesco stores throughout the UK, with grants awarded based on the number of votes each project receives. The funding is being made available through the Tesco Stronger Starts Programme, which is managed by Groundwork across the UK and is working with greenspace scotland to support applicants in Scotland. Applications can be made at any time.