Grassroots Grants
Groundwork is working with Postcode Lottery for a third year to deliver Grassroots Grants.
This year, the programme will provide unrestricted funding of up to £2,000 to 700 small, local organisations in England that are making a positive difference in their communities.
Funding can be used for core organisational costs that support the important work organisations deliver in their communities. The funding offered is unrestricted and therefore flexible and can be used where it is most needed.
The grant programme is made possible thanks to funding raised by players of the Postcode Lottery and is awarded through Postcode Local Trust, Postcode Places Trust, Postcode Neighbourhood Trust and Postcode Society Trust.
Changes for 2026 – key information:
- Applications may be submitted at any time between January and September
- Eligible to organisations whose income is up to £25,000 in the last financial year
- Applicants will receive a decision within 10 weeks of submission
- Successful organisations awarded up to £2,000 will have 12 months to spend the grant
- The programme will not fund sports or physical activities-based projects. Further details of an alternative programme can be found below
Who can apply?
Unrestricted grants of between £500 and £2,000 can be accessed by voluntary or community organisations, including registered charities/companies, whose annual turnover is no more than £25,000.
Priority will be shown to organisations which meet the following criteria:
- Funding for communities that rank as being within the top 15% on the English Indices of Deprivation
- Organisations that work with and support communities classed as marginalised or vulnerable
Grassroot Grants supports organisations whose aims and objectives align with one of Postcode Lottery’s funding themes:
- Enabling participation in the arts
- Improving green spaces and increasing access to the outdoors
- Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty
- Providing support to improve mental health
- Supporting marginalised groups and tackling inequality
Please note:
- If you have previously received funding through the programme: you are invited to apply again once your grant spend is complete and you have submitted an end of grant report
- If you were unsuccessful in previous rounds: we would welcome a new application from you this year
- We will only accept one application per organisation
- We will fund Community Interest Companies that have been in operation for at least two years with an asset lock (Schedule 1 and 2 only)
Who can’t apply?
- Individuals
- Community Interest Companies that are less than two years old
- Schedule 3 Community Interest Companies
- Companies Limited by Shares
- Profit-making organisations
- Unconstituted organisations
- Local Authorities
- Parish or Town Councils
- Schools, Academies, Nurseries and Pre-schools
- Parent Teacher Associations or Friends of Parent Teacher Associations
- Colleges or Universities
- Organisations with solely religious objects in their governing document
- Organisations that are currently funded by one of the Postcode Lottery Trusts
Please see the Guidance Notes for full detail on the eligibility criteria.
What can you apply for?
We want to support groups that provide vital services in their local communities. Funding can be used for project ideas within an organisation’s charitable or constituted objects including: access to food or basic essentials, improvements to local green spaces, cultural initiatives, support or wellbeing activities, volunteering opportunities to improve the local environment or support people or training to improve the capacity building of your organisation.
We will consider costs for a range of purposes which could include:
- Paying staff or volunteer expenses
- Costs for equipment or materials
- Core, ongoing running costs of your organisation, such as, rent, utilities, and other general running costs
- Training for staff and volunteers
- Consultant time to help develop your organisation or key policies
This is not an exhaustive list and other costs may also be welcomed.
What can’t be funded?
- Sport and physical activity-based projects – please visit Sported Foundation for information on another funding programme specifically for sport and physical activity-based projects
- Work that has already taken place or will have taken place before you receive the grant
- Political donations
- Conferences or seminars
- Fundraising activities or challenges (e.g. costs for a sky dive etc.)
- Activities which collect funds for redistribution to other charities or individuals
- Projects which redistribute funds including vouchers
- Overseas appeals
- Expeditions or overseas travel
- Promotion of a religious or political cause
- Activities that the state has a legal obligation to provide
- Making payments against loans, fines or penalties
- Funding being allocated to the organisation’s reserves
- Medical research, clinical treatment, medical staff in a clinical setting where the diagnosis, and/or prescribing of clinical advice or medication is taking place and medical equipment
- Alcohol
- Animal welfare – please note: we will consider applications that support the wellbeing of people through project delivery, such as therapy animals
Grassroots Grants Webinar
A webinar was recently filmed to provide further detail about applying to the Grassroots Grants programme.
Apply for a grant
Step One
Step Two
To apply for a grant please complete the eligibility checker. If you meet the programme criteria you will then receive a link to the application form.
Applications opened on Wednesday 7 January and close in September 2026.
We encourage applicants to apply throughout this period and can reassure that the fund will not close early, nor will funding be given out on a first come, first served basis.
Grassroots Grants so far
Click on the map to view funded organisations to date:
Contact us
Get in touch with any questions or queries on 0121 237 3640 or grassrootsgrants@groundwork.org.uk