Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Funding

Solihull Council have partnered with the Heart of England Community Foundation to distribute several small grants programmes during 2023-2025.

Small Grants make a big impact in:

• addressing emerging needs
• supporting new initiatives
• providing targeted interventions where they are most needed

Small grants distributed to grass roots community organisations and groups are instrumental in developing more locally responsive and community led solutions to local issues.

The purpose of the partnership is to invest in lots of small, community-based activities, services and interventions, which can grow the capacity and capability across the borough communities to respond to emerging needs and priorities. 

Visit the Heart of England Community Foundation website to browse for current funding opportunities in Solihull.

Neighbourhood CIL (NCIL) is intended to help address the demands of a new development on the local area through the distribution of funds to support smaller scale projects. It is a great opportunity for communities to access funding to support local infrastructure projects and initiatives in their area. You can find more information on NCIL here.

Funded by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), grants are available to support projects improving local ties with the armed forces. Community groups interested in applying for up to £250,000 you can find out more information here.

Solihull Council is seeking interest from organisations to join our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme that will provide enriching activities and/or healthy meals which are free to access to children and young people in receipt of benefits related free school meals, during the school holidays.

Funded through the Department for Education (DfE) grants are available to help support an offer during the school holidays which can help children, young people and families in receipt of benefits related school meals:

• Eat more healthily
• Be more active
• Take part in engaging and enriching activities
• Be safe and not isolated
• Have greater knowledge of health and nutrition
• Be more engaged with school and other services

Change into Action (Cia) is a partnership between Solihull Council, the Mayor of the West Midlands and the West Midlands Combined Authority aimed at designing out homelessness within the region. Grants of up to £3000 can be provided for organisations working with rough sleepers and those at risk of homelessness.

Decisions on funding applications are usually made within 5 days. For more information on the process and to download a copy of the application form please visit the website or alternatively you can email solihullcia@solihull.gov.uk.

Two funds are available to local communities to help with the disruption that will be caused by the construction of Phase one of HS2 between London and the West Midlands:

1. Community and Environment Funding (CEF) - applications for CEF must demonstrate that the project will benefit disrupted communities.
2. Business and Local Economy Funding (BLEF) - applications for BLEF must demonstrate that the project will support local economies that are disrupted by the construction of HS2.

Details of projects that have already been supported by the HS2 Funds can be found on the Project Map. 

For further information on the HS2 Funds please visit the Website. 

The National Lottery Community Fund is the largest funder of community activity in the UK and proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. National Lottery players raise £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since June 2004, the Fund has made over 200,000 grants and awarded over £9 billion to projects that have benefited millions of people.  

It is passionate about funding great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. At the heart of everything it does is the belief that when people are in the lead, communities thrive. Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, its funding is open to everyone. The Fund is privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life. 

You can find information on our various funding programmes:

• Funding under 10k
• Funding over 10k

To find out more information visit the website.

The Heritage Fund are committed to building capacity and resilience in the heritage sector as the largest dedicated grant funder of the UK's heritage. Since 1994, they have awarded over £8bn to more than 44,000 projects across the UK. Grants are available from £3,000 up to £5million.

Each year Sport England invest more than £250 million of National Lottery and public money to help people play sport and take part in physical activity. There are a number of different funding streams to help sport and activity groups, clubs and organisations. 

• Heart of England Foundation
• Tesco Grants
• One Stop Grants
• Groundworks
• Severn Trent Community Fund
• People’s Postcode Lottery