Funding Sources
Information about grant-awarding bodies to which rowing clubs can apply for funding
Juniors' sculls funded by The Rowing Foundation
We’ve grouped these funding opportunities together to help you identify suitable funds to explore further, starting with general sources of funding that are relevant to the rowing clubs.
| Fund | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Active Partnerships Network The 43 Active Partnerships across England who use the power of sport and physical activity to transform lives. | Various | Local funding advice |
| Sport England Movement Fund A programme using National Lottery funding to improve physical activity opportunities for the people and communities who need it the most. | Up to £15,000 | Projects that get more people active, reduce the number of inactive people, and tackle long-standing inequalities. |
| National Lottery Good Causes Search through Lottery grants to find the most appropriate one for your club. | Various | Search for relevant Lottery funding |
| National Lottery Community Fund Awards for All Programme Projects that improve communities, and the lives of people within them. | £300 – £20,000 | Community organisations and groups |
| People’s Postcode Lottery Regional Trusts that support smaller charities and good causes in specific areas to make a difference to their community for the benefit of people and planet. | £500-£2,500 (Organisations with no charity number) £500-£25,000 (CICs etc) | Postcode Local Trust (West of England) Postcode Society Trust (South of England) Postcode Neighbourhood Trust (North of England) Postcode Places Trust (East of England) |
- Fund:
- Active Partnerships Network
The 43 Active Partnerships across England who use the power of sport and physical activity to transform lives. - Amount:
- Various
- Type:
- Local funding advice
- Fund:
- Sport England Movement Fund
A programme using National Lottery funding to improve physical activity opportunities for the people and communities who need it the most. - Amount:
- Up to £15,000
- Type:
- Projects that get more people active, reduce the number of inactive people, and tackle long-standing inequalities.
- Fund:
- National Lottery Good Causes
Search through Lottery grants to find the most appropriate one for your club. - Amount:
- Various
- Type:
- Search for relevant Lottery funding
- Fund:
- National Lottery Community Fund Awards for All Programme
Projects that improve communities, and the lives of people within them. - Amount:
- £300 – £20,000
- Type:
- Community organisations and groups
- Fund:
- People’s Postcode Lottery
Regional Trusts that support smaller charities and good causes in specific areas to make a difference to their community for the benefit of people and planet. - Amount:
- £500-£2,500 (Organisations with no charity number)
£500-£25,000 (CICs etc) - Type:
- Postcode Local Trust (West of England)
Postcode Society Trust (South of England)
Postcode Neighbourhood Trust (North of England)
Postcode Places Trust (East of England)
Capital/Facilities grants
| Fund | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| The Garfield Weston Foundation A family founded grant-maker that gives money to support a wide range of charities across the UK | Up to 10% of the whole project cost for capital projects. For general community projects, grants will not exceed £30,000 | Registered charities with independently audited accounts. |
| The Clothworkers Foundation Awards capital project to UK-registered charities, CICs, and other registered UK not-for-profit organisations (including special schools). | Small: Up to £15,000 Large: Over £15,000 | Buildings, fixtures and fittings and equipment, vehicles. |
- Fund:
- The Garfield Weston Foundation
A family founded grant-maker that gives money to support a wide range of charities across the UK - Amount:
- Up to 10% of the whole project cost for capital projects.
For general community projects, grants will not exceed £30,000 - Type:
- Registered charities with independently audited accounts.
- Fund:
- The Clothworkers Foundation
Awards capital project to UK-registered charities, CICs, and other registered UK not-for-profit organisations (including special schools). - Amount:
- Small: Up to £15,000
Large: Over £15,000 - Type:
- Buildings, fixtures and fittings and equipment, vehicles.
Rowing-specific grants
| Fund | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Love Rowing 91ÌÒÉ«’s Charitable Foundation funds initatives that fit with its mission to transform lives through the sport of rowing. | £500-£3,000 Applications open Nov-Dec each year | Rowing programmes |
| Rowing Foundation The Rowing Foundation is a registered charity. Its purpose is to promote the participation in rowing of young people (those under 18 or still in full time education) and people of all ages with disabilities. | £500-£4,000 | Water rowing |
- Fund:
- Love Rowing
91ÌÒÉ«’s Charitable Foundation funds initatives that fit with its mission to transform lives through the sport of rowing. - Amount:
- £500-£3,000
Applications open Nov-Dec each year - Type:
- Rowing programmes
- Fund:
- Rowing Foundation
The Rowing Foundation is a registered charity. Its purpose is to promote the participation in rowing of young people (those under 18 or still in full time education) and people of all ages with disabilities. - Amount:
- £500-£4,000
- Type:
- Water rowing
Environmental sustainability grants
| Fund | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Thames 21 Empower Rivers Community Grant | Up to £20,000 | Small-scale volunteer-led river restoration works and water quality monitoring initiatives. |
| Thames Environment Fund | Up to £15,000 | Projects that foster environmental improvements on the tidal river. |
| Veolia Environmental Trust Grants to create or improve buildings or outside spaces for the benefit of the community. | £10,000-£75,000 | Projects must: – Promote community action and wellbeing – Be inclusive and accessible – Inspire the creation of a sustainable carbon-neutral community space – Protect and enhances biodiversity and natural habitats. |
| Biffa Award | Less than £200,000 inc VAT | Funding themes include: Partnership grant scheme, Rebuilding biodiversity, Community buildings, Recreation, and Cultural activities. |
| Aviva Community Fund | Up to £50,000 in match funding on donations up to £250 | Projects that promote healthy, thriving communities by preventing, preparing for and protecting against the impacts of climate change. |
- Fund:
- Thames 21 Empower Rivers Community Grant
- Amount:
- Up to £20,000
- Type:
- Small-scale volunteer-led river restoration works and water quality monitoring initiatives.
- Fund:
- Thames Environment Fund
- Amount:
- Up to £15,000
- Type:
- Projects that foster environmental improvements on the tidal river.
- Fund:
- Veolia Environmental Trust
Grants to create or improve buildings or outside spaces for the benefit of the community. - Amount:
- £10,000-£75,000
- Type:
- Projects must:
– Promote community action and wellbeing
– Be inclusive and accessible
– Inspire the creation of a sustainable carbon-neutral community space
– Protect and enhances biodiversity and natural habitats.
- Fund:
- Biffa Award
- Amount:
- Less than £200,000 inc VAT
- Type:
- Funding themes include: Partnership grant scheme, Rebuilding biodiversity, Community buildings, Recreation, and Cultural activities.
- Fund:
- Aviva Community Fund
- Amount:
- Up to £50,000 in match funding on donations up to £250
- Type:
- Projects that promote healthy, thriving communities by preventing, preparing for and protecting against the impacts of climate change.
National Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme
Since 2018, the HAF programme has supported children in receipt of free school meals during holiday periods.
Following successful pilots between 2018 and 2020, the programme was rolled across all county councils in 2021. Research has shown that the school holidays can be pressure points for some families. For some children that can lead to a holiday experience gap.
Each local authority area will have a contractor holder who administers the funds for this project.
You can apply for funding to run sessions during Easter, Summer, and Winter holidays only, sessions must run for at least three hours. You can apply to run multiple sessions, across venues, on multiple days.
Priority is given to children eligible for free school meals.
Funding available covers:
- Staffing costs
- Venue costs
- Food costs
- Equipment costs.
You can also apply for funding to cover increased staffing costs, allowing you to bring unrestricted funds used on staffing back into your club to help you with other club projects and help you work towards financial sustainability.
To apply for this funding, you will need to contact your local authority to check for deadlines and guidance. (Local Authorities may differ concerning eligibility).
Disability support grants
| Fund | Amount | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Masonic Charitable Foundation Unrestricted grants for charities working with children with special educational needs and disabilities. | £1,000 to £5,000 per year over three years | Registered charities with incomes of £25,000 and £500,000. |
| Ann Rylans The Ann Rylands Small Donations programme makes grants to support charities’ core costs. | Up to £5,000 | Registered charities. Themes are: People with disabilities, Mental health, Social exclusion. |
| The Toyota Community Fund A programme of small grants designed to help local charities, schools and community projects. | Small | Stratford upon Avon BC received a grant for adaptive rowing equipment |
| Parkinson’s UK A grant scheme that helps fund activity providers to give people with Parkinson’s more opportunities to get and stay active. | £500-£3,000 | Physical activity providers |
- Fund:
- Masonic Charitable Foundation
Unrestricted grants for charities working with children with special educational needs and disabilities. - Amount:
- £1,000 to £5,000 per year over three years
- Eligibility:
- Registered charities with incomes of £25,000 and £500,000.
- Fund:
- Ann Rylans
The Ann Rylands Small Donations programme makes grants to support charities’ core costs. - Amount:
- Up to £5,000
- Eligibility:
- Registered charities.
Themes are: People with disabilities, Mental health, Social exclusion.
- Fund:
- The Toyota Community Fund
A programme of small grants designed to help local charities, schools and community projects. - Amount:
- Small
- Eligibility:
- Stratford upon Avon BC received a grant for adaptive rowing equipment
- Fund:
- Parkinson’s UK
A grant scheme that helps fund activity providers to give people with Parkinson’s more opportunities to get and stay active. - Amount:
- £500-£3,000
- Eligibility:
- Physical activity providers
Defibrillator grants
| Fund | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| RALPHH | 50% of cost | Grants to purchase defibrillator equipment to be based at clubs. |
| London Hearts | Grant towards cost | Grants to purchase defibrillator equipment to be based at community locations. |
- Fund:
- RALPHH
- Amount:
- 50% of cost
- Type:
- Grants to purchase defibrillator equipment to be based at clubs.
- Fund:
- London Hearts
- Amount:
- Grant towards cost
- Type:
- Grants to purchase defibrillator equipment to be based at community locations.
Grant-finder services
Web based grant finders, which usually charge a fee, can help you to find appropriate ‘pots’ of money, either locally or nationally. There are all sorts of charities that are required to fund quite specific projects or groups but don’t publicise themselves widely.
Another option is to consider engaging the services of a grant-finding/fundraising consultant, who can also help you to write your application. Staines BC did this successfully when in 2016.
| Grant-finder | Type |
|---|---|
| My Funding Central Funding search tool for charities and VCSEs. | Web based grant search (fee applies) |
| Grantsnet Grantsnet is a search engine for grants available to UK organisations. It is for charities and voluntary organisations, public service organisations, businesses and funders. Currently awaiting relaunch. | Web based grant search |
- Grant-finder:
- My Funding Central
Funding search tool for charities and VCSEs. - Type:
- Web based grant search (fee applies)
- Grant-finder:
- Grantsnet
Grantsnet is a search engine for grants available to UK organisations. It is for charities and voluntary organisations, public service organisations, businesses and funders. Currently awaiting relaunch. - Type:
- Web based grant search