External Funding Opportunities

Mercers Company, Comic Relief Local Communities Programme and Community First Programme

Three funding opportunities your organisation might be eligible for if your work with young people is London based.

Mercers Company
If you are a registered charity you may be eligible to apply for support from The Mercers' Company. They support grassroots and front-line charities that work to improve the lives of disadvantaged and marginalised people. Members can apply under the following themes:

• Community and General Welfare Projects that: Support local community centres and community outreach work, particularly work that is multicultural.
• Youth Work that: Promotes the effective development of young people outside school, particularly through local youth clubs.

Please see their website for more information. Grants are mostly in the range of £1,000 to £15,000 and are usually single payment grants
Deadline: January 2nd 2012

Comic Relief Local Communities Programme
Grants of between £1000 - £10,000 for projects run by local people directly affected by the issues they are dealing with and priority will be given to small, locally based groups and organisations in areas of disadvantage. You can apply for funding to: increase local services; build skills of local people; increase community cohesion; respond to local economic needs; increase access to sport and exercise for people who face social exclusion and isolation.

Areas: All Boroughs
Deadline: 5pm Friday December 9th 2011

Visit Capital Community Foundation website
Community First Programme now open
Community First is an £80m government-funded programme that will run for four years, until March 2015. It will help the most disadvantaged wards in England. New and existing community groups will be encouraged to work together to identify their strengths and local priorities, plan for their future and become more resilient.

Neighbourhood matched fund
• £30m will be available as small grants in the most deprived parts of the country.