For Grant Applicants

Grant programmes open for applications

The Charity Service manages a range of charitable grant-making funds. Whilst we proactively search and select charities for many of these funds, we also operate some open access grant programmes. Details of grant programmes currently open for applications are provided below.

Greater Manchester Grants

Funding for registered charities, constituted community groups and voluntary organisations working in Greater Manchester to prevent homelessness, reduce social isolation or support for vulnerable families & children.

Cinderella Grants

Funding for individuals or organisations to support the costs of respite care and support (including but not limited to the provision of holidays) for the benefit of children and young people.

Greater Manchester Grants

Grants for organisations in Greater Manchester

Applications for grant funding are invited from registered charities, constituted community groups and voluntary organisations working to assist individuals who are disadvantaged, sick, have a disability and / or living in poverty within Greater Manchester.

Our priorities are:

Preventing homelessness – Since there are too many people either living on the streets or in temporary accommodation, we will support activities and services that tackle homelessness.
Reducing social isolation – Since social isolation is known to have a negative impact on individual health and well-being, we will support activities and services whose primary purpose is to enhance social connectedness.
Support for vulnerable families & children – Since families and children may find themselves in difficult, precarious and unsafe situations, we will support activities and services that address their immediate needs.

Grants are available to support activity and project costs; capital costs; and/or organisational core costs.

The maximum amount of grant for any one year is £3,000. Our average annual grant tends to be around £1,000.

On average, 40% of completed grant applications are successful.

We normally focus our support on organisations that are working within one of our priority areas and:

are embedded within the local community;
encourage community participation;
involve volunteers;
have been registered or active for a period of at least 3 years;
have a track record of delivery; and,
have an annual expenditure of no more than £1m.

We complete due diligence checks on all organisations prior to a grant application being considered by our Trustees. If the application is for a grant in excess of £1,000 we may request a copy of an organisation’s strategy document, budget/cashflow forecast and impact report to complete our checks.

To discuss your proposed application and to receive a grant application form please contact Pete Yarwood on 07936 917679 or email [email protected]. You don’t need to know the final details of your application just some basic information so we can advise if we could support your project/idea. We can also make sure that your organisation is eligible for support before you go any further.

Grant applications for up to £1,000 will be reviewed and assessed as quickly as we can. Applications for over £1,000 will go before our grants committee. Details of forthcoming grant application deadlines and the dates at which our grant committee will make decisions are provided below:

Application Deadlines	Grant Committee Meeting Dates
4.00pm on Friday 30^th January 2026	Friday 27^th February 2026
4.00pm on Friday 10^th April 2026	Friday 1^st May 2026
4.00pm on Friday 5^th June 2026 4.00pm on Friday 7th August 2026	Friday 26^th June 2026 Friday 28^th August 2026

Further grants rounds for Autumn/Winter 2026 will be announced in due course.

Please remember:

Completing an application form does NOT guarantee that grant funding will be provided.
You MUST include all supporting documentation requested on the application form.
Grants will NOT be paid retrospectively to cover costs already incurred.
By completing and submitting an application form you will agree on behalf of your organisation to abide by the terms and conditions of funding.

Please submit your completed application form, and all supporting documentation required, to: [email protected]

Cinderella Grants

Grants for respite breaks, short breaks/holidays and group activities for young people aged under 25.

Applications are invited from registered charities, constituted community groups, CIC’s, Social Workers, Teachers, etc. to support the costs of respite care, short breaks, out of school clubs, etc. for individuals or groups of children and young people who are sick, have special educational needs, disabilities or disadvantaged for any other reason. The activity should provide a positive experience and a short period of rest for the parent, carer and family.

Grants are available to residents within Greater Manchester, East Lancashire, North East Cheshire and North West Derbyshire.

The maximum amount of funding available for an Individual application is £1,000.

The maximum amount of funding for a Group application is £3,000 (although our average grant tends to be around £1,000).

Please Note:

Individual applications must be completed by a Sponsor such as a Social Worker, GP, Teacher or other professional person who knows the individual, the family and their circumstances well enough to complete the application form on their behalf.
We will normally only fund respite care and support where the family lacks the resources to pay for the respite care and support themselves, or where the local authority are unable to make such provision.
All applications must be approved prior to any activity taking place. Funding will not be approved or paid retrospectively.

To discuss your proposed application and to receive a grant application form please contact Pete Yarwood on 07936 917679 or email [email protected]. You don’t need to know the final details of your application just some basic information about the young person or young people you are applying for and the proposed respite break or activity. If you intend to make a Group application we can also make sure that your organisation is eligible for support before you go any further.

Application Deadlines

Grant Committee Meeting Dates

4.00pm on Friday 30^th January 2026

4.00pm on Friday 10^th April 2026

4.00pm on Friday 5^th June 2026

4.00pm on Friday 7^th August 2026

Friday 27^th February 2026

Friday 1^st May 2026

Friday 26^th June 2026

Friday 28^th August 2026

Further grants rounds for Autumn/Winter 2026 will be announced in due course.

Please remember:

Completing an application form does NOT guarantee that grant funding will be provided.
You MUST include all supporting documentation requested on the application form.
Grants will NOT be paid retrospectively to cover costs already incurred.
By completing and submitting an application form you will be agreeing on behalf of your organisation to abide by the terms and conditions of funding.

Please submit your completed application form, and all supporting documentation required, to: [email protected]