Express Grant Programme

This grant programme is open for applications all year.

What is the Express Grant Programme?

The aim of this Express Grant Programme is to support local grassroot groups and small to medium sized organisations working with communities* experiencing inequalities and disadvantage. Within this, we will prioritise funding towards activities, projects and services that:

• Address the impact of economic disadvantage; and/or

• Improve the lives of those who have limited access to appropriate or affordable services and support

^*This can be geographic communities and/or communities of people brought together by race or ethnicity, age, disability, gender, or sexual orientation.

Further information about what we will prioritise can be found in the guidelines below.

Please note: The funds available for this programme are limited, so we can’t approve every application. Currently, 57% of applications received for the Express programme are successful.

What you can apply for

You can apply for a grant towards a new activity or continuing something you are already doing, and you should plan to start spending the grant within six months of it being awarded.

A grant can be towards any reasonable costs for your group/organisation or project, including:

• Core or running costs
• Project and activity costs
• Capital costs if you already have most of the funds needed where the building or equipment is more than the grant.

Who can apply

Applicants must be based and working in Bristol, Bath & North-East Somerset, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire. You can apply for a grant if you are a:

• constituted voluntary or community organisation
• registered charity
• not-for-profit company, including Community Interest Companies where they are not limited by shares and most directors receive no payment from the company

Please see our eligibility criteria page for further information. See page here

Our Express grants are aimed at small local charities and community organisations. This means we will prioritise those with an income under £1 million, particularly those with an income under £0.5 million.

How to apply

Apply online using the link below. You can return to your online application form as many times as you like. However, please save the form as you go along. We encourage you to read the guidelines before applying. Also, see our Help & Guidance page here.

Decision turnaround

We aim for decisions to be sent to applicants within 8 weeks of receiving the application. You can find out why we take some time to decide here.

Please note that we have updated some of the criteria for the Express programme, effective from 1 October 2024. Please familiarise yourself with the new guidelines before applying.