How to Find Grants

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Finding grants can feel confusing when there are so many funders, rules and application forms. The best starting point is not to apply for everything you see, but to understand what your organisation needs, who your project will help and which funders are most likely to support that type of work.

Start With The Project, Not The Funder

Before searching for grants, write down the purpose of your project in plain English. Who will benefit? What problem are you solving? Where will the work take place? How much money do you need? What difference will the funding make? A clear project summary makes it much easier to identify relevant funders and avoid wasting time on unsuitable applications.

Build A Funding Profile

A funding profile is a simple summary of your organisation. It should include your legal structure, location, target beneficiaries, charitable aims, annual income, policies, bank account details, previous experience and the amount of funding required. This helps you quickly compare your organisation against funder eligibility rules.

Search In The Right Places

Useful places to search include local authority funding pages, community foundations, charitable trusts, lottery programmes, corporate giving schemes and specialist grant databases. Some funders only support local work, while others fund across the UK. Some focus on health, youth, sport, environment, poverty, arts, disability, education or social enterprise.

Shortlist Before You Apply

Do not rush straight into a form. Create a shortlist of funders that genuinely match your project. Check location, organisation type, income limits, grant size, deadlines, eligible costs and reporting requirements. A smaller list of well-matched funders is usually better than a long list of poor matches.

Prepare Strong Evidence

Funders want to understand the need for your project. Evidence could include local statistics, waiting lists, consultation results, feedback from service users, case studies, partner letters or your own project records. Strong evidence shows that your work is needed and that the funding will make a real difference.

Practical Tips Before You Apply

Keep a simple spreadsheet of funders, deadlines and decisions.
Read the guidance notes before starting an application.
Save answers that can be adapted for future applications.
Check whether match funding or partnership working is required.
Review rejected applications and improve the next one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a small charity, CIC or community group apply for grants?

Yes. Many funders support small charities, CICs, voluntary groups and community organisations, provided the organisation is eligible and the project has a clear public or community benefit.

What information should we prepare before applying?

Prepare your project summary, budget, evidence of need, expected outcomes, governing documents, bank details, policies and any letters of support. Having this ready can make applications much easier.

How can we improve our chances of success?

Apply to funders that genuinely match your work, answer every question clearly, provide evidence, use a realistic budget and explain the difference the project will make.

How MyNewFuture Can Help

MyNewFuture provides grant support for charities, CICs, voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises. Our Grant Finder helps you identify suitable funding opportunities, and our AI Grant Writer helps you prepare a professional first draft that you can review, edit and personalise before submission.

If you want to save time, reduce confusion and create stronger applications, visit MyNewFuture and explore our Grant Finder and Grant Writer service.

Search Our Business Knowledge Centre

Start With The Project, Not The Funder

Build A Funding Profile

Search In The Right Places

Shortlist Before You Apply

Prepare Strong Evidence

Practical Tips Before You Apply

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a small charity, CIC or community group apply for grants?

What information should we prepare before applying?

How can we improve our chances of success?

How MyNewFuture Can Help

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