Community foundations and other delivery agents have been working with Comic Relief to benefit communities in need across the UK through its grants programmes since 2004.
Community Foundation Network took responsibility for the overall management and reporting of all of the programmes from 2007 and designed a bespoke database to enable regular and comprehensive reporting on grants awarded across the UK.
There are two programmes, which during their two-year cycle represent an investment of almost £8 million in community projects identified by community foundations which are supporting some of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the UK. These are:
- Local Communities (grants of £100 to £10,000 a year). Currently open for applications (please check with your community foudnation to find out when their deadline date is - there may be periods when the grant round temporarily closes.)
- Community Cash - which is now closed.
The grants managed by community foundations range in size from £500 through to the £10,000 grants allocated to cities across the UK. The grants are awarded to support work where there is clear evidence of a sustained beneficial impact on the lives of people who are excluded or disadvantaged through low income, rural or social isolation, age, disabilities, race, sexuality or gender.
Priority is given to small, locally-based groups or organisations in areas of disadvantage that have a clear understanding of the needs of their community and are undertaking actions as a means of addressing these needs.
If you want to apply for a Local Communities grant, contact your local funder from the list below.
How do we apply?
The following community foundations and local funders are managing Comic Relief funds. Please contact them directly - not CFN. Click the foundation's name to visit their website.
East Midlands
- Derbyshire Community Foundation | 01773 514850
- Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation | 0116 251 0675
- Lincolnshire Community Foundation | 01529 305825
- Northamptonshire Community Foundation | 01604 230033
- Nottinghamshire Community Foundation | 016236 20202
East of England
- Cambridgeshire Community Foundation | 01223 410535
- Essex Community Foundation | 01245 355947
- Norfolk Community Foundation | 01603 623958
- Suffolk Foundation | 01473 734120
London
- London Community Foundation | 020 7582 5117. Covers all London boroughs.
North East
- County Durham Community Foundation | 0191 378 6340
- Tees Valley Community Foundation | 01642 260860
- Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland | 0191 222 0945
North West
- Cumbria Community Foundation | 01900 825760
- Community Foundation for Greater Manchester | 0161 214 0940
- Community Foundation for Merseyside | 0151 966 4604 - covers Merseyside, Lancashire and Cheshire.
Northern Ireland
- Community Foundation For Northern Ireland | 028 9024 5927
Scotland
- Scottish Community Foundation | 031 524 0300
South East
- Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation | 01767 626459
- Berkshire Community Foundation | 0118 930 3021
- Buckinghamshire Community Foundation | 01296 330134
- Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation | 01256 776101
- Hertfordshire Community Foundation | 01707 251351
- Kent Community Foundation | 01303 814500
- Milton Keynes Community Foundation | 01908 690276
- Oxfordshire Community Foundation | 01865 798666
- Surrey Community Foundation | 01483 409230
- Sussex Community Foundation | 01273 409440
South West
- Cornwall Community Foundation | 01566 779333
- Devon Community Foundation | 01884 235887
- Dorset Community Foundation | 01202 292255
- Gloucestershire Community Foundation | 01452 656385
- Quartet Community Foundation | 0117 989 7700, covers City of Bristol, Bath and NE Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershir.
- Somerset Community Foundation | 01458 833133
- Community Foundation for Wiltshire and Swindon | 01380 729284
Wales
- The Community Foundation in Wales | 02920 536590
West Midlands
- Birmingham and the Black Country Community Foundation | 0121 322 5560
- Heart of England Community Foundation | 024 7688 4386 Also covers Solihull, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire & Telford
- Staffordshire Community Foundation | 01782 683000
Yorkshire and Humberside
- Community Foundation for Calderdale | 01422 349700. Also covers Bradford and Kirklees
- Community Foundation for Leeds | 0113 242 2426. Also covers Wakefield
- South Yorkshire Community Foundation | 0114 242 4857
- Two Ridings Community Foundation | 01759 377400. Covers York, North Yorkshire, Hull and East Riding.