Clone of Clone of Open Grants Programme 2026 Round 3

We have combined our Open Grants into a single programme with three tiers of award.

Micro Grants: Up to a maximum of £1,000
Small Grants: Up to a maximum of £2,500
Main Grants: Up to a maximum of £15,000 if the grant is supporting a salary, or £10,000 if not.

We believe that grantmaking should be proportionate, and we do not want the process to take any more time that it has to. Because of this, the application form for Micro-Grants and Small Grants will ask fewer questions, and require less detail, than the application form for Main Grants.

Projects should address issues which are most important to the community. Where possible, projects should actively involve the people they work with when planning the project and take their views into account.

In particular, we are keen to fund work in the following areas:

Tackle poverty and disadvantage
We’re keen to fund work which:

• helps people improve their financial skills and resilience, if they’re in a vulnerable financial position
• builds awareness of how to access financial support to which you may be entitled, or responsible sources of finance to turn to
• helps people build skills for work, or to gain experience which will help them move closer to a job
• helps create equal access to services which can help people save money.
• Builds awareness of and access to sources of affordable, healthy food across Cheshire and Warrington for those who are financially vulnerable
• Helps people access emergency food support when they need it

Enable stronger, more resilient communities
We’re keen to fund work which:

• Empowers and promotes inclusion and equity for everyone in Cheshire and Warrington.

Improve mental health and wellbeing
We’re keen to fund work which:

• helps people experiencing or supporting those are living in addiction
• helps people living with long-term health conditions to cope with the challenges their condition creates for accessing services, finding support or taking part in activities to improve a sense of wellbeing
• helps unpaid carers of any age
• supports people experiencing mental health challenges

Develop education, skills and employment
We’re keen to fund work which:

• helps to remove barriers which may be facing children and young people when it comes to being ready for school, accessing their education and being in a fit state to learn
• helps young people grow their sense of aspiration for the future
• helps to grow skills for employment and entrepreneurship in Cheshire and Warrington.

Build awareness of climate change
We’re keen to fund work which:

• helps grassroots community organisations use nature to support better wellbeing.

This programme is open to any organisation which meets our grantmaking principles and minimum requirements, and works with people in eligible areas.

For our Micro-Grants, we will prioritise applications from smaller organisations who have not received funding from Cheshire Community Foundation in the past. We do not expect to make any Micro-Grants to organisations with an annual turnover of over £50,000.

Eligible costs could include:

• Staffing/salary costs
• Volunteer expenses
• Venue hire
• Transport costs
• Small equipment/materials
• Main Grants Only: A contribution to associated core costs

All three tiers of grant will operate on the same timelines and will be open for the whole of 2026 on a rolling basis. If you miss a deadline, your application will be entered into the next round.

• Apply by: Weds 11th March for a decision before 22nd May
• Apply by: 20th May for a decision before 31st July
• Apply by: 29th July for a decision before 23rd October
• Apply by: 14th October for a decision before 8th January

Please note -  payments for the October round will be paid in January 2027. Therefore, we recommend any projects applying for work which is providing relief at the Christmas period to aim for the 29th July deadline to ensure successful grants are paid in October/November. We will need to communicate this with the sector. 

Depending on demand, we may choose not to take every application through a full assessment. This decision will be made on how closely your application fits the programme aims. If we decide not to take your application through the full process, you may hear back from us sooner than the above date.