GrantRadar

Quartet Community Foundation

Express Grant Programme

Quartet Community Foundation's rolling Express grants of up to £5,000 for grassroots groups and small to medium-sized charitable organisations based and working in Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire. It funds work with communities experiencing inequality and disadvantage: helping people affected by economic disadvantage (poverty, unemployment, low income) and/or improving access to services for people who are excluded or underserved. Core, project and capital costs are all eligible. Organisations with income under £1m are prioritised, especially those under £0.5m. Quartet says 54% of Express applications succeed and the average grant is about £4,000.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £5,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Not-for-profit organisations with charitable aims that are based and working in Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire
  • Eligible types: constituted voluntary or community groups with at least three unrelated members on the management committee; registered charities; not-for-profit companies, including CICs
  • Registered charities and companies need at least three registered trustees or directors, with a majority unrelated and not living at the same address
  • CICs must be limited by guarantee, not by shares
  • Most directors must be unpaid, and any paid directors' pay must be approved by non-executive directors
  • A CIC needs an asset lock with charitable objects and a clear charitable purpose, and should have either no director with significant control or at least three with equal rights
  • Quartet prioritises CICs that earn some income through trading
  • All applicants need a written constitution, up-to-date accounts or financial records, a bank account in the organisation's name with at least two unrelated signatories (or an agreed arrangement with another eligible charitable organisation), and a safeguarding policy
  • The programme is aimed at small local organisations, prioritising income under £1m and particularly under £0.5m
  • Quartet also looks at reserves, other funding available, and existing provision
  • Unconstituted groups can apply through another charitable organisation that applies on their behalf and manages the grant
  • Quartet also names town and parish councils and community benefit societies as generally fundable, subject to each programme's guide

What it funds

  • New or continuing activities, projects and services that help people affected by economic disadvantage (poverty, unemployment, low income) and/or improve access to appropriate, affordable services and support for people who are excluded or underserved. 'Communities' can be geographic or communities of people brought together by race or ethnicity, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation.
  • A grant can cover any reasonable costs:
  • Core or running costs
  • Project and activity costs
  • Capital costs such as equipment and refurbishment or building work

Spending should start within six months of the award.

Priority goes to work where the applicant has researched and shown local need, involved people with lived experience in planning, and linked with other local groups serving the same people.

Past examples include a welfare benefits service for older people, peer support for postnatal depression, an LGBTQ+ youth helpline, sports sessions for Somali girls, and energy-efficiency advice for low-income households.

What it will not fund

  • Costs incurred before a grant can be awarded
  • Individuals
  • Activities or services that government or other public bodies have a statutory responsibility to provide
  • Groups, organisations or activities supporting a political party
  • Activities intended to influence people's religious choices
  • Activities primarily supporting animal welfare
  • Arts or sports projects that don't meet the programme's priorities
  • Activities in schools during teaching time that are part of the core curriculum; training for school staff; improvements to school buildings, outdoor areas or equipment
  • Medical research, equipment or treatment (community health and wellbeing projects that meet the priorities can be considered)
  • Activities that raise funds for other organisations
  • Privately owned or profit-distributing companies (e.g. companies limited by shares) or partnerships

A £5,000 grant for a one-off event or celebration is unlikely (partial funding possible). Only one Express grant in any 12 months. Groups funded three years running must take a one-year break. Contact Quartet before reapplying after a decline, or before applying if a first Quartet grant from another programme hasn't been reported on yet.

How to apply

  1. Read the Express Guide for Applicants (updated 1 May 2026) and the eligibility page; optionally contact the Philanthropy Team (0117 989 7700, applications@quartetcf.org.uk) to discuss your idea
  2. Complete the online Express application form (hosted on Form Assembly, quartetcf.tfaforms.net) via 'Apply online' on the programme page; you can save and return to it
  3. Upload or provide the supporting documents and the contact details of three board members and a referee
  4. Quartet checks the application against the criteria and may contact you by email or phone with questions
  5. A decision panel reviews it and the decision is emailed to you
  6. If funded, complete the End of Grant report form when you have finished spending the grant

There are no closing dates. Applications are accepted at any time.

A plain-text version of the form is available for preparation only. Paper applications are not accepted. Contact Quartet if you need accessibility adjustments.

If you started an application on Quartet's old system, carry on with it (these are being migrated); new applicants use the new Form Assembly form

Have ready

  • Constitution, governing document or set of rules
  • Contact details of at least three members of your management committee or board
  • Most recent annual accounts or financial records showing balance of funds, income and expenditure (or the records you have, if under a year old)
  • Up-to-date safeguarding policy relevant to your work
  • Contact details of a referee who knows your work professionally but is not directly involved in it
  • Organisation bank account details

Don't resend documents given to Quartet in the past six months unless they have changed

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