GrantRadar

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust

Together for Service Families open programme

Grants of £5,000 to £75,000 for projects of 12 months to three years that reduce the impact of service-related separation (deployments, exercises, unaccompanied postings, weekending) and relocation on the families of serving armed forces personnel and reservists. Open to UK-based registered charities and CICs registered for at least 12 months (capped at £50,000 if registered under three years), local authorities and armed forces bases. Charities without substantial armed forces experience must deliver with a partner that has it. Replaces the Apart, Not Alone and Serving Families on the Move programmes.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£5,000 – £75,000
Deadline
59 days left
16 December
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • UK-based registered charities and CICs registered in the UK for at least 12 months at the time of application, with substantial recent experience of supporting armed forces communities (governing documents specifically cover this cohort, or working with serving personnel and families is a significant and regular part of your work; evidence of recent collaboration with the armed forces is requested); local authorities; and armed forces bases/units
  • Charities and CICs without that experience can apply if they deliver the project with one or more organisations that have it, agreed in principle before applying and named in the application
  • Charities and CICs registered 12 months to under three years can ask for £5,000-£50,000; three years or more, £5,000-£75,000; local authorities and bases up to £75,000
  • Current Trust grant holders may be declined if their reporting is not up to date, and organisations not yet funded under Apart, Not Alone or Serving Families on the Move may be prioritised
  • More than one application is allowed if projects are clearly distinct

What it funds

Projects (pilots, or continuation or extension of existing work) that meet at least one outcome:

  • Families better equipped to manage and reduce the impact of service-related separation (mental health, wellbeing, resilience, relationships, social connections)
  • Families better equipped to navigate relocation (accessing support, building connections, reducing isolation, settling into new communities)
  • Organisations understanding and sharing learning on what prevents or mitigates the impact of separation or relocation

Examples include reintegration support after deployment, family resources for the deployment cycle, tailored mental health support, online/hybrid community activities, joining up support across organisations, military-civilian community integration, raising awareness of local services, welcome and orientation for newly arrived families, parenting support under pressure and maintaining routines for young children.

Direct beneficiaries must be families of serving personnel, reservists or others recognised under the Covenant.

Projects can be in the UK or overseas.

Eligible costs: staff time, volunteer costs and expenses, reasonable travel (including for beneficiaries), session costs and materials, IT equipment for delivery, accessibility costs, reasonable overheads, partner costs, and evaluation and learning.

Projects must be in addition to statutory provision.

What it will not fund

  • Lobbying or campaigning activity
  • Projects that duplicate existing support (the same support to the same cohort at the same time)
  • Statutory provision (projects must be additional to it)
  • Budgets made up of big capital costs, e.g. buying a vehicle (mileage can be funded)
  • Research as the majority of the project (small, proportionate research elements only)
  • Projects whose direct beneficiaries are veterans or recent service leavers rather than serving families

How to apply

  1. Read the programme guidance, the programme FAQs and the Applicant Hub eligibility information; optionally use the Trust's eligibility checker
  2. Review the application questions (for reference) and the standard terms and conditions
  3. Gather evidence of need from serving families, agree any delivery partners in principle, and prepare your project plan and budget (including data collection and evaluation costs)
  4. Create an account on the Trust's online grants portal (YourCause) and complete the application form; add a CEO, senior manager, trustee or director as second contact
  5. Submit by 12 noon on 16 December 2026 and check for the automated confirmation email from noreply@yourcause.com
  6. The Trust checks and assesses the application (possibly via an external assessor) and may ask for further information, which must be sent within five working days
  7. The Board of Trustees or Grants Committee decides, applying balancing criteria (geographical spread, range of beneficiaries, greatest need); decisions expected by end of March 2027
  8. If funded, send a full budget and project milestones before the first payment, sign a partnership agreement with any delivery partners, and submit regular progress reports

Late applications are not accepted. Applications by email or post are not accepted.

The Trust can only give technical advice, not advice on whether a project is likely to be funded. AI may be used to help draft if declared and checked.

Have ready

  • Note: The guidance does not list attachments for this programme; the online form asks for evidence of recent work with the armed forces and partner details
  • If awarded, a full budget, project milestones and (where relevant) a signed delivery partnership agreement are required before the first payment

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