Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation

Luton Rising Small Grants Fund

Short-term grants of up to £10,000 (generally for one year) for registered charities and other not-for-profit groups delivering community and voluntary activity in Luton. The fund is administered by Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation on behalf of Luton Rising (formerly London Luton Airport Ltd, the council-owned airport company), and projects must fit one of five Luton objectives: economic recovery, protecting the most disadvantaged, a child-friendly town, a greener town, or a strong and empowered community. It runs as a two-stage process: a short Expression of Interest, then an invited full application decided by a panel of local residents.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: Up to £10,000
Deadline: 51 days left; 8 December
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

Registered charities and other not-for-profit groups making a positive difference to people in the community (for example community groups, sports groups and PTAs) that can deliver in Luton; the page states 'Luton Only'
You must be able to demonstrate: a constitution or other governing document; a committee of at least 3 unrelated Trustees / Directors (no-one with 'significant control'); good financial management and health, without large free / unrestricted funds; a comprehensive safeguarding policy (for work with children / adults at risk); a clear plan to work in partnership with others; and that you have sought funds from a range of sources, made efforts to become self-sustaining, and have a clear strategy for when funding ends
Social enterprises (including CICs) have specific guidance; CICs must be limited by guarantee (other private limited companies and profit-making organisations are excluded)
For a consortium or partnership bid the lead organisation must meet these requirements, and you should contact BLCF first
National organisations are only funded where there are clear local benefits
Groups already holding 3 active BLCF grants of over £5,000, and groups that have had Luton Rising sponsorship for the same event or activity, cannot apply

What it funds

Short-term funding for community and voluntary activity in Luton that fits one of the fund's main objectives:

Securing a strong economic recovery from COVID-19, which protects jobs, incomes and businesses and enables us to build a more inclusive economy
Protecting the most disadvantaged in our town by prioritising services and interventions that focus on prevention, alleviate the impact of poverty, and reduce health inequalities
Making Luton a child-friendly town, where our children and young people grow up feeling happy, healthy, and secure, with a voice that matters and the opportunities they need to thrive
Becoming a greener and more sustainable town, to meet our long-term ambition to be carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2040
A strong and empowered community supporting fairness, equality and local pride and speaking with a powerful voice
Project or activity delivery costs
Core costs, such as rent and utilities (up to 15% of the grant)

What it will not fund

Groups already holding 3 active BLCF grants of over £5,000
Groups who have received Luton Rising sponsorship for the same event or activity
Groups who have provided low quality monitoring on previous grants
Individuals
National organisations (unless clear local benefits)
Private Limited Companies (except Community Interest Companies - CICs - limited by guarantee)
Profit-making organisations
Organisations or activities that promote political parties or religion (activities that demonstrate wider public benefit are funded)
Professional marketing / advertising (unless you can demonstrate that this is only to publicise the funded work to engage beneficiaries)
Professional fundraising
Retrospective costs
General appeals or sponsorship
Animal welfare, unless the project directly benefits people
Trips (excluding respite care) and / or fundraising events

How to apply

Read the fund's criteria document carefully
Optionally join BLCF's online Meet the Funder session on Monday 12 October 2026 at 1.30pm (booking via Ticket Tailor, linked from the fund page)
Complete BLCF's short online Expression of Interest form (only your governing document is needed at this stage) by Tuesday 8 December 2026
After the EOI deadline, if appropriate, a member of the Grants Team contacts you to discuss a possible application
Organisations whose prospective applications closely align with the fund priorities are invited to make a full application (subject to available funds), uploading the budget, project plan and supporting documents
Full applications are assessed, including due diligence checks; only those clearly meeting the criteria go to a community panel of local residents, which decides the outcome

BLCF reserves the right to close applications early if the fund is heavily subscribed, so apply as soon as you can.

On 4 Oct 2026 the page said the EOI form for the 8 December deadline 'will be available soon'.

Successful applicants complete interim and end-of-project monitoring reports, including receipts for spending.

Have ready

Expression of Interest stage: governing document only
Full application: full budget breakdown and project plan for the project or activity
Annual accounts: most recent signed annual accounts and / or management accounts, audited / independently examined where required
Governing documents: constitution, memorandum and articles, articles, or set of rules
Bank statement dated within 3 months, in the name and correct address of the organisation applying, with at least 2 unrelated signatories
Equal opportunity policy
Safeguarding policy
Trustees and directors (names, roles, confirmation of any related trustees / directors and any other potential conflicts of interest)

Only the governing document is required at Expression of Interest stage; the rest are uploaded with an invited full application.

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