Community Foundation North East (with the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority)

The Mayor's Opportunity Fund

Grants of up to £7,500, spent over 12 months, for small community groups and charities delivering practical cost-of-living help to North East residents, from phase 2 of the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority's Mayor's Opportunity Fund. It funds things like community food provision, low-cost essential goods, energy-saving support, community transport, digital access, repair and reuse schemes and peer support. Organisations must have income under £500,000; the fund is rolling with quarterly decision meetings, and the next deadline is 16 November 2026. Community Foundation North East handles Tyne & Wear and Northumberland; County Durham groups apply through Point North.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: Up to £7,500
Deadline: 29 days left; 16 November
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

Constituted community groups and charitable, not-for-profit organisations with an annual income under £500,000, working with residents of the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority area
Through this Community Foundation North East page: organisations working in Tyne & Wear (Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland) and Northumberland; groups working in County Durham apply to the same fund through Point North Community Foundation instead
Priority goes to organisations supporting residents who are experiencing financial hardship, in low-income or insecure work, falling outside eligibility for sufficient statutory support, experiencing digital or financial exclusion, or from groups less likely to access mainstream services; locally trusted organisations are prioritised
Organisations with a live Mayor's Fund grant may reapply, though this may be taken into account
The Foundation's general rules also apply: a governing document, a board of at least three unrelated people with equal control, a bank account in the organisation's name with two unrelated signatories, approved accounts, adequate safeguarding policies for adults and children, and (for CICs and other non-charitable social enterprises) a business plan; first-time grantees must submit monitoring before applying again

What it funds

Practical cost-of-living interventions that reach residents most at risk of hardship and are responsive, preventative and community-led:

Reducing essential costs: community food provision
Reducing essential costs: access to low-cost or free essential goods
Reducing essential costs: access to energy-saving items and practical support
Access to opportunity and services: community transport initiatives
Access to opportunity and services: digital access where this reduces costs or increases access to support
Community-led solutions: repair, reuse and sharing initiatives
Community-led solutions: peer support and community-based navigation into services
Equipment and minor capital costs where these are necessary to deliver the proposed activity

The Fund is designed to complement existing regional and local provision, so it should add value rather than duplicate established support. Grants are spent over a 12-month period.

What it will not fund

Organisations with annual income of £500,000 or more
Grants to individuals (the Foundation has no cost-of-living funds for individuals)
Work that is not legally charitable or not in line with the organisation's objects
Activities which have already taken place
Grant-making or equivalent gifts in kind by other organisations (necessary goods for a service, e.g. food parcels, can be funded)
Activities primarily intended to support a public body in fulfilling its statutory obligations
Applications from privately owned and profit-distributing companies or partnerships
Contributions to general appeals or circulars

How to apply

Check the fund page and the Foundation's general eligibility guidance; organisations working in County Durham should apply through Point North (pointnorth.org.uk/grants) instead
Register on the Community Foundation grantee portal if not already registered (allow up to two working days for registration to be checked)
Apply online via the 'Apply online' link on the fund page, with all requested supporting documents
Submit by the deadline for the quarterly meeting you are aiming for: 16 November 2026 (December 2026 meeting), 15 February 2027, 17 May 2027, 16 August 2027, 15 November 2027 or 14 February 2028; late applications roll to the next meeting

More urgent requests can be considered outside the quarterly cycle, but discuss this with the Foundation before applying and explain why funding is needed sooner. Grantees report on benefits (including case studies) and may be asked to take part in publicity and visits by the Mayor, North East MSA and Foundation staff.

Have ready

Online application form via the grantee portal
Governing document (constitution or memorandum and articles of association)
Most recent financial accounts approved by your governing body, showing income, expenditure and reserves (management accounts or a cashflow forecast if you do not yet have annual accounts)
Safeguarding policies and procedures covering children and adults
Business plan, if you are a CIC or other non-charitable social enterprise

These requirements come from the Foundation's general eligibility guidance, which applies to all its funds; missing items may delay an application or lead to it being withdrawn.

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