GrantRadar

Cumbria Community Foundation

Abbeyfield Carlisle Society Community First Fund

A donor-advised fund at Cumbria Community Foundation, given by Abbeyfield Carlisle Society Limited, making grants to charitable, not-for-profit organisations benefiting communities in the former local authority areas of Allerdale, Carlisle and Eden. It supports initiatives that reduce poverty, improve health, tackle social inequality and help people reach their potential, or that nurture a sense of place or promote climate action. Grants are normally £5,000 or less for one year.

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

  • Charitable, not-for-profit organisations whose work benefits communities within the former local authority areas of Allerdale, Carlisle and Eden (Cumbria)
  • Individuals cannot apply
  • The Foundation's general rules apply: you do not have to be a registered charity but the work must be legally charitable; you need a management committee (or board) of at least three unrelated members, a bank account in the organisation's name with two unrelated signatories, a signed set of annual accounts (independently examined if income is over £25,000), and charitable aims in your governing document
  • Registered charities must be registered with the Charity Commission if income exceeds £5,000
  • CICs and other social enterprises face extra trading-income and governance tests
  • Groups should have no more than 12 months' running costs in unrestricted reserves and should have a registered address or local management committee in Cumbria
  • Previous grantees must have returned outstanding monitoring reports
  • Schools and other statutory bodies cannot apply (PTAs and friends groups can)

What it funds

Initiatives that reduce poverty, improve health, tackle social inequality and help people reach their potential, or projects that nurture a sense of place or promote climate action, benefiting communities in the former Allerdale, Carlisle and Eden areas. Examples:

  • Grow and cook workshops
  • Arts and culture programmes in local communities
  • Improvement of community facilities
  • Community support and development

What it will not fund

  • Individuals
  • Businesses and personal profit
  • Deficit funding
  • Activities that are normally the responsibility of central or local government
  • Repeat requests for the same project, service, activity or costs within 12 months, or more than one award from the same fund in 12 months
  • Projects that duplicate an existing service in an area
  • Research-related costs
  • Retrospective funding (activities that have already started)
  • General large appeals, fundraisers, fundraising events and fundraising consultants
  • Animal welfare
  • Contact boxing
  • Medical equipment
  • Purchase of a vehicle
  • Beautification projects
  • Theatre production costs, unless donor-advised
  • Advancement of religion, including buildings solely for religious purposes, except where donor-advised
  • Party political activities
  • Gifts for participants
  • Youth organised trips and expeditions
  • National organisations without a local presence in Cumbria
  • Groups that have not returned their monitoring form

How to apply

  1. Read the fund guidance and check the Foundation's 'Am I eligible?' criteria; call the grants team on 01900 825760 if unsure
  2. Create an account on (or log in to) the Cumbria Community Foundation online application portal (https://cumbriacommunityfoundation.my.site.com/s/)
  3. Complete the general group application form online (the questions can be viewed in advance) — the Foundation matches applications to the best-fitting fund
  4. Upload the supporting documents listed in the form and submit before the relevant panel deadline

You can apply at any time, but applications go to grants panels roughly every three months. Projects benefiting the former Allerdale district go to the West Cumbria Grants Committee (next closing date 2 October 2026, then 8 November 2026); Carlisle and Eden go to the Main Grants Committee (next closing date 30 October 2026).

Apply at least three months before your project starts — the Foundation cannot fund activities that have already started.

A paper application form can be requested by calling 01900 825760.

Have ready

  • Governing document (constitution/articles) showing charitable aims
  • Full set of signed annual accounts (independently examined if income over £25,000); CICs/companies: full management accounts
  • Bank statement for an account in the organisation's name
  • Safeguarding/protection policies if you work with children or vulnerable adults

The portal lists the exact documents required; CICs should also supply their CIC 34 report and a business plan or income plan. Accounts sent with a previous application can be reused if still current (up to 10 months after year end).

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