South Yorkshire Community Foundation

SYCF Small Grants Programme

South Yorkshire Community Foundation grants of up to £1,000 for small, developing and less well-resourced community and voluntary groups across South Yorkshire with an annual income of no more than £10,000, typically for a one-off event or equipment. Groups do not need to be registered charities but must be constituted and locally led. The programme has reopened on SYCF's new grants portal and is rolling, with panel reviews at the end of January, March, June, September and December 2026.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: Up to £1,000; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Light; short form, little evidence needed

Who can apply

Small, developing and less well-resourced not-for-profit community and voluntary groups and organisations operating for the benefit of South Yorkshire communities: beneficiaries must live in South Yorkshire and the group must be locally led and run (locally constituted and managed branches of national or large charities are included)
The group's last financial annual income must be no more than £10,000 (SYCF counts both restricted and unrestricted income)
Groups do not have to be registered charities or incorporated, but must be constituted, with a signed constitution or rules including a dissolution/asset lock clause, a board or management committee of at least three unrelated people, and a bank account in the group's name with two unrelated signatories
CICs and social enterprises are considered if set up as a CIC or company limited by guarantee with a clear social purpose, at least three unrelated directors, no one with significant control, and any director payments set out in the governing document
Groups new to SYCF, or whose last application was more than three years ago, need an independent referee

What it funds

One-off payments (the majority between £250 and £1,000) for small groups to pay for a one-off event or equipment. Higher priority goes to:

Groups that respond to their communities' needs
Activities or projects supporting people whose needs can be clearly demonstrated
Groups whose main activities focus on the advancement of education, promotion of good health or the relief of poverty and sickness
Groups working in collaboration with other local community groups
Activities engaging people who face discrimination or disadvantage
Activities producing a wide range of benefits and good value for money

Groups that do not meet these priorities can still apply but are less likely to be funded.

Groups based in a religious building can apply if the activity is open to all people in the community.

What it will not fund

National charities (unless locally led and run)
Organisations with substantial unrestricted funds whose last financial income was more than £10,000
Activities that promote political or religious beliefs
Statutory bodies such as schools, colleges and local councils (though 'Friends of' or parents' associations may be eligible)
Organisations or activities that support animals
Contributions to a large project where the amount applied for is less than 20% of the total project cost
Retrospective funding, including activities already held or repayment of money already spent
More than one application in a 12-month period
Consultancy fees or feasibility studies
Sponsorship and/or fundraising events
Contributions to an endowment
Minibuses or other vehicle purchases
Activities or organisations that are for personal profit
Sole traders and companies limited by shares (as a general rule)

How to apply

Read the Small Grants Guidance Notes, the SYCF Due Diligence document and (for CICs/social enterprises) the CIC guidance on the programme page
Register your group on SYCF's new grants portal (new and existing groups must register) and complete the Small Grant online application form
Upload the supporting documents requested
Ask your referee to complete the Referee Form and return it to SYCF by email
Make sure the complete application arrives at least 4 weeks before the next panel review date; SYCF staff check eligibility and documents and may email with queries or ask to visit
Decisions are made internally and sent by email; successful groups get an award letter and must return an End of Grant report once funds are spent, request the SYCF logo for publicity and send thank-you letters to SYCF and the donor

Panel review dates in 2026 are at the end of January, March, June, September and December; the next is end of December 2026, so applications should be in by about late November/early December 2026.

Help is available from SYCF's weekly Wednesday drop-in sessions and from South Yorkshire Funding Advice Bureau (SYFAB); contact apreston@sycf.org.uk with portal problems.

Have ready

Signed constitution or rules including a dissolution clause
Financial records: the most recent signed accounts if the group is over 12 months old, or income and expenditure records or a recent bank statement if under 12 months old
Evidence of the group's name, such as a recent bank statement
Names of the two unrelated bank signatories
At least two printed quotes for equipment or services to be purchased (not website links)
Completed Referee Form from an independent referee

A safeguarding policy is also required if you work with vulnerable adults and/or children; the referee is needed if you are new to SYCF or last applied more than three years ago; documents sent in the last 12 months may already be on file.

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