GrantRadar

Suffolk Community Foundation

Stimulus Fund

Grants of up to £1,000 for charitable, voluntary and community groups in Suffolk running grassroots projects that promote tennis in areas of deprivation (including rural areas) and help people who are disadvantaged or vulnerable. Set up by the Suffolk Lawn Tennis Association, it aims to get more young people up to the age of 30 to take up or return to tennis, with a focus on growing membership and making sessions sustainable. Open all year, with decisions made regularly as demand requires; social enterprises cannot apply.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£500 – £1,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Charitable, voluntary and community groups based in or actively operating in Suffolk: registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, unincorporated associations, community benefit societies, community amateur sports clubs, and churches/faith organisations running inclusive activities that do not promote religious beliefs
  • Social enterprises (including CICs) cannot apply to this fund
  • Groups must meet the Foundation's governance requirements: a governing document with charitable or community aims and a dissolution clause (not required for faith groups or parish/town councils); a governing body of at least three unconnected people; an organisational bank account with at least two independent signatories (or a financial controls policy if online dual authority is not available); end-of-year accounts (plus management accounts if over six months old) showing income, expenditure and unrestricted reserves - generally no funding for groups with reserves below 3-6 months or above 12 months of expenditure; an equality policy or statement; and a safeguarding policy and procedures that meet current Suffolk requirements

What it funds

  • Project costs for small grassroots schemes that promote tennis in areas of deprivation (including rural) and help people who are disadvantaged or vulnerable, encouraging young people up to age 30 to enjoy or return to tennis, with an emphasis on increasing membership and making tennis sessions sustainable

The aim is to increase the number of junior and younger adult players and take tennis further into the community, socially and geographically, giving people who have not had the chance before the opportunity to play.

Activity camps that include other sports can be considered where tennis is a major part and an experienced tennis coach supports the sessions.

What it will not fund

  • Applications from social enterprises (including CICs)
  • Tennis coaching not delivered by qualified LTA coaches
  • Multi-sport camps where tennis is not a major part
  • Personal or individual needs
  • Retrospective grants
  • Equipment costing more than £5,000 unless part-funding can be evidenced
  • Sole traders or commercial ventures
  • Promotion of political or religious causes
  • Groups with significant unrestricted reserves
  • National charities without local benefit
  • Minibuses or other vehicles
  • Refreshment costs

How to apply

  1. Read the Foundation's grant guidelines and Terms & Conditions, and optionally take the eligibility quiz
  2. Contact a Grants Officer on 01473 602602 or grants@suffolkcf.org.uk before applying if you have questions
  3. Gather the governance documents (governing document, accounts, bank statement, equality and safeguarding policies)
  4. Apply through the 'Apply online' link on the Stimulus Fund page, accepting the Terms & Conditions and declaration

The Foundation says it is moving applications onto a new portal (Plinth) from 1 June 2026, but on 1 Oct 2026 the Stimulus Fund 'Apply online' link still went to its older online form.

Open all year round; decisions are made on a regular basis as demand dictates.

Have ready

  • Governing document (constitution or similar) with charitable/community aims and a dissolution clause
  • End-of-year accounts, plus current management accounts if the accounts are over six months old
  • Bank statement dated within the last three months (six months if previously funded), showing the group's name, sort code and account number, with personal information redacted
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion policy or statement
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures

A financial controls policy is also needed if your bank does not support online dual authorisation; governing documents are not required for faith groups or parish/town councils.

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