FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT
Main Grants
Each year the Trust awards an average of 28 main grants with a total value of around £1.1m. The majority of these are multi-year awards. Eligible organisations are those who are working in our local area (Cumbria and Lancaster District) to improve the life chances, experiences and outcomes for children, young people and adults up to the age of 25.
To help the sustainability of projects and organisations, we encourage all applicants to approach the Trust at an early stage in their planning cycle.
A new grant making process is being introduced. Applications will no longer be accepted via the website. We will now be using a two stage process. For funding decisions which will be made in mid March, expressions of interest may be submitted using this form to grants@francis-scott.org.uk by 5pm on Friday 19th December 2025.
Those being invited to submit a full application will be notified on Tuesday 13th January 2026 and the final application will need to be submitted by 5pm on Friday 30th January 2026.
Additional information about priority areas will be updated on the website in December.
Eligibility
We would encourage you to contact the team for an informal discussion before applying. Please ensure that you can answer YES to the following questions before submitting an application form:
- Is your organisation a registered charity or pursuing charitable objectives and operating in the interest of your community?
- Is your project based in Cumbria / Lancaster District?
- Is your project supporting the development and aspiration of children or young people who may be excluded from opportunities?
- Can you send us a copy of your most recent signed accounts?
Main Grant Application Deadlines:
- Please contact the team for details of future application deadlines and process
