Cheshire Community Foundation is a local community foundation that pools donations to support projects across Cheshire and Warrington, with a strong emphasis on helping people and places thrive. Its open and place-based funds prioritize tackling poverty and disadvantage, improving mental health and wellbeing, strengthening communities, and supporting education, skills, and employment, with some climate/nature-based wellbeing activity as well. It typically funds local charities and grassroots groups serving specific towns or districts, often through targeted place-based funds for communities like Warrington, Crewe, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Neston, and Cheshire West.
Focus Areas
Poverty Reduction and Basic NeedsMental Health and WellbeingCommunity Resilience and Social ConnectionEducation, Skills and EmploymentNature-Based Wellbeing and Climate AwarenessPlace-Based Community Development in Cheshire and Warrington
Giving Approach
Grants are awarded through pooled local donor funds and an open grants programme with multiple tiers: Micro grants up to £1,000, Small grants up to £2,500, and Main grants up to £10,000-£15,000 depending on salary support. Funding is offered on a rolling basis with recurring round deadlines, and many awards are geographically targeted to specific Cheshire and Warrington communities.
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How to approach this funder
Check eligibility carefully for the relevant geography and fund type: many opportunities are place-based, while the Open Grants Programme serves charities and community groups across Cheshire East, Cheshire West, and Warrington. Prepare a clear case for local impact, alignment to one of the priority themes, and budget details that match the grant tier; watch the rolling deadlines and contact Mel Sproston for funding partnership queries.
Notable grantees:
• Home-Start
• Koala North West
• Cheshire East CVS
• Warehouse REIT
• HM3 Legal
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from Cheshire Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowCloses in 0 days (Aug 24, 2026)Award: Up to $27K
Active Futures Programme
Sport and physical activityEarly interventionSerious Youth Violence prevention+3 more
Who can apply: Organisations must meet Cheshire Community Foundation's minimum grant requirements, work with children and young people living in areas identified in the Cheshire Commissioning Dashboard, have a track record of delivering sport or physical activities for children and young people, and demonstrate suitable skills, experience, safeguarding, community links and referral pathways. Partnership bids are eligible with a nominated lead applicant and memorandum of understanding.
Deadline: Applications open 13 July 2026 and close 24 August 2026. Decisions are expected in mid to late October 2026.
Open nowCloses in 25 days (Sep 18, 2026)Award: Up to $27K
Bentley Advancing Life Chances
Access to services, employment and educationLife skills and empowermentPhysical and mental health+3 more
Who can apply: Applicants must meet Cheshire Community Foundation's minimum grantmaking criteria and deliver work in Crewe aligned with one programme pillar. Organisations should be based in Crewe or demonstrate they are best placed to deliver there. Previous recipients must evidence successful completion or strong progress of prior work; organisations funded for three consecutive years are not eligible for a fourth year.
Deadline: Applications close at 5pm on 18 September 2026. Decisions are expected in mid to late November 2026.
Poverty and disadvantageCommunity inclusion and equityMental health and wellbeing+4 more
Who can apply: Organisations must meet Cheshire Community Foundation's grantmaking principles and minimum requirements and work with people in eligible areas. Micro-Grants prioritise smaller organisations that have not previously received CCF funding; organisations with annual turnover above £50,000 are not expected to receive Micro-Grants.
Deadline: 2026 deadlines are 11 March, 20 May, 29 July and 14 October. The programme operates on a rolling basis throughout 2026; the next listed deadline is 14 October 2026.
Poverty and disadvantageCommunity developmentLocal charitable work+1 more
Who can apply: Charities and groups should be undertaking relevant and impactful work in Crewe, South Cheshire or surrounding Cheshire East. Each participating funder retains its own eligibility and funding principles.
Cheshire & Warrington Open Grants Programme (Micro, Small, Main tiers)
Tackle poverty and disadvantageStronger, more resilient communitiesMental health and wellbeing+2 more
Who can apply: Organisations must meet Cheshire Community Foundation's grantmaking principles and minimum requirements; work must benefit people in eligible areas of Cheshire and Warrington. Micro grants prioritise organisations with turnover under £50,000 and those who haven't previously received funding.
Deadline: Programme operates on a rolling basis through 2026 with multiple round deadlines (examples listed: Apply by 11 March; 20 May; 29 July; 14 October). Next listed deadline on site: Weds 20th May.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.