# Grants in Greater Manchester and the North West: who funds what and what is open

The North West's local funding comes from four community foundations, Forever Manchester, the Steve Morgan Foundation and family trusts, alongside UK-wide lottery and government schemes. Who funds what and what is open.

- Author: OpenGrant
- Topic: [Funding by place](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/category/funding-by-place)
- Published: 2026-10-26
- Updated: 2026-10-26
- Source sites checked: 2026-10-26
- Canonical URL: https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/grants-in-greater-manchester-and-the-north-west
- Part of: [How to find grants for a UK charity: the complete guide](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/charity-grants-uk)

## Key facts

- OpenGrant listed 724 open, rolling and forthcoming schemes for organisations in the North West on 26 October 2026, 31 specific to the region; 159 were open to charities and community groups, from 80 funders.
- Forever Manchester has published 2,397 grants worth £7.09 million to 360Giving with a typical recent grant of £2,500; on 26 October 2026 its funding page listed fifteen funds as not open and asked groups to call first.
- The Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside, merged since 2014, had six and ten live schemes, including the BIBAs Foundation (up to £5,000, closes 2 November 2026) and the Pilkington Charities' Fund.
- Cheshire Community Foundation's Liverpool Bay CCS Community Benefit Fund offered up to £20,000 for groups near Chester, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham and Neston, closing 2 November 2026.
- The Steve Morgan Foundation's regional grants give £250,000 to £500,000 over three years to not-for-profits with turnover of £300,000 to £5 million in Merseyside, Cheshire west of the M6 and North Wales.
- Greater Manchester is home to around 17,000 voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations according to the combined authority, supported by the 10GM partnership of local infrastructure bodies.

Local funding in Greater Manchester and the North West comes from four community foundations, the region's own large trusts and a combined authority, laid over the UK-wide lottery, government and trust schemes open everywhere. On 26 October 2026 OpenGrant listed 724 schemes for organisations in the North West, 159 of them for charities and community groups.

## The shape of North West funding

The North West region covers Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria, and its voluntary sector is large: the Greater Manchester Combined Authority says the city region alone is home to around 17,000 voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations. Most grant money reaching those organisations is national. Of the 159 schemes open to charities and community groups in the North West on 26 October 2026, 15 were specific to the region; the rest were UK-wide or England-wide programmes open there, led by the [National Lottery Community Fund](https://opengrant.co.uk/glossary/national-lottery-community-fund). Of the 108 with a stated maximum, 19 were under £10,000, 32 between £10,000 and £100,000 and 57 of £100,000 or more, and 49 accepted rolling applications.

The regional layer is where small groups start, and it is organised by county. Each county has a [community foundation](https://opengrant.co.uk/glossary/community-foundation), Greater Manchester's is Forever Manchester, and each foundation runs many separate funds with their own criteria and dates. [Local community grants in the UK](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/local-community-grants-uk) explains how that layer fits with the national one.

## Forever Manchester

[Forever Manchester](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/forever-manchester), registered charity 1017504, is the community foundation for Greater Manchester and describes itself as the only charity that raises money to fund and support community activity across the city region. Its website says it has delivered over £67 million into local communities since 1989 and supports over 1,300 community projects a year. Its 360Giving data on OpenGrant showed 2,397 published grants worth £7.09 million, a typical recent grant of £2,500, awards from £100 to £140,000, and recent recipients split 47% registered charities and 38% unregistered groups or other recipients. The register shows income of £3.99 million and spending of £3.69 million in its latest year.

On 26 October 2026 its funding page listed fifteen named funds, among them the NHS Charities Together Community Partnership Grants Programme, Lead the Change, the Together Fund, the Kellogg's Breakfast Club Grants Programme and the Autotrader Digital Inclusion Fund, under the heading "Not Currently Open for Applications", and asked groups to call the awards team "for support and guidance on the best fund to apply to" before making an application. OpenGrant had no open scheme from it in its sources that day and sixteen earlier schemes listed as closed, so the practical route is the phone call the foundation asks for, and a check of its page when funds reopen.

## Lancashire and Merseyside

The [Community Foundation for Lancashire](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/community-foundation-for-lancashire) and the [Community Foundation for Merseyside](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/community-foundation-for-merseyside) merged in 2014 and share an application portal. Lancashire's site reports £720,000 and 114 grants awarded in 2025/26 and £21 million since founding; Merseyside's reports £2.6 million and 450 grants in 2025/26 and £56.8 million since founding.

On 26 October 2026 OpenGrant listed six live schemes from Lancashire, including the BIBAs Foundation (up to £5,000, closing 2 November 2026), the SWEF Enterprise Fund (£500 to £2,000, rolling) and the RWE Hameldon Hill Wind Farm Community Fund (up to £250). Merseyside had ten, including the High Sheriff and Merseyside Police Charitable Fund (up to £3,000, closing 16 November 2026), the Pilkington Charities' Fund (up to £20,000, closing 27 November 2026) and the John Goore Fund (up to £1,000). Several are open to individuals as well as groups; read each record's eligibility line.

## Cheshire and Warrington

[Cheshire Community Foundation](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/cheshire-community-foundation), registered charity 1143711, covers Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Warrington and reports over £17 million invested in communities. Its 360Giving data on OpenGrant showed 2,242 grants worth £16.3 million with a typical recent grant of £2,500, 45% of recent grants to registered charities and 34% to unregistered groups, and programme names including Cheshire and Warrington Small Grants up to £2,500. On 26 October 2026 its [Liverpool Bay CCS Limited Community Benefit Fund](https://opengrant.co.uk/opportunities/9a5f9c27-5142-44b8-b24f-53b2f4d57400) offered up to £20,000 to charitable and not-for-profit organisations in the vicinity of Chester, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham and Neston, closing at 11.59pm on 2 November 2026, with the foundation expecting to make several grants below the maximum.

## Cumbria

[Cumbria Community Foundation](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/cumbria-community-foundation) covers the county from Carlisle to Barrow and runs place and theme funds including the Winter Warmth Fund for individuals and programmes it names as Bedrock, Spark and Brighter Futures. It had no scheme in OpenGrant's sources on 26 October 2026; its site lists eligibility, how to apply and grant priorities, and applications go through its applicant portal.

## The Steve Morgan Foundation

The [Steve Morgan Foundation](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/steve-morgan-foundation), registered charity 1087056, is the North West's largest independent regional funder of social disadvantage work. The register shows income of £7.28 million and spending of £9.58 million; its 360Giving data showed 972 grants worth £136 million with a typical recent grant of £52,100 and awards from £150 to £50 million, 73% of recent grants to registered charities. Its [regional grants](https://opengrant.co.uk/opportunities/46b82dd1-36c0-408e-bcc6-6c36c71afe49) give £250,000 to £500,000 over three years, covering salaries, project and core costs, to not-for-profit organisations with turnover of £300,000 to £5 million working in Merseyside, Cheshire west of the M6, North Wales and North Shropshire. Applications are open all year through an eligibility checker and expression of interest, the foundation expects to make eight to ten regional grants a year, and it says it welcomes proposals to [match fund](https://opengrant.co.uk/glossary/match-funding) with other funders. Organisations under £300,000 turnover are not eligible for the open process.

## Family trusts that publish nothing

Much North West money sits in trusts with no website and no programme. The [Zochonis Charitable Trust](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/zochonis-charitable-trust), registered charity 274769, showed income of £2.28 million and spending of £2.21 million on the register with the activity "to support charitable causes by making grants" and no open scheme in OpenGrant's sources. The [Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/duchy-of-lancaster-benevolent-fund) showed income of £643,000 and grants to both organisations and individuals. The [Granada Foundation](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/granada-foundation) funds arts, culture and science in the region. For all three, the trustees' report and grants list in the accounts on the charity register are the guide to what they fund and whether they consider applications, and [how to read a grant-making trust's accounts](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/how-to-read-a-grant-making-trusts-accounts) is the method.

## Public money in the region

The [Greater Manchester Combined Authority](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/greater-manchester-combined-authority) lists funds including the Culture and Social Impact Fund, the Culture Inspire Fund, the Green Spaces Fund and the Foundational Economy Innovation Fund on its communities pages; on 26 October 2026 its one scheme in OpenGrant's sources was an equity and loan fund for businesses. Local authority schemes such as the Oldham Council Innovation Grant and Pendle town centre premises grants appear on the [North West page](https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/in/north-west) as they are published. Government programmes open across England, from the Department for Work and Pensions' Youth Jobs Grant to the Department for Education's school drainage scheme, appear there too.

## National programmes worth knowing

[National Lottery Awards for All England](https://opengrant.co.uk/opportunities/5bfc35a3-72d1-4843-ba3b-6d56df6ad7d7) gives £300 to £20,000 for projects lasting up to two years, open all year with a decision in 16 weeks, to constituted groups, charities, CIOs, CICs and statutory bodies; [how to apply to Awards for All England](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/how-to-apply-to-national-lottery-awards-for-all-england) covers it. [Reaching Communities England](https://opengrant.co.uk/opportunities/542179fe-1680-4e24-bc22-a06ddbbf5908) gives £20,001 or more for up to five years with a decision in 40 weeks. The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and Sport England each run programmes open to the region, and the large national trusts fund here as everywhere; [Garfield Weston Foundation](https://opengrant.co.uk/funders/garfield-weston-foundation) accepts applications all year round.

## Infrastructure and advice

The 10GM partnership of local infrastructure organisations, founded by Action Together, Bolton CVS, Manchester Community Central and Salford CVS, supports the voluntary sector across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs. Each borough and county has a council for voluntary service that signposts local funds and often helps with applications; Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services, founded in 1909, offers bid-writing help and funding searches. The regulator for the region's charities is the Charity Commission for England and Wales, and a group that is not yet registered can still apply to Awards for All and to most community foundation funds, as [grants without registered charity status](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/grants-without-registered-charity-status) explains.

## Where to look next

The [charities in the North West page](https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/for/charities/in/north-west) lists every open, rolling and forthcoming scheme in OpenGrant's sources for charities and community groups in the region, soonest deadline first, and the [North West page](https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/in/north-west) adds business, school and public body schemes. The [November 2026 deadlines page](https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/deadlines/2026-11) shows what closes next month, including the Lancashire, Cheshire and Merseyside funds above. Counts and funder facts in this guide were taken on 26 October 2026 and will change; each page shows its own last-verified date.

## Frequently asked questions

### What grants are open in Greater Manchester now?

On 26 October 2026 OpenGrant listed 159 open, rolling and forthcoming schemes for charities and community groups in the North West, 34 of them closing within 30 days. UK-wide programmes such as National Lottery Awards for All England and Reaching Communities England were open, and Forever Manchester, the region's community foundation, asked groups to call its awards team because none of its fifteen named funds was open to applications that day.

### Who are the main funders in the North West?

Locally, four community foundations (Forever Manchester for Greater Manchester, the Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside, Cheshire Community Foundation and Cumbria Community Foundation), the Steve Morgan Foundation for Merseyside and Cheshire, and family trusts such as the Zochonis Charitable Trust and the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund. Nationally, the National Lottery Community Fund, the Heritage Fund and the large trusts fund across the region.

### How much does Forever Manchester give?

Small grants, mostly. Its 360Giving data on OpenGrant showed 2,397 grants worth £7.09 million with a typical recent grant of £2,500 and awards from £100 to £140,000; 47% of its 100 most recent grants went to registered charities and 38% to unregistered groups. Its website says it has delivered over £67 million into local communities since 1989 and supports over 1,300 community projects a year.

### Can an unregistered community group in Manchester get a grant?

Yes. Forever Manchester's recent grants went 38% to unregistered groups or other recipients, National Lottery Awards for All England accepts constituted groups with two unrelated committee members, and most community foundation funds accept constituted groups with a bank account. Larger trusts usually require registration. Our guide to grants without registered charity status lists the patterns.

### Is there a free grant finder for the North West?

There is no single regional finder. Each community foundation publishes its live funds, the 10GM infrastructure bodies and local CVSs signpost funding in each borough, and OpenGrant's North West pages are free and list UK-wide schemes alongside regional ones with deadlines. GOV.UK Find a grant covers government programmes open in the region.

## Find grants

- [Grants in North West](https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/in/north-west) (Markdown: https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/in/north-west.md)
- [Grants for charities and community groups in North West](https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/for/charities/in/north-west) (Markdown: https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/for/charities/in/north-west.md)
- [Grant deadlines in November 2026](https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/deadlines/2026-11) (Markdown: https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/deadlines/2026-11.md)
- [Browse grants for charities in the North West](https://opengrant.co.uk/grants/for/charities/in/north-west)

## Related guides

- [Local and community grants in the UK: where to search by place](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/local-community-grants-uk): Where community groups can find local grants in each UK nation and how to check a funder's geographic rules.
- [How to apply to National Lottery Awards for All England: eligibility, amounts and decision time](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/how-to-apply-to-national-lottery-awards-for-all-england): National Lottery Awards for All England gives £300 to £20,000 for community projects lasting up to two years, with no deadline and a decision in 16 weeks. Who can apply and how.
- [Can you get a grant without being a registered charity?](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/grants-without-registered-charity-status): Find out when unregistered community groups can apply for UK grants, what documents to prepare and how to check a funder's eligibility rules.
- [How to read a grant-making trust's accounts and annual return](https://opengrant.co.uk/blog/how-to-read-a-grant-making-trusts-accounts): A trust's accounts on the charity register show its grant-making policy, the grants it made, how much it has to give and whether it will consider you. Where each answer sits and how to read it in fifteen minutes.

## Sources and further reading

- [Forever Manchester: Funding](https://forevermanchester.com/funding/)
- [Forever Manchester](https://forevermanchester.com/)
- [Community Foundation for Lancashire](https://www.lancsfoundation.org.uk/)
- [Community Foundation for Merseyside](https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/)
- [Cheshire Community Foundation: Liverpool Bay CCS Community Benefit Fund](https://cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk/grants/lbccs)
- [Cumbria Community Foundation](https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/)
- [Steve Morgan Foundation: Regional grants](https://stevemorganfoundation.org.uk/regional-grants)
- [Greater Manchester Combined Authority: Communities](https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/communities/)
- [The National Lottery Community Fund: Awards for All England](https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/national-lottery-awards-for-all-england)

All guides: https://opengrant.co.uk/blog.md · Glossary: https://opengrant.co.uk/glossary.md · Agent index: https://opengrant.co.uk/llms-guides.txt