Glossary
What is match funding?
Match funding is the money or in-kind support from other sources that a funder requires, or expects, alongside its own grant, usually stated as a percentage of project cost or a ratio. Some programmes make it compulsory, others recommend it, and a few fund the whole cost where nothing else exists.
Also called: matched funding, partnership funding, co-funding, leverage.
Match funding is the money or in-kind support from other sources that a funder requires, or expects, alongside its own grant. It is usually expressed as a percentage of total project cost or as a ratio, and the rules differ by programme: some make it compulsory, some recommend it, and some will pay the whole cost where other funding cannot be found. The National Lottery Community Fund's Community Action guidance, for example, recommends other funding but says it may cover the full delivery cost where that is not possible.
Why it matters when applying. A match requirement changes the order of your fundraising. You need the matched money, or at least a firm plan for it, before the main application goes in, and the funder will want evidence of its status. It also changes how you read a pipeline: a grant that covers 50% of a project is only useful once the other 50% is identified. What is match funding for grants works through the calculation and the evidence funders accept, and how to build a trust fundraising pipeline shows how to sequence applications so that match falls into place.
Who asks for it. Capital and heritage programmes most often require a contribution. Trusts rarely require it but like to see it: the Steve Morgan Foundation's regional grants page on 26 October 2026 said the foundation welcomes proposals to match fund with other funders. Where a funder sets a maximum share of project cost it will pay, the rest is match whether or not the word is used.
Example. A fictional village hall committee seeks £60,000 for a roof. Its chosen capital programme pays up to 75% of eligible costs, so £15,000 must come from elsewhere: £8,000 from reserves, £5,000 from a community foundation and £2,000 from a local appeal. Each is listed with its status in the application.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I always need match funding to get a grant?
- No. Many trust and community foundation grants have no match requirement at all. Where a programme mentions it, read whether it is compulsory, recommended or merely welcomed: the National Lottery Community Fund's Community Action guidance recommends other funding but says it may cover the full delivery cost where that is not possible, and the Steve Morgan Foundation says it welcomes proposals to match fund with other funders.
- What counts as match funding?
- Whatever the programme rules say. Cash from other grants, your own reserves, donations and earned income usually count. Some funders also accept in-kind contributions such as volunteer time or donated premises at a stated value. Others exclude in-kind support or other public money. The eligible sources are in the programme guidance, not in the application form.
- How do I show match funding is secured?
- With evidence that matches the funder's wording. "Secured" usually means a written offer or a signed grant agreement; "pledged" or "applied for" is weaker. Keep a dated list of each contribution, its status and the document that proves it, and record it in your application tracker so the position is clear when the funder asks.