Resources for Grant Seekers
Whether you're applying for or managing a grant, this page brings together key guidance, tools, and support. You’ll find FAQs, practical advice for every stage, and top-tip videos to help you prepare a strong application.
If you’re a current grant holder, the Grant Holders section offers guidance on reporting, publicising your grant, and more.
For wider support, explore our Resources for Charities page, with advice on governance, safeguarding, and accounting.
Frequently Asked Questions
We know that you might have questions about applying for a grant with us. Below are some of our most Frequently Asked Questions, and if you’re still stuck you can get in touch or join us for a Q&A session.
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Please read our eligibility criteria for full details on who is eligible for a grant. However you should have a management committee of at least 3 unrelated people, a constitution (set of rules), a safeguarding policy and procedure, a financial policy and a bank account in the name of the organisation as a minimum to be eligible for funding.
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We are able to support a wide range of activities, awarding grants to support project costs, core costs or capital costs (see eligibility criteria). However, each of our Donor and Area Funds has its own criteria. We ask you to tell us about your project using our Expression of Interest Form and we will let you know if we can invite you to make a full application.
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We accept Expressions of Interest for our main grants programme several times a year. Please check the list of deadlines here.
The Strategic Programme accepts applications on a rolling basis with no deadline – submit an Expression of Interest to start your application.
Grants to individuals are processed on a rolling basis with no deadline. Please refer to our Grants for Individuals page for more information on our Funds for individuals, and for links to each Fund and their criteria.
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In our main grant rounds the average grant size is around £6,000 – £7,000. We are finding that larger requests are less likely to be funded are currently.
We are not able to consider applications for less than £1,500 in our main rounds but our Area Funds are keen to award smaller grants to local groups. -
We ask for the following supporting documents to carry out a series of due diligence checks:
Governing document / Constitution
Financial Policy
Most recent Report and Accounts (R&A). If available on the Charity Commission website, you do not need to submit them, but please let us know. If your R&A are older than 12 months, we will require an update on your financial position.
A recent bank statement, no older than three months; transactions should be redacted for privacy.
Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
A quote – if applying for larger capital costs.
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Our area of interest is Surrey as defined as the 11 Boroughs/Districts under Surrey County Council. The London Boroughs such as Croydon, Sutton, and Kingston, which may have historical references to Surrey, are no longer part of Surrey.
We are aware of changes coming to Surrey in line with the Government’s plans for devolution and will update our definition in due course. -
Yes! Currently grants are typically awarded for up to one year. However, in some cases Donors will consider an application for multiple years and make an in-principal offer for a second year of funding if the project is able to demonstrate success and funding is available.
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If you have received your first grant, we need to see your end of grant reporting on the outcomes of your grant before you can apply again.
Once you have reported on your first grant we do not have a time limit on when you can apply again but if you have received funding in the past we do require your end of grant monitoring to be up to date.
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See our case studies section for more details on some of the projects we have supported.
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Charitable activities and projects
Core costs / essential running costs
New projects
Pilot projects
Existing projects
Repeat/continuation funding for projects
Staff costs
We encourage full cost recovery to cover the overheads which relate to projects
Small capital costs (typically items under £10,000 such as building repairs/renovations, specialist equipment, tools and materials, IT kit etc.)
Local small and medium-sized grassroots Surrey-based organisations which typically lack the capacity to attract support from national funders (income up to £1M).
Larger local organisations are eligible to apply where they are providing particular capability or services for the community in Surrey
If applying on behalf of a Food Bank, Baby Bank or other similar organisation, please note that we would prefer to fund projects designed to improve the long-term sustainability of the organisation rather than simply funding donations (i.e. food or other supplies). Projects of this nature might include purchase and fitting of new shelving or storage, or staff costs such as a volunteer coordinator or volunteer training.
Emergency funding requests for organisations which have been previously funded by the Foundation which can demonstrate a solid plan towards sustainability.
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Projects without a specific benefit to Surrey residents
Projects which have already taken place or items purchased prior to or during a grant application
Projects run by faith groups where the project is exclusively for the benefit of members or involves proselytising.
General appeals and fundraising events
Costs for social business (e.g. CICs) which are not directly linked to charitable activity
Requests to build reserves
Commercial sponsorship
Building projects such as new buildings
Delivery of services which are statutory obligations
Political activities
Events – unless the lasting difference the event will make to participants can be demonstrated
Organisations which hold a high level of free reserves (typically more than one year running costs) are generally not funded. However, we do review requests on a case by case basis.
Residential trips unless they form part of a clear programme which involves interventions before and after the trip to embed impact.
Emergency requests from organisations not previously known to the Foundation.
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An EOI is a short stage one application. You can use the form to tell us about your funding needs and we can advise you if we have a suitable fund which might support you.
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We know that AI tools can be a huge time-saver for charities when it comes to writing applications, and we’re all for charities using these technologies. They have the potential to level the playing field for smaller groups and charities. However, we also recognise that AI-generated applications might not always give charities the best shot at success.
Making the Most of AI
AI-generated applications can sometimes come off as generic and may not capture the unique voice and strengths of your charity. This is similar to issues we see when external consultants without local knowledge write applications. So, we recommend using AI for drafting, formatting, and spell-checking, but make sure to add your personal touch. Your unique story and approach are what make your charity stand out.
Safety and Security
It’s important to protect your data and the privacy of your participants. Using AI shouldn’t compromise the security of sensitive information related to your organisation, your beneficiaries, or The Community Foundation for Surrey. Remember, information you provide to AI tools could potentially resurface in other people’s conversations and work. As a best practice, do not share sensitive information when using free AI tools.
Any AI systems used to process or analyse personal or organisational data for grant applications must comply with relevant data protection regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We expect grant seekers to handle data securely and in accordance with these laws.
Our Approach to AI
Like everyone else, we’re exploring the use of AI, but rest assured, we read every single application we receive, and our decision-making is always in human hands.
Read our full AI policy here.
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Surrey is lucky enough to have network of Councils for Voluntary Service which provide support to the sector Surrey Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS) Network
Grant Seekers
If you are looking to apply to CFSurrey, this section brings together everything you need to submit your application. Here you’ll find guidance on Expressions of Interest, what makes a great application, and what some common mistakes are.
Video Resources
Our short video guides walk you through each stage of the grant application process - from submitting an expression of interest to preparing a strong full application. You’ll find clear explanations of the documents we require (and why), tips on what makes a great application, and insight into the common mistakes to avoid.
Watch our top tips on submitting your Expresssion of Interest (EOI)
A playlist series: Help with your application
Information on what makes a great application
Common mistakes to avoid when submitting a grant application
Still have questions?
Register for one of our upcoming 30 minute online Q&A sessions
Please see our ‘Meet with the Grants Team’ section for up and coming Q&A sessions.
Grant Holders
If you already hold a grant with CFSurrey, this section brings together everything you need to manage your grant smoothly and confidently. Here you’ll find guidance on completing your end of grant report, how to publicise your award, and information on what to do if your project needs to change.
End of Grant Reports
If you are considering re-applying for future grants from CFSurrey, you must ensure your end of grant report has been submitted for any previous awards.
For more information about the End of Grant Reports, and a step-by-step guide to completing the form, click the button below.
Publicising Your Grant
If you’re issuing a media release, please do get in touch and we would be happy to advise you.
We really enjoy seeing any publicity materials you have produced or local news items you may have featured in.
As per your conditions of grant, please ensure that any publicity directly relating to the project our grant has funded acknowledges our support. This helps us to raise the profile of our work and encourages other groups to apply for funding.
The Community Foundation for Surrey logo should be used in all publicity materials about the work for which you have received funding (including leaflets, flyers, annual reports and on your website).
Download our logo kit!
The kit includes three versions of the CFSurrey logo:
CMYK for use in printed materials
RGB for digital/online use
PNG with a transparent background
For any help with our logos or publicising your grant contact:
marketing@cfsurrey.org.uk
Keep us up to date!
Don’t wait until your project is finished to tell us how it’s going!
We love to share stories from successful projects with our donors and supporters.
Please do keep us updated with any news and photographs from your project we can share on our social media platforms and website, in our e-newsletter or in our printed literature.
Visit our Case Studies page for inspiration!
High quality photographs make a huge difference to the information we are able to provide to donors, enabling them to see the impact of their giving.
Share your photos and stories with us so we can share your success with our supporters!