£10,000 Unrestricted Grants for Charities Supporting Families, People in Crisis and Young People
The Card Factory Foundation is offering £10,000 unrestricted grants to registered charities through its External Community Fund. Applications are open now and close on Friday 3rd July 2026 — giving eligible organisations just two weeks to apply.
The fund targets smaller, local charities where a £10,000 grant can deliver real, measurable impact.
About the Card Factory Foundation
The cardfactory Foundation is the charitable arm of Card Factory, one of the UK’s largest greetings card retailers. Based in Wakefield, the Foundation supports people and communities at ‘Moments that Matter’ — stepping in during the times when help is needed most.
The External Community Fund runs once a year and is open to charities working across three defined priority areas. The Foundation has a track record of supporting organisations of all sizes, and particularly welcomes applications from smaller, local charities where their funding can go furthest.
What the Fund Supports
The External Community Fund supports charities working in one or more of three priority areas:
- Families experiencing financial hardship — organisations supporting families struggling to meet everyday costs including food, housing, clothing and essential household needs
- People facing sudden hardship or crisis — charities helping individuals and families who need urgent support due to bereavement, illness, job loss or other unexpected life events
- Vulnerable children and young people — organisations providing safe spaces, practical support and opportunities that help children and young people thrive, particularly those facing disadvantage or instability
All work submitted must sit entirely within one of these priority areas, or span across them.
How Much Funding Is Available
All grants are a fixed amount of £10,000. Applications for other amounts will not be accepted.
Funding is unrestricted, meaning it is not tied to a specific project and can be used wherever it is needed most within your organisation. The Foundation believes this strengthens long-term sustainability and reduces administrative burden.
Who Is Eligible
To be eligible for the External Community Fund, your organisation must:
- Be a registered charity with a valid charity registration number
- Have an annual income of up to £3 million
- Have been actively operating for at least 18 months
- Work within one or more of the three priority areas
- Be able to submit previous year’s published annual accounts
The Foundation is particularly interested in smaller, local charities where a £10,000 grant will make a meaningful difference. Please note they receive significantly more applications than they can support.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted through the online portal — applications via email are not accepted. The process is single-stage with no shortlisting round.
- Applications open: Monday 22nd June 2026
- Deadline: Friday 3rd July 2026
- Decisions announced: September 2026
- Grants paid: Approximately 6 weeks after decisions
Guidance for charities and a sample application form are available to download on the fund page before you apply.
