South Yorkshire Mayoral Youth Impact Fund

South Yorkshire’s Mayor has set up a charitable fund focused on supporting exceptionally gifted and talented young people living in South Yorkshire, aged between 11 and 19, to help remove barriers stopping them from achieving their potential.

A summary of the fund is below, but please read our full Guidance Notes, linked below, before making an application.

How much can I apply for?

Grants can be between £2,000 - £10,000.

When can I apply?

Applications open on Wednesday 7th October and will close at 5pm, Friday 4th December.

Decisions will be made by a local and expert panel of individuals from across the region, committed to supporting children and young people in South Yorkshire. The panel will meet in February 2027 and decisions will be communicated by via email soon after.

Activities and expenditure should start no earlier than 1^st March 2027.

Who can apply?

This fund is for young people aged 11 – 19, who permanently live in any part of South Yorkshire. Individuals should turn 11 by the time the application is received, and individuals should still be 19 when decisions are communicated. There may be some exceptional circumstances where supporting a young person younger than 11 or older than 19 may be accepted. We can also include care-experienced young people, including those who may currently be placed outside of South Yorkshire, but whose home authority is one of the South Yorkshire Places.

Please contact us to discuss this before applying or if you are unsure.

Individuals should be from family units who qualify for free school meals and/or where Universal Credit is the main source of income.

We expect that families, guardians, or carers of the young person may write or send the application, but we must clearly be able to hear the voice of the young person applying. There is a video submission available as part of this application, and we can support you with this if needed.

A key focus of this fund is to support young people who are often underrepresented and/or face social and/or financial barriers to their pursuits. We particularly would like to hear from young people from global majority backgrounds and/or individuals with disabilities.

What can I apply for?

We are open to supporting as many variations of talent as possible! This could include academic (Maths, Science, Engineering etc.), sporting, or creative talents – this fund wants to support a range of talents from young people across the South Yorkshire region.

The grant can include any equipment, fees, travel costs, resources, or general support that the young person needs to be able to pursue their talent. You will need to provide a quote or evidence of what you need the money for; this fund is not intended as a sponsorship and should be spent on tangible items.

How do I apply and what information do I need to supply?

Individuals should complete the online application form linked below, send in a letter of recommendation and all requested accompanying documentation (please see the Guidance Notes). Applicants can also send in a short video telling us a bit about themselves and what this fund would mean to them. If a video will be tricky to take and/or send in, we can arrange a short interview which we can film and show to the panel. Please contact us with any questions or worries.