Grant funds open for applications

South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF) has opened a number of funds.

Voluntary and community groups can now apply to SYCF’s Small Grants, SYCF Community Grants and Quickline’s Moving on Up and QFutures.

Three SYCF windfarm funds - Blackstone Edge, Loscar and Park Spring – have also opened for applications.

Groups can apply via the new South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation Salesforce platform.

A group of adults singing

SYCF Small Grants – up to £1,000: Designed for small, developing and less well-resourced grassroots organisations, this programme supports projects where even a small amount of funding can make a meaningful difference.

SYCF Community Grants – up to £5,000: Funding organisations which make a difference in their local neighbourhood, focusing on education and learning, poverty deprivation, work and the local economy, health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, homelessness, social isolation and supporting people with disabilities.

Blackstone Edge Windfarm Community Benefits Fund – up to £5,000: Supporting community organisations to help people living close to Blackstone Edge windfarm in northeast Barnsley.

Loscar Wind Farm Community Funds – up to £5,000: The Loscar Wind Farm Community Funds make small grants to support environmental sustainability activities for communities close to the Loscar Wind Farm in Harthill, Rotherham.

Park Spring Wind Farm Community Benefits Fund - £20,000: Community organisations close to the wind farm in northeast Barnsley can apply for funding for projects to improve the physical built or social environment of the local area.

Quickline’s Moving on Up Fund – up to £15,000 (£5,000 per year over three years): Generously supported by rural broadband provider, Quickline, this fund supports projects that help 14-30 years olds with a focus on those working specifically with vulnerable and marginalised young people barriers into employment.

Quickline’s QFutures Fund – up to £15,000 (£5,000 per year over three years): The funding is designed to support groups working specifically with vulnerable and marginalised individuals aged 30+ to remove barriers to employment and help people remain in work.

To help groups get started with the new Salesforce system, SYCF has organised a series of Microsoft Teams drop-in sessions running until Thursday 13th February 2026.

*Please note that during Sheffield school holiday dates, there may be reduced access to these meetings. They will not be available at all from Thursday 25th December 2025 - Thursday 1st January 2026.

Tuesdays: 9.30am – 10.30am
Join SYCF Salesforce support session

Wednesdays: 4pm – 5pm
Join SYCF Salesforce support session

Thursdays: 1pm – 2pm
Join SYCF Salesforce support session

Jess O’Neill, Grants and Partnerships Manager at SYCF, said:

We hope our new software will offer a more simplified process when applying for grants. At the drop-in sessions, we will be on hand to guide users through the system, answer questions and ensure they feel fully supported.

We want to thank community groups for their patience while we completed this change over. We know that getting used to a new system can bring challenges, but our team is here to help every step of the way.

 

New and existing groups will need to register for the new Salesforce portal. For help or further information, please email grants@sycf.org.uk.

Meet Jess

Jess works Tuesdays - Fridays every week and oversees all of the grant programmes, so is able to help with specific and general queries about our programmes, our application systems and processes.

She also oversees our panels and our many volunteers that lead on our decision making for many of our funds.

Jess holds a weekly Teams drop-in sessions as an opportunity to chat to groups about any questions they may have, or assistance with our application system. These are held most Wednesdays 4pm - 5pm. The link to these meetings can be found on our Apply page.

Jess O'Neill

Grants and Partnerships Manager

Jess O'Neill's LinkedIn page
Jess O'Neill