Application deadline: 15 October 2026
The McCarthy & Stone Charitable Foundation’s Festive Connections grant programme aims to provide small grants of £750, with no matched funding requirement, to support organisations running activities for people over 65 in their community over the festive period 2026. The total funding pot this year is £38,000, from which approximately 50 grants are expected to be awarded.
Grants can help organisations deliver a wide range of festive activities, including (please note that this is not an exclusive list):
- Christmas lunches and festive meals.
- Community Christmas events.
- Festive activities, entertainment and crafts.
- Venue hire.
- Community transport.
- Festive befriending activities.
- Volunteer and staff costs directly related to delivering the funded activity, and
- Small Christmas gifts or hampers where these form part of a wider social connection or befriending activity.
Activities must take place between Tuesday 1st December 2026 and Saturday 2nd January 2027.
Registered charities, community organisations and Community Interest Companies in England with an annual income of under £250,000 may apply. Grants can cover project and/or core costs.
Successful applicants will be notified by Friday 30th October 2026.
Further information, guidance and an online application form is available on the Foundation’s website – https://mccarthystonefoundation.org/festive-connections-grant-programme-now-open-for-applications/
