Grants, funding and business support in Cumbria

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Only for Cumbria 20

Community grantsmax award £100 · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with Red Squirrel Recovery Network: community grants (micro up to £500, small £500-5,000)
Cumbria Community Foundation grant rounds: next closing dates 30 Oct (countywide), 8 Nov (West Cumbria) and 18 Dec 2026 (Furness)closes 30 Oct 2026 · with Cumbria Community Foundation: grant committee deadline dates
Cumbria PFCC Community Fund: grants up to £2,500 for community safety projects (closes 30 Oct 2026)max award £2,500 · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with Cumbria PFCC: Community Fund 2026-27 round 2 (up to £2,500)
Shackleton Award Cumbria: up to £15,000 for a new social venture helping young people in Cumbriamax award £15,000 · closes 2 Nov 2026 · with Shackleton Foundation: Shackleton Award, Cumbria-only round (with the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust)
Sellafield Game Changers: feasibility grants up to £10,000 for nuclear challengesmax award £10,000 · closes 3 Nov 2026 · with Sellafield Game Changers (nuclear innovation challenges)
Francis C Scott Charitable Trust main grants: expressions of interest by 11 December for Cumbria and Lancaster youth charitiescloses 11 Dec 2026 · Lancaster · with Francis C Scott Charitable Trust: Main Grants (Cumbria and Lancaster District, under-25s)
Walney Extension Community Fund: £500-£50k for community projects on the Cumbria and Lancashire coastaward £500–£50,000 · closes 8 Jan 2027 · with Walney Extension Community Fund (Orsted, Cumbria and Lancashire coast; via Grantscape)
Walney Extension Skills Fund: £10k-£100k for STEM and skills projects on the Cumbria and Lancashire coastaward £10,000–£100,000 · closes 24 Mar 2027 · with Walney Extension Community Fund: The Skills Fund (STEM and skills projects, £10k-£100k)
Enabling Fundmax award £10,000 · with Copeland Community Fund: funding programmes
Open Space scratch night micro-commissionsmax award £500 · with Theatre by the Lake (Keswick): Open Space scratch night micro-commissions (£500, Cumbrian Creatives)
Social impact grants and reusable equipmentmax award £10,000 · with Sellafield Ltd: social impact grants (good neighbour, medium and large) and reusable equipment
Training Grantsaward £300 · with Kendal BID: grants (shop front, environmental, training, events, public safety, general)
Westmorland and Furness Greening Businesses Scheme round 3: free carbon footprint assessment for SMEs (closes 25 Oct 2026)non-cash support · closes 25 Oct 2026 · Westmorland and Furness · with Westmorland and Furness Council: Greening Businesses Scheme round 3 (free carbon footprint assessment)
Business & IP Centre Cumbria1:1 support sessions with a Business Information Officer · with Business & IP Centre Cumbria (British Library BIPC, Carlisle Library)
Cumbria Acceleratornon-cash support · with Enterprising Cumbria: Cumbria Accelerator (free 1-2-1 business growth support)
Cumbria Connect to Work ProgrammePersonalised, fully-funded employment support for individuals; employer connection to local talent and support networks. · with Enterprising Cumbria: business support programmes
Net zero and decarbonisation supportTechnical and project advice on clean energy and decarbonisation, facilitation and funding of carbon audits (listed as a past activity), promotion of green finance and grant opportunities, help with grant applications, workshops on specific issues. · with Enterprising Cumbria: Net zero and decarbonisation support (funded carbon audits)
Support for farmer groups bidding to Defra's Farmer Collaboration Fundnon-cash support · with Cumbria Farmer Collaboration Partnership: support for farmer groups bidding to Defra's Farmer Collaboration Fund
Copeland Artist Support — Cumbria Arts and Culture Networkmax award £100 · with Cumbria Arts and Culture Network (CACN): opportunities
Trainee Creative Play Facilitator Opportunity – Rosehillnon-cash support · closes 2 Nov 2026 · with Cumbria Arts and Culture Network (CACN): opportunities

Open across the North West 80

Film Exhibition Fundnon-cash support · closes 23 Oct 2026 · with Film Hub North: film exhibitor funding (Film Exhibition Fund, Pitch Pot, Bursary Fund)
Film Exhibition Fund round 3: up to £10k for independent cinemas, film festivals and film societies in the Northmax award £10,000 · closes 23 Oct 2026 · with Film Hub North: Film Exhibition Fund round 3 (up to £10k for independent film exhibition in the North)
Blackpool Creative Market: £350 commission to run a festive family workshop (apply by 25 Oct 2026)award £350 · closes 25 Oct 2026 · with Aunty Social / Blackpool Creative Market: artist workshop callout (£350, 5 Dec 2026)
Strategic Legal Fundaward £12,000–£30,000 · closes 26 Oct 2026 · with Action Together: find funding
Tree Councilaward £10,000–£40,000 · closes 31 Oct 2026 · with Action Together: find funding
BFI NETWORK Early Development Fund: £3k-£5k for debut feature writers in the Northaward £3,000–£5,000 · closes 11 Nov 2026 · with BFI NETWORK
GBE Community Fund: up to £40k feasibility, £100k development or £3m capital for community energy projects (closes 12 Nov)max award £3,000,000 · closes 12 Nov 2026 · with Great British Energy: GBE Community Fund (feasibility, development and capital grants for community energy)
Access Funding Scheme for High-end TV Deaf, Disabled & Neurodivergent Crew 2026 - 2027free training (ScreenSkills funded) · closes 16 Nov 2026 · with ScreenSkills training and opportunities (ScreenSkills-funded courses)
School Trips Grant — Clore Duffield Foundationaward £3,000–£6,000 · closes 27 Nov 2026 · with Clore Duffield Foundation
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Bursariesaward £100–£2,000 · closes 3 Dec 2026 · with Museum Development North: MD North grants (Open Grants, Learning and Engagement Grant, CPD Bursary)
IBIC biotech knowledge exchange grants: up to £60k for north-west business-university projects (next deadline 10 Dec)max award £60,000 · closes 10 Dec 2026 · with IBIC: knowledge exchange grants with north-west biotech businesses
Angus Irvine Playing Fields Fundaward £1,000–£10,000 · closes 18 Dec 2026 · with Action Together: find funding
Get Fishing Fundaward £750–£1,000 · closes 31 Dec 2026 · with Action Together: find funding
Great Northern Read Award: £2,500 and literary agent mentoring for unpublished northern novelists (closes 11 Jan)max award £2,500 · closes 11 Jan 2027 · with New Writing North: Great Northern Read Award 2027 (Johnson & Alcock)
Hachette Children’s Novel Awards 2027max award £3,000 · closes 11 Jan 2027 · with New Writing North: Northern Writers' Awards (all awards and submission windows)
EIT Urban Mobility Strategic Innovation call: up to €2m for cross-border mobility projectscloses 28 Jan 2027 · with EIT Urban Mobility - Strategic Innovation Open Call
Pitch Pot: rolling micro-grants of up to £3k for film screenings and events in the Northmax award £3,000 · closes 12 Feb 2027 · with Film Hub North: Pitch Pot micro-grants for film exhibitors (up to £3k, rolling)
Open Grantsaward £5,000–£7,500 · closes 12 Mar 2027 · with Museum Development North: MD North grants (Open Grants, Learning and Engagement Grant, CPD Bursary)
Awards for Young Writers 2027award £150–£500 · closes 15 Mar 2027 · with New Writing North: Northern Writers' Awards (all awards and submission windows)
Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF)award £10,000–£250,000 · total pot £45m · closes 31 Mar 2035 · with GOV.UK Find a Grant
Arts and Humanities Research Council IAAaward £5,000–£50,000 · open all year · with Arts and Humanities Research Council
Baltic Ventures Angelsaward from £10,000 · open all year · with Baltic Ventures
DSW Ventures Seed Investmentaward £100,000–£1,000,000 · open all year · with DSW Ventures (Daresbury-linked seed VC)
Eco-I NWopen all year · with Eco-I NW (Lancaster University low-carbon R&D support)
Equity Finance, Up to £5 million (North West)max award £5,000,000 · open all year · with Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (British Business Bank)

Showing 25 of 80. See them all in the finder →

UK-wide 644

The Elephant Trust Main Fundaward £2,000–£5,000 · closes 18 Oct 2026 · with The Elephant Trust
Contracts for Innovation Cymru: Reducing Missed Appointments and Improving Access to Planned Careaward £200,000–£9,600,000 · closes 20 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK Business Connect – Opportunities (Digital)
Expression of interest: Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) medical countermeasures R&Dcloses 20 Oct 2026 · with UK Research and Innovation funding finder
Funding opportunity: International Travel Award Scheme for the Biological Sciencesmax award £3,000 · closes 20 Oct 2026 · with Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Next generation artificial intelligence (AI): explainable AImax award £602,500 · closes 20 Oct 2026 · with Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Water Efficiency Lab 2: £150,000 to £1.5m for water-saving innovationmax award £150,000 · closes 20 Oct 2026 · with Ofwat Innovation Fund - Water Efficiency Lab 2
Advancing atmospheric and aerial autonomyaward £300,000–£1,000,000 · total pot £4m · closes 21 Oct 2026 · with UK Research and Innovation funding finder
Funding competition Engineering Biology Access to Infrastructure Pilotaward £200,000–£750,000 · total pot £5m · closes 21 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK (Innovation Funding Service)
Funding competition Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund Discovery C7award £200,000 · total pot £30m · closes 21 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK (Innovation Funding Service)
Henry Smith Foundationaward £25,000–£250,000 · closes 21 Oct 2026 · with Action Together: find funding
Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund: Innovation Challenges - Discovery, autumn 2026award £200,000 · total pot £30m · closes 21 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK Business Connect – Opportunities (Digital)
Research Infrastructure Renewalaward £300,000–£1,000,000 · total pot £8m · closes 21 Oct 2026 · with UK Research and Innovation funding finder
Funding opportunity: Doctoral focal award: UKRI venture doctorates: outline stageaward £25,000,000 · closes 22 Oct 2026 · with Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Creative Foundations Fund (CFF) Round 2 - Strand 1award £100,000–£1,000,000 · closes 23 Oct 2026 · with Arts Council England
Sustainable Darkroom Futures Residency: £3,400 grant and six-month mentored residency for UK artistsaward £3,400 · closes 23 Oct 2026 · with Sustainable Darkroom Futures Residency
Pathways to Work Innovation Fundcloses 26 Oct 2026 · with Action Together: find funding
PPL Momentum Music Fund: £5,000 to £15,000 for UK artists and bands at a career tipping pointaward £5,000–£15,000 · closes 26 Oct 2026 · with PPL Momentum Music Fund (PRS Foundation)
Funding opportunity: High performance compute resources for EPSRC communitiesaward £5,000,000–£20,000,000 · total pot £26.25m · closes 27 Oct 2026 · with Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Funding opportunity: Pre-announcement: Trust and confidence in policing: R&I Consortiummax award £2,000,000 · closes 27 Oct 2026 · with Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
iX Challenge: Alternative leak repair materials and methods for canal leakage and seepage repairscloses 27 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK Business Connect (opportunities incl. ICURe)
iX Challenge: Identifying leaks and seepage in canal infrastructurecloses 27 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK Business Connect (opportunities incl. ICURe)
Trust and confidence in policing: Research & Innovation Consortiummax award £2,000,000 · closes 27 Oct 2026 · with Arts and Humanities Research Council
Armed Forces Covenant Fundcloses 28 Oct 2026 · with Action Together: find funding
British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grantsaward £500–£10,000 · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with British Academy funding
CfI: counter UAS demonstrations in prison environmentsaward £40,000–£80,000 · total pot £900,000 · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with UK Research and Innovation funding finder
CfI: Innovation in play to improve child outcomesaward £200,000–£500,000 · total pot £3m · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with UK Research and Innovation funding finder
European Innovation Council: Pathfinder, Transition, and Accelerator 2026non-cash support · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK Business Connect – Opportunities (Robotics & AI)
Funding competition Advancing innovation in accelerated cancer diagnosisaward £1,500,000–£4,000,000 · total pot £25.4m · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK (Innovation Funding Service)
Funding competition National Materials Innovation Programme: CR&D Rd1award £500,000–£1,000,000 · total pot £12m · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK (Innovation Funding Service)
Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) - Researcher-ledmax award £500,000 · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with NIHR (i4i and funding opportunities)
AI-enhanced x-ray imaging for bomb disposalmax award £60,000 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · with HMGCC Co-Creation
Music Creators Growth Fund: £10,000 to £20,000 for artists, bands and producersaward £10,000–£20,000 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · with Arts Council England - Music Creators Growth Fund
PRS Foundation Early Career Promoter Fund: up to £3,500 for independent music promoters in Englandmax award £3,500 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · with PRS Foundation Early Career Promoter Fund
UK Defence Innovation: Security Open Call 2026 Cycle 2award £150,000–£350,000 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · with Innovate UK Business Connect – Opportunities (Digital)
Windrush Day Grant Scheme 2027: £5,000 to £25,000 for projects celebrating the Windrush generationaward £5,000–£25,000 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · with Windrush Day Grant Scheme (MHCLG, run by Near Neighbours)
BBC Children's Northern Star Project: about £17,000 to develop a children's drama idea (closes 30 Oct)max award £17,000 · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with BBC Children's (Salford) with DR, NPO, NRK and VRT: The Northern Star Project development opportunity
Clore School Choirs and Singing Programmeaward £50,000–£100,000 · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with Clore Duffield Foundation
Commercial cooking air quality trialaward £7,000–£10,000 · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with Connected Places Catapult - Open Calls
eBay Grants Support Business Growth and Young Talentaward £1,000–£10,000 · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with eBay UK Up & Running Grants
eBay Up & Running Grants: £10,000 for young eBay sellers and youth employersmax award £10,000 · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with eBay UK Up & Running Grants (Young Entrepreneur Edition)

Showing 40 of 644. See them all in the finder →

International, open to UK applicants 97

CELTIC-NEXT call for projects – Autumn 2026closes 26 Oct 2026 · with EUREKA Network (incl. Eurostars)
Eureka call for disaster resilience, response and recovery projects – 2026non-cash support · closes 26 Oct 2026 · with EUREKA Network (incl. Eurostars)
EIC STEP Scale Up Defencenon-cash support · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with European Innovation Council (EISMEA)
STEP Scale Up — European Innovation Councilnon-cash support · closes 28 Oct 2026 · with European Innovation Council (EISMEA)
Eurogia2030 – Call 31 — EUREKA Networkcloses 29 Oct 2026 · with EUREKA Network (incl. Eurostars)
EIT Food Proof-of-Concept co-financing: up to €60,000 for a pilot with a corporate clientnon-cash support · closes 30 Oct 2026 · with EIT Food - Proof-of-Concept Co-Financing Instrument
Innovation Projectscloses 30 Oct 2026 · with EIT Culture & Creativity Innovation Projects (commercialisation grants)
NLnet open-source grants (Restack and CodeSupply): €5,000 to €50,000closes 3 Nov 2026 · with NLnet / NGI open calls (Restack and CodeSupply)
The Arctic Region — ESA Space Solutions — business funding callsnon-cash support · closes 5 Nov 2026 · with ESA Space Solutions — business funding calls
FIERCE 2nd Open Call: up to €50,000 in services for space-data green innovationnon-cash support · closes 9 Nov 2026 · with FIERCE - Open Call for Financing (space-enabled green innovation)

Showing 10 of 97. See them all in the finder →

Contracts in Cumbria and the North West 23

James Rennie School at Bishop Harvey Goodwin School, Carlisle - Consultancy Servicescontract value £150,000 · closes 19 Oct 2026 · Cumberland · with Cumberland Council
A66 Northern Trans Pennine Project(NTP) - Schemes 1, 2 Traffic Signals Packagecloses 23 Oct 2026 · with KIER TRANSPORTATION LIMITED
Science and Industry Museum Wonderlab Group 2 Interactives Makers 2contract value £155,000 · closes 23 Oct 2026 · with Science Museum Group
Site Characterisation Professional Services Support (SCPSS) - C26888contract value £13,800,000 · closes 26 Oct 2026 · with Nuclear Waste Services Limited
Supply of HEPA Filters — Sellafield Limitedcloses 26 Oct 2026 · with Sellafield Limited
Prioritised Capital Maintenance - Corporate Properties Consultant Appointment 2026-2028contract value £200,000 · closes 29 Oct 2026 · Cumberland · with Cumberland Council

Showing 6 of 23. All contracts in the finder →

Questions

How many opportunities are open for businesses and organisations in Cumbria?

On 18 October 2026 Bearings lists 841 live opportunities a business based in Cumbria can apply for: 501 grants, loans, investment and prizes, 228 programmes, advice and support, 112 training offers. 20 are only for Cumbria, 80 are open across the North West and 741 are UK-wide or international.

Which funding closes soonest?

The Elephant Trust Main Fund (closes 18 Oct 2026)
Contracts for Innovation Cymru: Reducing Missed Appointments and Improving Access to Planned Care (closes 20 Oct 2026)
Expression of interest: Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) medical countermeasures R&D (closes 20 Oct 2026)

How do I hear about new ones?

By sector in Cumbria

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Bearings is free and independent, and not affiliated with any funder. It checks its sources every day; always check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the provider's own page before applying. Updated 18 October 2026.

Funding and support in Cumbria