We are delighted to manage the Wimbledon Foundation Community Fund (WFCF). The fund has been set up to benefit the community and provide support for local organisations to meet local needs in the boroughs of Merton and Wandsworth.
Important Changes:
In response to research on local needs*, the Wimbledon Foundation will start offering multi-year grants to better support local organisations who are providing benefit to Merton and Wandsworth residents. The economic downturn has put additional pressure on the sector, and in response, the Foundation have determined that greater long-term support is required to enable groups to concentrate their efforts on supporting their communities, rather than repeated application bids for smaller amounts. This will be the first open Multi-year Award Programme to be delivered by the Fund. The final single year grant programme intake (of awards up to £10,000 for one-year projects) will open in Summer 2026.
If you'd like to understand more about the fund please take a look at the summary information below, and the guidelines for the last funding round by clicking on the buttons below or at the top right hand side of the screen.
Themes
All organisations applying for funding should be seeking to deliver work which tackles social needs and supports local people facing disadvantage.
Applicant organisations should aim to achieve the above fund objective by addressing one or more of the following themes:
- Addressing financial insecurity / cost of living
- Supporting mental health and wellbeing
- Promoting and supporting digital inclusion
For examples of projects that might be funded through WFCF, please see page 7 of the fund guidelines.
Eligibility
All organisations applying to this round must be based in and supporting individuals within Merton and Wandsworth.
We welcome applications from organisations supporting any groups facing disadvantage including:
- Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups
- Disability groups
- LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, +)
- Young people
- People not in education, employment or training
- Older people
In this round, priority will again be given to new applicants to the fund and those who haven't received a past Wimbledon Foundation grant. We do also encourage applications from past WFCF grant recipients.
‘Get Set, Get Active’
Please note that WFCF cannot fund sports, dance or physical activity projects. The Wimbledon Foundation supports sporting, dance and physical activity projects through its 'Get Set, Get Active' programme. The 'Get Set, Get Active' programme will be opening in January 2026. Please visit the Wimbledon Foundation website for details.
Projects which have physical activity as a small element of their work, such as youth groups, can apply for funding through WFCF as long as the costs applied for are not related to the delivery of the physical activity.
Grant size
Organisations can apply for a three-year award of up to £10,000 per year, a maximum of £30,000 in total.
Who may apply?
Eligible Legal Structures – there must be a signed governing document in place appropriate to the legal structure which includes an asset lock (or equivalent clause), and the purpose of all funded activities must be charitable (not for profit):
- Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
- Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) - may also be registered as a Charity or a Community Interest Company Limited by Guarantee (CICLG)
- Trust
- Unincorporated Association
- Community Benefit Societies (CBS). Ideally, the CBS will also be registered as charitable with HMRC, however, this is not essential.
How to apply
- To apply to this fund, please take a look at the fund guidelines, application form guidance and our core eligibility criteria by clicking on the buttons below or at the top right hand side of the screen and then clicking on the relevant 'Apply now' button.
Deadlines
- Wednesday 18th February 2026 @ 12 noon. The Panel will meet in early May and decisions will be released by 27th May 2026. Project activity should therefore start from Mid-June 2026 onwards, and not before.
Contact details
If you have any questions about this fund, please contact us on 020 7582 5117 or at applications@londoncf.org.uk
Meet the funder
The Wimbledon Foundation will hold a 'Meet the Funder' session (details to be confirmed) where you can ask questions about your application.
In the meantime, you can catch up on a previous session below: