Support for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations

Surrey benefits from a vibrant and thriving voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE), also known as the third sector. It works alongside Surrey County Council and wider partners to support our communities and help deliver the 2030 Community Vision.

There are approximately four and half thousand registered charities and another ten thousand additional 'not-for-profit' organisations of all shapes and sizes operating across the county. The VCSE are important partners to us, often supporting some of the most vulnerable residents and reaching those communities that we could not reach alone.

They also contribute millions of pounds to Surrey's economy every year. They are integral to the Council achieving its ambition that 'no one is left behind' and delivering our key priorities such as empowered and thriving communities.

Other organisations in Surrey who can provide support are listed below.

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Volunteer centres

If you are a local group or organisation you can register with your local Volunteer Centre, where you can benefit from:

  • Opportunities, information, advice and support for volunteers
  • Help finding volunteers
  • Involvement in campaigns for volunteering

Whether you are a volunteer or a voluntary organisation there are also lots of resources on the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) that can help answer some of your questions.

For details of Volunteer Centres in Surrey visit our 'Talk to someone about volunteering' page.

Surrey Charities Forum

The Surrey Charities Forum meets online every month to bring the county's third sector together with partners and other relevant organisations.

There are currently over 150 members, representing charities large and small across Surrey. Dates of their meetings can be found on their 'Facilitating and networking' page, if you wish to join.

Community Foundation Surrey

The Community Foundation for Surrey (CFS) is an independent charitable foundation that brings together people and organisations who wish to give to the community with voluntary organisations providing positive solutions to the many challenges within our communities.

Themes including mental ill-health, sport, young people, the environment, arts, disadvantaged individuals looking for help into training and employment and much more.

CFS support hundreds of community groups across Surrey every year with funding from their donors. They are part of a national network of 47 Community Foundations.

Surrey Community Action

The Surrey Community Action organisation works with a wide range of statutory and voluntary organisations. They provide advice and support to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector as well as running projects within communities across Surrey.

Community grants and funding

Surrey has a variety of funds and funding advice accessible by Surrey communities, provided by different organisations. There are also community funding streams available that cover all of England that can be used in Surrey. Below is a list of funding opportunities provided in Surrey. To check other grants available nationally check Get Grants Funding Finder. You can also find out about a range of different grants at Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations through their weekly e-bulletin.

Local and district and borough council funding

Reigate and Banstead strategic grants - funding for local voluntary and community organisations.

Surrey

  • The Surrey Heritage for All programme is a new grant fund, run by the Community Foundation for Surrey and Surrey Cultural Partnership (SCP), with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). Grants of up to £10,000 will be available to increase opportunities for diverse communities to engage with Surrey's rich heritage and natural environment.
  • Surrey Community Action - Provide advice, services and support to voluntary and community groups, parish councils and social enterprises.
  • Surrey Hills Trust Fund – The fund supports a wide-range of local projects from landscape conservation grants to community enterprise schemes.
  • Gatwick Airport Community Trust - An independent charity that awards grants annually for deserving projects within the area of benefit covering parts of East and West Sussex, Surrey, and Kent. In particular, funds are channelled to those areas where people are directly affected by operations at Gatwick Airport. 2025 applications are now closed.
  • Community Marketplace - A free online tool that links local Surrey needs with resources offered by those who want to help. A marketplace for Surrey to share resources to collectively improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of residents and local communities.

England

  • Asda Cost of Living Grant – This grant is designed to support the increased running costs community groups caused by the rising costs of living.
  • Aviva Community Fund - The Aviva Community Fund supports small UK causes making a big difference in their local community. Aviva has partnered with Crowdfunder to give these causes the opportunity to further build capabilities, drive sustainable fundraising and leverage Aviva's workforce to get their best ideas off the ground.
  • Bernard Sunley Foundation – A family grant making foundation which supports charities in England and Wales working to raise the quality of life and provide greater opportunities for the young, the elderly, the disabled and the disadvantaged.
  • Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme - Registered Charities, Community Interest Companies, Co-operative Societies and Community Benefit Societies can apply for funds to deliver energy related projects that meet the scheme priorities and benefit people in England, Scotland, and Wales.
  • Garfield Western Foundation – The Garfield Weston Foundation is a grant-maker that gives money to support a wide range of charities across the UK.
  • Grants for Good - Grants for Good is a fund that invites local charities, voluntary groups or social enterprises that have an average annual income of less than £50,000 to apply to us for funding.
  • Lloyds Bank Foundation - Work in partnership with charities and communities that understand the needs and aspirations of people and can make a lasting difference to people's lives. Currently closed for applications.
  • Morrisons Foundation - Grant funding supports charities delivering projects which help to improve people's lives.
  • National Grid Community Grant Programme - Fund projects run by charities and community groups that meet local community needs by providing a range of social, economic, and environmental benefits.
  • National Lottery Awards for All England – A small fund to support communities with things that are most important to them, including mitigating the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and supporting them as they seek to recover, rebuild, and grow following the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • National Lottery Reaching Communities England - This programme offers a larger amount of funding (over £10,000) for organisations that work with their community, whether that is for people living in the same area, or people with similar interests or life experiences.
  • Parkinson's UK - Provide grants of up to £3,000 to support physical activity projects for people with Parkinson's all over the UK.
  • Tesco Community Grants – The fund is open to charities and community organisations to apply for a grant of up to £1,500.
  • The Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF) - Southwestern Railway's programme to support projects that have a community benefit or address an area of social need across our network.
  • Wakeham Trust – Supporting small scale change in communities.
  • Wates Foundation - An independent grant-making Family Trust, the Wates Foundation has been supporting the charitable and voluntary sector for over 50 years.

Community Marketplace

The Community Marketplace tool can help make connections between organisations, who are waiting to offer all sorts of help, and individuals. Whether that's meeting spaces, skills and knowledge sharing, equipment or volunteers to help with gardening, painting or decorating.

Surrey County Council

You can contact us for more information on support available within the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector.

For more information, contact Surrey County Council.

Working in your local area

To find out more about the Team Around the Community that are working in your local area to make things happen visit the Working with you in your local area web pages.

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