Charity Funding Available For Websites, Marketing And Digital Projects

One of the biggest frustrations I hear from charities, heritage organisations, CICs and not-for-profit groups is that they know they need better marketing, but they simply don’t have the budget to invest in it.

Perhaps your website is outdated, difficult to update or no longer reflects the fantastic work your organisation does. Maybe you’ve been relying on volunteers to manage your social media, your branding has evolved over the years without any real consistency, or you’re struggling to attract donors, volunteers and supporters because your digital presence isn’t working as hard as it could.

The good news is that marketing and communications are increasingly being recognised as essential organisational tools rather than optional extras. Many funders now understand that charities need strong websites, effective communications and modern digital systems if they are to engage supporters, demonstrate impact and remain sustainable.

If you’re considering a new website, a brand refresh, digital marketing support or wider communications improvements, here are some funding opportunities worth exploring.

Why Funders Are Increasingly Supporting Digital Projects

Historically, many charities viewed marketing as something that happened once the “real work” had been funded.

Today, funders are beginning to recognise that without effective communications, many organisations struggle to reach the very people they exist to help. A charity can deliver incredible work, but if nobody knows about it, if supporters cannot donate easily, or if volunteers cannot find opportunities to get involved, that impact becomes much harder to achieve.

This means digital projects are often being funded not because they are websites or marketing activities, but because they help organisations achieve wider objectives such as increasing community engagement, improving accessibility, attracting funding, recruiting volunteers and sharing knowledge.

The key is demonstrating the outcome, not simply asking for a new website.

National Lottery Community Fund

The National Lottery Community Fund is one of the UK’s largest grant providers and supports projects that strengthen communities and improve people’s lives.

Whilst a website alone is unlikely to secure funding, digital improvements can often be included within a wider organisational development project. For example, if a new website will help improve accessibility, recruit volunteers, increase participation or support community engagement, these costs may form part of a larger application.

For many charities, this is one of the first funding opportunities worth exploring.

National Lottery Heritage Fund

If your organisation works within heritage, conservation, museums, historic buildings or cultural projects, the Heritage Fund should be high on your list.

The organisation recognises that heritage organisations need to engage audiences both physically and digitally. Funding may therefore support website redevelopment, online exhibitions, digital interpretation, audience development, virtual tours, photography, film production and wider marketing activities.

Many heritage organisations successfully include website and communications costs within larger heritage projects, particularly where digital engagement forms part of the public benefit.

Architectural Heritage Fund

The Architectural Heritage Fund provides support to organisations working with historic buildings and heritage assets.

Their focus is often on helping organisations become sustainable and resilient for the future. As a result, projects involving business planning, audience development, digital communications and website improvements can sometimes form part of wider applications.

For trusts, building preservation charities and organisations managing historic sites, this is well worth investigating.

Arts Council England

Arts Council England offers a range of funding programmes that support arts, culture and creative organisations.

Depending on the programme, funding can contribute towards audience development, communications campaigns, digital engagement projects, content creation, website development and marketing activity.

If your organisation is involved in the arts, performance, culture or creative education, there may be opportunities to secure support for both digital infrastructure and audience growth.

Fat Beehive Foundation

The Fat Beehive Foundation is one of the most relevant funders in the UK for charities looking to improve their digital presence.

Unlike many grant providers, the Foundation specifically focuses on helping charities use technology more effectively. Grants are often awarded to projects that improve accessibility, increase engagement, streamline communications or help organisations deliver services online.

Projects may include website redevelopment, digital accessibility improvements, online service delivery and digital engagement initiatives.

If your primary goal is to create a more effective website, this should definitely be on your shortlist.

Go Digital Norfolk

For Norfolk-based charities, community organisations and voluntary groups, Go Digital Norfolk can provide valuable support for digital transformation projects.

The programme is designed to help organisations make better use of technology, improve digital skills and increase their effectiveness.

Depending on the funding available, projects may include website improvements, digital communications tools, CRM systems, accessibility enhancements and audience engagement initiatives.

For local organisations, these smaller regional programmes can sometimes be more accessible than larger national funding schemes and may provide exactly the level of support needed for a website redevelopment project.

Community Foundations

Community foundations operate across the UK and distribute funding on behalf of local donors, businesses and charitable trusts.

Examples include Norfolk Community Foundation, Suffolk Community Foundation and Cambridgeshire Community Foundation.

Many organisations overlook community foundations because they assume funding is only available for frontline services. However, many programmes support organisational development and capacity building, which can include digital projects, communications improvements and audience engagement work.

It’s always worth speaking directly to your local foundation to discuss your plans.

Lloyds Bank Foundation

The Lloyds Bank Foundation focuses on helping small and local charities become stronger and more resilient.

Alongside financial support, many programmes include organisational development funding. This can often be used for strategy development, digital transformation, communications planning and website improvements where they contribute to the long-term sustainability of the organisation.

For smaller charities looking to strengthen their foundations, this can be a valuable source of support.

Garfield Weston Foundation

The Garfield Weston Foundation supports charities across a broad range of sectors throughout the UK.

Whilst they are not specifically a digital funder, website redevelopment and communications activity may be supported where these costs contribute towards wider organisational goals.

For organisations undergoing a period of growth, change or transformation, this can be another useful avenue to explore.

The Fore

The Fore provides funding and support to small charities and social enterprises with ambitious plans for growth and impact.

In addition to grants, successful applicants gain access to mentoring and practical business support.

Projects involving digital development, communications improvements, audience growth and organisational development can often align well with their objectives.

Competition can be strong, but the support available makes it a particularly attractive option for smaller organisations.

What Marketing Activities Can Actually Be Funded?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that funders only support frontline delivery.

In reality, many grant programmes will support activities that strengthen the organisation itself and increase its ability to deliver impact.

Depending on the funder, this could include:

• Website design and development

• Digital accessibility improvements

• Branding and visual identity projects

• Marketing strategy

• Audience research

• Photography and videography

• Social media campaigns

• Search engine optimisation (SEO)

• Volunteer recruitment campaigns

• Printed materials

• Digital interpretation

• Online exhibitions

• Email marketing systems

• CRM implementation

The crucial factor is being able to demonstrate how these activities support your wider mission and objectives.

How To Improve Your Chances Of Securing Funding

The strongest funding applications rarely focus on the website itself.

Instead, they focus on what the website will enable.

For example:

“We need a new website” is rarely compelling.

However:

“We need a new website to improve accessibility, attract volunteers, increase donations and provide public access to heritage information” tells a very different story.

Funders want to understand the impact your investment will create, not simply the technology you wish to purchase.

When preparing applications, focus on outcomes, audiences and benefits rather than features and functionality.

Final Thoughts

Too many charities continue to struggle with outdated websites, inconsistent branding and limited digital capabilities because they assume there is no funding available.

In reality, there are numerous grant programmes that recognise the importance of communications, engagement and digital transformation.

Whether you’re a heritage trust looking to share local history, a community organisation seeking volunteers, or a charity wanting to improve donor engagement, funding may already exist to help make those ambitions a reality.

The key is understanding where to look, identifying the right funders and presenting your project in a way that clearly demonstrates the difference it will make.

Need Help With A Website Or Marketing Project?

I help charities, heritage organisations, CICs and not-for-profit groups (and businesses) develop websites, marketing strategies and communications projects that support their wider goals.

If you’re considering a website redevelopment project, exploring funding opportunities or simply want to discuss what’s possible, I’d love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected] or call me on 07506 209891.