Show Me The Money - Grants and Funding May 2026
Apr 30, 2026 7:17 pm
Show Me The Money! Grants & Funding - Practical Tips & Support
Revised: May 2026
Hello Wonderful Innovators,
Standout theme is procurement — the 2023 Act makes it even easier to support the social economy. Social Procurement Connect from Social Enterprise UK is making it even easier for organisations to direct everyday spend toward social enterprises. Massive shoutout to David Paulson of UCB for bringing social enterprise into his university supply chain.
There are also several fast-approaching deadlines in May. The UK Youth Fund EOI, the Healing Arts Birmingham hyperlocal grants, Goldsmiths' Foundation, Fidelio, and LandAid's Young Futures Fund EOI. If you're working in youth, arts or community these are for you.
The FSB and CFIT have both been pushing hard on the case for better SME support, which is useful context for anyone writing bids right now. And the Law Commission is consulting on consumer class actions, which matters for anyone in consumer-facing services.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Building something meaningful takes real energy. Look after yours too.
From left to right, featured Hero: Michael-Don Smith - Don recovered from a stroke that left him in a coma, and came back as one of the best and most generous connectors you could ever meet. A reminder of what resilience looks like in person.
David Paulson Pro-Vice-Chancellor University College Birmingham. He attended a Miss Macaroon 15 year event and saw firsthand great social enterprise achievements. David is now moving more of his spend to social enterprises, including a signage maker.
Featured (s)Hero: Irene Graham OBE, CEO, ScaleUp Institute - Irene has spent years on a mission to make the UK the best place in the world to scale up a business, working with policymakers, lenders and investors to remove the structural barriers that stop ambitious companies from growing here.
Featured (s)Hero: Bayile Adeoti - Founder of Dechomai Ltd, Bayile has built a social enterprise dedicated to empowering Black and ethnic minority women with leadership and enterprise skills, enabling them to build financially independent businesses. Named in the NatWest Telegraph 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch.
Featured Grant or Programme: Pathway Fund (Dormant Assets) - £12 million from the Dormant Assets scheme is being deployed to unlock social investment into Black and Ethnically Minoritised communities.
No Limits is creating the UK's largest and most inclusive innovation community. With over 200 partner organisations, connecting founders and innovators to the right funding, support and networks to start and grow their businesses.
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Stay amazing, stay courageous,
Drew
Founder, hibretOne CIC
Top Tips for New Subscribers:
● If a grant or programme is not in your region, many funds listed are for the W Midlands. AI search the keywords within the grant, as the programme may be running in your area, under a different name.
● Use AI to search this document, as some of the grants have a short applications window.
www.hibretone.org
Big Thank You to these supporters….
E&OE
Disclaimer:
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• Items added in the order I found out about them, not importance.
