Woodsmith Foundation

01/06/2026

One week to go and there's still time to sign up!

Interested in applying for a grant? 💸

Join Grants & Programmes Manager Rebecca Wagner for an online information session. She'll be going over our Community Grants and our Small Grants, explaining the key points of each and how to apply.

If you've never applied for funding before or find the process difficult, these sessions will provide a friendly and informative introduction to how our grants work.

There are two sessions available, both covering the same material:

📍Monday 8th June, 1pm
📍Wednesday 10th June, 7pm

➡️Email us at [email protected] to register for a place!

27/05/2026

With support from the Woodsmith Foundation back in 2022, Alfie has gone on to achieve amazing things. He's qualified to play in the European Open Golf Finals for 3 consecutive years and was named to the England regional u18 squad.

Last September he began a new chapter: studying in America at the University of Northwestern Ohio. On a four-year scholarship, Alfie has the opportunity to further develop his golf and represent his university.

His dad Gary tells us, "Alfie had a great start to this new chapter in his life attaining a place straight away getting into the 1st team. As we speak he is due back home in June which will be his 1st year finished, academically he is flying and his results are in the top 5% in the University"

We're very proud to have supported Alfie's journey and can't wait to see what he does next!

➡️For more information about the Young & Talented Grants, visit our website:
https://www.woodsmithfoundation.org.uk/apply-now

22/05/2026

Is it your first time applying for funding? Or do you find forms difficult and keep getting stuck?

Join us for a relaxed support session where you can sit down with us, fill out your Small Grant application form and chat through your project!

📍24th June, 11am - 3pm
📍Redcar Palace Hub
📍By booking only (no walk-ins)
📍Deadline for booking is 17th June!

Email us at [email protected] to register your place!

Please note that these are only for applications for Small Grants for Everyday Essentials and Activities (£50-£2,000). If you are applying for a different grant please contact us at [email protected] or give Rebecca a ring on 07756395535.

We'll be holding further support sessions in Whitby and Scarborough later this year so keep an eye out for those announcements!

18/05/2026

There are still a few places left at this free bid writing workshop by Enhance Redcar and Cleveland happening this Wednesday!

The session covers:

- How to plan effectively for successful bid writing
- How to develop a better understanding of what funders expect from applications
- How to effectively articulate your project to a funder
- Common reasons bids are rejected - and how to avoid them
- Budgeting basics
- The use of AI in funding applications
- How to make bid writing a less daunting process, and build it sustainably into your role

Sign up via the link in the post below.
⬇️⬇️⬇️

'I feel less scared about the whole process" - Feedback from our last Bid Writing workshop.

Let's face it, bid writing (applying for funding for voluntary projects) can feel overwhelming.

Especially when you're just starting out. Learning what to include, leave out, and avoiding those easy-to-make mistakes.

The best way to learn is through a practical workshop. We have an upcoming Bid Writing workshop with our friendly experienced tutor. Even if you have experience, you'll gain confidence knowing you're on the right track. Book your place below.

🕛Date & Time: 20 May 2026, 13:00
📍Place: 25K Community Centre, Redcar

What the session covers:

- How to plan effectively for successful bid writing
- How to develop a better understanding of what funders expect from applications
- How to effectively articulate your project to a funder
- Common reasons bids are rejected - and how to avoid them
- Budgeting basics
- The use of AI in funding applications
- How to make bid writing a less daunting process, and build it sustainably into your role

Book your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bid-writing-training-tickets-1987514161359?aff=oddtdtcreator

14/05/2026

We're excited to announce our first round of Community Grant awardees for 2026! Some amazing organisations doing powerful work for people and communities 💚

Our second round of Community Grants is currently open until 10am on July 16th! If you're interested in applying, why not sign up for one of our upcoming online information sessions (8th and 10th June) to learn more about our grants and the application process.

📧Email us at [email protected] to register for a session.

➡️For more information, visit our website: https://www.woodsmithfoundation.org.uk/apply-now

13/05/2026

A great example of how a small grant can go so far and support so many! Fantastic work by Whitby Street Angels 💚

How fortunate are we, at Whitby Street Angels? We heard about an opportunity to access funds via a grant from the Woodsmith Foundation; we applied for £250 to buy flip-flops and were successful. We sourced some at Matalan for £2.50 a pair... and then they had a crazy Bank Holiday Monday sale and we could get them for £2.00 a pair - making our money go further! We took delivery of 125 pairs of flip flops in seven bags on Wednesday, and this is what they look like...
So, thank you to the Woodsmith Foundation for the grant, Matalan (Scunthorpe) for their super deal and great service, and the two committee members that made it all happen!

12/05/2026

A great opportunity with Marine Discovery Whitby CIC ⬇️

🌊 We're Hiring — Come and Be Part of Something Whitby

We're looking for a passionate and creative person to join the Whitby Marine Discovery Centre team as our Engagement Officer & Story Curator on the Sea Story project — a two-year community heritage programme.

This is a truly unique role. You'll be at the heart of Whitby's community, working with local fishers, older residents, school children, families and volunteers to capture, curate and share the maritime stories that have shaped this town. Stories that — without projects like this — risk being lost forever.

What you'll be doing:
😀Working alongside our team at the Discovery Centre
🏃Engaging with the public and visiting groups
🎙 Recording oral histories and memories from local people
🏫 Delivering intergenerational workshops in schools and the community
🎬 Supporting the creation of digital storytelling and a community stop-motion animation
🖼 Helping shape our new interactive Heritage Wall and interpretation displays
🤝 Building and supporting a team of volunteers
🎉 Organising community events and a final celebration showcase

This is a creative, people-centred role perfect for someone who cares deeply about communities, heritage, and the power of storytelling. Local knowledge and a love of Whitby are a real plus.

📍 Based at Whitby Marine Discovery Centre, with community work across Whitby
⏱ Full-time (37.5 hrs/week) · Fixed-term 24 months
🗓 Start date: June 2026

Full job description and details on how to apply 👉 https://marinediscoverywhitby.co.uk/

30/04/2026

Interested in applying for a grant? 💸

Join Grants & Programmes Manager Rebecca Wagner for an online information session. She'll be going over our Community Grants and our Small Grants, explaining the key points of each and how to apply.

If you've never applied for funding before or find the process difficult, these sessions will provide a friendly and informative introduction to how our grants work.

There are two sessions available, both covering the same material:

📍Monday 8th June, 1pm
📍Wednesday 10th June, 7pm

➡️Email us at [email protected] to register for a place!

28/04/2026

Fantastic to see the responses by young people supported by Sidewalk Youth Organisation through our Community Grant 💚

27/04/2026

One of our highlights of last month was our Funder Plus workshop day on Monitoring and Evaluation 📝

We were joined by two grant holders, Community Furniture Store - Scarborough and TeesDance, to spend the day learning and discussing about measuring and reporting the outcome of their work.

Starting with a relaxed walk along the seafront, we talked about the work that each organisation does and the difference that they make. After this we moved inside to the office to engage with a range of practical tasks on how to identify key targets and record outcomes.

Monitoring and Evaluation is important for so many reasons: it helps you assess how well your processes are working, the change you make for the people you support, and why future funders should be interested in your organisation.

A big thank you to Alan at Skyblue Research, our Learning Partner and facilitator for the workshop; and to Community Furniture Stores and TeesDance for participating!