How to Find Match Funding: Where to Look and How to Ask

If you have read our plain English explainer on what match funding is, you know the idea: the funder pays part of the cost and you find the rest. This guide is about the hard part, which is actually finding that rest. It works through the places UK organisations find match funding, in roughly the order we would try them, and how to ask so the answer is yes.

First, check whether you need match funding at all

Before you chase money you may not need, read the funder's guidance closely. Requirements vary a lot:

• Many community grants need no match at all. National Lottery Awards for All England funds projects from £300 to £20,000 and its guidance sets no match funding requirement. You can browse the Awards for All England listing to see the current terms.
• Some funders prefer match but will fund the whole cost. The National Lottery Heritage Fund says it can fund total project costs for its £10,000 to £250,000 grants, but you must explain why you cannot raise cash or non-cash contributions if you are not offering any. It also says contributions help show interest in and commitment to your project.
• Business innovation grants almost always need match. Innovate UK grants pay a share of eligible project costs and the business covers the rest. In one recent competition, for example, Innovate UK offered up to 70% of eligible costs for micro and small firms doing industrial research and up to 45% for experimental development. Rates are set competition by competition, so always read the brief. Our Innovate UK grants guide explains the rules.
• Capital and large grants often expect it. Bigger awards for buildings, land and equipment usually look for other funders alongside them, because a funder wants to know the whole project can be paid for.

If the guidance says match is "welcome" or "preferred" rather than required, a small amount of match still strengthens your bid. It shows other people believe in the project.

Cash and in-kind: what counts

Match funding comes in two forms.

Cash match is money: your own reserves, another grant, a donation, sponsorship or income your project earns.

In-kind match is something of value that is given rather than paid for. Common examples are:

• volunteer time
• free use of a hall, office or land
• donated equipment or materials
• professional services given free, such as an accountant's time or design work
• staff time paid for by a partner organisation

Not every funder accepts in-kind match, and those that do may want it valued in a particular way. Where a funder publishes rates for volunteer time, use them. Where it does not, use a fair market rate and show your working in the budget. Our grant budget template guide shows how to lay this out so an assessor can follow it.

Where to find cash match funding

1. Your own reserves and earned income

The quickest match is money you already control. A small contribution from your reserves tells a funder you are committed and are not relying on them for everything. If you earn income from room hire, sales, fees or contracts, part of that can be put towards the project. Funders understand that small organisations cannot drain their reserves, so a modest, clearly explained contribution is fine.

2. A second grant from a different funder

Most match funding in the voluntary sector is another grant. The trick is to split the project so each funder pays for something it clearly cares about. A heritage funder might pay for conservation work while a community funder pays for the volunteer programme around it. Some rules to keep in mind:

• Do not double fund. You cannot ask two funders to pay for the same cost. Your budget should show which funder pays for which line.
• Check rules on overlapping applications. The National Lottery Community Fund, for example, will not accept applications to more than one of its own programmes for the same project.
• Line up your timings. Decisions take different lengths of time. Awards for All England aims to decide within 16 weeks, while the Heritage Fund aims to assess its £10,000 to £250,000 applications within eight weeks of having everything it needs. Plan your applications so the money lands in the right order.

You can search open grants by organisation type, by area and by funder on GrantMatch, which is the fastest way to build a shortlist of second funders.

3. Your local council

Town, parish and community councils often run small grants schemes and can be generous with match for local projects. District, county and unitary councils may have community funds, ward budgets held by councillors, or money from developer contributions linked to new housing. Ask your local councillor or the council's community team what is available. A letter from a council confirming a contribution also carries weight with other funders.

4. Community foundations

There are community foundations covering most of the UK. They manage local funds on behalf of donors, companies and public bodies, and many of their grants are small, quick and aimed at exactly the local groups that need match. You can see the community foundation grants open now on GrantMatch, and our community foundation grants guide explains how they work.

5. Local businesses

Local firms often prefer to give to projects they can see. Good asks are specific and modest: "Would you cover the £1,200 for coaching equipment?" works better than a general request for support. Utility companies, house builders and wind farm operators often run community benefit funds near their sites, and supermarkets and banks run national community schemes. Large employers in your area may also offer matched giving for money their staff raise.

6. Crowdfunding and match campaigns

Crowdfunding lets your supporters provide the match, and it doubles as evidence of community backing. Some campaigns go further and match public donations. Big Give's Christmas Challenge is the best known in the UK: a charity secures pledges from its own supporters, Big Give's champion funders may add the same again, and the combined pot doubles public donations made during the campaign week. To take part you need to be a registered charity (or have tax-exempt status) with an annual income of at least £25,000, and you apply months ahead. For the 2026 campaign, applications closed on 15 July and the campaign runs from 1 to 8 December 2026. Big Give has published 2027 dates: applications open on 10 May 2027 and close on 2 July 2027.

7. Trusts and foundations

Independent trusts can be a good source of match because many fund core costs or a share of a bigger project. Garfield Weston Foundation, for example, runs a rolling Regular Grant programme for charities. See all the Garfield Weston Foundation grants we list for current terms, read our Garfield Weston guide, and see our guide on how to approach charitable trusts.

How to ask for match funding

Start before you apply to the main funder

The biggest mistake is leaving match to the end. Make a list of possible contributors while you are still planning, and start conversations early. If you need a confirmed contribution before the main funder will decide, you may need several months.

Make a specific request

Tell each contributor exactly what their money will pay for, how much you need and when. Show the full budget and who else is contributing. People give more readily when they can see the whole picture and the gap they are filling.

Use each yes to get the next

Momentum matters. Once you have one contribution confirmed, mention it when you approach the next funder. A council pledge or a local business donation makes the project look safer to a trust, and the trust's award then helps with the main funder.

Get it in writing

Funders usually want evidence that match is real. The Heritage Fund, for example, asks for a document that outlines and evidences cash contributions, such as a letter confirming the offer of funds or a bank statement showing the money in your account. A short letter on headed paper that states the amount, what it is for, any conditions and the date it is available is ideal.

What to do if your match falls through

It happens. A funder says no, a sponsor pulls out, or a pledge comes in lower than expected. If it does:

• Tell the main funder quickly if they have already awarded you money. Most would rather adapt the project than see it fail.
• Look at scaling the project. A smaller version with a clear plan may still be fundable.
• Fill the gap with several small sources. Two or three small grants can replace one large contribution.
• Keep the evidence of what you tried. If you go back to a funder, showing that you made real efforts helps.

Assessors look closely at how you plan to manage risks like this. Our guide to how funders assess applications explains what they are checking for.

A worked example

Here is how a community garden project costing £18,000 might be put together:

Source	Type	Amount
Main grant from a community funder	Cash	£12,000
Parish council small grant	Cash	£1,500
Local builders' merchant	In-kind (materials)	£1,000
Volunteer time, 60 days at the funder's published rate	In-kind	£2,500
Crowdfunding from members and neighbours	Cash	£1,000
Group reserves	Cash	£0 to £500

The main grant covers two thirds, and five smaller sources make up the rest. Each source pays for something specific, and the budget shows which line each one covers.

Finding the grants that make up your match

Match funding is a numbers game: the more relevant funders you know about, the easier it gets. GrantMatch lists open grants from national funders, councils, community foundations and trusts, with deadlines and amounts. Set up a free profile and we will show you the ones that fit your organisation, then alert you when new rounds open.