The Shackleton Foundation (with the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust) Grants

Shackleton Award Cumbria 2026

The Shackleton Foundation (with the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust)

The Shackleton Award Cumbria 2026 offers an unrestricted grant of up to £15,000 to an early-stage social entrepreneur with a bold new idea to improve the lives of children and young people in Cumbria. It is the first time the Shackleton Foundation has run a Cumbria-only round, made possible through support from the Francis Scott Trust. The Foundation focuses on what it calls the "first mile". This is the earliest and often hardest stage of launching a social venture, when an idea is still developing and traditional funding can be difficult to secure. Because the grant is unrestricted, you can use it where your venture needs it most. Alongside the money, the successful applicant joins the Shackleton Leader Network and gets a dedicated Leader Partner. This is an experienced Shackleton Leader who provides one-to-one mentoring. The award suits founders of new charities, CICs and CIOs set up within the last 12 months. Your venture must work only for children and young people aged 0-25 in Cumbria who face barriers to reaching their full potential. It should tackle a clearly identified need and have the potential to grow and become financially sustainable. Applications open on 4 August 2026 and close on 2 November 2026. Since 2008, the Foundation has backed more than 70 Shackleton Leaders across the UK. Bear in mind that this round will fund just one person. The Foundation is looking for one exceptional individual, so make sure your application shows clearly the need you are tackling and how your idea could grow. Official source: https://shackletonfoundation.org/news-index-page/the-shackleton-foundation-launches-its-first-ever-cumbria-only-funding-round-in-partnership-with-the-francis-scott-trust/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 28 October 2026.