Small investment island grants close soon

Charities and non-profit organisations (NPOs) that support Bailiwick of Guernsey residents are being urged to apply for a grant of up to £15,000 before it closes.

The States of Guernsey said it was the first round of the Social Investment Fund's (SIF) Small Grants Programme in 2026.

The States said applications were exclusively open for applications related to arts, culture, heritage and sport, areas which previously saw high demand for funding.

It said a second round of small grants would be available later this year in which applications from all sectors would be accepted.

Under the programme, organisations can apply for a grant of up to £15,000 to put towards one-off projects, capital expenses, or running costs for up to a year.

SIF said £1.6m would be available in 2026, with £330,000 allocated for small grants and £1.34 in major grants, a 19% increase on 2025.

The States said: "Applications are open to registered charities or NPOs operating within or to benefit the Bailiwick of Guernsey and applications should be focused on people in the community, on the services and support they need, or be of benefit to the community."

In the last round of small grants in 2025, the States said 21 charities received a total of £148,540 across a "diverse range of causes", including Guernsey FC, Alderney Amateur Boxing Club and Sark Art Gallery and Museum.

Chair of the Social Investment Fund the Very Reverend Tim Barker said the grants valued the importance that arts, culture, heritage and sporting activities held for health, wellbeing and education across the community.

"We encourage charities of any size across the Bailiwick working on activities or projects in these sectors to apply for support," he added.

The deadline for Small Grants Programme applications must be received by midday on 1 April.

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.