Marsden invites Lancashire projects to apply for £3k community grants

Applications are now open for the Marsden Building Society Charitable Foundation, offering grants of up to £3,000 to community groups and projects based in Lancashire.

For 2026, the Charitable Foundation has £30,000 to donate to 10 or more local groups or projects that meet at least one of the following themes:

• Financial well-being: Activities that promote financial education, teaching groups invaluable skills about money and money management. This could include community groups or projects delivered to schools and colleges.
• A society for all: Projects focussed on helping, primarily, people over the age of 50 through community cohesion activities, accessibility, and engagement.
• A great place to be: Initiatives focused on the environment and area restoration, including beach clean-ups, community gardens, community allotments, the introduction of green initiatives such as solar panels or improvements to energy provisions.

Rob Pheasey, chief executive at the Marsden Building Society, said: “Supporting our local communities is at the heart of who we are at the Marsden.

"We’re proud to open our Charitable Foundation fund again for 2026 and continue providing meaningful support to the groups and projects making a real difference across Lancashire.

"Since launching the Foundation, we’ve been able to help a variety of fantastic causes, and we’re looking forward to building on that impact by backing even more grassroots organisations this year.”

Kelly Court, programmes manager at the Community Foundation for Lancashire, said: “The Community Foundation for Lancashire are delighted to be entering another year of partnership with Marsden Building Society.

"As ever, we’re keen to discover which charities and community groups will receive support through their charitable fund this year and experiencing the positive impact those projects will have on local communities across Lancashire.”

The Foundation can consider funding for staffing costs, volunteer costs, activity and operational costs, training costs, as well as small capital items such as equipment and IT. Additionally, a proportion of organisational overheads can also be considered.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Wednesday 6th May 2026. For more information about the Foundation, including more detailed criteria about what the Marsden is looking to support and how to apply, visit www.themarsden.co.uk/our-charitable-foundation.