£30m grant scheme for small and medium charities opens for applications

A £30m grant scheme supporting small and medium-sized organisations working in the developing world opened this week.

UK Aid Direct, administered by the Department for International Development (DfID), will run over five years with a total of £30 million in new grants available to small and medium charities in the first year.

The application process is designed to support smaller NGOs, and will offer "a tailored advice and guidance service" to those applying for DfID funding for the first time, the department said.

International development secretary Justine Greening launched the fund in Cardiff at the first in a series of nationwide ‘DfID Direct’ roadshows aimed at encouraging smaller charities to make the most of funding from the department.

Greening said: “I am proud that Britain already supports hundreds of small and medium-sized UK charities whose vital work is improving lives across the world.

“British expertise is getting children into school, fighting deadly diseases and helping people earn a living in some of the world’s poorest places.

“The launch of UK Aid Direct means we can work hand in hand with fantastic smaller charities that have a unique ability to identify needs, build relationships and tackle specific issues at a grassroots level.”

DfID has also launched a new online funding finder tool that will make it even easier for organisations to identify funding opportunities.