Funding for individuals
Grants for individuals facing financial hardship, with funds focussed on carers, care leavers and young people with disabilities.
Popular searches
Grants for individuals facing financial hardship, with funds focussed on carers, care leavers and young people with disabilities.
Are you a professional working with individuals or families who are facing financial hardship in Kent or Medway? Kent Community Foundation offers grants for individuals, aimed at providing essential support to those in need - but only through professional referral.
Check the specific fund criteria below, before starting a nomination.
To be eligible for a grant, the nominated individual or family must meet all of the following criteria:
Live in Kent or Medway
Financially disadvantaged - for example, in receipt of benefits, unemployed or in low paid work
Be referred by a professional third party
Require support not covered by statutory services.
Please note: We cannot accept nominations directly from beneficiaries, their family members, or friends.
Professionals who can submit a nomination include (but are not limited to):
Charity workers
Social workers
GPs and specialist doctors
Occupational therapists
Schools e.g. teachers, family liaison officers, SEN support workers
Support workers
We’re here to help. If you’d like to discuss a potential nomination before completing the form, please contact us at individuals@kentcf.org.uk
Available funding for individuals and families
Average grant: £400
Who can be nominated: Young carers aged up to their 18th birthday who care for someone with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or substance dependency. Most care for a parent or sibling.
Purpose of the grant: To help young carers access activities and experiences they may otherwise miss out on, and to support essential capital items (e.g. school uniform – laptops not included).
Examples of grants awarded:
School residential trips
Gym or leisure centre memberships
Dance or theatre classes
After-school clubs and sports kits
Average grant: £500 – £2,000
Who can be nominated: Children and young people up to their 25th birthday, with physical disabilities, long-term illnesses, or life-limiting conditions.
Priority given to: Equipment that improves mental and physical health, and ‘make a wish’ holidays for terminally ill children. Therapy and counselling is not funded.
Examples of grants awarded:
Wheelchair power packs
Specialist buggies and trikes
Sensory toys and therapy benches
Safe furniture, car harnesses, epilepsy alarms
Average grant: £300 – £600
Who can be nominated: Adults caring for one or more individuals over 18, seeking a break from long-term caring responsibilities.
Purpose of the grant: To provide respite and wellbeing support, including travel and modest spending money for overnight stays.
Examples of grants awarded:
Pamper days and day trips
Short holidays or weekend breaks
Evening classes and annual memberships
Average grant: £500 – £1,500
Who can be nominated: Care leavers or care-experienced young people aged 16.5 to 25, moving into independent living.
Purpose of the grant: To support home setup, build confidence, gain life skills, and help young people reach their potential.
Examples of grants awarded:
Home essentials
Therapy and counselling
Driving lessons
Sports memberships and experiences
Grants of £500–£2,000 for young people aged 18–30 in Kent and Medway who are starting a new business or growing one under 2.5 years old. Funding can support essential start-up or development costs, including materials, equipment, prototypes, marketing, training, websites, product development and refurbished IT.
If you're a professional working with someone in financial need in Kent or Medway, you can nominate them for a grant through our online form.
Want to talk it through first? - If you're unsure whether a nomination is suitable, email us at individuals@kentcf.org.uk. We're happy to answer questions or arrange a call to discuss your nomination.
If you're unsure, email individuals@kentcf.org.uk with a short summary of the situation and the type of support needed. We’ll let you know if it’s worth submitting a nomination and can arrange a call if helpful.
Please explain why the individual or family is financially disadvantaged. For example, are they reliant on benefits or currently out of work? List any benefits they receive.
Include the names of all household members, and the first names and ages of any children or young people under 18.
Outline any diagnoses or conditions affecting the nominee or (if relevant) the person they care for. Describe how these impact their daily life and wellbeing.
Be specific. For example:
If requesting equipment for a disabled child, explain how it supports their physical or mental health.
If requesting respite for a carer, describe how the break will help them rest and recharge.
We need enough detail to assess each nomination. If information is missing, we’ll contact you. If we don’t receive the requested details within three weeks, we’ll assume the nomination is no longer being pursued and close the application.
No. All nominations must come from a professional third party with a connection to the nominee. This includes social workers, charity staff, GPs, occupational therapists, Family Liaison Officers, and teachers.
We don’t generally fund family holidays. However, we may consider respite breaks for adult carers that include the cared-for person, if no alternative care is available or if separation would reduce the benefit of the break. Please explain clearly who will be included and why. We can also consider ‘make a wish’ holidays for terminally ill young people up to their 25th birthday.
Care Leavers Fund: Yes, usually, if other local authority grants are not available / have already been used
Other funds: Only if the item directly supports the nominee’s health. For example, a washing machine may be eligible if a child has incontinence.
Wards Estate Agents Charity Fund: May support requests for specialist/tough furniture or beds.
We need evidence of costs to process your nomination. Formal quotes are ideal, but screenshots or website links that show costs may also be acceptable.
Before submitting, talk through the application with the nominee. You’ll need to confirm their consent, what information is being shared with Kent Community Foundation and then agree to terms on their behalf.
No. Grants cannot reimburse costs for items or services already paid for before the date a grant is awarded.
We aim to make decisions within 4–6 weeks of receiving all required information. If your request is time-sensitive (e.g. for a dated activity), apply as early as possible and make it clear in your application. Delays may occur if the nomination is incomplete.
If a grant is awarded, funds will be paid to the nominating organisation to purchase the approved items or services on behalf of the individual or family. In exceptional cases, where the nominating organisation is unable to receive grant funds and purchase items/services, Kent Community Foundation may pay suppliers directly via Invoice with BACS. Grants must never be paid directly to the nominated individual.
Find links to other potential funders, and support organisations who can offer advice.
Read real stories from individuals and families across Kent and Medway who’ve been supported through Kent Community Foundation.
If you’d like guidance before submitting a nomination, our Individuals Grants Officer is here to help.
