Support Grants
Who can apply
Who can apply
Grant value
Location
Funding scope
Here are some examples of what Macmillan will and will not fund as part of Support Grant funding.
The below is not an exhaustive list and we are keen to encourage new ideas and new ways of doing things.
What we can fund
- Initial room hire costs and refreshments
- Events e.g. cancer awareness
- Group outings/celebrations
- Volunteer expenses
- Signposting information
- Information stands
- Community projects
- Education sessions for people living with cancer
- Physical activity linked to personalised care such as prehabilitation, rehabilitation and wellbeing
- IT Equipment
- If you are a Macmillan Professional, please discuss any requests for IT equipment (such as tablets and mobile phone devices), with your local Macmillan contact first. There may be other funding available to cover this, for example something may have been included in your original grant around non-salary costs.
- Any requests for IT equipment from Macmillan professionals should clearly demonstrate how they enhance care or support to people living with cancer.
- If you are not a Macmillan professional, IT equipment funding would usually be for something over and above your normal obligations to provide equipment to carry out the core work of your organisation and should enhance care or support to people living with cancer. Please consider whether donated funds are the most appropriate route to fund this type of request.
What we cannot fund
- Activities that do not specifically benefit people living with cancer
- Carer’s support, bereavement support
- Salaries, on-costs, and overheads
- Anything not in line with Macmillan’s charitable objectives and constitution
- Learning and Development for professionals (Including online HOPE facilitator training, printing of HOPE manuals and HOPE worksheets, HOPE delivery costs e.g., room hire, refreshments)
- Retrospective funding
- Holidays for groups or individuals
- Activities that support fundraising
- Mobile device contracts and software
- Any consultancy work that Macmillan would be the direct beneficiary of
Please review all Macmillan funding grants available as although there are exclusions on this list for Support Grants, we may be able to provide funding for interventions through other funding streams.
Bottoms Up support group
'I run a Support Group for Bowel/Bladder/Prostate Cancer patients called Bottoms Up, and we have received a Macmillan Support Grant in the past, which has been a great help in the upkeep of support to many local patients.
We support up to 70 past and present patients, and their carers, with 20-30 attending our monthly meetings. The grant enabled us to buy essential equipment for the group, which made continuity of our meetings much easier.
Thank you so much Macmillan!' - John Whelpton, Bottoms Up
Eligibility criteria
Macmillan’s grants have standard eligibility criteria, however, some grants also have additional funding criteria. It is important that you read all available information for the particular grant type before applying.
Eligibility criteria when applying for a Support Grant:
- You have not received a Support Grant application in the previous 12 month period.
- If you have received a Support Grant previously, the funding period for the previous Support Grant must have ended.
- You have no outstanding evaluations from previously approved Support Grants.
- You are not applying for items or activities that have previously been funded through a Macmillan Support Grant.
To find out more information about the standard eligibility criteria, visit the Macmillan funding grants hub page.
How to apply
To apply for a Support Grant, please follow these steps:
- Check eligibility: Ensure you meet the criteria for a Support Grant. You can take our simple eligibility quiz [opens a form in a new tab]
- Contact Macmillan: Get in touch with your Macmillan representative to discuss your proposal further and request an application form
- Complete your application: Once received, complete all sections of the application and submit to Macmillan for review
- Review and approval: Macmillan will review your application and notify you of the outcome
Contact information
Your Macmillan representative is your main point of contact. If you are unsure who your Macmillan representative is, please get in touch with ServiceOpsGrants@macmillan.org.uk