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We help donors to give more impactfully and charities to build their resilience so they can do more of their life-changing work.

Personal giving From one-off donations to long-term giving, or designing your personal philanthropic strategy, we work together to help you realise your giving ambitions. Corporate giving You have the vision for making a difference. So do we. We help you plan how to give based on your goals. Services for charities Helping your charity or social enterprise become more resilient. Insights Discover the latest insights for donors and charitable organisations to help create a greater impact About us We are a leading charity, working at the centre of the giving world. We help donors to give more impactfully and charities to build their resilience so they can do more of their life-changing work. Donate  
 
 
 

Personal giving

From one-off donations to long-term giving, or designing your personal philanthropic strategy, we work together to help you realise your giving ambitions.

DISCOVER OUR PERSONAL GIVING SOLUTIONS

Corporate giving

You have the vision for making a difference. So do we. We help you plan how to give based on your goals.

DISCOVER OUR CORPORATE GIVING SOLUTIONS

Services for charities

Helping your charity or social enterprise become more resilient.

DISCOVER HOW WE SUPPORT CHARITIES

Insights

Discover the latest insights for donors and charitable organisations to help create a greater impact

Explore

About us

We are a leading charity, working at the centre of the giving world. We help donors to give more impactfully and charities to build their resilience so they can do more of their life-changing work.

Find out more about CAF

Building Resilience Programme

A programme of funding and support for social purpose organisations working to preserve and protect freshwater ecosystems.

Programme overview


Who it is for

UK social purpose organisations working to preserve and protect freshwater ecosystems 

Grant size

£40,000-£70,000

50% unrestricted, 50% restricted to resilience-building activity

Tailored support

One-to-one support and impact consultancy

Practical tools

Peer learning opportunities

Programme length

2026-2028

Application deadline

15 June 2026, 12:00pm

Applicant webinar:

Watch our Applicant Webinar for more detail on tailored support, eligibility criteria, the application process and programme timelines. Watch the recording here.

Strengthening the organisations protecting the UK’s freshwater environments 

Our latest round of the Building Resilience Programme aims to support small and medium‑sized social purpose organisations working to protect and preserve the UK’s freshwater ecosystems. The programme will help these organisations to strengthen their resilience so they can thrive for the long term.  

By resilience, we mean the ability to survive and adapt in a changing environment. This might mean recovering quickly from setbacks, responding confidently to challenges or taking advantage of opportunities as they arise.  

The programme combines funding with practical, tailored support to build strong foundations for sustainable impact. 

We define social purpose organisations as any organisation – non-profit, for-profit or hybrid – that is working toward charitable purposes and in the public benefit. Find out more about who can apply below. 

Freshwater ecosystems play a crucial role in providing clean water, supporting biodiversity and helping communities adapt to climate change. Despite this, they are among the most threatened environments in the UK.  

Almost all freshwater habitats are affected by pollution and one in four freshwater species is now listed as rare or threatened. 

Research has also shown that charities working on freshwater issues receive less funding from UK foundations and lotteries than many other environmental causes. This programme aims to help address this gap.  

While we recognise the importance of organisations improving access to clean drinking water, this programme is specifically focused on charities whose main purpose is protecting of freshwater ecosystems. 

Who can apply

The programme is open to social purpose organisations that:  

  • Are registered in the UK as a charitable or non‑profit organisation (for example, a registered charity, Community Interest Company, Community Benefit Society or company limited by guarantee) 
  • Have a total income between £250,000 and £1.5 million in your most recent set of accounts 
  • Have a clear mission focused on protecting and preserving UK freshwater ecosystems 
  • Have appropriate policies and procedures in place to meet legal and ethical responsibilities, including strong safeguarding measures 
  • Have the ability and willingness to actively participate in a structured programme of support over two years

Please read our application guidance (linked below) in full before you apply.

 

Five people having a discussion

How the support is structured

The resilience support is delivered through three interconnected strands: core resilience activities, rolling resilience activities and bespoke consultancy. Your involvement with the rolling activities and consultancy is flexible and led by you, so you can take part at a level that fits your organisation’s capacity and priorities.

 

Core resilience activities


  • Programme essentials webinars
  • Resilience analysis and goal setting

Rolling resilience activities


  • Self-directed resilience work
  • Peer learning sessions and webinars
  • One-to-one support

Bespoke consultancy


  • Tailored consultancy focused on specific resilience priorities

How the funding works 

You can apply for between £40,000 and £70,000 over two years. We encourage you to request an amount that reflects your ambition and proportionate for your organisation.

Unrestricted funding (50%) 

This funding is to be used in ways that best supports your organisation’s mission, to create the time and capacity to engage with the programme. 

Resilience funding (50%) 

This funding is to be ring-fenced for work that directly strengthens your resilience. You will not need to submit a detailed spending plan for this part of the grant. 

Grants will be paid in two instalments:

  • 60% paid following award confirmation and due diligence
  • 40% paid on receipt of a light-touch Year 1 progress report

How to apply

The application process has two stages:
1. Online application form. Deadline: 15 June 2026, 12:00pm
2. Calls with shortlisted organisations: 27 July – 21 August 2026

Applicant webinar  

Watch our Applicant Webinar for more detail on tailored support, eligibility criteria, the application process and programme timelines. Watch the recording here.

 

Application guidance

Read our application guidance for a full overview of the programme and how to apply.

Apply now