Awards and Competitions

This is not a comprehensive list - it contains schemes we've come across or have been asked to publicise. Some involve cash awards, many don't. Some of the non-cash awards and prizes are valuable resources in themselves, or have value because of the publicity, prestige or credibility they bestow - helping your work appear attractive to other funders and investors. We aim to include only those Awards and Competition prizes which have some 'real' value for the recipients.

There are a lot of awards for Arts and individual artists. Other websites produce lists of these awards and links to these are listed separately at the bottom of this page

• B&Q One Planet Living Awards
  - UK and Ireland. The B&Q One Planet Living Grant offers between £50 and £250 of B&Q materials to schools, community groups and charitable organisations for long-term sustainable projects. Projects must support at least one of the following themes: save energy, conserve nature, support local culture & heritage or grow your own. Applications must be from a school, registered charitable organisation or other recognised community group. Projects can apply for funding between 1 February 2010 and 30 September 2010 and successful projects must collect their materials no later than 31 October 2010.
• Beacon Awards
  - UK. Beacon awards annual prizes to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to charitable causes or to organisations that benefit the public. There are seven categories and an additional overall prize. The overall prize winner will receive £30,000 to donate to the charity of their choice. Closing date for nominations is 16 April 2010.
• Biffaward
  - UK but within 10 mile radius of a landfill site. A Landfill Communities Fund scheme. Main grants £5,000 – £50,000 and small grants £250 - £5,000 for projects that provide and improve community facilities, and projects that conserve wildlife species and habitats. No deadlines.
• Enterprising Britain
  - UK. Enterprising Britain is a nationwide competition to find the most enterprising place in the UK - a location where enterprise is creating jobs and transforming communities. Entry is free and is open to any location in the UK (city, town, village or neighbourhood) that can demonstrate the impact that enterprise has made over the last two years. There are five categories. The closing date for entries is 31 May 2010.
• Government Opportunities (GO) Awards
  - UK. The GO Awards (Government Opportunities Magazine)– aim to recognise excellence within procurement, and the benefits to the wider business and social community that smart, effective and sustainable purchasing can deliver. Various categories. Open to public, private and third sector. Closing date 16 April 2010.
• Healthy Heart Grants
  - UK. For innovative projects designed to promote heart health and to prevent or reduce the risks of heart disease in specific groups or communities. Grants of up to £10,000 are available to community groups, voluntary organisations and researchers who are spreading the healthy heart message. Applications are only accepted during January and February, and July and August.
• Homes and Communities Academy Awards 2010
  - England ONLY. Nine categories. Awards identify and celebrate the very best projects that have combined innovation and dedication to improve communities, making them more sustainable. The awards promote a number of priorities essential to the achievement of better places, from affordable rural housing and low carbon living to investing in skills and building cohesion. Deadline 30.04.10.
• Howard League Community Programmes Awards 2010
  - UK. Annual awards to celebrate best practice in community sentencing and champion the cutting edge of the criminal justice system, with work in the community that challenges and changes people for the better – be it unpaid work, drug and alcohol treatment programmes, or restorative justice. Various categories. Closing date: 4 May 2010.
• Learndirect Achievement Awards 2010
  - ENGLAND,WALES and N.IRELAND. The learndirect Achievement Awards were created to celebrate the achievements of learners, employers and learndirect learning centres. Categories in the competition are: individual learner; business and learner support awards. Closing date 26 March 2010.
• Making Music Awards, Bursaries and Prizes
  - Throughout the year Making Music makes a number of awards, bursaries and prizes to individual musicians, groups and organisations in both the voluntary and professional sector. Some of these, such as the Philip & Dorothy Green Award for Young Concert Artists and Composer in Residence, the Raymond Fox and Alfreda Hodgson Bursaries, are aimed at young professional musicians at the beginning of their careers. Others such as the Sir Charles Groves Prizes recognise lifelong contributions to the musical life of the UK.
• Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health Awards
  - UK. The Awards are to celebrate innovative approaches to health and wellbeing. In 2010, the following awards are open for application: lifecycle; country; survivor; student essay prize; practice based commissioning award; primary care trust award. Deadline for applications is 1 May 2010.
• Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
  - UK. Recognises outstanding commitment and contribution to local communities by groups of volunteers (two or more people). No deadlines - nominations are considered at any point within three years of being submitted and are awarded annually on 2 June.
• TPAS Cymru Participation Award
  - Wales. Open to all tenants and residents groups, social landlords, local authorities and managing partners that are members of TPAS Cymru. Recognises good work done by those involved in tenant participation. Various categories. Closing date: 24 March 2010.
• UnLtd's Millennium Awards
  - UK. Practical and financial support to social entrepreneurs in the UK. two levels of award: Level 1: Awards of between £500 and £5,000 (expected average of £2,000) Level 2: Awards of between £10,000 and £20,000 (expected average of £15,000). 10 cycles of Awards each year.
• v Match Fund
  - England ONLY. Young people (16 – 25) and volunteering. The vMatch Fund brings together private sector partners and charities to create innovative volunteering opportunities with clear community benefits. The Fund matches up to 100% of any new investment in youth volunteering.
• Val Feld Women & Homelessness Award
  - WALES. The award from Shelter Cymru is presented annually to recognise innovation and new ways of responding to women in housing need. The winner receives a bronze sculpture designed by Welsh artist Helen Sinclair and prize money of £3,000. Closing date 31 May 2010.
• Wales Volunteer of the Year
  - Wales ONLY. The Wales Volunteer of the Year Awards is an annual opportunity to reward people who have made an outstanding contribution to their community. There are five categories for nominations and three winners in each category. Closing date 23 April 2010.
• Wessex Charity Awards
  - Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Dorset, Wiltshire, West Sussex and West Surrey ONLY. Open to any charity or not-for-profit organisation. You can nominate your own charity, or a charity that has given you outstanding service, or someone you know that has made a real difference. There are five categories: Charity of the Year, Chief Executive of the Year, Fundraising Team of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Trustee Board of the Year. Nominations for 2010 open in March 2010.
• WRG Communities Challenge
  - Funding is available for projects which comply with Object D of the Landfill Communities Fund (previously known as the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme).Organisations and groups are invited to bid for funding of between £75,000 and £250,000 for capital projects which will make a real difference to their community.

Arts and Artists

• Artquest
  - Free information and advice for London's visual artists and craftspeople. The site includes information on a range of awards, grants and funding opportunities which those outside London will also find of interest.
• Book Trust
  - Literature. Booktrust administers a number of book prizes and awards that celebrate the best books for readers of all ages.
• British Arts
  - Visual arts. A calendar of current competitions for the visual arts is maintained on this site.
• Crafts Council
  - Crafts. A searchable directory of current awards and competitions for crafts.
• Literature Training
  - Literature. The funding section of this site contains information on various awards for professional development.
• Musicians Benevolent Fund
  - Music. Awards, Scholarships and Competitions for Young Musicians.
• Poetry Library
  - Literature. A list of current poetry competitions is available on this site.
• Scottish Book Trust
  - Literature. Makes awards for readings, workshops and residencies as well as new and imaginative ways of working with writers. Also runs the Royal Mail Awards for Scottish children’s books annually.
• Society of Authors
  - Literature. The Society of Authors administers numerous prizes, funds and grants.