** NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS **
The Living Essentials Fund will support charitable organisations that are helping people with unaffordable essentials such as homelessness, food insecurity and warmth as well as debt advice.
We are seeking grant proposals which deliver one or more of these outcomes:
- Preventative solutions that help individuals build financial stability
- Support for community resilience, including mitigating summer heat or autumn/winter cold
- Basic services for those in crisis to prevent them slipping into greater need
- Schemes that improve home comfort and efficiency and address housing insecurity
The following are examples of the types of activities we are looking to see in applications. However, we welcome applications for activities beyond these.
- Debt advice, benefit and practical advice, particularly around reducing energy or housing costs
- Drop-in centres, including thermally comfortable spaces, lunch clubs, social clubs and family support groups
- Practical advice on keeping homes a comfortable temperature (cool in summer or warm in winter)
- Food and meal distribution, clothing and accommodation
Legal status
- Registered Charity
- Charitable Incorporated Organisation
- Charitable Company (Limited by Guarantee)
- Community Interest Company
- Community Benefit Society
- A Constituted but Unincorporated Club or Association (i.e. it has a constitution but is not one of the other entities listed above)
Organisation
- Already operating in Oxfordshire
- At least one year of operation; if constituted for less than one year but active for longer, evidence should be provided
- Have at least three trustees/committee members/directors who are not related to each other
- A safeguarding policy and procedures – recommended for all, but essential if you work with children, young people or vulnerable adults
- Up-to-date monitoring and reporting to OCF for any previous grants received from OCF
Finances
- Income under £500,000 (Note: 10% of grant funds are ring-fenced for grants to organisations with an income under £50,000 per year)
- Have a bank account in its own name with at least two unrelated signatories, open for three months or more
- Have at least three months’ running costs in reserves (if they are more than 12 months, an explanation may be requested)
- Up-to-date accounts – annual accounts for the financial year ending 31st March 2025, plus management accounts or an income/expenditure document covering the last 12 months, as provided most recently to your trustees/directors or equivalent, i.e. reporting on data up to at least 30th September 2025.
Oxfordshire branches of national groups can apply if they meet all three of the following criteria (in addition to the other eligibility criteria):
- You are an independent branch already operating in Oxfordshire
- Your Oxfordshire branch has its own bank account with at least two unrelated signatories, that has been open for 3 months or more
- You have a local management committee
If you do not meet any of the above criteria, unfortunately we will not be able to progress your application.
To self-check if you are eligible, use the eligibility questionnaire.
We are looking to support those who are already disadvantaged. This list is not exhaustive, but examples include those on low incomes, isolated older people, minoritised ethnic groups, people with mental and physical health challenges, asylum seekers or recent migrants, and people with a nomadic lifestyle, such as Gypsy, Traveller and Roma.
Grant period – 1st December 2025 to 30th November 2026
Grants round opens – 29th October 2025
Grants round closes – Midday on 26th November 2025
Funding decisions announced – w/c 12th January 2026
Successful applicants provide required financial and governance evidence – by 19th January 2026
Grants paid – by 31st January (contingent on financial and governance evidence being received and due diligence being completed)
Please note
Our Grants team are currently experiencing a high demand for our grants rounds that are currently in progress. If we receive a large number of applications for the Living Essentials Fund, we may have to extend our timelines for the stages of this grants round, which we will communicate. However, we will ensure that every application submitted by the published closing date is fairly assessed, and that all payments are made by the end of March 2026.
Apply online using the form from 29th October to midday 26th November 2025.
We will be offering an online and in-person drop-in session to answer any specific questions you may have about your application.
10 min online drop-in session
Tuesday 11th November: 2pm – 3.30pm. Book a slot here
15 min in-person drop-in session
Friday 14th November: 3pm – 5.30pm. Book a slot here
Pop into our office and meet the team. We are located a 5-minute walk from the Westgate shopping centre, Gloucester Green bus station and Oxford train station. Find our address details here
If you are unable to make either of the sessions above then please get in contact with our Grants team and they’ll be glad to have a chat and answer any questions you may have.
Grants team telephone: 07927 539699
Main office telephone: 01865 798666
Email: grants@oxfordshire.org