Community organisations, charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises across Halton and St Helens are being invited to discover new funding opportunities and meet funders face-to-face at a major Funders Festival next month.
Halton & St Helens VCA will bring together a wide range of funders, community investors and organisations offering funding advice and support at its Funders Festival on Thursday 24 September 2026 at Norton Priory Museum and Gardens in Runcorn.
The event will run from 10.30am until 3.30pm and is designed to give organisations an opportunity to meet funders directly, ask questions about their projects, understand funding priorities and develop their fundraising knowledge.
The programme will include a funders marketplace, workshops, networking opportunities and a peer-support café.
A wide range of funders and support organisations will be represented, including The National Lottery Community Fund, John Moores Foundation, Asda Foundation, Livv Investment, Coalfields Regeneration Trust, Halton Housing, Capacity, Kindred and Community Foundation, alongside many other funders and organisations supporting the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector.
Sally Yeoman MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Halton & St Helens VCA, said:
“We know that community organisations across Halton and St Helens have fantastic ideas and are doing incredible work every single day, but finding the right funding and knowing how to approach funders can sometimes be a real challenge.
“Our Funders Festival is about breaking down those barriers and bringing people together in one place. It gives organisations the chance to meet funders face-to-face, ask questions, explore opportunities and build relationships that could make a real difference to their work and the communities they support.
“We want organisations to come along with their ideas, their questions and their ambitions. You don't need to have a finished funding application – this is an opportunity to start conversations, gain confidence and find out what might be possible.”
The event follows the success of previous VCA funder events and forms part of the organisation's wider support for the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector.
Halton & St Helens VCA provides funding advice and support to organisations seeking to identify appropriate funding, become “funding ready” and develop successful applications.
The National Lottery Community Fund is among the organisations attending. Its current Reaching Communities programme supports projects that strengthen communities and improve lives, with priorities including tackling disadvantage, supporting children and young people, addressing health inequalities and environmental sustainability.
Organisations do not need to be experienced fundraisers to attend.
Whether they are looking for their first grant, developing a major project, trying to diversify their income or simply want to understand what funding is available, the festival provides an opportunity to speak directly with organisations that can help.
Book your place here: https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?id=684&reset=1