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Small Grants, Big Change: How Theirworld Is Helping End the Global Education Crisis

Around the world, millions of children are still denied something that should never be out of reach: a quality education. Poverty, conflict, displacement, disability, gender inequality, and lack of resources continue to prevent young people from accessing safe learning environments, essential support services, and opportunities to develop the skills they need for the future.

At the heart of every resilient community is a belief that children deserve the tools to thrive. But for organisations working on the frontlines the volunteers, local charities, grassroots groups, and community activists passion alone is not enough. They need resources, support, and partnerships to bring their bold ideas to life.

This is the mission of Theirworld’s Small Grants Programme is to provide small but strategic investments that unlock education, wellbeing, and opportunity for children and young people across the UK and around the world. For nearly two decades, this programme has shown that small grants can lead to big impact by empowering organisations rooted in their communities to solve the problems they know best.

In this blog, we explore the programme’s purpose, its impact, and how organisations can apply this year.

Why Small Grants Matter

When many people think of grant funding, they imagine large multi‑million‑pound awards from big institutions or government bodies. While such funding is essential, it is often out of reach for smaller organisations whose projects may not yet be well known or large enough to attract major funding streams.

This is where small grants play a truly vital role.

Small grants:

Enable quick and flexible responses to emerging needs
Offer accessible entry points for grassroots organisations
Help pilot innovative ideas that can later grow into larger programmes
Reduce bureaucratic barriers that often discourage smaller charities
Empower local leaders who understand their community’s unique challenges

Theirworld recognised this need early on and in response, launched the Small Grants Programme in 2004 with the aim of helping community organisations do what they do best: make a measurable difference in children’s lives.

A Shared Vision: What Drives the Small Grants Programme

Theirworld’s mission is rooted in the belief that every child deserves a quality education and the opportunity to reach their full potential. This mission is guided by three core priorities:

The best start in life — ensuring all children have early access to learning and development opportunities.

A safe place to learn — advocating for education systems where children feel secure, supported, and included.

Skills for the future — equipping young people with the competencies and confidence they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. (theirworld.org)

However, achieving this vision requires partnerships that extend beyond Theirworld’s direct programmes. Local and voluntary organisations are often the first to respond when children face adversity, yet they frequently struggle to secure funding to sustain or expand their work. The Small Grants Programme was created to help fill this gap by providing targeted, accessible grants of £1,000 to £10,000 to registered charities and non‑profits working with young people. (theirworld.org)

These funds are intentionally designed to be nimble, allowing organisations to apply for and receive funding more quickly than they might for larger, more restrictive grants. Whether it is starting a mentorship programme, opening doors to literacy interventions, or creating supportive spaces for emotional wellbeing, small grants can catalyse significant change.

Impact That Goes Beyond the Numbers

Since its inception in 2004, Theirworld’s Small Grants Programme has awarded just under £1 million to organisations working to improve the lives of thousands of children and young people around the world.

Those figures, while impressive, only tell part of the story. Behind each grant is a community empowered, a classroom strengthened, or a child given a chance they might not otherwise have had. These grants have supported projects ranging from literacy and numeracy initiatives to health and wellbeing programmes, mentorship schemes, refuge and protection services, and beyond.

The programme’s reach spans continents and cultures. In the UK, it has supported literacy efforts in areas where English is not the first language for many young people and healthy breakfast initiatives for homeless children. Beyond the UK, small grants have helped organisations working with refugee children in Greece, supported girls’ education in Zambia and Uganda, and funded early learning and teacher retention efforts in countries throughout sub‑Saharan Africa.

What unites all of these efforts is a commitment to leveraging small investments to produce lasting, community-level impact.

What Makes Small Grants Successful

Several shared factors help explain why small grants often have outsized impact:

Local knowledge and trust: Grantee organisations are deeply embedded in their communities and understand nuanced challenges and opportunities.

Flexibility: Small grants allow organisations to respond to immediate needs or pilot innovative approaches without the long timelines or rigid criteria that accompany larger funding mechanisms.

Capacity building: Even modest amounts of funding can help organisations refine their programmes, document results, and build credibility — often unlocking larger funding opportunities in the future.

Connection to broader vision: Grants are awarded to organisations whose work aligns with Theirworld’s belief in quality education, safe learning environments, and future-ready skills.

Through this approach, small grants create a ripple effect: supporting children directly while strengthening the local organisations that serve them. This dual impact is what makes the programme so transformative.

How to Apply: Small Grants Programme 2026

Applications for the 2026 Small Grants Programme are now open. Organisations interested in applying should carefully review the eligibility criteria and ensure their project aligns with the initiative’s aims to improve education and youth outcomes.

Before starting a full application, organisations must complete an eligibility check using the form provided by Theirworld. You can begin the process here: https://theirworld.org/small-grants-eligibility-check/

Completing the eligibility check is the first step in the online application process. It helps demonstrate that your organisation and proposed project meet the core requirements of the Small Grants Programme.

Important Dates

Application Deadline: 16 February 2026, 5:00 pm (GMT)

Q&A webinars are being held in early February to guide applicants through the process and answer questions.

Theirworld’s eligibility and application process is deliberately structured to ensure clarity, fairness, and accessibility for organisations of all sizes and locations.

Tips for a Strong Application

If you are considering applying to the Small Grants Programme this year, keep the following best practices in mind:

Be clear about your project goals: Clearly articulate what your project aims to achieve, who it will benefit, and how it aligns with the programme’s focus areas.

Demonstrate need and impact: Provide compelling evidence of the need for your project and how the grant will make a measurable difference.

Include a realistic budget: Detail how funds will be used and why those resources will lead to positive results for children and young people.

Share your organisation’s story: Describe your organisation’s mission, history, and track record so reviewers understand your capacity to deliver.

Looking Ahead: Transforming Lives, One Grant at a Time

Theirworld’s Small Grants Programme demonstrates that meaningful change does not require enormous sums of money. Strategic, well-targeted funding can unlock innovation, strengthen local organisations, and improve opportunities for children whose voices are too often unheard.

Small grants do more than fund projects, they validate the vision and dedication of local changemakers. They show that even modest investments, when targeted wisely, can change the trajectory of a child’s life. They empower communities, support teachers, build confidence in children and young people, and create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the initial investment.

If your organisation works with children or young people, this is an opportunity to bring your idea to life and be part of a global movement to end the education crisis.

Start your application today: https://theirworld.org/small-grants-eligibility-check/

Together, we can ensure that every child has the best start in life, a safe place to learn, and the skills they need for the future. Through these small grants, Theirworld is proving that with the right support, small steps can create big change.