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Funding for STEM workshops: what UK schools can use now

Funding for STEM enrichment is out there. The hard part is knowing what is open, who can apply, and whether it can actually pay for a workshop. We check the schemes schools ask about every week and give an honest answer on each one.

25 schemes match your filters.

Closing soon

Closing soonPossibly, with conditions

CREST Awards Engage funding

British Science Association (CREST Awards)

Funding to help schools in challenging circumstances run CREST Awards with pupils from groups underrepresented in STEM. Provides a small cash grant plus a matching voucher for CREST Award fees; the money is for running CREST Awards, not for commissioning an external workshop provider.

Amount
£350 grant money plus a voucher covering up to £350 of CREST Award fees (an 'Engage Simply CREST' option also exists, offering the free CREST Award voucher only, with no cash grant)
Who can apply
SchoolSchools in challenging circumstances can apply.
Phases
Primary, Secondary, Post-16
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Closes 20 October 2026 at 17:00 (24 days left)

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Closing soonPossibly, with conditions

British Science Association Curiosity Grant

British Science Association

A £600 cash grant, funded by UK Research and Innovation, for schools in challenging circumstances to help young people engage with research and innovation. Applications close on 4 November 2026 and delivery must finish by 31 July 2027.

Amount
£600 cash grant paid to the school
Who can apply
SchoolSchools that meet the British Science Association's 'schools in challenging circumstances' criteria can apply. The funder says its priorities are more likely to be met by schools working with students aged 11 and over.
Phases
Primary, Secondary, Special, Post-16
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Closes 4 November 2026 at 17:00 (39 days left)

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details

Open now

Open all yearPossibly, with conditions

BlueSpark Foundation grants

BlueSpark Foundation

A registered charity making small grants in England for discrete projects benefiting children and young people aged 5 to 22. A school can apply directly, without a PTA or charitable vehicle.

Amount
Most grants are under £2,000; none are more than £5,000
Who can apply
School, Charity, OtherSchools, community groups, clubs and other not-for-profit organisations are named as typical applicants, and individuals may also apply. The applicant must be resident in England. The project must benefit children or young people aged 5 to 22.
Phases
Primary, Secondary, Post-16
Where
England

Open all year, no fixed deadline

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Open all yearCan pay for a workshop

Edina Trust Science Grant Scheme

Edina Trust

A non-competitive science grant of £1,000 per year for primary and special schools (£500 for junior and infant schools) and £700 for eligible local-authority nurseries, guaranteed for schools in the 11 current local-authority areas. It can be spent on science visits into or out of school, which covers a bought-in science workshop.

Amount
£1,000 primary school science grants (£500 for Junior & Infant schools) and £700 nursery science grants
Who can apply
SchoolThe school (or nursery) in a currently eligible local authority area applies directly using the Trust's grant form; no PTA or charity vehicle is needed.
Phases
Primary, Special, Early years
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland: Belfast City, Halton, North Lanarkshire, Nottingham City, Stoke-on-Trent, North Ayrshire, Inverclyde, Dundee City, Leicester City, Burnley, Swansea

Open all year, no fixed deadline

The Trust lists all 11 current areas under 'Schemes ending: 2026/27'.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Open all yearPossibly, with conditions

Garfield Weston Foundation

Garfield Weston Foundation

A major UK grant-maker funding charities and schools across many sectors, including education. For schools, the Foundation says it mainly supports capital projects such as building work or equipment.

Amount
From £1,000 to several million pounds, depending on the charity's size and scope of work
Who can apply
School, CharityIf your school is a registered charity it can apply directly. Otherwise a registered charity, such as a PTA or Friends group, is the usual route.
Phases
Primary, Secondary, Special, Post-16
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Open all year, no fixed deadline

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Open all yearPossibly, with conditions

Local community foundations

UK Community Foundations

The umbrella body for a UK-wide network of independent local community foundations. It does not itself run a grant programme; a school finds its nearest local foundation by postcode, and that foundation sets its own funds, amounts, eligibility and priorities.

Amount
Varies by local foundation and individual fund; the national UK Community Foundations pages checked do not themselves state a typical amount or range
Who can apply
School, Charity, PTA, OtherEligibility and applicant type (school, PTA, charity or other) depend entirely on the individual local foundation and fund; the national UKCF site sets no universal rule.
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Open all year, no fixed deadline

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details

Allocated funding: no application round

Allocated fundingPossibly, with conditions

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme (England)

Department for Education (DfE), delivered by upper-tier local authorities

Government-funded holiday provision for children from lower-income families. Local authorities receive the money and commission delivery from a range of providers; sessions must combine a meal, physical activity and enriching activities.

Amount
Over £200 million a year to local authorities for 2026 to 2027, as part of a 3-year settlement
Who can apply
Local authorityThe money goes to local authorities, which run HAF themselves or through a coordinator and commission holiday clubs. Schools do not apply for it directly.
Phases
Primary, Secondary
Where
England

Allocated each year, no application round

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Allocated fundingPossibly, with conditions

Pupil Development Grant (Wales)

Welsh Government

Annual grant to Welsh schools and settings, delegated via the local authority based on eligible free-school-meal learner numbers, intended to narrow the attainment gap for disadvantaged learners.

Amount
£1,150 per eligible learner (£116.5 million delegated in total, plus £5.7 million for children looked after)
Who can apply
SchoolDelegated to schools and settings via the local authority based on eligible pupil numbers; there is no competitive application for the core grant.
Phases
Primary, Secondary
Where
Wales

Allocated each year, no application round

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Allocated fundingPossibly, with conditions

Pupil Premium (England)

Department for Education (DfE)

Annual per-pupil grant to English state schools for disadvantaged pupils. It is allocated automatically, not applied for, and must be spent on evidence-informed activities within DfE's menu of approaches, one strand of which is wider-strategies enrichment.

Amount
For the 2026 to 2027 financial year: £1,550 per eligible primary pupil (FSM Ever 6, reception to year 6), £1,100 per eligible secondary pupil (FSM Ever 6, years 7 to 11), £2,690 per looked-after or previously looked-after pupil (Pupil Premium Plus), £360 per eligible service child (Service Premium)
Who can apply
SchoolNo application: schools receive it automatically based on eligible pupils. Pupil premium plus for looked-after children may be managed by the local authority.
Phases
Primary, Secondary
Where
England

Allocated each year, no application round

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Allocated fundingPossibly, with conditions

School Enrichment Opportunities funding (Wales)

Welsh Government

Welsh Government funding passed to local authorities via the Local Authority Education Grant to help schools provide enrichment opportunities for learners, which the guidance says can be delivered by internal or third-party providers.

Amount
The Welsh Government's pages give two figures: £2 million on the landing page and £3 million in the full guidance, shared across local authorities.
Who can apply
Local authorityFunding is paid to local authorities via the LAEG, which decide how it is distributed to schools; a school cannot apply for this directly and should ask its local authority whether it has earmarked any of this funding.
Phases
Primary, Secondary, Special
Where
Wales

Allocated each year, no application round

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details

Closed, or dates not confirmed

Dates not confirmedPossibly, with conditions

Armourers and Brasiers' Company Support for Science in Schools

The Armourers and Brasiers' Company

A City livery company grant of up to £600 for a primary school or up to £1,000 for a secondary school to purchase equipment, deliver science enrichment projects, or support participation in science events and competitions. Applications are generally open for the month of July each year.

Amount
up to £600 for primary schools and up to £1,000 for secondary schools
Who can apply
SchoolThe primary or secondary school applies directly using the relevant online application form; no PTA or charitable vehicle is needed.
Phases
Primary, Secondary
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

No open round confirmed. Check the funder's page for dates.

Applications are generally open for the month of July each year.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
ClosedCan pay for a workshop

EngineeringUK (EUK Education) bursary for Neon activities

EngineeringUK (EUK Education)

A £700 bursary from EngineeringUK for secondary and SEND schools to put towards any Neon quality-assured STEM enrichment activity, including a Hyett-listed session. The 2026 round closed on 20 July 2026.

Amount
£700 for schools with students aged 11+
Who can apply
SchoolSecondary and special schools with students aged 11+ that meet EUK Education's priority schools criteria apply directly. In all-through schools the bursary is for the secondary phase.
Phases
Secondary, Special
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Closed 20 July 2026

EUK says schools can sign up to its newsletter to hear when bursaries reopen. No reopening date is given.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Dates not confirmedPossibly, with conditions

Every Child Can (England)

UK Government, with The National Lottery Community Fund

A national programme announced on 13 June 2026 to fund enriching activities for children in schools and communities, including STEM, but the funding mechanism and how schools or providers can take part have not yet been published.

Amount
£132.5 million nationally; no per-school figure has been published
Who can apply
OtherHow schools and organisations will take part has not yet been published.
Where
England

No open round confirmed. Check the funder's page for dates.

The government says further details, including how to apply, will be published in due course.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Dates not confirmedPossibly, with conditions

IOP, IET and STFC School Grants Scheme

Institute of Physics, with the IET and STFC

A joint Institute of Physics, IET and STFC grant of up to £600 for school projects, events and activities that build young people's interest in physics and engineering. The scheme's application form lists workshop provision as an eligible project type.

Amount
up to £600
Who can apply
SchoolThe school, college or home-school group applies itself. Hyett can supply workshop details, learning objectives and curriculum links to support the bid, but cannot apply on the school's behalf.
Phases
Primary, Secondary, Post-16
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

No open round confirmed. Check the funder's page for dates.

The scheme has three deadlines each academic year. Check the IOP's School Grants Scheme page for the next date.

We could not automatically re-check the funder's page. Last confirmed on 26 September 2026. Confirm with the funder before applying.

See full details
Schemes that cannot pay for a workshop (10)
ClosedCannot pay for a workshop

British Science Association Kick Start Grant

British Science Association

A grant for schools to run their own British Science Week activities. The funder's page says Kick Start Grants are closed for applications; for British Science Week 2027 the Association is running a new Curiosity Grant.

Amount
Not currently offered
Who can apply
School
Phases
Primary, Secondary, Special, Post-16
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Closed 24 November 2025

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Open all yearCannot pay for a workshop

Greggs Foundation

Greggs Foundation

Greggs Foundation's two main programmes are Feeding Brighter Futures, which gives cash grants to schools for breakfast clubs, after-school clubs and holiday provision but has its waiting list for new schools temporarily closed, and the Community Action Fund, which is core funding for not-for-profit community organisations rather than schools. Neither is a route to pay an external STEM workshop provider.

Amount
Feeding Brighter Futures: termly cash grants (amount not stated on the funder's page); Community Action Fund: up to £20,000 per year for up to three years
Who can apply
School, CharityFeeding Brighter Futures grants go to schools already in the Foundation's network; new schools currently sit on a closed waiting list. The Community Action Fund is aimed at not-for-profit community organisations, not schools directly.
Where
England

Open all year, no fixed deadline

The funder's page says to 'keep an eye on our social channels for details on when the waiting list will reopen' for Feeding Brighter Futures; no reopening date is stated (unconfirmed).

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Dates not confirmedCannot pay for a workshop

Henry Smith Foundation Holiday Grants

Henry Smith Foundation

Funds recreational day trips or short residential trips for children aged 13 or under during school holidays. It excludes trips with educational or curriculum-based objectives. The funder says its latest round closed early once the budget was spent.

Amount
£500 to £3,000 per trip, when the programme is open
Who can apply
School, Charity, OtherSchools, youth groups and non-profit organisations with income under £2 million can apply; a school can apply directly with no charity vehicle needed. Applications must be made at least six weeks before the trip.
Phases
Primary, Secondary
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

No open round confirmed. Check the funder's page for dates.

The funder says the programme is closed because its budget has been spent. No reopening date is given.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Open all yearCannot pay for a workshop

National Lottery Awards for All England

The National Lottery Community Fund

A rolling grant of £300 to £20,000 for community projects in England. Schools can apply, but only where a project mainly benefits the wider community rather than pupils, and the funder's own rules exclude curriculum-based activities, anything during the school day, and after-school clubs, so it cannot pay for an in-school STEM workshop.

Amount
£300 to £20,000
Who can apply
School, Charity, PTA, Local authority, OtherA school can be the named applicant, but the project must mainly benefit the wider community, not just pupils, teachers or parents, so a standard in-curriculum booking does not qualify.
Phases
Early years, Primary, Secondary, Special, Post-16
Where
England

Open all year, no fixed deadline

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Allocated fundingCannot pay for a workshop

PE and Sport Premium (England)

Department for Education

An annual per-pupil allocation to primary schools in England for 2026/27, ring-fenced for PE, sport and physical activity. The funder's own conditions of grant say it must not be used for activities within the core curriculum, so it cannot pay for a STEM workshop. The government has separately announced it will be replaced by a centrally-delivered PE and School Sport Partnerships Network from spring 2027.

Amount
A per-pupil allocation to primary schools for 2026 to 2027 (for example, £390 per pupil for schools with 16 or fewer eligible pupils)
Who can apply
SchoolNo application: allocated automatically to eligible primary schools.
Phases
Primary
Where
England

Allocated each year, no application round

The government has announced a PE and School Sport Partnerships Network to replace the premium, fully up and running from spring 2027.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Allocated fundingCannot pay for a workshop

Primary Science Teaching Trust Priority Areas Initiative

Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT)

A Primary Science Teaching Trust initiative for schools in its priority areas, offering up to £1,000 a year towards supply cover or science resources. It is not a route to pay an external provider.

Amount
Up to £1,000 per year for supply cover or science resources
Who can apply
SchoolLimited to schools in PSTT's priority areas.
Phases
Primary
Where
England: Enfield, Medway, Basildon

Allocated each year, no application round

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Dates not confirmedCannot pay for a workshop

Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious grants

Royal Academy of Engineering

A grant of £3,000 to £30,000 for public engagement projects about engineering. Funded activities must be free to access and delivery cannot start until after 1 May 2027. The funder says the scheme opens again in July 2027.

Amount
£3,000 to £30,000
Who can apply
School, Charity, OtherSchools, universities, colleges, youth charities, engagement professionals, arts organisations and SME engineers can all apply; Hyett could supply content and learning objectives to support a bid, but the school or its named partner must submit the application, and the activity itself must be free to attend.
Phases
Primary, Secondary, Post-16
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

No open round confirmed. Check the funder's page for dates.

The funder says the scheme opens again in July 2027.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Dates not confirmedCannot pay for a workshop

Royal Institution Science in Schools funded visits

Royal Institution

A free science show and teacher CPD day delivered by the Royal Institution's own presenters, worth £800, for UK state-funded schools. It is free provision from the funder, not a cash grant a school can spend on an external provider.

Amount
Free visits from Royal Institution presenters, worth £800 (in-kind, not a cash grant)
Who can apply
SchoolA member of school staff involved in teaching a STEM subject applies (or another named school contact); this is not something an external provider such as Hyett can apply for.
Phases
Primary, Secondary
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

No open round confirmed. Check the funder's page for dates.

The Ri asks schools to register interest and says it will contact them when the scheme reopens.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Dates not confirmedCannot pay for a workshop

Royal Society Partnership Grants

The Royal Society

A grant of up to £3,000 for a school or college to run an investigative STEM project with a STEM professional from academia or industry. The funder's own guidance says the money should predominantly buy equipment and explicitly cannot pay for pre-prepared workshops or freelance science communicator fees, so it cannot be used to commission a bought-in STEM workshop.

Amount
Up to £3,000 per project
Who can apply
SchoolThe school or college applies directly, in partnership with a nominated STEM professional from academia or industry (colleges are also eligible, alongside schools).
Phases
Primary, Secondary, Special, Post-16
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

No open round confirmed. Check the funder's page for dates.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Open all yearCannot pay for a workshop

Tesco Stronger Starts

Tesco, administered by Groundwork

A Tesco-funded community grants programme administered by Groundwork. The strand the funder's own site currently promotes as open is the Fruit & Veg Grants strand, aimed at improving children's access to healthy food, not general children's activities or equipment.

Amount
Up to £1,500 (Fruit & Veg Grants strand, currently open)
Who can apply
School, Charity, PTA, OtherSchools, registered charities and not-for-profit organisations supporting children and young people can apply directly to the Fruit & Veg Grants strand; a governing document is required.
Phases
Primary, Secondary
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Open all year, no fixed deadline

The funder's apply page currently shows only the Fruit and Veg Grants strand.

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details
Schemes that have ended (1)
EndedCannot pay for a workshop

Ogden Trust Physics Education Grants

The Ogden Trust

The Ogden Trust's physics education grants scheme has been discontinued. The Trust now allocates its funding through central programmes, principally free physics CPD for teachers, rather than direct grants to schools.

Amount
No longer available
Who can apply
School
Where
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

This scheme has ended

Checked on the funder's website on 26 September 2026.

See full details

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Who applies: the school, not the provider

Almost every scheme expects the school, trust or PTA to apply in its own name. Some funders say so explicitly and will not accept an application submitted by an external provider.

We can provide current workshop details, learning objectives and curriculum links for a grant application; the school remains responsible for checking the fund’s criteria and evidencing its own intended impact.

How to write a strong bid

Focus on impact: how many students will benefit, how it links to curriculum objectives, how it develops cultural capital, and how you will measure outcomes. Include quotes from external providers, evidence from any previous enrichment, and a clear explanation of why the activity requires external funding.

Most small trusts want a one-page application explaining what you want to do, who benefits, and how much it costs. They do not want a 20-page proposal.

Asking your PTA

PTA budgets are usually set at the AGM, often in September or October, so present your proposal before the allocation is finalised. A good proposal covers:

  • What you want to fund (be specific: "a full-day STEM workshop day for all KS2 pupils")
  • What it costs (total figure, not a vague estimate)
  • What pupils will experience (briefly describe the workshops)
  • Why it matters (curriculum links, enrichment, pupil engagement)
  • What the PTA gets in return (recognition in newsletters, a mention on the school website, photos of their funding in action)

Charitable trusts and community funds

Many trusts fund registered charities rather than schools, so the usual route is through your PTA, a Friends group or your trust’s charitable arm. Community funds often ask for a benefit beyond your own pupils in the school day, so an after-school, holiday or family session can fit where a timetabled lesson would not.

Local community foundations and service clubs such as Rotary and Lions are worth asking directly, because what they fund varies from area to area.

Multi-academy trust and local-authority funds

If your school is part of a multi-academy trust, there may be a central enrichment budget or a way of pooling resources across schools. Some local authorities also run enrichment programmes or small grants; they vary by area and change year to year, so ask your authority’s education team what is open now.

Combining sources

The most effective approach is usually a combination: Pupil Premium where your strategy supports it, PTA funding so every child can take part, a grant for a defined project, and a local business sponsoring one high-profile event. Spreading the cost reduces dependence on any single pot.

Frequently asked questions