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Best grant and bid writing courses for UK charities in 2026
July 7, 2026
⚡TL;DR — The Short Answer
Winning grants for your charity takes more than a well-written letter. The right training makes a real difference.
UK charities work across three funder families: trusts and foundations, statutory and lottery funders, and corporate community funds.
The Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIoF) offers the closest thing to a recognised UK qualification in bid writing and trust fundraising.
The Directory of Social Change (DSC) and NCVO both run well-regarded UK-specific courses from around £100 to £400.
Charity Excellence provides free bid-writing templates and funder guidance for small charities.
Global online options (Coursera, Skillshare) are accessible but US-centric: pair them with UK-specific training for jurisdiction fit.
Grant writing is not just about putting words on paper. It is about turning your charity's vision into fundable projects that resonate with the people who award grants. Competition is fierce, and even strong applications can be overlooked without the right approach.
That is where bid writing and grant writing training comes in. Good courses teach you to speak the language of funders, craft proposals that hold attention, and manage grant relationships over the long term. Whether you want to build in-house capacity or move into a specialist bid-writing role, there is a course that fits your situation.
This guide covers the best options available to UK charities in 2026, from recognised professional qualifications to free online resources, along with an honest take on who each one suits. Before diving in, it helps to understand how the UK funding landscape works.
Understand the UK grant landscape before picking a course
The UK charity funding landscape differs from other countries in ways that matter for any training you undertake.
Registered charity status matters. Most UK trusts and statutory funders require applicants to be a registered charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR in Scotland, or CCNI in Northern Ireland, or at minimum to be recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid purposes. Some funders accept CICs, community interest companies and unincorporated associations for smaller grants, but most significant pots are reserved for registered charities. If your organisation is not yet registered, that is the first step before any grant application.
The UK has three broad funder families, and good training covers all of them:
Trusts and foundations. The largest family in terms of number of funders. Examples include Garfield Weston, Esmée Fairbairn, the Lloyds Bank Foundation, and the Tudor Trust. Applications are typically written proposals submitted by post or online portal. This is what most people mean by "grant writing" in the UK voluntary sector. NCVO calls this "trust fundraising."
Statutory and lottery funders. National Lottery Community Fund, Arts Council England, UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and local-authority grant programmes. These often use detailed application forms, logic models, and outcome frameworks. Applications to these bodies are frequently called "bids" rather than proposals, which is why "bid writing" is the more common term in the statutory space.
Corporate community funds. Programmes run by banks, supermarkets, and retailers (Tesco Community Grants, Aviva Community Fund, etc.). Usually smaller pots with lighter application requirements.
A note on terminology. In the UK voluntary sector, "bid writer," "grant writer," and "trust fundraiser" are used interchangeably depending on context. "Bid writing" is the dominant term for statutory and lottery applications; "trust fundraising" is the sector phrase for trust and foundation work. This guide uses both.
Best UK bid writing and grant writing courses in 2026
1. Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIoF) qualifications and short courses
The Chartered Institute of Fundraising is the UK's professional body for fundraisers and the closest equivalent to a sector-recognised qualification route for bid writers. CIoF offers:
Short courses and webinars on trust fundraising, writing compelling proposals, and bid writing for statutory funders. These are typically half-day or full-day sessions, delivered online or in person.
Certificate in Fundraising and Diploma in Fundraising qualifications, which cover the full fundraising mix including trust and statutory income. Both are CPD-accredited and sit within a structured qualification framework.
An active CPD scheme that allows members to log learning from third-party providers.
Who it suits: anyone working in or moving into a UK charity fundraising role. The Certificate is the most relevant starting qualification for someone new to the sector; the Diploma suits experienced fundraisers seeking formal recognition.
Delivery: online and in-person; course calendar updated regularly on the CIoF website.
Pricing: short courses typically £100 to £300 for members; higher for non-members. Certificate and Diploma fees are published on the CIoF qualifications pages. Verify current fees before enrolling.
Counts toward CIoF CPD: yes, by definition.
Honest take: CIoF training is grounded in UK sector practice, built around UK funders and UK charity law. For a UK bid writer, this is the most directly relevant qualification route available. The professional membership community is an added benefit, particularly for networking with other fundraisers facing the same challenges.
2. Directory of Social Change (DSC) bid writing and trust fundraising training
The Directory of Social Change has been training UK charity professionals for decades and is one of the most respected names in UK voluntary-sector learning. DSC runs courses specifically on:
Writing successful trust and foundation applications
Bidding for National Lottery Community Fund grants
Writing tenders and statutory funding bids
Developing a funding strategy
Courses are available online and in person, typically one to two days. DSC also publishes the UK's most comprehensive funder databases and directories, and their training is closely integrated with understanding how to research and approach specific funders.
Who it suits: charity staff at any level who work on trust fundraising or statutory bids. DSC courses are particularly strong on practical application, with worked examples drawn from real UK funders.
Delivery: online (live) and in-person in London and other UK locations.
Pricing: typically £150 to £350 per course depending on length and member status. Verify current prices on the DSC website before booking.
Counts toward CIoF CPD: yes, most DSC courses qualify as CPD.
Honest take: DSC is the go-to provider for UK-specific grant and bid writing training. If you can only take one external course, a DSC trust fundraising or National Lottery bidding course will give you the most directly applicable UK skills. Their funder-database knowledge means the training is grounded in real UK funders, not hypothetical examples.
3. NCVO training and learning
NCVO (the National Council for Voluntary Organisations) offers a range of training courses aimed specifically at small-to-mid UK charities and community organisations. Relevant courses include bid writing, funding strategy, and understanding the grant landscape. NCVO training is designed for the kinds of organisations that make up most of the UK voluntary sector: charities run partly or wholly by volunteers, with limited paid-staff capacity.
Who it suits: small charities and community groups, volunteer-led organisations, and trustees who want to understand funding strategy without committing to a full professional qualification.
Delivery: primarily online, with some in-person sessions.
Pricing: NCVO membership brings discounted access to training. Verify current course fees on the NCVO website.
Counts toward CIoF CPD: yes, where relevant.
Honest take: NCVO training is practical and accessible, written for people who are not full-time fundraisers. If your charity is small and your bid writing is done by a trustee or part-time staff member, NCVO courses will feel familiar and relevant in a way that more commercial programmes may not.
4. Charity Excellence Framework (free resources and training)
Charity Excellence (run by Ian McLintock) is a free UK charity community of around 50,000 members, primarily small charities and community groups. It offers:
A large library of free bid-writing templates and application guides
A free funder database with search by cause, geography, and funder type
Practical how-to guides on writing trust applications, National Lottery bids, and statutory tenders
A community forum where members share bid-writing experience
Who it suits: small charities and volunteer-led groups that need practical tools without a training budget. Charity Excellence is particularly strong on helping smaller organisations that are new to grant seeking.
Delivery: entirely online and free of charge.
Pricing: free.
Counts toward CIoF CPD: resources can be used to support CPD, but Charity Excellence does not issue formal CPD certificates.
Honest take: this is the most accessible starting point for a small charity with no training budget. The funder database and template library are genuinely useful for someone writing their first trust application. It will not replace structured training, but it is a strong complement to any course you take.
5. Spark the Fire Grant Writing Certificate
The Spark the Fire Certificate in Grant Writing is a blended learning programme combining self-paced online curriculum with live coaching sessions led by Allison Eanes, M.Ed., GPC. The programme takes learners through the full grant proposal process, from funding strategy and organisational readiness to budgets, funder relationships, and reporting. It requires students to write a complete proposal and receive individualised feedback at every stage.
The course earns 24 GPCI/CFRE continuing education credits and includes lifetime access to all materials.
Who it suits: charity professionals who want structured, coached training on the proposal-writing process. Note that the examples and funder context are primarily US-based; UK learners will need to translate the funder-relationship and reporting principles to the UK trust and statutory landscape.
Delivery: online, self-paced with live coaching sessions.
Pricing: £1,497 (listed in USD; verify the current GBP equivalent before enrolling).
Counts toward CIoF CPD: GPCI/CFRE credits are recognised internationally; log as external CPD with CIoF.
Honest take: strong coaching model and a thorough proposal-writing process. The US funder context is a limitation for UK learners, but the principles of compelling narrative, outcome framing, and budget development translate well. Best suited to someone who already understands UK funders and wants to sharpen their proposal craft.
Global online options: accessible but US-centric
The courses below are globally accessible and useful for building general grant-writing skills, but all are produced in the US with US funder examples, US tax framing and US nonprofit terminology. UK learners should treat them as background reading and pair them with a UK-specific course for jurisdiction fit.
6. Grant Professionals Certification Institute (GPCI)
The Grant Professionals Certification Institute administers the internationally recognised Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential. This is the closest thing to a globally portable grant-writing qualification, and some UK bid writers hold it. However, it is a US-administered credential built around the US grant ecosystem: the exam content, continuing education requirements, and professional community are all oriented to US-based grant professionals.
Who it suits: experienced UK bid writers who want an internationally portable credential, or those who apply for US-origin grants. Not the UK sector standard; CIoF qualifications are more directly relevant for most UK charity roles.
Entry requirements: at least three years of full-time grant-writing experience, or a mix of education and experience demonstrated through a qualification survey.
Delivery: online exam; candidates can sit remotely from the UK.
Pricing: first-time candidates: GPA members £500 (approximately); non-members £700 (approximately). Verify current USD fees and convert at the current rate before applying; do not rely on converted figures here.
Counts toward CIoF CPD: yes, as external CPD.
Honest take: if you are building a career in bid writing and want a credential that signals rigour, the GPC is worth knowing about. But for a Head of Fundraising at a UK charity, CIoF qualifications and DSC training will be more relevant to day-to-day work and more recognisable to UK funders and employers.
7. Coursera Fundraising and Development Specialisation
The Coursera Fundraising and Development Specialisation was developed by the UC Davis development team and covers nonprofit fundraising theory, case-for-support development, and the fundraising process across four modules.
Who it suits: useful for anyone wanting a broad grounding in fundraising development principles. UK learners should note that the specialisation is US-centric throughout: tax framing (no Gift Aid), terminology (nonprofits, 501(c)(3)), and case studies all reflect the US context. Treat it as background reading on fundraising theory rather than a UK-primary pick.
Delivery: online, self-paced. All course content is accessible free; a fee applies to earn a certificate.
Pricing: from approximately £40 per month, depending on your completion pace. Verify current pricing on Coursera.
Counts toward CIoF CPD: yes, as external CPD with supporting documentation.
Honest take: good for fundraising theory and a broad understanding of development practice. Not a substitute for UK-specific training on trust applications or National Lottery bids.
8. Skillshare Grant Writing Basics for Beginners
The Skillshare Grant Writing Basics for Beginners course is taught by Teresa Huff, a grant-writing consultant with twenty years of experience. The ten-lesson course covers getting started with grant writing, strategies for finding suitable grants, common myths, and the key components of a good application.
Who it suits: beginners who want a low-cost introduction to grant writing. Examples are US-based; UK learners will need to map the principles to UK funders independently.
Delivery: online, self-paced via Skillshare membership.
Pricing: priced in USD via Skillshare subscription. Skillshare offers a free trial for new users. Verify current UK pricing on the Skillshare website.
Counts toward CIoF CPD: yes, as external CPD.
Honest take: a practical introduction to grant writing for someone completely new to the field. UK learners will find the funder-research sections less directly applicable, but the proposal-writing principles are broadly transferable.
9. LearnGrantWriting Org: The Global Grant Writers Collective
The Global Grant Writers Collective is a self-paced online programme structured across six phases, covering funder research, application writing, grant management, and career development in grant writing. It includes coaching content, a training library, and business development guidance for freelance bid writers.
Who it suits: grant writers who want a structured self-paced programme and access to ongoing coaching and community. Pricing is in USD and the content reflects the US grant landscape; UK learners should treat this as a global option requiring local adaptation.
Delivery: online, self-paced.
Pricing: approximately £500 per month for twelve months, or approximately £6,000 upfront (USD pricing; verify current GBP equivalent before enrolling).
Counts toward CIoF CPD: yes, as external CPD.
Honest take: a comprehensive programme for someone building a career in grant writing. The price point is significant, and for most UK charity professionals the combination of CIoF qualifications and DSC training will provide more directly applicable value at a lower cost.
Consider a UK fundraising qualification as well
For bid writers who want a recognised UK credential, the CIoF Certificate in Fundraising and CIoF Diploma in Fundraising are the sector-standard qualifications. These are not exclusively focused on bid writing, but both cover trust fundraising and statutory income as core components.
The Certificate is designed for people new to fundraising or moving into a fundraising role. The Diploma is the professional-level qualification, suited to experienced fundraisers who want formal recognition. Both are well-known to UK charity employers and funders.
Visit the CIoF qualifications pages to confirm current course structures, entry requirements, and fees. Course provision evolves regularly; always verify before committing.
For bid writers who work primarily in the statutory and tender space, some universities also offer relevant postgraduate provision in public policy, social enterprise, or voluntary-sector management. If a university-level route interests you, check current provision directly with institutions, as course offerings change from year to year.
Free your fundraising budget for the work that wins grants
Securing a grant is one income stream. A resilient small UK charity typically runs several alongside it: a regular giving appeal, an annual event or two, a Christmas raffle, and a sponsored challenge. That usually means three to five separate tools, each with its own fee and login.
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Choosing the right training can make a real difference to your charity's ability to secure funding. The best courses do more than teach writing skills; they build your understanding of how funders think, how to frame outcomes, and how to manage grant relationships over time.
For most UK charities, the clearest path is: start with free resources from Charity Excellence and NCVO to understand the landscape, then invest in a DSC or CIoF course to build proposal-writing skills grounded in UK funders. If you want a formal qualification, the CIoF Certificate or Diploma is the recognised UK route.
As you build your grant income, make sure your fundraising platform is working as hard as you are.
Start by building your understanding of the UK voluntary sector and how funders operate. Read widely about UK trusts and foundations, the National Lottery Community Fund, and statutory funding. Take a practical course, such as a DSC or CIoF short course, and seek opportunities to write proposals for your own organisation or as a volunteer with a local charity. Build a portfolio of successful and unsuccessful applications, as both demonstrate experience. Network with other fundraisers through CIoF events and sector groups. Many bid writers come from a communications or programme background; transferable writing and analytical skills matter as much as formal credentials.
No formal certification is required to work as a bid writer or grant writer in the UK. There is no single licensing body for the role. However, training and qualifications do matter in practice: CIoF membership and qualifications signal professionalism and sector knowledge to charity employers. Experienced bid writers often hold a CIoF Certificate or Diploma, and some hold the international GPC credential. For freelance bid writers, a strong portfolio of successful applications is the most important credential of all.
The Directory of Social Change (DSC) and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising both offer courses specifically on National Lottery Community Fund applications and statutory tenders. DSC in particular runs workshops on bidding for public-sector and lottery contracts. The National Lottery Community Fund itself also publishes free application guidance, walk-throughs, and support resources on its funder portal. Verify current course availability and dates directly with DSC and CIoF before booking.
Most UK trusts and statutory funders, including the National Lottery Community Fund, require the applicant to be a registered charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR in Scotland, or CCNI in Northern Ireland. Some smaller grant programmes accept CICs, unincorporated associations, and community groups, particularly for neighbourhood or community-level grants. If your organisation is not yet registered, it is worth exploring registration before investing heavily in grant applications. You can search the Register of Charities to check whether your organisation is already listed.
Yes. Charity Excellence offers a large library of free bid-writing templates, funder-database tools, and how-to guides at no cost. NCVO publishes free funding-landscape resources for its members. The National Lottery Community Fund provides free application guidance on its portal. For structured online learning, the Coursera Fundraising and Development Specialisation allows you to audit all course content free of charge (a fee applies only if you want the certificate). NonprofitReady also offers free grant-seeking video courses, though these are US-produced and the funder examples are American.
In the UK voluntary sector, both terms describe someone who writes applications for external funding. "Bid writer" is the more common term when applying to statutory funders, local authorities, or lottery programmes where the application is a detailed tender-like document. "Grant writer" or "trust fundraiser" is more often used for applications to charitable trusts and foundations. In practice, many charity fundraisers do both, and the skills are closely related. The main difference is the audience and format: statutory bids often require logic models, outcome frameworks, and detailed procurement-style documentation, while trust applications are typically more narrative.
Most practitioners agree that becoming genuinely effective at bid writing takes two to three years of practical experience alongside structured learning. A short course from DSC or CIoF can give you the foundations in a day or two; a CIoF Certificate takes longer to complete but provides a more thorough grounding. The most important learning comes from writing real applications, receiving feedback from funders (whether a grant is awarded or declined), and gradually building an understanding of how specific funders think. Many experienced bid writers say that reading declined applications, when funders provide feedback, is the single most valuable learning experience available.
Yes, freelance bid writing is an established niche in the UK charity sector. Many small charities cannot justify a full-time fundraiser but will commission a freelance bid writer for specific applications or programmes of work. Rates vary widely depending on experience, sector knowledge, and whether you work on a day-rate or a project-fee basis. The Association of Fundraising Consultants maintains guidance on fee benchmarks. Note that the Chartered Institute of Fundraising's Code of Fundraising Practice discourages success-fee arrangements (where payment is contingent on a grant being awarded), as most funders view this as a conflict of interest. Build your freelance reputation through a portfolio of verifiable successful bids and CIoF professional membership.
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