New Macmillan Care Grants Programme Opens for UK Applications

The Macmillan CARE (Culture • Agency • Respect • Equity) Grants Programme is a pilot programme provided and administered by Macmillan Cancer Support as part of its work to make cancer care better for everyone, no matter who they are or where they live in the UK.

The programme is designed to test how community-led approaches can tackle deep-rooted unfairness in cancer care. 

Up to £1.5 million is available for this first round, with grants ranging from £50,000 to £150,000. Grants are for either one or two years.

This pilot programme will fund community-led projects that offer new insights and impact.

Grants will focus on three key areas

  • Cultural Responsiveness in Cancer Care - projects that help healthcare services better understand and meet the cultural needs of different communities and remove barriers to person-centred care.
  • Shared Decision-Making - projects that make it easier for people to understand their treatment options, take part in decisions about their cancer care, and reduce unfair differences in how this happens.
  • Dementia-Friendly Cancer Care - projects that support people living with both cancer and dementia, improve their care experience, and help them and their carers take part in treatment decisions.

Who Can Apply

Application will be considered from voluntary, community, faith or social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations based in the UK, including:

  • Registered charities
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs)
  • Community Interest Companies (CICs)
  • Companies Limited by Guarantee
  • Faith-based organisations 
  • Residents/tenants association and community groups 
  • Local sports clubs and Recreational/Social clubs 
  • Community benefit societies

To be eligible, applicants must:

  • Be UK based (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland).
  • Have governance appropriate to their size and the grant they are applying for (minimum three unrelated trustees/directors and two unrelated bank signatories)
  • Show experience addressing health inequities or working as a trusted partner with communities facing barriers to cancer care
  • Be able to deliver the project within the grant timeframe (grants are for either one year or two years) 
  • Demonstrate community-led, co-designed approaches
  • Show how their project will make a difference for people living with cancer.

Restrictions

The following are not eligible for funding:

  • Informal support groups without a legal structure (unincorporated groups)
  • Unregistered charities
  • CICs that distribute dividends to private shareholders
  • Individual healthcare professionals
  • NHS trusts or hospitals
  • Local authorities or government bodies
  • Commercial businesses and sole traders
  • Political lobbying
  • Costs that should be covered by statutory funding
  • Retrospective activities
  • Core costs beyond 15% of the project budget
  • Pre-diagnosis cancer care activities

The grants will support

  • Staff and people costs.
  • Project delivery costs.
  • Evaluation and learning costs.

The programme is open to voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations based and working within the UK. 

Macmillan is providing three information webinars

How to Apply 

The deadline for applications is 23 January 2026.   

More information and How to Apply

 

Contacts

For further information on how to obtain this fund, please contact the following:

Macmillan CARE Grants Programme team
Macmillan Cancer Support
89 Albert Embankment
London
SE1 7UQ
Tel: 020 7840 7840
Email: CommunityGrants@macmillan.org.uk

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