The Army Central Fund (ACF) awards grants to projects and activities which improve the wellbeing of serving British Army personnel, both Regular and Reserve, as well as their immediate families.
In August we published our first ever grantmaking strategy, which sets out how we award grants which help to develop and retain a well-supported, resilient and engaged workforce, in support of our charitable objective to promote the efficiency of the Army for public benefit.
Next Spring, we will be moving our financial year so that it runs between 1 April and 31 March, to align better with most of the organisations and charities we support. As a result, our application deadlines and Board dates will be changing, and to help smooth the transition for our grantees, we have decided to invite applications at three different points during the year, instead of the usual two.
Our revised application deadlines for decisions throughout 2026 are as follows:
| Funding deadline | Board consideration | Applicants notified |
| 31 December 2025 | February 2026 | April 2026 |
| 30 April 2026 | June 2026 | July 2026 |
| 31 July 2026 | September/October 2026 | November 2026 |
Applications are now being invited for submission by 31 December 2025. If you are a new applicant, please share a brief outline of your funding proposal with Caroline Crewe-Read, Director ACF via grants@armycentralfund.org.uk so that your eligibility can be assessed and an application form shared with you. If you are an existing grant recipient and are planning to apply for the next funding round, please let the Director know via the same email address.
Please note the ACF cannot accept applications from individuals, nor is it able to support activities focused on veterans or cadets. Army units and Army Sports Associations/Unions should not apply direct to the Army Central Fund but should follow the instructions and guidance detailed in Army Command Standing Order 3206 (Army Welfare Funds).
