Community Grant Scheme

Applications for RCUK’s Community Grant Scheme are now closed.

The Community Grant Scheme ran for two years in 2024 and 2025. The aim of the programme was to encourage small charities and community groups to apply for grants of up to £1,500 to help educate people about CPR and defib use.

Research shows that 94% of UK adults agree CPR training is crucial, yet nearly a third said they wouldn’t know what to do if someone was unconscious and not breathing normally. Resuscitation education is vital to increasing the chances of survival from cardiac arrest in your community.

Over the course of the two years, 55 groups received funding to run initiatives focused on spreading awareness of CPR and defib use in their communities.

2024 success stories

In 2024 our Community Grant Scheme enabled 18 organisations and charities to empower their communities with lifesaving skills through CPR and defib education. Read below how grantees across the UK made a difference in their communities. 

A group of ten people, diverse in age and gender, seated in a classroom-style setting and smiling towards the camera.

Case Study: Donegall Pass Community Forum promotes lifesaving skills in Inner South Belfast

Donegall Pass Community Forum has been working to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in the Inner South Belfast Neighbourhood Renewal Area - one of the most deprived areas in Northern Ireland. With high levels of heart disease and poor general health in the community, access to CPR and defibrillation training is vital.

Image of someone practicing CPR and defib use on a manikin

Case Study: Thanet Community Development Trust equips local leaders with essential CPR knowledge

With support from Resuscitation Council UK’s Community Grant Scheme, Thanet Community Development Trust has been equipping local leaders with essential CPR and AED skills.

Check back to see our 2025 success stories in due course.

If you are interested in resources to help raise awareness in your community you can visit our public resources.

If you have been involved in the Community Grant Scheme and want to give back to RCUK by fundraising, get in touch.