Action Hampshire

Registered charity 1053806 · since 1996actionhampshire.org.uk·Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight·Updated 30 October 2026

At a glance

£204k

Annual giving, year to 31 March 2025

From filed accounts

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Action Hampshire's work fits best if you are a voluntary, community or social enterprise organisation in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight or Dorset, because its purpose centres on community-led action, particularly in rural communities.
Its Communities Against Cancer programme offers grants of £750, £1500 and £2500, so a modest request at one of those levels fits its stated offer.
For Communities Against Cancer, the charity asks prospective Health Champions to contact its team or join an online workshop first, and it says it is particularly interested in supporting underserved communities.
The funder accepts applications on a rolling basis, but applications for Healthwatch Hampshire Engagement close on 15 May or sooner if all funding is allocated.
Organisations that are not VCSEs, or that work outside Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Dorset, should not apply to Communities Against Cancer.

Overview

Action Hampshire is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1053806).

Action Hampshire is a charity that works with communities, community organisations and businesses with a social purpose, aiming to empower them to thrive. Its role is often as project manager, grantmaker, learning partner, workshop and action learning set facilitator, training provider and research partner. Its annual giving was £204,415, according to its annual report. Its grant programmes include Communities Against Cancer, a cancer awareness project funded by Wessex Cancer Alliance to help improve early diagnosis, and Healthwatch Hampshire Engagement, which supports engagement about the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services.

What they fund

Priority Areas

Action Hampshire works with communities, community organisations and businesses with a social purpose, and describes its approach as resourcing and funding VCSE organisations through workshops, guidance and onward grants. It strengthens and connects voluntary, community and social enterprise leaders, organisations and networks, and supports community-led, place-based action, particularly in rural communities. Its grant programmes include cancer-awareness work delivered by VCSEs, with particular interest in underserved communities, and support for VCSE organisations taking part in engagement about health and social care. Its wider work champions diversity and inclusion and seeks to challenge inequality and disadvantage. It works collaboratively with partners and communities so they can thrive.

Themes

Cancer awareness

Geographic Focus

Hampshire; Isle of Wight; Dorset.

What they don't fund

Communities Against Cancer only: organisations that are not VCSEs; organisations outside Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Dorset

How to apply

For Communities Against Cancer, prospective community Health Champions can contact the team to find out what grants are available to support their work; interested organisations can also join an online workshop to learn more.

Application windows:

Healthwatch Hampshire Engagement: Applications close on 15 May, but may close sooner if all funding is allocated.

Who can apply:

Communities Against Cancer: VCSEs in Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Dorset may apply.

Application success factors

What the charity says:

The foundation is particularly interested in supporting underserved communities.
Prospective Communities Against Cancer applicants can join an online workshop to learn more.

Where they fund

Where it says it funds

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to Action Hampshire.

Dorset Community ActionNo public processGave £78,470 Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community FoundationFixed deadlinesGave £1.1M Southampton Voluntary ServicesNo public processGave £1,875 BrighterwayNo public processGave £247k James Tuttiett Charitable TrustRollingGave £79,116 Greenham TrustFixed deadlinesGave £5M Community Churches ConnectedNo public processGave £163k Groundwork SouthNo public processGave £2.6M Dorset Community FoundationMixed deadlinesGave £1.7M Macmillan Caring LocallyNo public process

Five years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 31 March 2021	£875,173	£1,116,922	—	Accounts for year to 31 March 2021
year to 31 March 2022	£667,145	£1,222,911	£143,274	Accounts for year to 31 March 2022
year to 31 March 2023	£1,438,143	£2,021,107	£630,212	Accounts for year to 31 March 2023
year to 31 March 2024	£900,426	£957,541	£139,453	Accounts for year to 31 March 2024
year to 31 March 2025	£935,870	£915,544	£204,415	Accounts for year to 31 March 2025

Income vs grants paid

IncomeGrants paid

Total value each financial year

YE 2022

£143k grants

YE 2023

£630k grants

YE 2024

£139k grants

YE 2025

£204k grants

Grants paid stayed within income across the 4 years shown.

Grants paid, year to 31 March 2022; year to 31 March 2023; year to 31 March 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
Grants paid, year to 31 March 2025: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.

— No grants figure for that year.

Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.