Apply for a grant

The funding aims to make a positive difference – because where our communities thrive, our business and our colleagues thrive too. Tesco Stronger Starts is managed by Groundwork who are working with Greenspace Scotland to support applicants in Scotland.

How does Tesco Stronger Starts work?

Tesco Stronger Starts is open to charities and community organisations to apply for a grant of up to £1,500. Every three months, three local good causes are selected to be in the blue token customer vote in Tesco stores throughout the UK.

Apply for a grant

Step 1

Read the guidance notes

Before applying, we strongly recommend that all applicants read the Guidance notes for more detail about the grants and project eligibility.

Step 2

Find your local store

Enter your project’s postcode into the store locator on the Tesco website. You need this information for your application form.

Step 3

Apply here

Please follow this link to submit your application.

Who is eligible to apply?

Grants will be awarded to schools, voluntary or community organisations (including registered charities/companies), health bodies (e.g. Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), NHS Hospital Trust, Foundation Trust), Parish/Town Councils, local authorities and social housing providers.

This list is not exhaustive and there will be many other types of organisations that will be funded.

Applications are not eligible from:

  • Individuals
  • Community Interest Companies with shares (CIC’s)
  • Community Interest Companies with guarantee that are less than two years old
  • Profit-making organisations

What types of projects will Tesco Stronger Starts fund?

Applications are open to all local good causes, but we are currently prioritising helping projects that support children’s food security and health and local store nominated good causes.

This is not an exhaustive list and other project ideas also welcomed.

Examples include:

  • School Breakfast clubs
  • Holiday clubs
  • Play areas
  • Food banks
  • Counselling and support services for children
  • Equipment or non-statutory services for nurseries or schools e.g. forest schools, library books
  • Equipment for Brownie, Guide or Scout Groups e.g. camping equipment, badges
  • Services or equipment to support children and young people’s health
  • Equipment/kit for youth sports teams

Do we need match funding?

Tesco Stronger Starts can fund 100% of your project costs so you do not have to have any match funding. However, if you secured additional funding, there is no limit to what this amount can be and any funding awarded by Tesco can form part of your wider project costs.

Projects that are ineligible

  • Work that has already taken place
  • Political donations
  • Fundraising activities or challenges (e.g. costs for a sky dive etc.)
  • Running costs and organisation overheads
  • Conferences or seminars
  • Activities which collect funds for redistribution to other charities or individuals
  • Overseas appeals
  • Expeditions or overseas travel
  • Promotion of a religious or political cause
  • Marketing promotions
  • Research projects
  • Projects or activities that the state has a legal obligation to provide

Alternative and accessible formats

If you experience or anticipate any barriers with our application process, require help to make an application, or accessing our services and information, please contact the Groundwork Tesco Programme Team to discuss the type of support we can provide.


Tesco community grants have supported thousands of community projects since 2016.

Find out what has been funded near you: