The assumption is a common one: websites are operational costs, and funders want to see money go to services and people, not infrastructure. In practice, most funders that support organisational development or communications capacity will consider a website rebuild. The ones that will not are typically those that fund direct service delivery only, and even they sometimes have exceptions.
The framing is what matters. A grant application that asks for "a new website" is easy to decline. An application that explains what the current site cannot do and how a rebuilt one will change that is a different conversation.
Which UK funders cover website costs?
Funder criteria change, so always check the current guidance before applying. That said, these are the most reliable routes as of early 2026.
The National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All) is the most accessible starting point for smaller charities. Awards for All funds equipment, technology, and digital infrastructure up to £10,000. A website rebuild sits comfortably within that. Decisions typically take four to six weeks, which makes it realistic for planning purposes. It is open to charities, CICs, and other community organisations with an income under £500,000.
Local community foundations vary by area but many have small grants programmes where digital infrastructure is within scope. The NCVO funding finder lists the foundation covering your local authority. Worth checking before looking further afield, because competition is lower than national programmes.
Lloyds Bank Foundation supports small and medium-sized charities in England and Wales with organisational development funding. Digital infrastructure falls within scope. It is more competitive than Awards for All, but the grants are larger and the relationship continues after the award.
Comic Relief (Tech for Good) funds technology and digital specifically. More competitive than general grants, but explicit about including websites and digital infrastructure for charities working in its priority areas.
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation accepts digital costs as part of broader organisational grants. Better suited to charities with an annual income above £250,000. The application process is longer, but the grants are substantial.
Some charities also fund website projects through their local council's voluntary sector support fund or through commissioner relationships. These are worth exploring if your organisation delivers contracted services.
What to call it in your budget
The label matters. "New website" reads as a preference. The following phrases are more likely to be accepted:
- Website redevelopment: Clear and professional. Implies existing infrastructure being improved rather than a discretionary purchase.
- Digital infrastructure: Broader. Useful when the application covers hosting, training, and the build together.
- Communications capacity: Works when the site is framed around improving your ability to reach beneficiaries or report impact to funders.
- Digital presence and accessibility improvements: Useful when WCAG compliance is part of the rationale. Accessibility requirements are increasingly something funders understand and support.
One sentence that tends to land well in applications: "Our website is the primary point of contact for [X] people seeking our services each month. This project will ensure it is accessible on mobile, up to date, and maintainable by our team without ongoing agency dependency."
How to frame website spend in an application
The mistake most charities make is describing the website they want. Funders want to know what it will achieve. Connect the cost to your beneficiaries, not to your preferences.
Instead of: "We want a more modern website that better reflects our brand."
Try: "Our website receives [X] visits per month from people seeking referrals to our services. The current site is not accessible on mobile and has not been updated since [year]. A rebuilt site with clear service information on mobile will reduce the number of people who cannot find what they need and fall through without a referral."
Three things that strengthen the case:
- Scale. How many people use the site. Even rough numbers from Google Analytics help. "400 visits per month" is more convincing than "many people."
- Failure. What the current site cannot do. Broken referral forms, inaccessible on mobile, cannot be updated by staff without technical help, outdated safeguarding information.
- Outcome. What a working site makes possible. More referrals completed, more donations from people who find you, less staff time spent on calls for information already on the site.
If your funder cares about safeguarding, note that an accessible, well-maintained website is part of your public-facing safeguarding information. That framing resonates with health and social care funders in particular.
The free Charity Safety Content Audit checks whether critical information is visible without scrolling, whether contact details are easy to find on mobile, and whether your key services are clear from the homepage. Useful evidence for a grant application.
Take the free audit →What to include in your website budget
A realistic grant budget for a charity website project includes more than the build cost. Funders expect a breakdown, and including the full picture shows you have thought through the project properly.
- Website design and build £2,995 to £5,495 depending on scope
- Domain renewal (if needed) £15 to £30 per year
- Managed hosting (first year) £100 to £200
- Staff training on the new site Usually included in the build
- Care plan (first year) £1,188 to £1,800 (£99 to £150 per month)
Some funders will cover a multi-year care plan alongside the initial build if you explain what it covers: WordPress updates, security monitoring, backups, and small content changes. Include it in the budget and describe it as ongoing digital maintenance rather than a subscription fee.
The timing problem
Grant decisions take time. Awards for All typically takes four to six weeks. Larger programmes can take three to six months from application to award. If the website is already urgent, a grant is unlikely to solve the immediate problem unless you applied months ago.
The practical approach: apply now, before the website becomes critical. If you have a funding round, a CQC inspection, or a trustee review coming up in six months, start the grant application today. Do not wait until the deadline is three weeks away.
One option some charities use: begin the website project and apply for the grant to cover the cost retrospectively. Not all funders allow retrospective funding, but some do if the spend falls within the project period. Check the guidance, or ask the funder directly.
Getting a quote letter for your application
Most grant applications require a supplier quote. A formal written quote on headed paper, with an itemised breakdown of costs, is standard. It gives you a specific figure for the budget and shows the funder that you have done your research.
If you need a quote for a grant application, email hello@goodside.uk or book a free call. We confirm scope, issue a written quote, and include a clear description of what the project covers and what is included. We turn these around quickly and there is no cost or commitment attached to requesting one.
We can also help you think through how to describe the project in an application. Not formal grant writing, but if you are unsure how to frame the outcome case or what to include in the budget, a short call usually resolves it.
