Core grants
Supporting key organisations across the Army community
In addition to our open grant programmes, the Army Central Fund provides core funding to a small number of key organisations that play a central role in supporting serving personnel and their families.
These are:
- Army Families Federation (AFF)
- Army Sport
- HQ Regional Command, which distributes welfare funding across the Army
These organisations provide essential services, representation and infrastructure that support the wellbeing, stability and lived experience of the serving Army community. Core funding enables them to operate effectively and to deliver sustained, long-term benefit.
This approach reflects the Army Central Fund’s commitment to improving quality of life for serving personnel and their families, and to supporting initiatives that contribute to morale, retention and overall Army effectiveness.
How Core Grants are awarded
Core Grants are not open for application.
They are awarded at the discretion of the Army Central Fund Board, which determines the organisations it will support, and the level of funding provided. These decisions are informed by the Fund’s charitable objectives, its Grantmaking Strategy, and an assessment of where sustained investment will have the greatest impact.
Partnership and accountability
Our Core Grants are underpinned by formal partnership arrangements.
The Army Central Fund has established Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with both the Army Families Federation and Army Sport. These set out:
- The purpose and scope of the funding
- Expectations around delivery and impact
- Reporting and accountability requirements
- The outcomes the funding is intended to support
Through these agreements, we ensure that core funding is used effectively, aligns with our strategic priorities, and continues to deliver meaningful benefit to serving personnel and their families.
A strategic role within our funding
Core Grants form an important part of our overall grantmaking approach.
By combining core funding for key organisations, welfare funding distributed across the Army, and project-based grants to charities, we aim to ensure that support reaches the serving community in a coordinated and effective way — addressing both immediate needs and longer-term challenges.
