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voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
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Armed Forces Day Event Funding
Created: 19/02/2026
News/Events Category: Funding and Finance
This item will show under the following categories: Health and Social Care
The Ministry of Defence makes grants available to support Armed Forces Day events. Depending on the size and format of the event, this could be up to the value of £10,000. The grant is match-funded and paid post event on submission and approval of event receipts and expenditure. This means, a Ministry of Defence grant could cover up to half of the overall cost of the event, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria. If the overall event cost £7,000 Defence could cover up to £3,500 providing eligibility criteria are met.
Ministry of Defence funding cannot be used to pay for:
- hospitality, including food, drinks, sundries and accommodation
- military assets; including displays, equipment and or military vehicles
- entertainment; such as equipment, bands, singers or musicians, films or other entertainment, military or otherwise
- transport and accommodation for guests or organisers to or from the event
- VAT
Ministry of Defence funding can be used to pay for:
- road closures required to hold an event, including to allow for parades and marches.
- Armed Forces Day branded decorations, flags and banners (where possible please consider use of sustainable options and avoid using single-use plastics)
- local or national newspapers/social media/radio advertisements to promote the event
- marshalling, security and first aid arrangements for the event
- event insurance
- PA and communications systems such as hand-held radios or other forms of communication for event organiser
Criteria for grants
- The event must be held within two weeks of the Armed Forces Day, which falls on 27 June 2026.
- Have ‘Armed Forces’ in the event title
- The event is relevant to today’s serving Armed Forces (and in your application, please indicate how your event is relevant)
- Have free access to members of the ‘Armed Forces Family’ – Serving Personnel, Veterans, Cadets and their Families (though charges may be made for parking, programmes etc..). You will need to explain how the event provides an opportunity to ‘thank’ the Armed Forces Family.
- Are not centred around Fundraising or Recruitment
- Advice on what your event could look like can be found here.
How to apply
Click here to find out more.
You must register your event with Armed Forces Day. Once that's approved you can submit an application detailing how your event will thank armed forces in your area.
The closing date for applciations is Tuesday 31 March 2026.
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