Banking giant Santander has relaunched its charitable foundation with over £3m of funds available in 2010 for UK charities focusing on education and training and financial capability. 

The Santander Foundation unites the charitable donations previously made in the UK by Abbey, Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley. Grant ceilings have all been raised, with the larger grants targeted at the nine regions of the UK in which Santander has a significant presence. For charities in these areas, the maximum grant is £30,000.

For charities outside these regions, one-off grants of up to £10,000 are available, rising from a previous cap of £4,000. Charities can apply for education and training funding to undertake an activity where beneficiaries improve their confidence in a skill or develop their understanding of a subject. Funding for financial capability will be allocated to help disadvantaged people understand how to manage their money.

The Foundation has given more than £28m to charities in the UK in the past 20 years.