Unison is funding the scheme, which will award grants of up to £800 each to campaign groups to cover costs, such as transport, publicity, phone calls and childcare.
Twenty-five grants of up to £800 will be available to local groups fighting to save their neighbourhood centres.
Applications can be made between now and April, with a number of grants awarded on a monthly basis.
Anand Shukla, chief executive of Daycare Trust, said, ‘Sure Start children’s centres offer a vital lifeline to children, parents and families. Local authority budgets are under an incredible amount of pressure because of central Government cuts, but Sure Start must be prioritised to keep that lifeline intact.
‘Parents and centre users have a key role to play. They value the Sure Start service and have made a real difference in campaigning against closures. Just last week four Sure Start children’s centres in Liverpool were saved after a fantastic parent-led campaign.
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