Grant Directories

The Scottish Government’s Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund provides funding to support projects that bring people and communities together to tackle isolation. Priority will be given to those most at risk including young people, disabled people, people with a mental health condition, older people, and people experiencing deprivation or on a low income. Partnership and multi-agency working is welcomed.

The Swire Charitable Trust makes grants to charities supporting some of the UK’s most vulnerable people to overcome barriers and realise their potential, and to charities who are protecting the  environment and heritage.

The Mortgage Advice Bureau Foundation funds sustainable community projects throughout England, Scotland and Wales by making grants to support charities and community interest companies. The Foundation, has teamed up with Crowdfunder to make £100,000 in funding available. Organisations can apply for up to 50% of their crowdfunding target, up to a maximum of £5,000, to support projects that match one or more of the following themes: the environment and conservation; health and wellbeing; and the prevention or relief of poverty. Projects could include rewilding projects, community gardens, social inclusion and mental health projects, sports projects, community food banks, money management and budgeting skills, and educational projects for communities to reduce their carbon footprint. No deadline given.

Grants of up to £15,000 are available for community projects supporting Armed Forces communities.  In particular, funding is available to support Armed Forces communities to become less isolated and engage more in their local area, and to support needs that have arisen as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Leathersellers' Company is one of the ancient livery companies of the City of London. It makes grants in the areas of Education, Disability, Children and young people and the relief of need. Through the Small Grants programme The Leathersellers Company provides grants of up to £5,000 to charities that are working to provide assistance to vulnerable people in their community.

Foundation Scotland exists to benefit disadvantaged communities by making grants to support relevant charitable or voluntary organisations, which make a difference to their local communities. Through the Path Trust the foundation provides grants of up to £5,000 to fund charitable activities that: Support those who have experienced or are experiencing mental health issues; Support those who are or who have experienced homelessness; Support disadvantaged young people.

Foundation Scotland exists to benefit disadvantaged communities by making grants to support relevant charitable or voluntary organisations, which make a difference to their local communities. Through the George and Grace Thomson Trust (Dundee) Fund the foundation provides grants of up to £5,000 to support projects benefitting people in Dundee, particularly those which address poverty and social exclusion. Applications are particularly welcome which address the following issues: social exclusion; alleviation of poverty and disadvantage; empowerment (especially of women); asylum seekers; prevention of teenage homelessness.

Foundation Scotland exists to benefit disadvantaged communities by making grants to support relevant charitable or voluntary organisations, which make a difference to their local communities. Through the Cervus Trust fund the foundation provides grants to support charitable activities under the following themes: Food Poverty: projects that are empowering and help people to help themselves e.g. community growing projects rather than foodbanks; Mental Health: projects targeting those with depression and anxiety, support for those who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACES), projects that help to develop emotional resilience; projects supporting carers with their mental health; The Arts: using arts, including music tuition, as an enabling tool to develop skills, confidence, and emotional wellbeing; Education: projects which involve outdoor education and play are preferred. School-based initiatives will be a low priority unless they involve non-statutory provision an...

The People's Postcode Trust is a grant-giving body funded by players of the Peoples Postcode Lottery. The small grants scheme distributes funds to small organisations, community groups and registered charities in Scotland, through grants ranging from £500 - £20,000. The Trust funds projects that: Improve mental wellbeing; Enable community participation in the arts; Support marginalised groups and promote equality; Improve biodiversity & green spaces; Enable participation in physical activity; Respond to the climate emergency & promote sustainability; Increase community access to outdoor space.

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) supports the Armed Forces Covenant by delivering funding programmes that create real change to Armed Forces communities across the UK. The NAAFI Fund makes grants to UK Armed Forces bases, located in the UK or overseas, for projects that improve the quality of life for serving personnel and serving families living on or near a Forces base or station. Grants of £5,000 to £25,000 are available for up to a year and should be used for projects or activities that help to bring people together on the base or station and help reduce boredom or isolation.

Foundation Scotland exists to benefit disadvantaged communities by making grants to support relevant charitable or voluntary organisations, which make a difference to their local communities.  Through the Volant Charitable Trust, Foundation Scotland provides grants of up to £15,000 per year to support women affected by hardship or disadvantage and on tackling the issues they face in order to make a lasting difference to their lives and life changes.

The London based PF Charitable Trust has been using Foundation Scotland to distribute funds in Scotland since 1997, distributing over £800,000 in its name during this time.  The PF Charitable Trust's funding policy is to support work at community level and the Foundation provides a valuable service in targeting appropriate groups.

The Albert Hunt Trust is a grant giving charitable trust that supports local charities throughout the United Kingdom.  The Trust will consider applications from registered charities, organisations and projects based in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland that provide Hospice Care; provide support for the Homeless and promote health and well being; including physical and learning disabilities, physical and mental health, plus social challenges and deprivation.

The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust was established in for the advancement of the arts, health and medical welfare and environmental protection or improvement.   Through the Medical Welfare programme, the Trust aims to support a wide range of projects that improve the quality of life of children and adults; carers and young people on the fringes of society.

The Newby Trust funds local, regional or national charities registered and operating in the UK within the broad categories of education, health and social welfare.  Through the Health programme the Trust provides grants of up to £10,000 to maintain and improve the mental health of children and young people; support the mental and physical health of older people; and fund medical research.

The Dulverton Trust is an independent grant-making charity that supports UK charities and Charitable incorporated Organisations tackling a range of social issues, protecting the natural world, and preserving heritage crafts.  Through its General Welfare funding strand, the Trust aims to support wide range of activities that benefit disadvantaged people and communities

The Wolfson Foundation awards grants to support and promote excellence in education, science & medicine, the arts & humanities and health & disability. Through its Funding for Charities Working in Mental Health funding stream the Foundation aims to support organisations that are focused on mental illness. Grants are awarded towards capital projects with an emphasis on projects which focus on training, employment and supported housing.

The Allen Lane Foundation is a grant-making trust with a focus is on funding unpopular causes. The overall aims of the Foundation are to make a lasting difference to people’s lives; reduce isolation, stigma and discrimination; and to encourage or enable unpopular groups to share in the life of the whole community. The Foundation aims to fund work benefitting people affected by mental health problems – lessening their isolation and feelings of stigma, improving wellbeing and promoting recovery, and enabling people to feel included in their local communities. The Foundation funds organisations that provide general services and activities to people with mental health conditions; as well as groups working with people affected by specific or particular issues – such as bipolar disorder, or depression, or self-harm, or eating disorders for example.

Grants totalling £250,000 per year are available to registered charities in the UK for projects with a social welfare focus and those working with disadvantaged people. The Directors are particularly interested in supporting the following areas of charitable work: Medical research; care of the elderly; general welfare; hospices; the deaf and blind; care of the physically & mentally disabled; and the Armed Forces.

The Hodge Foundation provides grants of up to £100,000 to UK registered or exempt charities such as special needs schools and universities for projects that address the objectives of the Foundation.  This includes supporting charities working with people who may be vulnerable or disadvantaged and who need assistance to improve their lives;  education and learning, both within formal school settings and practical approaches to learning which support young people to fulfill their potential and thrive including those with special needs; medical related charities specialising in the treatment and support for specific illnesses and research; and providing funds towards projects such as facilities in church buildings and inclusive activities for the wider community.

Armed Forces charities and other not-for-profit organisations can apply for grants of up to £40,000 for projects and activities supporting serving armed forces personnel, veterans, operationally qualified seafarers and their immediate families.

The Alzheimer’s Society is the only UK charity that campaigns for change, funds research to find a cure and supports people living with dementia today. The Accelerator Programme is a new initiative to support ‘innovators’ such as engineers, designers, developers and entrepreneurs who have ideas that will improve the lives of people affected by dementia, so that basic products or services can be turned into a reality as soon as possible. Four awards of up to £100,000 will be awarded each year and successful applicants will be supported by an expert innovation buddy from the Alzheimer’s Society to develop their idea during a 12-month partnership.

Through Foundation Scotland, the Essentia Foundation provide financial support to charities and community groups to help achieve the following objectives: Improved health and social welfare of children and young people up to the age of 25 years old; Increased opportunities for training, enhancing learning, upskilling, and developing career opportunities, and supporting young people up to the age of 25 years old to move towards employment.

The Agnes Hunter Trust makes grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 per year for up to three years  to registered charities in Scotland that help disabled people; and charities that assist with the education and training of disadvantaged people aged 16 years or over who have left school. Such charities may assist specific groups of people, for example those living with learning disabilities, mental ill health, specific types of cancer, cerebral palsy, autism, visual or physical impairments. Disadvantaged people includes those whose life experiences or environment have so far denied them opportunities to develop the skills to support themselves and contribute positively to society.

The Sir Cliff Richard Charitable Trust is the channel through which Sir Cliff directs his personal charitable support. Grants are made by the trust every quarter, with about 50 different registered charities benefiting each time. Priority is given to charities working in medical research, with children and the elderly, and those involved with the physically and/or mentally disabled. While these form the main focus, other charities do receive help from time to time. The funding amount is discretionary and applications may be submitted at any time.

Schools, charities and community organisations can apply for grants for projects that improve the quality and prospect of life for children and young people who are disadvantaged physically, mentally or socially including those Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). The grants available include capital projects such as medical treatment and recovery centres, sports and activity areas, sensory rooms and gardens, playgrounds and hydrotherapy pools as well as revenue grants to support outreach programmes for children in their communities.

The main objective of Streetsmart is aimed at helping the homeless to make a better life for themselves, focussing on mental and physical health, employability and sustainable independent living. Grants are given to those who support people through the crucial stages in their progress from vagrant to valued community member. StreetSmart supports a wide range of homeless organisations that operate within the cities in which the campaign runs. Every penny raised in each city is spent only in that city. Homeless charities seeking funding from StreetSmart should submit their application in writing during December. If the project meets their criteria, they will then arrange for a StreetSmart representative to visit the project at some point during January and February and report back to the trustees.

The Jill Franklin Trust is a grant making organisation which supports five areas: Self-Help groups - advice, training, and employment, to support people with a mental illness or learning difficulties , and their carers (parents etc.); Organisations helping and supporting refugees and asylum-seekers coming to or in the UK; The restoration (not "improvement") of churches of architectural importance and occasionally to other buildings of architectural importance, the church should be open to visitors every day; Local schemes to help prisoners to resettle, or to inhibit delinquency; Bereavement counselling. The Trust has about £80,000 a year to spend, however grants are typically between £500 and £1000. Applications may be submitted at any time.

The Percy Bilton Charity focuses on organisations assisting disadvantaged youth, people with disabilities and older people. There are two types of grant: Large grants - one off payments for capital expenditure of £2,000 and over i.e. furniture and equipment; building/refurbishment projects; and Small grants - Donations of up to £500 towards furnishings and equipment for small projects. This programme is more suitable for smaller organisations. Board meetings are held quarterly in March, June, September and December to consider Large grants. Applications for Small grants are dealt with on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

The Charles and Elsie Sykes Trust Grant focuses on projects for the relief of need, particularly those related to youth, old age, welfare and medicine. It is available to Third Sector Organisations throughout the UK, but with a preference for those benefiting the people of Yorkshire. Applications from schools, playgroups, cadet forces, scouts, guides, and churches must be for outreach programmes, and not for maintenance projects. The categories to which monies have been distributed in 2008; all to registered charities were: Social and moral welfare, Medical research, People with disabilities, Children and youth, Cultural and environmental heritage, Medical welfare, Mental health, Hospices and hospitals, Blind people and those who are partially-sighted, Older people and their welfare and Deaf people and those who are hard of hearing or speech impaired. The grant amounts range from £3,000 - £93,000. Applications can be submitted at any time.

The Edward Gostling Foundation provides grants to other UK charities with the aim of enhancing quality of life for people in need, more particularly those living on very low incomes who have a physical and/or a mental disability or the elderly. Grants are available under the following 4 themes: Health and Wellbeing; Independent Living at Home; Respite; Transition.

The Sobell Foundation Grant focuses on children, the sick, elderly, needy and disabled. The Trustees aim to achieve a reasonable spread between Jewish charities (operating principally in the U.K. and Israel) and non-Jewish charities operating in the UK. The foundation concentrate their funding on small national or local charities. Funding is restricted to charities working in the following areas: Medical care and treatment, including respite care and hospices, Care for physically and mentally disabled adults and children, Education and training for adults and children with physical and learning disabilities, Care and support of the elderly, Care and support for children and Homelessness. The funding amount is discretionary and applications can be submitted at any time.

The Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust awards grants to charitable organisations in the United Kingdom and overseas. Grants are awarded for one year only and are limited to £1000 and £5000. Each year the Trust makes grants under different specific award categories. The next grants rounds in 2023 will fund projects that help children and young people in care and care leavers