Grant Directories

The Scottish Building Society Foundation funds local projects that help strengthen communities across Scotland by making grants to support relevant charitable or community organisations, which make a difference within their local area. Grants of up to £5,000 are available for initiatives that help to ensure future sustainability for vulnerable individuals and communities. The Foundation particularly welcomes applications that support community facilities, transport, open spaces, affordable housing, community development, poverty reduction, care for the elderly, events, youth education, and support for vulnerable people. The funding can be used to support costs such as equipment, running costs, staff or sessional workers, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities, and capital costs to purchase or develop community assets. The funding is provided in partnership with Foundation Scotland.

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.

Grants are available for registered charities involved in medical research, the arts and various educational activities in the UK.

The One Stop Community Partnership Programme provides grants of up to £1,000 to local community groups that are situated within 2 miles of a One Stop Store. Funding is available for community groups or organisations working in the following areas: Tackling food poverty; Supporting the vulnerable; Supporting the elderly; Supporting low-income families; Supporting a healthier lifestyle, such as Youth sports teams. Once funding has been agreed, alongside a grant of up to £1,000, a long-term tailored programme of support is created for successful applicants by the One Stop Community team and One Stop Store team. Grant recipients then work in partnership with the One Stop Store team at their local shop to deliver this programme.

Versus Arthritis want to address and prevent the likely reduction of marginalised communities driving sport and physical activity forward, by fostering and protecting community bodies, coaches and volunteers. Grants are available to people with long-term health conditions to stay active in their local communities. Versus Arthritis particularly welcome applications from organisations who support people with long-term health conditions, people from lower socio-economic groups, culturally diverse communities and disabled people.

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.

The Edith Murphy Foundation was established in memory of Hughie Murphy. Its purpose is to support other organisations (predominantly, but not exclusively, other registered charities) that: carry out research; support individuals who by reason of their age, youth, infirmity, disablement, poverty or social and economic circumstances are suffering hardship, distress or are otherwise in need; relieve the suffering and care for unwanted animals. The value of grants made is normally between £500 and £5,000 although larger grants are made in some circumstances. Since its inception in 1993 the charity has supported over 650 organisations with grants of around £17.5 million enabling these groups to carry out ground breaking research as well as providing much needed support to those in need of care.

Applications are welcomed from registered charities supporting older people, or from hospices that are able to show they provide equitable care to older people. Whilst the Trustees recognise that people aged over 65 traditionally may have been considered old, this arbitrary age cut-off rarely defines true old age in the modern era. Applications are therefore expected to demonstrate clearly defined benefits to older people who are frail.

The McCarthy Stone Foundation awards one-off grants to grassroots and volunteer-led charities and community organisations, CICs and social enterprises that support the wellbeing of older people, the educational needs of young people and the urban regeneration of communities across the UK. Through the Small Grants Programme, the Foundation provides grants of up to £5,000 for projects that will make a difference to those who need it most in local communities, particularly those recovering from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The welfare grants programme primarily provides grants for essential personal and household needs to assist families and individuals with low incomes, particularly those living on benefits.  In addition funding is available for disability aids that will benefit the applicant in the home and to provide recuperative holidays for women who are resident in greater London.

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 Blackford Community Fund the foundation provides grants of up to £2,000 to support community groups and charities working in the Blackford Community Council area.  By providing grants to such groups, it aims to: Promote community spirit and bring people together; Enhance quality of life and promote people’s well-being; Foster a vibrant, sustainable community. 

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 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 Theodore Salvesen Memorial Trust is a grant-giving charity with the aim of promoting of the welfare, dignity and efficiency of members and intending members of the British Merchant Navy.  In the last financial year the Trust gave just under £30,000, which supported sixteen individuals who studied for a career in the merchant navy and three charities that offer assistance to retired members of the British Merchant Navy.

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 with Older People funding stream the Foundation aims to support organisations provide care and services for older people, particularly if they have a neurodegenerative condition or are isolated. Grants are awarded new buildings, refurbishment work and equipment.

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.  Funding is available to reduce loneliness and isolation, improve physical and mental wellbeing, help maintain independence and a quality of life for older people. The Foundation recognises the growing impact of dementia within the older population and on families, especially those who care for people with dementia. The Foundation is keen to support projects that seek to develop community initiatives that offer sustainable, long term support for older people in communities.

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.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by the National Lottery to support local communities. The Grants for Improving Lives programme provides funding of between £20,001 and £200,000 to organisations with projects that address the following types of activity: supporting children, young people and families currently experiencing challenging circumstances; supporting people that have experienced abuse; tackling loss, isolation and loneliness; challenging discrimination and supporting people affected by it. Funding is available for up to three years.

The Woodroffe Benton Foundation is an independent grant making foundation for charities operating in the UK. It supports work that falls into the following categories: tackle poverty, provide care for the elderly, promote education and support environmental projects. Applications are welcome from UK charitable organisations for funding of between £500 and £2,500. The trustees prefer to contribute to core operating costs rather than a specific project. Applications are considered at quarterly meetings in January, April, July and October.

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.

UnLtd finds, funds and supports social entrepreneurs. The Solutions for an Ageing Society Programme aims to support people in later life and ensure that living longer goes hand in hand with living well. The programme is looking to support social entrepreneurs that can offer innovative and inclusive solutions that contribute to ageing well, including improving outcomes for independence, connectedness and health and wellbeing. The programme also looks to support ventures that have a direct positive impact for carers and the care system. Up to £50,000 of investment funding is available along with six months of intensive support

The Dream Fund has been developed to give charities the chance to deliver the project they have always dreamed of, but never had the opportunity to bring to life. The Dream Fund allows charities to apply for up to £1 million to deliver their ‘dream’ project over 24 months. Applications must come from a collaboration of at least two organisations. The fund supports charities to develop innovative solutions to society’s most challenging problems. Applications that can score highly in their originality, ambition and collaborative nature stand the highest chances of being successful.

Persimmon Homes Charity Foundation is providing grant funding of up to £1000 to registered charities, clubs, schools and other organisations which have already raised vital funds themselves towards projects to enhance their local community.  The type of projects supported to date have included support for foodbanks; projects within schools; and sports projects; etc.

The Henry Smith Charity is one of the largest independent grant making trusts in the UK. The Improving Lives grant programme provides grants to charitable organisations that help people in need when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available. Funding of between £20,000 and £70,000 per year for a maximum of three years is available to established organisations delivering services directly to beneficiaries. The Henry Smith Charity are looking for services which can demonstrate a track record of success, and evidence the effectiveness of the work.

The Henry Smith Charity is one of the largest independent grant making trusts in the UK. The Strengthening Communities grant programme is designed to support small charitable organisations working at grassroots level and aims to ensure that funding reaches the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. Funding of between £20,000 and £70,000 is available for up to three years to support work that enables: people from across the community to participate in activities which improve connectedness, opportunities and wellbeing; people who are excluded, vulnerable or facing hardship to have access to community-based services that support positive lasting change; a stronger, active, more engaged community. Funding is available for running costs which may include salaries, project costs, and small capital costs needed to support the work.

The Wilmcote Charitrust gives grants to Registered Charities and voluntary organisations working for the relief of poverty, sickness, old age and distress, the advancement of religion and education and such other charitable objects as considered appropriate by the trustees. Grants are made to a range of organisations including those whose work benefits ex-service personnel, medical charities, young person's charities, colleges and schools, religious charities and those that help the aged.

The Home Instead Charities (Previously Bring Joy Foundation) make donations to not-for-profit groups, organisations and charities that can demonstrate their commitment to creating activities designed to improve the lives of the elderly. Home Instead Charities will fund events, activities or pastimes that bring the joy and fun back into ageing.

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 Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) gives one-off or regular grants, and can provide essential household items and disability equipment. For working farmers the RABI could fund relief staff to help in a crisis for example accident, illness, family breakdown, bereavement or animal disease. For retired and/or disabled people RABI can pay towards care home and home-help costs; the Institution also runs two residential homes. The RABI may also be able to help with the cost of funerals or bankruptcy fees, and / or provide an emergency grant to cover the cost of, for example, council tax and utility bill arrears.

The Community Development Fund is designed to support Community Councils and Community Development Organisations working in Shetland to deliver services, activities and initiatives in relation to the priority areas of children and young people; families at risk; older people; transport; safer & stronger communities; reducing offending; health inequalities & physical activity; employment and economic recovery & growth. The aim of the scheme is to make a real difference to the quality of life for people living in Shetland and to encourage organisations to be both imaginative and innovative in designing projects and programmes which will impact positively on as many members of their respective communities as possible. Grants are available for seed-corn or pump priming costs for eligible projects.

The Zurich Community Trust offers grants of £100 - £5,000 to help improve the quality of life for disadvantaged people and help them to achieve an independent life for themselves. ZCT funds a range of issues including supporting carers, special needs children, older people, people with disabilities, counseling, homeless people and many more. Support is given to organisations that help to alleviate the impact on individuals of being disadvantaged. Schools and hospitals may be funded for projects that specifically support special needs groups or disadvantaged children. Overseas work in all continents, which seeks to enable people to address the basic needs of their communities, is also funded.

Barchester's Charitable Foundation is a grant giving charity that helps older people and other adults with a disability across England, Scotland & Wales to lead more fulfilled lives and reach their full potential. The foundations focus is on connecting or re-connecting people with others in their local community, helping combat isolation and loneliness and enabling people to be active. Funding of between £100 and £5,000 is available for individuals and small community groups to help improve people's mobility, independence and quality of life. Individual applications must be completed by a third party sponsor such as a health care professional, social worker or charity/support group representative.

The Scotmid Co-operative is offering small grants to assist and support community projects and initiatives throughout Scotland. Funding is concentrated on the areas of Children/Youth; Health & Wellbeing; Fair Trade; Social Inclusion; Arts & Culture; Environment; 65+ Groups (age); Active Lifestyles; Community Group; Co-operative.To be eligible for funding, applicants must be a group or individual acting for the wider benefit of the local Community; and live within the geographic boundaries of one of Scotmid Regional Committees.

Small charities, schools and community interest groups with innovative ideas that benefit their community can apply for funding of up to £50,000 for projects that build more connected, more resilient communities; and give people the tools to become more financially independent. The funding is being made available through the newly re-launched Aviva Community Fund.

CHK Charities Limited provides funding that aims to ‘make a difference'; it does not support individuals or very small and narrowly specialised activities. Preference is given to National or West Midlands charities. Applications can be made for assistance with core costs or for a specific project. This could include a contribution towards a building/refurbishment project, purchase of specialist equipment, other similar capital expenditure or assistance with running costs. The following are some of the categories for which funding can be provided: Artistic Causes; Conservation/Preservation; Care of the Elderly; Crime prevention; Disabled/Handicapped Treatment and Care; Drug Prevention and Treatment; Education; Employment and Job Creation; General Welfare and Social Problems. Please see website for a comprehensive list.

The Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme (AAL JP) is a grants programme that aims to create better condition of life for the older adults and to strengthen the industrial opportunities in Europe through the use of information and communication technology (ICT). The programme supports multi-country projects involving small and medium enterprises (SME), research bodies and user's organizations (representing the older adults).

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.

The Quaker Housing Trust supports social housing projects that would find it difficult to find funding elsewhere. The trust supports registered charities and small organisations that are meeting local housing needs for people of any age who are vulnerable and in housing need. The projects are mainly small and generally volunteer-led, often with support from local Quakers. Trustees are particularly interested in housing projects that meet the needs of individuals who are vulnerable at points of transition in their lives. Four specific grants are available: Health Check Service Grant; Feasibility Study Grant; Environmental Assessment Grant; Dissemination of Good Practice Grant. See funder's website for further details.

The Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation makes grants to registered charities that benefit children, through education and/or welfare, or the elderly. The type of activities that the Foundation is likely to fund include: Sensory toys and equipment for children with special needs; items to care for isolated and/or vulnerable elderly people; support of specially adapted equipment to be used by people with physical / mental / communication disabilities; apparatus for children with special needs; items or tangible social activities for Community Centres providing a benefit to many in the local community; and provision of tangible and social interaction activities for the vulnerable and/or isolated.

The RW Mann Trust is a grant making organisation that supports organisations in the North Tyneside, South East Northumberland and in the East Newcastle areas who are locally run and led, help people with the greatest need, involve disadvantaged and minority groups, improve the quality of life in their community and are in the public interest. Grants made have varied between regular annual contributions, small one-off donations and grants for capital projects. . Most of the beneficiaries in recent years have been youth groups (both uniformed and non-uniformed), children, people with disabilities, older people, schools, colleges, councils for voluntary service and other advice agencies. The Trust has made grants of between £500 and £5,000 but the average size of grant awarded is £1000.

The Leeds Building Society Charitable Foundation will consider applications for community based projects which aim to provide relief of suffering, hardship or poverty, or their direct consequences. The Foundation primarily provides funding towards practical items that directly support those in need including those with disabilities, affected by homelessness, or with serious health issues. Donations usually fund items of "capital expenditure".

The Childwick Trust provides funding to registered charities to assist people with disabilities, the promotion of health, the elderly in need and for the welfare of people involved in the horse racing world. The Trust also helps a number of Jewish charities and funds pre-school education projects in South Africa. The overall focus is to make payments for the benefit of charities within the United Kingdom for the promotion of health particularly for the relief of the disabled and the aged in need. The funding amount is discretionary. The trustees meet twice a year, in July and January to consider applications. Applications can be submitted for these meetings between the months of April - May (for the July meeting) and October - November (for the January meeting).

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 objectives of The Edgar E Lawley Foundation are for general charitable purposes with particular reference to medicine, the needs of elderly persons, and to educational purposes with reference to the arts, commerce and industry. Traditionally the Foundation has given particular assistance to charities in the West Midlands area. The current annual grants programme amounts to approximately £200,000 per annum with a typical grant being in the region of £2,000 per successful applicant. 

The Grocers Charity is grant making charity giving grants to small and medium sized organisations in the UK. Its mission is to invest in and support a broad range of UK registered charities which together make a demonstrable positive impact on public benefit. The Grocers’ Charity typically provides one-off grants up to £5,000.

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 Triangle Trust was originally set up to provide hardship and education grants to individuals associated with the Glaxo pharmaceutical company. However from 2013 the trust is concentrating its grant giving in two sectors; charitable organisations working with unpaid carers and those supporting the rehabilitation of offenders or ex-offenders. To help make the organisations in these sectors stronger and more sustainable the Development Grant provides funding for an organisation's core costs to support the development of a solid foundation for the future. Grants will be available for up to £60,000 over 2 years, with a maximum of £30,000 in year one.

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 Clothworkers' Foundation aims to use its funding to improve the quality of life for people and communities that face disadvantage. The Main Grants Programme offers capital grants of over £1,000 and is open to charities with a turnover of under £15 million. The type of projects supported by the charity includes alcohol and substance misuse ;  disability; disadvantaged young people; domestic and sexual violence, support for the elderly; homelessness; disadvantaged minority communities; helping prisoners and ex-offenders; visual impairment and textiles.

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

Hospice UK is the national charity for hospice care; the charity supports the work of more than 200 member organisations that provide hospice care across the UK. Enabling them to provide the highest quality of care to people with terminal or life limiting conditions and support to their families. The organisation provides funding to both organisations and individuals for improvements in care, and to support professional development; the charities aim is to have a lasting impact on the provision of hospice and palliative care. Details of current funding programmes are available on the funder's website.

The Rayne Foundation offers grants to tackle entrenched social issues through the arts, health, wellbeing, and education. The foundation has a particular focus on connecting communities, building bridges between marginalised groups and mainstream society, and enabling individuals to reach their full potential. The annual grant making programme is in the region of £1.5 million and grants typically fall in the range of £10,000 to £20,000 per annum for up to three years. Funding is available both for capital and revenue expenditure. 

The Royal British Legion provides lifelong support for the armed forces community - serving men and women, veterans, and their families. It can provide grants and loans to those who are suffering financial hardship. Priority is given to projects in the areas of employment and training; family support; homelessness and outreach; mental wellbeing; and supporting the elderly to live independently. Examples of the activities that can be funded include providing a support or welfare service and capital projects, for example, to build a facility or to purchase equipment for the benefit of Royal British Legion beneficiaries.

The Charles Hayward Foundation is a grant-making charitable Trust that makes grants to charities and charitable organisations which are registered in the U.K. The Foundation runs two grants programmes: Main grant programme, this focuses on Social & Criminal Justice, Heritage & Conservation and Overseas (UK registered charities undertaking projects in the Commonwealth countries of Africa) and is aimed at charities with an income of more than £350,000; Small Grant Programme, this focuses on Social & Criminal Justice and Older People and is for charities with an income of less than £350,000.

Small grants are available to registered charities with an annual income of less than £500,000 for projects where the total cost is less than £150,000. Projects must benefit UK residents and be of benefit to the wider community rather than one ethnic or religious group. Funding is available for capital costs such as building work, refurbishment or the purchase of long-term equipment) or a one-off short term activity (such as an annual respite break or holiday for disadvantaged young people). Before making an application applicants should have raised at least one third of the total project costs