Grant Directories

The Children's Mental Health Grant is a charitable initiative by Bauer Media's Cash for Kids, designed to support mental health services for children (up to the age of 18) in the UK. This grant aims to provide financial support to mental health services catering to children across the UK. 

The Hargreaves Foundation is a grant-making charitable foundation set up in 2020 by Peter Hargreaves and his family.  Applications are open for charities and educational institutions seeking funding to support those under the age of 18, and living with a mental health problem, physical disability or growing up in poverty through the mediums of sport and education.

Hits Radio Manchester Cash for Kids distributes money to registered charities, to individuals to pay for specialist equipment, to sports organisations and to specialist projects for schools & playgroups; Projects must be for the benefit of young people under the age of 18; who are disabled and have special needs or who come from underprivileged backgrounds.

Radio City Cash for Kids distributes money to registered charities, to individuals to pay for specialist equipment, to sports organisations and to specialist projects for schools & playgroups; Projects must be for the benefit of young people under the age of 18; who are disabled and have special needs or who come from underprivileged backgrounds.

Happy Days Children's charity works with local communities across the UK to provide vital respite breaks for individuals, families and groups who support children with additional needs. Help is available for young people between 3 and 17 with learning difficulties, physical or mental disabilities and with acute, chronic or life limiting illnesses, support is also available to young people who have been abused or neglected, witnessed domestic violence, been bereaved or act as carers for a parent or a sibling. Through the Group Activity Holidays programme the charity provides group activity holidays to a wide variety of destinations such as outdoor activity centres, holiday camps and sailing breaks.

Happy Days Children's charity works with local communities across the UK to provide vital respite breaks for individuals, families and groups who support children with additional needs. Help is available for young people between 3 and 17 with learning difficulties, physical or mental disabilities and with acute, chronic or life limiting illnesses, support is also available to young people who have been abused or neglected, witnessed domestic violence, been bereaved or act as carers for a parent or a sibling. Through the Day Trips and Visiting Theatre programme the charity provides support for day trips to a wide range of destinations including the seaside, theme parks and the theatre

The Wolfson Foundation awards grants to support and promote excellence in education, science & medicine, the arts & humanities and health & disability. Through its Funding for Special Schools and Colleges funding stream the Foundation aims to support schools and colleges for children and young people with special educational needs. Grants are awarded for projects focussed on helping pupils to develop skills which would help them to gain employment or live independently after leaving school or college.

The Westmister Foundation is a grant making charity that aims to address social welfare issues in certain geographic areas. The Foundation’s funding is focused on creating opportunities for young people and their families to have the resilience, skills and capacity to lead happy and healthy lives. Through creating these opportunities, the Foundation aims to tackle the causes of inter-generational inequality and its impact, particularly by reducing the risk of homelessness and mental ill-health.

Variety is a children’s charity that aims to improve the lives of children and young people throughout the UK who are sick, disabled or disadvantaged. The Variety Great Days Out Fund provides free day trips for children which are intended to provide entertainment, fun, stimulation and variety. All events are accessible and examples of the types of place’s that are visited include: Theme Parks, Disney on Ice, Tower of London, Madame Tussauds, river trips, seaside visits, the zoo and the circus. 

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.

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.

John Holford Charity makes grants to individuals and organisations for children, young people, elderly, people with disabilities and the general public for the relief of disability or the prevention or relief of poverty. The Charity supports individual children and families by making donations to provide for anything from school uniforms and school trips to new washing machines. They also support charitable organisations that work with individuals, where there is financial need. The geographical area covered is the old Congleton Borough of Cheshire.

The Children's Foundation was set up to give children and young people in the North East the best health and wellbeing services in the UK. Through the Children's Foundation Regional Small Grants programme grants of up to £1,000 are available to support community projects that benefit children and young people in the North East. Any non-profit making properly constituted group can apply for projects that complement and enhance the work of the Foundation in four key areas: Mental Health: Disability: Child Safety: Exercise and Obesity.

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.

The Foyle Foundation is an independent grantmaking trust that distributes grants to UK charities. It provides grants primarily in the areas of Arts and Learning. The Main Grants Scheme - Arts programme aims to help charities with projects that make a strong artistic case for support in either the performing or visual arts, it has a twofold purpose; to help sustain the arts and to support projects that help to deliver artistic vision. Typical areas that are supported by this funding include: helping to make the arts more accessible by developing new audiences, supporting tours, festivals and arts educational projects; supporting young and emerging artists; building projects to improve or re-equip existing arts venues; projects that encourage sustainability. The majority of grants will be in the range of £10,000 to £50,000

The Toy Trust is the charity of the UK toy industry, providing grants to help disadvantaged and disabled children in the UK and internationally. It raises funds through donations and events organised by industry stakeholders, including manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers. The charity supports projects that offer play opportunities, with a focus on improving children's physical and mental well-being. Eligible applicants include charities and non-profit organisations working with children in need.

The Boshier-Hinton Foundation exists to improve quality of life for people with disabilities or learning difficulties, and their families, in any part of the country, by making donations to charitable institutions providing facilities and advocacy for children and adults with special educational or other needs: or by making donations to other registered Charities: or by making donations to local community charities or other agencies in any part of the country whose objects are no wider than the charity's own, or to any charity for particular purposes which fall within the Foundation's objects.

The Frazer Trust makes grants in a wide range of areas including special/primary and secondary schools. In recent years almost a quarter of funding has gone to medical and other research. During 2019/2020 the Trust awarded 360 grants with a total value of £553,350 to organisations in the UK.

The Trust provides grants for projects that support the education, training, care and welfare of people with special educational needs, particularly those under 25 with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Although the Trust operates UK wide, preference is given to organisations and schools in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. Examples of eligible expenditure include equipment, playground equipment, music therapy etc as long as the grant will make a difference to special needs pupils

The St James Place Foundation supports projects which fall within the following themes: Supporting Young People with special needs - supporting projects that provide directly for young people (under the age of 25) within the UK who suffer from physical or mental health difficulties or conditions, or a life threatening or degenerative illness, or are disadvantaged; Supporting disadvantaged young people; Supporting people with cancer. Funding of up to £10,000 is available to registered charities and special needs schools

The Trust makes grants of up to £5,000 to voluntary and community organisations benefitting the young or people in need. The scheme is intended to support organisations undertaking projects in the following areas of  need:  Medical Research; Hospitals; Retirement homes; Schools and training institutions; Homes and care for the young; Other charitable work which helps people in need. The Trust makes grants throughout the UK though preference may be given to local charitable organisations in the Bristol area

The Trust funds projects concerned with the relief of poverty or distress, particularly those relating to children, and the advancement of the evangelical Christian faith, both at home and abroad. The Beatrice Laing Trust offers grants to UK registered charities working throughout the UK, in developing countries and overseas. Grants are generally awarded on a one-off basis for capital purposes such as the purchase or construction of new premises, building extension, redevelopment or refurbishment, or the purchase of equipment and vehicles.

The BBC Children in Need Main Grants programme distributes grants of over £10,000 to not for profit organisations such as Registered charities; Voluntary organisations; Schools ; Churches; and Community groups, etc  that work with disadvantaged children below the age of 18 living in the UK. In particular, grants are available for projects that help children and young people of 18 years and under experiencing illness, distress, abuse or neglect; any kind of disability; behavioural or psychological difficulties; and / or living in poverty or situations of deprivation. Applications should demonstrate how your project will change the lives of children for the better.

The True Colours Trust aims to make a difference to the lives of children with special needs and their families and supporting people with life-limiting and/or life-threatening illnesses. The True Colours Trust offers grants of up to £10,000  to local organisations and projects that support disabled children and their families.  The Trustees are particularly keen to award grants for Hydrotherapy pools; Multi sensory rooms; Mini buses; Young carers projects; Sibling projects; and Bereavement support.  The Trust also makes grants for improving access to affordable palliative care in sub-Saharan Africa, with the focus on increasing access to opioids in Zambia.

State funded secondary and primary schools as well as dedicated schools catering for those with Special Educational Needs (SEN) that do not have or want to improve their libraries can apply for funding through the Foyles Foundation Schools Library Programme. This programme recognises that there is no statutory requirement for schools to have a library and that many school libraries are in a desperate situation through underfunding and underdevelopment. Encouraging children to read widely from an early age will provide a major boost to improving literacy levels, which is a current key educational objective. Priority will be given to funding library books. The Foundation will also consider contributions towards library software, necessary IT equipment and specialist seating/desks. Preference will be given to schools which can clearly demonstrate that their library can be maintained and renewed in the future. Applications can be submitted at any time.

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.

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 Ironmongers' Company aims to help people who are disadvantaged to improve their ability to make the most of life. Projects funded must focus on children and young people up to the age of 25, consist of educational opportunities that develop learning, motivation and skills and have clear objectives to be met within a planned timetable. The Company is particularly interested in enabling primary age children to develop a strong foundation for the future.  Grants are in the region of a few hundred pounds to £10,000. The appeals committee meets twice a year at the end of March and October. The deadlines for receipt of applications are 15 December and 31 July respectively.

Organisations catering for children with special needs such as schools, hospitals as well as individual families can apply for grants to provide vital respite breaks. There are three programmes: The Day Trip Grant fund for days out and theatre trips: Family Respite Breaks for short seaside or country breaks: Group Activity Holidays for which partial applications with joint funding are accepted. All trips usually take place in the UK and cater for disadvantaged young people with special needs including those in special needs schools, in hospitals and in hospices and individual families are also eligible. The applicant must represent a group of young people aged 3-17 with special needs, or represent a special needs school or special needs group. All key carers who will be accompanying children on the trip must be DBS cleared. Organisations must also have a child protection policy in place. The funding amount is discretionary and applications can be submitted at any time.

The Canoe Foundation is a grant making trust which aims to ‘positively change lives through canoeing'. The foundations purpose over the next few years is to support all to enjoy and benefit from the experience of paddling on our water in a sustainable manner. They aim to do this by: Facilitating suitable launching and landing points to water and providing more opportunities for a modern diverse community to enjoy canoeing with improved facilities; Promoting and supporting the conservation of inland waterways, rivers, oceans and the environment whilst allowing water users to have an enjoyable and readily accessible experience.To acheive this the foundation is looking to support projects with grants of between £500 and £10,000 which create new or improved launching points in urban or rural locations or as part of a water trail, such as steps or pontoons; Incorporate better accessibility or facilities at waterside locations which might improve the parking or changing aspects of a s...

The Field Studies Council is an independent educational charity committed to raising awareness about the natural world. They work through a network of 17 residential and day Centres in the UK providing courses for schools and colleges at all levels in addition to adult Individuals & Families courses, outreach education, training and consultancy. The Kids Fund aims to bring environmental understanding to disadvantaged young people by attending a course at a Field Studies Council centre. It helps disadvantaged young people to attend a course who may otherwise be excluded due to some form of disadvantage - health, mobility, deprivation or financial. Funding will normally be up to 75% of the cost of your group's course to an FSC Field Centre. Applications can be submitted at any time with decisions being made in February, June and October.

The Radcliffe Trust supports classical music performance and training especially chamber music, composition and music education. Particular interests within music education are music for children and adults with special needs, youth orchestras and projects at secondary and higher levels, including academic research. Applications are considered under the following headings: composition and contemporary music, bursaries for courses and summer schools; limited to U.K. based students, music therapy / special needs, academic research / projects, youth orchestras, performance projects and educational projects. The funding amount is discretionary.

The Birkdale Trust for Hearing Impaired Grant's exists to provide financial grants to children and young people who have a hearing impairment and to organisations who provide help to such people. The main objectives of this charity are: to advance the education of children and young people with particular reference to those with a hearing impairment; and to support any other charitable object, which promotes the welfare of hearing impaired children and young people which may conveniently be pursued in conjunction with the pursuits of the above. There are two separate types of application forms, one for individuals and one for groups, educational establishments and charities.

Charitable organisations, schools and youth groups that offer outdoor recreation opportunities can apply for funding for projects that allow young people to experience outdoor recreation. The Trust is likely to support groups representing those who are disadvantaged or who face particular challenges. The grant aims to support specific projects that encourage young people to further their existing skills and gain new experiences. Eligible expenditure includes equipment, course fees and trips. Expeditions abroad are not supported. Applications can be submitted at any time.

The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund provides grants to support the care, relief, and research related to learning disabilities, including autism. Grants are available for both general projects and research initiatives, aimed at improving the lives of individuals affected by these conditions. Eligible applicants include charities, schools, and research institutions. The fund focuses on projects that deliver long-term benefits in the area of learning disabilities.

Reaching Communities provide grants to help improve local communities and the lives of people most in need, including hard to reach communities. There is a small revenue and a capital scheme and a larger buildings only fund. All projects must address one or more of the following outcomes. People have better chances in life, with better access to training and development to improve their life skills;  Stronger communities, with more active citizens, working together to tackle their problems;  Improved rural and urban environments, which communities are better able to access and enjoy; and Healthier and more active people and communities.

BBC Children in Need Small Grants programme distributes grants of up to £10,000 to not for profit organisations such as Registered charities; Voluntary organisations; Special Schools ; Churches; and Community groups, etc  that work with disadvantaged children below the age of 18 living in the UK. . In particular, grants are available for projects that help children and young people of 18 years and under experiencing illness, distress, abuse or neglect; any kind of disability; behavioural or psychological difficulties; and / or living in poverty or situations of deprivation. Applications should demonstrate how your project will change the lives of children for the better.

The Tudor Trust is an independent grant-making trust which supports voluntary and community groups working in any part of the UK.  The Trust particularly want to help smaller, community-led organisations which work directly with people who are at the margins of society: organisations which support positive changes in people’s lives and in their communities. The Tudor Trust don't have specific funding programmes designed to advance a particular agenda as they believe that the groups they support are best placed to identify problems and develop solutions.