We offer grants and social investment. This page is about grants with information about what we do and don't fund, how to apply, and how to check your eligibility.
- Submitting an application: Before applying, read this page and see our funding priorities.
- Accessibility: We have additional accessibility-related support for applicants who have an accessibility issue with our application process, due to a disability.
- Social investment: For information about our social investment support, see our social investment guidance.
Are we the right funder for you?
We fund organisations that we believe will make the greatest long-term impact and change systems for the future - work that has the potential for wider influence or spread; takes a collaborative approach; and centres lived experience, justice and equity.
We focus our support on a small number of longer-term grants for organisations and work that fit our strategy. We make around 200 grants a year across our 13 funding priorities and demand for our funding is very high. In 2024, 6% of expressions of interest received through our website went on to be awarded a grant.
Our grants support
- Costs: we support organisations’ core or projects costs, including staff salaries and overheads. We also provide unrestricted funding for charities
- Amount: the minimum amount we offer is £30,000 and we have no maximum amount
- Time: the majority of our grants are for three to five years, but we have no minimum or maximum term.
- Organisations: we support constituted organisations, including charities and non-charities doing charitable work.
What we do and don't fund
Our general criteria and exclusions are below. You can find further guidance and applicant resources - including FAQs and downloadable versions of the guidance - using the menu at the top of this page.
We fund work that is...
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A strong fit for our strategy
- Is working towards the long-term outcomes in line with our funding priorities
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Ambitious and/or doing something new to create systemic change
- Can create sustainable change that lasts and/or leave a positive legacy
- Is informed by evidence and experience, with a solid understanding of the context
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Aims for wider influence and impact
- Goes beyond providing service delivery with a wider influence and impact
- Seeks to influence policy, practice, attitudes or behaviour
- Has potential to be scaled up, replicated or has scope to spread
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Centres lived experience, justice and equity
- Is driven or shaped by those with lived experience of the issues and/or is community-led
- Centres justice and equity in how they work including how they engage and involve people who face injustice and/or barriers, and amplifies their voices
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Takes a collaborative approach
- Works in equitable partnership or collaboration
- Has a clear understanding of their role and good connections to their communities, relevant networks, and grassroots groups
We don't fund...
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These types of organisations
- Organisations with a turnover of less than £100,000 (as reflected in the latest set of accounts)
- Organisations that are not constituted
- Organisations who do not have measures in place to guard against disproportionate 'personal benefit’
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These types of costs
- Capital costs including building work, renovations and equipment
- Grants to individuals
- Grants for less than £30,000
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These types of work
- Work that is not legally charitable – defined as work that falls within one of 13 descriptions of charitable purposes and is for the public benefit
- Work that does not have a direct benefit in the UK
- Work that is primarily the responsibility of statutory authorities using public funds e.g. social services
- Academic research unless it can demonstrate practical outcomes
- Independent education – work that takes place or is delivered by fee-paying schools
- Healthcare: clinical, counselling, hospices, therapy, addiction services, or medical research
- Promotion of religion
How to apply
Watch our short video to find out how to apply. Unless specified otherwise, we accept applications on a rolling basis with no deadlines.
Civic Square
Check your eligibility
Before investing more time in applying, check your organisation and work meets our minimum eligibility criteria.
Youth Leads UK
Next: our funding priorities
Learn more about our funding priorities to understand whether your work is a good fit. This will help you decide whether it's worth spending time submitting an application.