Applying for a grant
Applying for funding under the Open Grants Programme
In this section you can learn more about our Open Grants Programme – particularly what we fund, and how we make our decisions. We also explain our process and tell you how you can apply.
Open Grants
Our Open Grants Programme funds capital costs that support the infrastructure needs of small- and medium-sized charitable organisations working with disadvantaged and marginalised people and communities.
We prioritise funding to organisations that are led by, or fully integrate in their decision-making, people with related lived experience, and to projects that allow organisations to make a big change to their reach, impact, or sustainability.
We fund both large and small projects.
The size of grant awarded will depend on a number of factors, including the size of your organisation and the cost and scale of your capital project. We do not fund projects of £15,000 or under for organisations with a turnover of more than £2 million. This means organisations with a turnover of more than £2 million cannot apply for a small grant.
In 2024, our application success rate was 47%.
In 2024 the success rates for eligible applications to our Open Grants Programme was 47%. To be eligible to apply, both your organisation and your project must be eligible.
Please read the information on this page carefully before taking the Eligibility Quiz. If eligible, you will then be given a unique URL at the end of the quiz, directing you to a page with information on the relevant application and instructions for beginning your application. You will not be able to create a new account or start a new application without completing the quiz.
Eligible organisations
To be eligible to apply, both your organisation and your project must be eligible.
We fund organisations operating in the UK that are:
UK charities registered with the Charity Commission (or delegated authority), Community Interest Companies (limited by guarantee without share capital), or Community Benefit Societies.
With an annual turnover of less than £10 million if applying for a grant of more than £15,000 (a ‘Large Grant’).
With an annual turnover of less than £2 million if applying for a grant of £15,000 or less (a ‘Small Grant’).
You must be able to demonstrate that the work of your organisation fits within one or more of our Programme Areas below, and that at least 50% of service users benefiting from the capital project are from one or more of those groups.
- Organisations that have received a grant offer from us within the past five years.
- Organisations that promote a particular religion or only provide services to people of a particular religion.
- Organisations that promote a particular political party, or seek to influence the way people vote.
- Organisations that have had an application declined in the past six months. Please note: You cannot reapply for the same project if it has been declined.
- Those with more than £10 million income per annum.
- Those that primarily provide services to other organisations (sometimes described as 'second tier' or 'infrastructure' organisations). For example, a CVS (council for voluntary service) or membership group would not be eligible unless it also provides direct or front-line services, and the project it is applying for specifically relates to that part of its delivery).
- Hospices and NHS charities.
- Grantmaking organisations.
- Schools, colleges or universities – unless its students are exclusively individuals with physical and/or learning disabilities (e.g. special schools). Please note: We do not fund PRUs (pupil referral units) or Alternative Provision providers.
- Special schools that are part of a multi-academy trust with total income of more than £10 million (Large grant), or £2 million (Small grant).
- Almshouses.
Programme areas
You must be able to demonstrate that the work of your organisation fits within one or more of the below Programme Areas, and at least 50% of service users benefiting from the capital project are from one or more of these groups.
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Communities experiencing racial inequalities
Organisations supporting communities affected by racism, and organisations working to promote...
Communities experiencing racial inequalities
Organisations supporting communities affected by racism, and organisations working to promote racial equity. Organisations may be providing specialist services such as employment support or legal advice primarily to minoritised communities or may provide more general community support. These communities may face discrimination or disadvantage on the grounds of ethnicity or faith.
Disabilities including mental health or visual impairment
Organisations supporting people who have physical and/or learning disabilities, and/or people...
Disabilities including mental health or visual impairment
Organisations supporting people who have physical and/or learning disabilities, and/or people struggling with mental health. Those providing support to the families and carers of those with disabilities can also apply under this programme area. Organisations supporting children and young people with disabilities should apply under this programme area as well as the Young People Facing Disadvantage programme area. Please note that special schools and colleges are eligible to apply under this programme area. We have a 300-year history of supporting organisations improving the lives of blind and visually impaired people and welcome applications from organisations with this mission.
Domestic or sexual abuse
Organisations supporting adults and children affected by domestic or sexual abuse. This includes victims, survivors and perpetrators of abuse...
Domestic or sexual abuse
Organisations supporting adults and children affected by domestic or sexual abuse. This includes victims, survivors and perpetrators of abuse. It includes services helping victims escape abusive relationships, or any part of the recovery cycle. Examples include refuges and women’s organisations. Organisations applying for a capital project linked to supporting perpetrators must have or be working towards Respect accreditation.
Economic disadvantage
Organisations supporting individuals or communities experiencing poverty and deprivation...
Economic disadvantage
Organisations supporting individuals or communities experiencing poverty and deprivation. This may include urgent support as well as longer-term work to relieve economic disadvantage.
Homelessness
Organisations providing services to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless...
Homelessness
Organisations providing services to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This includes those providing homelessness accommodation, or services such as food banks and furniture recycling. Organisations supporting young people at risk of homelessness (or that are homeless) should also apply under our Young People Facing Disadvantage programme area.
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LGBT+ communities
Organisations providing support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people facing...
LGBT+ communities
Organisations providing support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people facing disadvantage or discrimination.
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Older people facing disadvantage
Organisations providing services for older people facing disadvantage...
Older people facing disadvantage
Organisations providing services for older people facing disadvantage, particularly (but not limited to) economic disadvantage and isolation.
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Prison rehabilitation
Organisations supporting people in prison and their families, those at risk of offending and the rehabilitation...
Prison rehabilitation
Organisations supporting people in prison and their families, those at risk of offending and the rehabilitation of those leaving prison. If you are supporting young people at risk of offending, please also apply under the Young People Facing Disadvantage programme area.
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Substance misuse and addiction
Organisations supporting people and families affected by drugs and/or alcohol misuse...
Substance misuse and addiction
Organisations supporting people and families affected by drugs and/or alcohol misuse.
Young people facing disadvantage
Organisations supporting young people facing disadvantages, particularly...
Young people facing disadvantage
Organisations supporting young people facing disadvantages, particularly (but not limited to) young people in care or leaving care and young people not in education, employment or training. The focus of services must be on supporting disadvantaged young people; general educational organisations, wildlife and outdoor educational charities, sports organisations, and youth arts organisations are not eligible to apply under this category unless at least 50% of those benefiting from the capital project fall within one or more of our programme areas. Please note, we do not accept applications from pupil referral units, schools or organisations delivering other mainstream educational provision under this programme area.
Eligible projects
To be eligible to apply, both your organisation and your project must be eligible.
We fund the following capital projects:
Buildings or Refurbishment Projects
This includes the purchase, construction, renovation or refurbishment of a building or building(s).
Fittings, Fixtures, and Equipment
This includes, but is not limited to, office equipment or furniture, sports or gym equipment, digital or audiovisual equipment, garden equipment, and specialist therapeutic equipment (excluding medical). It does not include equipment for one-off use, or which will be given to service users for personal use on a permanent basis.
Digital Infrastructure
This includes, but is not limited to, one-off (not ongoing) costs for the digitisation of processes, the development or updating of communication platforms such as websites or apps, or adding digital features to existing services. These projects should be well past the ‘brainstorming’ phase, and be ready for development.
Vehicles
This includes, but is not limited to, minibuses, cars, caravans, people carriers, 4x4s and boats. We are unlikely to fund the total cost of a new vehicle or award funding to an organisation that already owns a large number of vehicles. We do not provide grants towards vehicle leasing or award funding to organisations whose core activity is community transport.
- Salaries and overheads
- Volunteer expenses
- Training
- Rent
- Costs associated with the lease of property or equipment
- Project management costs
- Marketing/literature/leaflets
- Equipment for one-off use, or which will be given to service users for personal use on a permanent basis
- One-off events
- Consumable items such as items with a short shelf life e.g. clothes, some sports equipment and kits, toys, and stationary
- Retrospective costs for projects that have already been completed
- Requests for a vehicle from an organisation where its core offer is community transport
- Projects where the primary purpose is that of heritage or culture
Impact Framework
When we receive more eligible applications than we can fund, we need to make decisions about which applications we will prioritise. Our Impact Framework informs our decision making in this area. We prioritise:
Organisations embedding lived experience
Organisations that embed lived experience of the issues they tackle in their decision-making at all levels. We understand this looks different for different organisations, and we ask questions about this in our application forms.
Projects that will lead to significant change
Projects that will make a significant change to the delivery, reach or sustainability of an organisation. This may include projects that allow an organisation to own its own building, undertake a refurbishment that can increase the numbers it serves and/or the quality of the work it does, own a vehicle for the first time, or significantly increase reach or delivery through new digital infrastructure.
We may fund applications from organisations that score highly on one criteria, but are very unlikely to fund those that do not score highly on either.
We prioritise applications that score highly within one or both of our Impact Framework criteria.
However, there are other reasons we may decline an application.
Below is a list of the most common reasons that lead us to turn down an application:
- The organisation’s structure or organisation type was ineligible.
- There is not a strong enough fit across our Programme Areas.
- The financial need was not sufficiently evidenced.
- We are not confident of the organisation’s financial position. For example, there may be insufficient revenue funding in place to remain a going concern.
- The request was for a non-capital project.
- The organisation’s secular activities were not sufficiently demonstrated.
- The organisation’s fundraising plan does not seem adequate to meet the needs of the project.
- The request was for retrospective funding (i.e., a project that had already been completed).
- Due to the size of the project costs, we are unable to award a meaningful grant.
- The organisation lacks a sufficient track record.
Application process
We ask everyone who is interested in our funding to complete our Eligibility Quiz. This will help you understand whether or not you are eligible to apply for funding.
Eligible organisations are invited to submit applications for a Small Grant (up to £15,000) with a one-stage application process, or a Large Grant (more than £15,000), which has a two-stage application process. The Large Grant application process aims to to minimise time completing forms and waiting on a decision for applicants unlikely to be successful.
Eligibility
If you are eligible to apply, you will be directed to a page on our website, and a link to our grants application portal.
You will need to create a new account for the grants portal, where you can begin your application.
Stage 1
Small Grants have a one-stage application process, with one form. These are reviewed on a rolling basis. We aim to respond within 12 weeks.
Large Grants have a two-stage application process; the first form will capture information on your organisation, your project, and its intended impact. These are reviewed on a rolling basis. We aim to respond within six weeks.
Stage 2
Organisations with Large Grant applications that score highest against our Impact Framework are invited to submit a full application (expected within four months).
The second-stage application form will ask for additional information on your organisation and project. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We aim to respond within six months.
Decision
Decisions for Small Grant applications are made by our Foundation Director.
Second-stage applications for Large Grants are assessed by our Grants Team; decisions are made by our Grants Committee or Trustee Board.
Access your saved application
You can save your unfinished application and return to it, via the grants application portal, as many times as you like before you submit it. Once you submit your application, it can no longer be edited.
Please note: Creating a new account or application using the below link will not work. You must complete our Eligibility Quiz. Upon completing the quiz, you will be given a unique URL for the correct application form, allowing you to begin a new application.