Children and young people

These funds specialise in supporting projects connected with children and young people.

As with any charitable project, it’s worth considering the funders that will fund a wide variety of projects. Education is covered separately here.

This page is updated annually. Spotted an error? Please let us know.

Cambridgeshire High Sheriff’s Fund

Grants for non-profit organisations for projects that enable young people in Cambridgeshire to gain new skills and confidence, such that they can volunteer in their community for the benefit of others.

BBC Children in Need

Grants for non-profit organisations working with disadvantaged children and young people (up to 18 years) living in the UK. The Main Grants programme offers grants up to £120,000, while the Small Grants programme goes up to £10,000 per year for up to three years.

BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials

Funding for the purchase of essential items to meet the needs of children in the UK who living in severe poverty, suffering deprivation as a result and who are facing additional social issue.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation – Youth Fund

Grants of up to £90,000 over three years for non-profit organisations for asset-based approaches to working with young people. Funding will cover core-operating costs in order to become better prepared for achieving more.

DM Thomas Foundation for Young People

Grants up to £30,000 for registered charities and CICs working with young people (up to 25 years) for projects that make a real difference to those most in need and which focus on children and young people with disabilities, who are sick in hospital or who are life limited.

Dulverton Trust

Youth opportunities is one of the themes for this trust, which awards grants to registered charities of around £25,000 to £35,000 for projects including providing life and work skills for the disadvantaged young people, early-intervention initiatives, character-building and challenging outdoor activities, and countryside experiences for children from deprived urban areas. It prioritises medium-sized charities (with income between £200,000 and £3 million) with a national footprint and which do not receive a significant proportion of income from government or local authority contracts.

Masonic Charitable Foundation – Children and Young People

Grants up to £150,000 over three years for registered charities that support disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people (up to 25 years) to overcome the barriers they face in order to achieve the best possible start in life. Charities with an annual income below £500,000 can apply for a Small Grant of £1,000 to £15,000. Larger charities can apply for a Large Grant of £10,000 to £60,000. Grant amounts should not exceed 15% of the total income of the applicant charity.

Toy Trust

Grants up to £5,000 for registered charities for projects that support disadvantaged and disabled children (under 13 years).

Variety Club – Youth Club Grants

Grants of around £250 to £600 to youth clubs in the UK that provide opportunities for improving social skills, team spirit and self esteem for young people aged from 8 to 18 years. Variety also run a separate scheme specialist equipment for children (up to 18 years).

Hedley Foundation

Grants of around £5,000 for small UK registered charities working with disadvantaged young people and supporting youth projects through education, the arts, sport and adventurous activities.

Woodward Charitable Trust – Children’s Summer Playscheme

Grants up to £1,000 for small registered charities in the UK to support children’s summer playschemes. Applications are accepted once a year, usually from around February to mid April.

Alec Dickson Trust

Grants of up to £500 for small groups of young people (under 30 years) who want to use volunteering or community service to enhance the lives of others, particularly those most marginalised by society.

YAPP Charitable Trust

Grants up to £3,000 for small registered charities working with various groups including children and young people (5-25 years). Priorities include work that is unattractive to the general public or unpopular with other funders.

Andy Fanshawe Memorial Trust

Grants averaging £400 for individual young people or small groups or from organisations, such as schools or youth clubs, on behalf of a young person for self-planned activities or residential courses at an outdoor centre in the UK.

Barbara Ward Children’s Foundation

Grants for charitable organisations undertaking projects for children and young people who are seriously or terminally ill, disadvantaged, underprivileged or have special needs. Projects must cover one or more of education, health and well-being, holidays, sport, play and leisure, support, care and respite.

Peter Cruddas Foundation

Funding for registered charities to support disadvantaged and disengaged young people (16-30 years) as they move towards pathways into education, training and employment.

BlueSpark Foundation

Grants typically under £5,000 for schools, community groups, clubs, societies or other organisations in England to improve the education and development of children and young people (aged 5-22) through educational, cultural, sporting and other activities.

Buttle UK – Chances for Children

Grants up to £2,000 for individuals aged 16-20 who are estranged or orphaned and living outside the family home, receiving little or no financial or emotional support from family members, in financial hardship and committed to pursuing a defined goal in relation to education, training or employment.

Casey Trust

Grants are available for UK registered charities for start-up projects that exclusively support children (up to 18 years) and their welfare. Currently the Trust is particularly looking to support children’s projects connected with the arts, mental health, child refugees in the UK and, more inner-London based projects.

DCMS – Youth Investment Fund

The Youth Investment Fund is open for bids from 45 local authorities and more than 600 district wards. Registered charities and exempt charities are eligible to apply. Funding should go towards delivering positive activities for young people aged 11-18 (up to age 25 for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).