Social Issues

These funds cover issues such as crime, homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, and poverty.

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

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

 

Huntingdon Freemen’s Trust

The Trust supports individuals, groups and organisations who reside within the area covered by Huntingdon Town Council. As well as education and recreation projects, it supports the relief of people in need, including those on a low income or who are struggling due to a variety of circumstances. There is no maximum grant amount; the Trust awards approximately £400,000 each year in grants.

NFU Mutual Charitable Trust

Grants of up to £50,000 are available to charitable organisations in the areas of education, research, social welfare and poverty relief. Themes include relief of poverty within rural areas. Applications are considered twice a year; the next deadline is expected to be in May.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation – Shared Ground Fund

Grants of up to £400,000 are available for projects that improve the life chances of young migrants. Its objectives include influencing migration system reform, improving access to support services, strengthening civic participation, and informing public understanding and countering the polarisation of migration and integration narratives.

BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme

This fund supports children and young people up to the age of 18 who are experiencing a crisis or emergency, to cover costs such as furniture, bedding, kitchen appliances and clothing. Applications must be completed by a registered referrer who is supporting the family or young person and capable of assessing their needs.

Youth Endowment Fund

Grants are available to registered charities, CICs and statutory bodies that help families and carers to create a supportive home environment for 6- to 14-year-old children (or up to 18 years old for children in the care system), reducing the likelihood of them becoming involved in violence.

 Better Community Business Network Grant Initiative

Grants of up to £3,000 for small non-profit organisations making a positive impact on the communities they serve. The nine themes include homelessness/poverty, ex-offenders and social cohesion.

Ashworth Charitable Trust

Grants of up to £5,000 for registered charities supporting humanitarian causes. The Trust’s underlying principles include “The need to address the situation of the very poor and of those at the margins of society.”

The Screwfix Foundation

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to registered charities and not-for-profit organisations for the repair, maintenance, improvement or construction of homes, community buildings and other buildings that will benefit those in need due to financial hardship, sickness, distress or other disadvantages. This can include repairing run-down buildings and decorating the homes of people living with illness and disability. Applications are considered quarterly.

Clothworkers’ Foundation

Grants for registered charities, CICs and other registered non-profit organisations (including schools) for projects that improve the quality of life for people and communities that face disadvantage. This includes alcohol and substance misuse, domestic and sexual abuse, homelessness, prisoners and ex-offenders. Match funding is likely to be required.

YAPP Charitable Trust

Registered charities with an annual turnover under £40,000 can apply for up to £3,000. This trust’s themes include social welfare, for people trying to overcome life-limiting problems of a social rather than medical origin, such as addiction, relationship difficulties, abuse and offending. The funder gives priority to work that is unattractive to the general public or unpopular with other funders.

Charles Hayward Foundation

Social and Criminal Justice is one of four themes for the Foundation, which funds projects that prevent people entering the criminal justice system and to support those already in the system to move on and rebuild their lives. Examples include early intervention programmes for troubled and vulnerable families, and rehabilitation programmes for the victims of domestic abuse and criminal exploitation. See the section on the website, “We fund projects in the following sub-categories” for more information. Charities with an annual income under £350,000 can apply for up to £7,000. Larger charities can apply for up to £25,000 per year for up to three years.

 Noel Buxton Trust

The objectives of this trust include the welfare of families – with a particular interest in the issue of domestic violence – and prisoners in Britain. Maximum grants vary from £3,000 to £5,000 depending on the project.

Woodward Charitable Trust

Grants of around £3,000 are awarded to projects with a number of themes including prisoners and ex-offenders, disadvantaged families (covering food poverty, refuges and domestic violence projects), and children and young people who are isolated, at risk of exclusion, involved in anti-social behaviour or who have been in the care system. Grants are for core costs rather than specific projects. Charities, CICs and exempt charities must be registered and have an annual turnover under £200,000. Most grants are for £1,000 or less.

Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation

Grants of £250 to £2,000 are available to registered charities for projects that alleviate poverty, improve health and save lives. The Foundation only accepts recommendations of UK registered charities from members and colleagues, rather than directly from the charities.

Help the Homeless

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to UK registered charities for capital and project costs that assist homeless people to rebuild their lives and return to the community. Projects must assist individuals in their return to mainstream society, rather than simply offering shelter or other forms of sustenance. Funding is for capital costs only.

The Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation

Grants of £1,000 to around £5,000 (with some applications exceeding this) are available as contributions towards one-off capital projects that raise the quality of life for people in England and Wales, particularly for the young, disadvantaged and older people and those in rural and isolated communities. The Foundation will typically cover up to 20% of the total budget, and projects must be self-financing thereafter.

Leeds Building Society

Leeds Building Society Foundation awards grants of up to £1,000 to UK registered charities (annual income under £1 million) which support those who are disadvantaged or in vulnerable circumstances. The Foundation primarily provides funding towards practical items (capital expenditure) that directly support those in need including those with disabilities, affected by homelessness, or with serious health issues.

The Speedomick Foundation

The Foundation has a particular focus on helping disadvantaged young people and the homeless with initial priorities for funding aimed at those charities whose projects include:  Working with those who are homeless; ex-offender rehabilitation or educational support; general relief for people in need; and the advancement of education.

The Mrs Smith and Mount Trust

There are two grants, the Mount Fund and Mrs Smith fund. Both aims to assist disadvantaged people towards greater independence or a better quality of life.

The Mrs Smith Fund makes grants to registered charities working with individuals in need that meet the Fund’s criteria.

Hardship funding is to be distributed by the recipient charities through small grants to disadvantaged people.

Henry Oldfield Trust

The Trust’s main aim is to support programmes which reduce offending and reoffending, promote entrepreneurship amongst the young and disadvantaged, and tackle other challenges such as homelessness and addiction. The Trust sets no upper limit you can apply for.

For more information and how to apply please contact:

Henry Oldfield Trust
Doddington Place,
Church Lane,
Doddington,
Sittingbourne,
Kent ME9 0BB

Charity Commission listing

Lloyds Bank Foundation

Grants are two-year unrestricted grants of £50,000 to UK registered charities (annual income of between £25,000 and £1 million) with a proven track record of helping people on a journey of positive change through in-depth, holistic and person-centred support affected by complex social issues including:

  • Addiction or dependency on alcohol, drugs, and/or gambling
  • Asylum seekers and refugees
  • Care leavers
  • Domestic and sexual abuse
  • Homelessness/vulnerably housed
  • Learning disabilities
  • Mental health
  • Offending, prison or community service
  • Sexual exploitation
  • Trafficking and modern slavery
  • Young parents

The Allen Lane Foundation

The Allen Land Foundation aims to fund work which:

  • will make a lasting difference to people’s lives rather than simply alleviating the symptoms or current problems;
  • is aimed at reducing isolation, stigma and discrimination, and;
  • encourages or enables unpopular groups to share in the life of the whole community.

A B Charitable Trust

Awards grants to UK registered charities (income between £150,000 and £1.5 million) that defend human rights and promote respect for vulnerable individuals whatever their circumstances.

Applications are particularly welcomed from charities working to support:

migrants, refugees and asylum seekers criminal justice and penal reform, human rights, particularly access to justice

The Weavers Company Benevolent Fund

Awards grants of up to £15,000 per annum to smaller UK registered charities working with:

Homeless Link

The Homeless Link Social Investment Fund offers flexible, blended finance of up to £150,000 to charities and social enterprises working to reduce homelessness across England.

The Gisela Graham Foundation

Awards grants of up to £10,000 to UK registered charities that support the Foundation’s aims to include:

  • Alleviate poverty and deprivation amongst children in less developed countries through care, education, and family support.
  • Promote causes supporting young homeless people seeking to achieve self sufficiency.

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation awards single year grants of between £2,000 to £10,000 to small, well-established charitable organisations (annual income under £250,000) whose postcode falls within the following on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation:

  • if you are located in an urban area, you must be in the bottom 15% most deprived areas
  • if you are located in a rural area, you must be in the bottom 50% most deprived areas

Projects must have a community focus and funding can be used for core costs, salaries, running and project costs.

Help us improve our website