Brook Trust

The Trust funds crisis response, rehabilitation, and aftercare for victims—especially women and children—of domestic and sexual violence, as well as early years programmes promoting childhood development, parental support, education, and mental health to build resilience in at-risk families and communities. It supports both immediate relief and long-term prevention, often through multi-year or core funding for specialist, innovative interventions in deprived areas. Work is predominantly UK-wide, with occasional international projects aligned with these priorities.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, with a strong preference for small to medium-sized organisations. The Trust prioritises beneficiaries including women and children affected by domestic and sexual violence, as well as families in deprived areas. There are no strict income limits, and no religious restrictions apply. The Trust favours organisations with local roots and a proven track record in its priority areas.

The Brook Trust does not support large national charities or mainstream, well-funded causes. It also avoids funding projects outside its core focus areas of domestic and sexual abuse support and early childhood interventions.

The Trust uses an invite-only model, proactively identifying promising grantees and building relationship-based partnerships rather than running open competitions. It favours multi-year and core funding, supporting both immediate relief and long-term prevention. The approach is designed to minimise bureaucracy for grantees and ensure targeted impact.