Charterhouse-in-Southwark

Charterhouse-in-Southwark is an independent endowed grant-making trust established in 1885, rooted in the historic Charterhouse foundation in Clerkenwell and Charterhouse School, with a mission to transform the lives of disadvantaged children, young people, and families in London's Southwark borough. Guided by values of opportunity, fairness, and community support, it raises aspirations through grants to local charities delivering direct, face-to-face enrichment, fostering personal growth, confidence, and social mobility to break cycles of poverty and exclusion.

It prioritises informal educational and recreational activities for 8–18-year-olds facing social, economic, or educational challenges, including youth clubs, holiday programmes with meals, residential trips, sports, arts, life-skills workshops, mentoring, homework clubs, and mental health support. Examples include funding for WHYC's Duke of Edinburgh activities, Futsallers' sports engagement, and Bizzie Bodies' creative skills programmes. Distinctively, it offers biennial scholarships for Southwark youth to attend Charterhouse School's sixth form, promoting elite educational access.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities or CICs delivering exclusively in Southwark, with a preference for small-to-medium grassroots organisations (typically under £1m annual income); no religious restrictions apply. Grants range from £5,000–£10,000 annually, with multi-year awards up to £30,000 over three years for strong projects covering core costs or programmes—no major capital funding.

Applications start with an email expression of interest, followed by a call/visit and full PDF form submission in biannual rounds (next deadline mid-October 2024; spring round ~March/April). It excludes non-Southwark work, national/large charities, and non-local delivery, standing out for its deep, heritage-driven commitment to sustained local impact.