Childlife

Childlife, a UK-registered charitable consortium established in 1992, serves as a collaborative fundraising vehicle dedicated exclusively to its four member charities: Acorns Children’s Hospice, Ataxia UK, National Children’s Bureau, and National Deaf Children’s Society. Its core mission is to enhance the lives of babies, children, and young people (0-18) facing illness, disability, or social disadvantage by pooling donor resources—primarily through payroll giving, regular donations, and face-to-face fundraising—to maximize impact and efficiency. Governed by a board of trustees nominated from its members, Childlife embodies values of collaboration, transparency, and high pass-through rates (over 89% of income to charities or income generation), distributing nearly £9 million to date with a focus on sustainable, unrestricted support.

It funds the essential services of its partners, including paediatric palliative care for life-limiting conditions (Acorns), research and family support for ataxia (Ataxia UK), advocacy and outcomes improvement for vulnerable children (National Children’s Bureau), and barrier removal for deaf children (National Deaf Children’s Society). Grants support core costs, programme delivery, research, advocacy, family services, and capacity building, addressing themes like rare neurological conditions, mental/physical health, inclusion, and child welfare across the UK.

Eligibility is strictly limited to its four large partner charities (incomes typically over £1 million), all UK-based with national reach; no unsolicited applications from other entities, individuals, or small grassroots groups are accepted. Annual grants average £100,000–£105,000 per charity (total ~£410,000 in 2023/24), allocated equally by the board post-financial year-end (31 March) with no open rounds, forms, or deadlines. Distinctively, Childlife offers no project-specific, capital, or emergency funding, rejects redirection of donations to single charities, and functions solely as a member-led pass-through funder, not an open grantmaker.