Forces in Mind Trust

Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT), established in 2011 with a £35 million endowment from the National Lottery Community Fund, is an independent UK funder dedicated to enabling ex-Service personnel and their families to transition successfully to civilian life through evidence-led interventions. Its mission focuses on preventing poverty, supporting mental and physical health, and addressing needs via mentoring, rehabilitation, resettlement, education, training, and employment. Core values—evidence, collaboration, inclusion, independence, and advocacy—drive a research-oriented approach, emphasizing strategic influence on policy, sector convening (e.g., King’s College London Veterans’ Mental Health Conference), and long-term change across seven domains: mental health, physical health, employment, finance, housing, criminal justice, and relationships. Beneficiaries include ex-Service individuals, families, dependants, and carers, especially those facing compound disadvantages like homelessness.

FiMT funds UK-registered charities and academic institutions with no income thresholds or regional restrictions, prioritizing projects nationwide that generate evidence, pilot scalable services, build capacity, or mobilize knowledge. It supports research commissions, evaluations, and collaborations with partners like Walking With The Wounded, Combat Stress, and universities.

Grants typically range from £50,000 to £300,000 (up to £500,000+ for multi-year initiatives), awarded via rolling online submissions without fixed forms—screened by staff and experts, with decisions throughout the year (several months for major projects). Specific calls have published deadlines, like 24 January 2025.

FiMT excludes ongoing service costs, capital expenditure, or non-aligned activities, standing out for its exclusive Armed Forces transition focus, operational independence, direct research commissioning, and multi-sector leadership in policy and practice influence.