Disability988+ Funders

Disability Grants & Funding

There are 988 UK funders offering grants for disability charities, with typical awards from £100 to £1,150,000.

UK funders have a long history of supporting disabled people and the organisations that serve them. Grants in this area cover independent living support, accessible transport, assistive technology, employment programmes, advocacy, and social inclusion. Many funders support the social model of disability — focusing on removing barriers rather than treating impairment — and look for projects led or co-designed by disabled people themselves. Learning disability, physical disability, sensory impairment, and neurodivergence each have dedicated funding streams. Large foundations like the Henry Smith Charity, Lloyds Bank Foundation, and the National Lottery Community Fund all have significant disability funding. Smaller specialist trusts may focus on specific conditions or age groups. Capital grants for accessibility improvements to buildings and public spaces are available from several funders. The emphasis across the sector is on person-centred approaches, rights-based practice, and projects that enable genuine participation and choice for disabled people.

Quick Stats

Total Funders
988
Grant Range
£100 - £1,150,000
Open to Applications
54%

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Filters use programme details verified from each funder's own published guidance. Funders we haven't verified yet are listed separately below, never hidden.

Disability Funders

22 of 988 match your filters

Checked against verified programme data for 189 of 988 funders. 799 not yet verified are listed below; 167 that don't fit were excluded.

Barbara Ward Children's Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Barbara Ward Children's Foundation Grants

The Barbara Ward Children's Foundation, established in December 2001 by Barbara Irene Ward, is a UK-registered grant-making charity dedicated to trans...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £15,000

Chrysalis Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Chrysalis Trust Grants

The Chrysalis Trust, a UK grant-making charity established in 2009 by the Evans family, tackles poverty, disability, and barriers to shelter, educatio...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000

Clare Milne Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Main Grant Programme (CICs and Not-for-Profits)

The Clare Milne Trust, founded in 1999 by Clare Milne—granddaughter of A.A. Milne, author of Winnie-the-Pooh—champions the quality of life for people ...

Grant Range
£2,500 - £30,000

Colchester Catalyst Charity

Verified open

Matching programme: General Grants

Colchester Catalyst Charity, established in 1990 from the proceeds of Colchester Oaks Hospital's sale, is a local grant-maker dedicated to improving h...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: General Grant

The Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust, established in 1951 via the will of Eleanor, Dowager Countess Peel, is a UK-based endowment charity rooted in...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £25,000

Football Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Lionesses HERe to Play Fund

The Football Foundation, established in 2000 by the Premier League, The FA, and the UK Government via Sport England, is the UK's largest sports charit...

Grant Range
£300 - £100,000

Forbes Charitable Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Main Support

The Forbes Charitable Foundation is a specialist UK grantmaker dedicated exclusively to enhancing the lives of adults with learning disabilities, by f...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £25,000

Garfield Weston Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Regular Grant

The Garfield Weston Foundation, family-founded in 1958, drives its mission to strengthen society through enduring philanthropic support for charities ...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £30,000

Geoffrey Watling Charity

Verified open

Matching programme: General Grant Programme

The Geoffrey Watling Charity embodies entrepreneurial generosity, local pride, and civic friendship, channeling resources to vitalize communities thro...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £30,000

Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Main Grant Programme

The Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust, established in 1988 by the will of G.H. Micklem C.B.E., is a grant-making trust dedicated to advancing public ben...

Grant Range
£8,000 - £15,000

Help for Health

Verified open

Matching programme: Main Fund

Help for Health is an independent charitable trust established in 2002 through the merger of The Health Scheme and Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund, ...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £40,000

Hertfordshire Community Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: HCF Foundation Grants

Hertfordshire Community Foundation is an independent charity dedicated to channeling local philanthropy into grassroots solutions that alleviate depri...

Grant Range
£240 - £10,000

John Lyon's Charity

Verified open

Matching programme: Open Programme (Main Grants Fund)

John Lyon's Charity, rooted in a 1572 Royal Charter by Harrow School founder John Lyon, advances educational and social opportunities for children and...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £35,000

Northern Powergrid Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Energy Resilience Grants Programme

Northern Powergrid Foundation champions energy resilience and social equity for communities ravaged by extreme weather, with a mission rooted in preve...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £20,000

Postcode Innovation Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Social Investment Programme

Postcode Innovation Trust, established in 2016, is an independent funder powered by proceeds from its society lottery linked to People’s Postcode Lott...

Grant Range
£100,000 - £1,250,000

Purey Cust Trust CIO

Verified open

Matching programme: Main Grants

The Purey Cust Trust CIO, originating from Canon Purey-Cust's 1914 nursing home in York, is a grant-making charity dedicated to promoting and protecti...

Grant Range
Up to £15,000

Shanly Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Training & Careers in Construction Fund

The Shanly Foundation, established in 1994 by property developer Michael Shanly as the charitable arm of the Shanly Group, drives practical, hands-on ...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £50,000

Trades House of Glasgow

Verified open

Matching programme: The Incorporation of Bonnetmakers and Dyers of Glasgow Training & Education Charity Funding

The Trades House of Glasgow, established in 1605 as a historic charitable institution rooted in the city's craft guilds, protects and supports Glasgow...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000

Trust for London

Verified open

Matching programme: Main grant programme (priority area funds)

Trust for London, an independent charitable foundation established in 1891 as the City Parochial Foundation and renamed in 2010, drives lasting econom...

Grant Range
£40,000 - £80,000

Westminster Amalgamated Charity

Verified open

Matching programme: Grants for organisations

Westminster Amalgamated Charity, formed in 1961 from seven historic local charities dating back to 1665 (including aid for plague victims), is an inde...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Ireland

The William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust, established in 1923 by Quaker philanthropist William Cadbury—former Lord Mayor of Birmingham—advances ...

Grant Range
£250 - £50,000

Wixamtree Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Main Grant Programme

The Wixamtree Trust, an independent grant-making charity established in 1962 by Sir Humphrey Whitbread, focuses on enhancing the wellbeing and develop...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000
799 funders not yet verified against these filters

We haven't confirmed these funders' programme details yet, so they may or may not fit. Showing the first 10.

Tips for Applying to Disability Funders

Applications for disability-focused funding must demonstrate genuine co-production with disabled people throughout your project — from design and governance to delivery and evaluation. Funders will look for evidence that disabled people hold meaningful decision-making power, not just advisory or consultative roles. Frame your work within the social model of disability, focusing on the barriers society creates rather than individual deficits. Describe how your organisation is user-led or how disabled people are represented on your board and staff team. Outcomes should be person-centred, measuring what matters to participants: increased choice, greater independence, meaningful social participation, and enhanced control over their own lives rather than purely clinical or functional metrics. Ensure your monitoring and evaluation processes are themselves accessible — explain how you gather feedback from people with communication needs, learning disabilities, or sensory impairments. If your project involves assistive technology or adaptations, show how you personalise solutions rather than applying a standard package. Avoid deficit-based language throughout your application and instead emphasise strengths, rights, and aspirations. Strong applications demonstrate an understanding that disability intersects with other forms of disadvantage and describe how you ensure your project is inclusive across the full diversity of disabled people.

Frequently Asked Questions about Disability Grants

What grants are available for disability charities in the UK?

There are 988+ UK funders offering grants for disability charities. These range from small community grants under £5,000 to large multi-year funding programmes exceeding £100,000. Use Fundermatcher to find the best match for your organisation.

How much funding can disability organisations get?

Grant amounts for disability charities vary widely depending on the funder and project. Typical grants range from £1,000 to over £100,000. Many funders offer multi-year funding for established organisations with a strong track record.

How do I apply for disability grants?

Start by identifying funders whose priorities align with your disability work. Fundermatcher matches your charity's profile against 988+ funders to find the best fit. Our AI assistant can then help you draft compelling grant applications.

How to Find the Right Disability Funders

1

Describe Your Charity

Tell us what your charity does, who you help, and where you work. Takes 30 seconds.

2

Get Matched Instantly

Our AI ranks all 988 disability funders by how well they fit your specific work.

3

Write Winning Applications

Our AI assistant helps you draft and refine grant applications tailored to each funder.

Which of These 988 Funders Are Right for You?

Browsing 988 funders manually takes hours. Describe your charity once and get your top matches ranked by compatibility — in seconds.

  • Personalised match scores
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