Older People Grants & Funding
There are 639 UK funders offering grants for older people charities, with typical awards from £50 to £200,000.
With an ageing population, UK funders are increasingly investing in services that support older people to live well, stay connected, and maintain independence. Grants in this area cover a wide spectrum: befriending and social isolation reduction, dementia support, falls prevention, digital inclusion for older people, day centres, and care home activity programmes. Several dedicated trusts — such as the Dunhill Medical Trust and the Rayne Foundation — focus specifically on ageing. Larger general funders like the Big Lottery Fund and Henry Smith Charity also prioritise projects for older people. Community-based approaches are strongly favoured: lunch clubs, intergenerational projects, community transport, and age-friendly neighbourhood initiatives. The pandemic accelerated funder interest in tackling loneliness among older people, and this remains a key funding priority. Grant-makers value projects that treat older people as active participants rather than passive recipients, and organisations that involve older people in governance and service design score well in applications.
Quick Stats
- Total Funders
- 639
- Grant Range
- £50 - £200,000
- Open to Applications
- 60%
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Clear filtersFilters use programme details verified from each funder's own published guidance. Funders we haven't verified yet are listed separately below, never hidden.
Older People Funders
29 of 639 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 138 of 639 funders. 501 not yet verified are listed below; 109 that don't fit were excluded.
Alzheimer's Foundation for Research Into Alzheimer's Disease.
Matching programme: Anne & Irving Brodsky Innovation Grant
The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA), founded in 2002, is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals, families, and caregivers ...
Bank of Scotland Foundation
Matching programme: Enable
Bank of Scotland Foundation is an independent charitable foundation with a mission to combat persistent social exclusion, disadvantage, and deprivatio...
Buckinghamshire Community Foundation
Matching programme: Heart of Bucks General Fund
Buckinghamshire Community Foundation, operating as Heart of Bucks, serves as a catalyst for social change by connecting philanthropy to local causes, ...
Chester Bluecoat Charity
Matching programme: Grants Programme
The Chester Bluecoat Charity is an historic grant-maker with roots over 800 years old, evolving through mergers since 1837 and rebranded in 2020 from ...
Community Foundation North East
Matching programme: Newcastle Culture Investment Fund
Community Foundation North East, established in 1988 by local business and civic leaders in North East England, serves as the UK's largest community f...
Croydon Relief in Need Charity
Matching programme: Large Grant (Over £5,000)
Croydon Relief in Need Charity (CRiN), rooted in ancient endowments consolidated under Croydon Almshouse Charities Trustee Company Limited, is a local...
Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust
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...
Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust
The Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust is a family-led foundation embodying stewardship, heritage responsibility, and community flourishing through...
Geoffrey Watling Charity
Matching programme: General Grant Programme
The Geoffrey Watling Charity embodies entrepreneurial generosity, local pride, and civic friendship, channeling resources to vitalize communities thro...
Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust
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...
Housing Pathways Trust
Matching programme: Main Grants Programme
Housing Pathways Trust, a historic almshouse charity rooted in seventeenth-century principles, drives community transformation by enabling those in ne...
James Knott Family Foundation
Matching programme: Main Grants Programme
The James Knott Family Foundation, known as the Sir James Knott Trust, was established in 1924 by Tyneside shipowner Sir James Knott to honor his sons...
Lake House Charitable Foundation
Matching programme: Lake House Charitable Foundation grants
The Lake House Charitable Foundation, an independent UK grant-making charity established in 2008, is dedicated to alleviating severe disadvantages fac...
Lincolnshire Community Foundation CIO
Matching programme: Michael Cornish Core Grants Programme
Lincolnshire Community Foundation CIO, established in 2002, is an independent charity dedicated to tackling social inequalities and fostering thriving...
Mercers Charitable Foundation
Matching programme: Church & Communities
The Mercers’ Charitable Foundation, established in 1983 as the principal grant-making trust of The Mercers’ Company—London’s premier livery company fo...
Milton Keynes Community Foundation Limited
Matching programme: Oak Grants
Milton Keynes Community Foundation is an independent place-based funder with a mission to strengthen communities and improve quality of life by channe...
Neighbourly Foundation
Matching programme: Neighbourly Foundation Grant Programme
Neighbourly Foundation, a UK-registered charity (1189514) established in March 2020 as the charitable arm of Neighbourly Limited, emerged in response ...
Peter Minet Trust
Matching programme: Open Grants Fund
Peter Minet Trust strengthens urban communities in deprived South London areas by empowering small, embedded local charities addressing severe, multip...
Peter Sowerby Foundation
Matching programme: Impact in Healthcare Fund (Strand 1)
The Peter Sowerby Foundation, established in 2011 by Dr Peter Sowerby—a rural North Yorkshire GP and co-founder of EMIS—with a substantial endowment, ...
Philip and Connie Phillips Foundation
Matching programme: Grants
The Philip and Connie Phillips Foundation is an independent UK charitable incorporated organisation established in June 2020 from the wills of Kent re...
Pilkington Charities Fund
Matching programme: Pilkington Charities’ Fund
Pilkington Charities Fund, established in 1950 by the Pilkington family—founders of the iconic St Helens glass manufacturing company—originally aimed ...
Rayne Foundation
Matching programme: Standard Grant Programme (Open Grants Programme)
The Rayne Foundation, an independent UK charitable trust founded in 1962 by Lord Max Rayne, advances social cohesion by building bridges between diver...
Simon Gibson Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Simon Gibson Charitable Trust Grant
The Simon Gibson Charitable Trust, established in 1975 by farmer and philanthropist Simon Gibson, embodies a founding mission to provide sustained, pr...
Sir James Knott Trust
Matching programme: Rolling Grants Programme
The Sir James Knott Trust, established in 1924 by Tyneside shipowner Sir James Knott following the loss of his sons in World War I, is a cornerstone p...
Trades House of Glasgow
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...
Walton on Thames Charity
Matching programme: Community Grants – Small Grants (up to £10,000)
Walton on Thames Charity, known as Walton Charity, is an ancient local foundation with over 800 years of history rooted in the parish of Walton-on-Tha...
William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Birmingham and the West Midlands
The William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust, established in 1923 by Quaker philanthropist William Cadbury—former Lord Mayor of Birmingham—advances ...
Wimbledon Foundation
Matching programme: Health and Wellbeing Fund
The Wimbledon Foundation, established in 2013 as the official charity of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and The Championships, channels Wimbledon's ...
Wixamtree Trust
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...
501 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 Older People Funders
Demonstrate co-design with older people in your application, showing how they have shaped your project from the outset rather than being consulted after decisions are made. Funders increasingly expect older people to hold meaningful roles in governance, delivery, and evaluation. If your project addresses loneliness or social isolation, use validated measurement tools such as the UCLA Loneliness Scale or the De Jong Gierveld Scale to establish baselines and track outcomes — subjective wellbeing measures are valued alongside activity attendance figures. Address digital inclusion as a component of your work, explaining how you help older people access technology confidently while ensuring your project remains accessible to those who are not digitally connected. Describe any intergenerational programming that brings older and younger people together with genuine mutual benefit rather than tokenistic contact. If your project serves people with dementia, explain your dementia-friendly approach including environmental design, communication methods, and staff training. Show an understanding of the diversity within the older population — avoid treating over-65s as a homogeneous group, and explain how your project reaches those most at risk of isolation including older men, people from ethnic minority communities, LGBTQ+ older people, and those in rural areas. Strong applications balance practical support with respect for autonomy and choice.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Older People Grants
What grants are available for older people charities in the UK?
There are 639+ UK funders offering grants for older people 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 older people organisations get?
Grant amounts for older people 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 older people grants?
Start by identifying funders whose priorities align with your older people work. Fundermatcher matches your charity's profile against 639+ funders to find the best fit. Our AI assistant can then help you draft compelling grant applications.
How to Find the Right Older People Funders
Describe Your Charity
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Which of These 639 Funders Are Right for You?
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