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
15 of 639 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 165 of 639 funders. 474 not yet verified are listed below; 150 that don't fit were excluded.
Adnams Community Trust
Matching programme: Adnams Community Trust
The Adnams Community Trust, established in 1990 by Adnams PLC—a historic brewery based in Southwold, Suffolk—channels at least 1% of the company's ann...
East End Community Foundation
Matching programme: Canary Wharf Group Community Grant Programme
East End Community Foundation is an independent grantmaker dedicated to tackling entrenched poverty, inequality, and social exclusion in East London's...
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...
H&F Giving
Matching programme: Earls Court Community Fund
H&F Giving is a place-based charitable funder established in 2018 through the merger of Hammersmith United Charities and Dr Edwards and Bishop King’s ...
Hadrian Trust
Matching programme: Hadrian Trust Main Grants
Hadrian Trust, an independent charitable grant-maker founded in 1972, focuses on improving lives in England's North East, specifically Tyne and Wear, ...
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 ...
One Community Foundation Limited
Matching programme: Community Grants Programme
One Community Foundation Limited is an independent grantmaker founded to empower grassroots organizations and voluntary groups tackling social exclusi...
Peter Kershaw Trust
Matching programme: School Bursaries
The Peter Kershaw Trust, established in 1974 by Peter Kershaw, then Chairman of Joseph Holt Brewery, is a grant-making charity dedicated to combating ...
St Giles-in-the-Fields and Bloomsbury United Charity
Matching programme: Education Grants - Community Investment Grant (CIG)
St Giles-in-the-Fields and Bloomsbury United Charity embodies a centuries-old mission to relieve poverty, disadvantage, illness, isolation, and homele...
Tees Valley Community Foundation
Matching programme: Tees Million
Tees Valley Community Foundation, known as The Tees Foundation, drives positive change by connecting philanthropic donors to grassroots initiatives ta...
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...
W H Smith Group Charitable Trust
Matching programme: Community Grants
The W H Smith Group Charitable Trust, also known as the WHSmith Trust, is an independent grantmaking charity established in 1992 by the UK retailer WH...
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...
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...
Woodroffe Benton Foundation
Matching programme: Small Grant Programme
The Woodroffe Benton Foundation is an independent UK grant-making charity established in 1988 by Alfred Woodroffe Benton and formalized in 1999 after ...
474 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
Tell us what your charity does, who you help, and where you work. Takes 30 seconds.
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Our AI ranks all 639 older people funders by how well they fit your specific work.
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Which of These 639 Funders Are Right for You?
Browsing 639 funders manually takes hours. Describe your charity once and get your top matches ranked by compatibility — in seconds.
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