Older People639+ Funders

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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Filters 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

38 of 639 match your filters

Checked against verified programme data for 144 of 639 funders. 495 not yet verified are listed below; 106 that don't fit were excluded.

Buckinghamshire Community Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Heart of Bucks Community Fund

Buckinghamshire Community Foundation, operating as Heart of Bucks, serves as a catalyst for social change by connecting philanthropy to local causes, ...

Grant Range
£2,000 - £10,000

Carlile Foundation Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Carlile Foundation Charitable Trust (via Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway)

The Carlile Foundation Charitable Trust advances general charitable purposes through inclusive, flexible grantmaking aligned with UK charity law, embo...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000

Clifford Chambers Relief in Need Charities

Verified open

Matching programme: Welfare Fund

Clifford Chambers Relief in Need Charities embodies practical localised compassion and community stewardship, dedicated to relieving hardship, distres...

Grant Range
Contact funder

Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation

Verified open

Matching programme: Recreational Facilities Development

The Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO), established in 1920 with charitable status since 1995, is the UK's sole national charity dedica...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £10,000

Cole Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Cole Charitable Trust grants

The Cole Charitable Trust is an independent grant-making trust dedicated to fostering positive change in local communities through support for small g...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £2,000

Community Foundation North East

Verified open

Matching programme: General Application

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...

Grant Range
Up to £25,000

Connolly Foundation (UK) Limited

Verified open

Matching programme: Old people

The Connolly Foundation (UK) Limited, established in 2004 as the Kathleen and Michael Connolly Foundation and renamed in 2020, is a Bedfordshire-based...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £50,000

Croydon Relief in Need Charity

Verified open

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...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £30,000

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund and Other Related Charities

Verified open

Matching programme: General Fund

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund embodies a mission to elevate patient care and staff welfare beyond standard NHS provision...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £50,000

Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust

Verified open

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...

Grant Range
£250 - £10,000

Earley Charity

Verified open

Matching programme: Grants to Organisations – £3,000 and under

The Earley Charity, evolved from historic poor relief traditions, drives its mission to alleviate poverty, hardship, and disadvantage among vulnerable...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

Faringdon United Charity CIO

Verified open

Matching programme: Grant Programme

Faringdon United Charity CIO upholds a longstanding mission to alleviate need, hardship, and distress through targeted, flexible support for local res...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

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

Girton Town Charity

Verified open

Matching programme: Grants for Organisations

Girton Town Charity is a historic almshouse provider rooted in medieval philanthropy, dedicated to enabling Girton village residents to lead fulfillin...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

Great Dunmow and District Round Table Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Donation Programme

Great Dunmow and District Round Table Charitable Trust strengthens Essex communities through volunteer-led, event-based fundraising that channels reso...

Grant Range
£500 - £2,000

Hackney Parochial Charities

Verified open

Matching programme: Hackney Parochial Charities Project Grants

Hackney Parochial Charities, a historic charitable trust established in 1603 with the first legacy from Thomas Heron, is dedicated to relieving povert...

Grant Range
£500 - £2,500

Harry Bottom Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Main grants programme

The Harry Bottom Charitable Trust, founded by Harry Bottom on 7 October 1960, is a longstanding Sheffield-based grant-maker governed by its original t...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £20,000

Housing Pathways Trust

Verified open

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...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £5,000

Len Pick Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Grant Over £1,000

The Len Pick Trust is a community-rooted grantmaker inspired by the philanthropic legacy of local farmer and benefactor Len Pick, dedicated to deliver...

Grant Range
£500 - £15,000

Lincolnshire Community Foundation CIO

Verified open

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...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

Lionel Abel-Smith Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: General Grant Programme

The Lionel Abel-Smith Trust is an endowed grant-making charity founded to perpetuate local heritage and community stewardship, with a mission to enhan...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

Livewell Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Small Grants

The Livewell Foundation, established as the charitable arm of a pioneering social enterprise in health and social care, drives transformational impact...

Grant Range
£500 - £10,000

Marsh Christian Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Grants Programme

The Marsh Charitable Trust (formerly Marsh Christian Trust), established in 1981 by Brian Marsh OBE, is a UK-based funder dedicated to sustaining smal...

Grant Range
£300 - £2,000

Milton Keynes Community Foundation Limited

Verified open

Matching programme: Community Roots Project

Milton Keynes Community Foundation is an independent place-based funder with a mission to strengthen communities and improve quality of life by channe...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £15,000

Noel Sweeney Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: The Noel Sweeney Foundation Grants

The Noel Sweeney Foundation embodies the legacy of generosity and community commitment, channeling resources into grassroots initiatives uplifting you...

Grant Range
Up to £5,000

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

Patrick Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: The Patrick Trust

The Patrick Trust, established in 1962 by Joseph and Ruth Patrick following their son Andrew's death from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, is a family-roo...

Grant Range
£500 - £2,500

Percy Bilton Charity

Verified open

Matching programme: Small Grants

The Percy Bilton Charity is a grant-making trust rooted in a philanthropic mission to relieve hardship and enhance quality of life for the most disadv...

Grant Range
£2,000 - £5,000

Prince Philip Trust Fund

Verified open

Matching programme: General Grants

The Prince Philip Trust Fund, established in 1977 by Sir Christopher Aston to honour HRH The Duke of Edinburgh's service during the first 25 years of ...

Grant Range
£500 - £5,000

Roselands Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Registered Charity Grants

The Roselands Trust is an independent grant-making charity founded in 2006 and formally constituted in 2014, based in South Lakeland, with a mission t...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £5,000

Rothley Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: Energy Grants

The Rothley Trust is a grant-making charity established in 1959 to deliver small grants advancing charitable work among disadvantaged communities in t...

Grant Range
£1,000 - £3,000

Torbay Community Development Trust Ltd

Verified open

Matching programme: Torbay Council Community Fund

Torbay Communities, rooted in asset-based community development, empowers local voluntary, community, and social enterprise organizations to foster in...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £40,000

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

Two Ridings Community Foundation

Verified open

Matching programme: Small Grants Fund

Two Ridings Community Foundation, established in 2000 by former Chief Constable David Kenworthy, inspires local giving and channels philanthropic inve...

Grant Range
£200 - £30,000

Walton on Thames Charity

Verified open

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...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £25,000

William and Patricia Venton Charitable Trust

Verified open

Matching programme: main grant programme

The William and Patricia Venton Charitable Trust is a private endowed UK charity established from the estate of Patricia Venton in memory of her husba...

Grant Range
£5,000 - £20,000

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
495 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.

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

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 639 older people 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 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.

  • Personalised match scores
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  • AI grant writer