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
24 of 639 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 153 of 639 funders. 486 not yet verified are listed below; 129 that don't fit were excluded.
Buckinghamshire Community Foundation
Verified openMatching 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, ...
Carlile Foundation Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching 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...
Cole Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching 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...
Community Foundation North East
Verified openMatching 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...
Connolly Foundation (UK) Limited
Verified openMatching 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...
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund and Other Related Charities
Verified openMatching 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...
Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching 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...
Eveson Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Enhance Grants programme
The Eveson Trust, formerly the Eveson Charitable Trust and converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in April 2022, was established under th...
Geoffrey Watling Charity
Verified openMatching 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
Verified openMatching 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...
Girton Town Charity
Verified openMatching 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...
Hackney Parochial Charities
Verified openMatching 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...
Housing Pathways Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grants Programme
Housing Pathways Trust, a historic almshouse charity rooted in seventeenth-century principles, drives community transformation by enabling those in ne...
John Moores Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Grants for Merseyside
The John Moores Foundation, established in Liverpool in 1964 by philanthropist Sir John Moores, is a family-founded independent grant-maker dedicated ...
Lionel Abel-Smith Trust
Verified openMatching 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...
Livewell Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Small Grants
The Livewell Foundation, established as the charitable arm of a pioneering social enterprise in health and social care, drives transformational impact...
Marsh Christian Trust
Verified openMatching 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...
Prince Philip Trust Fund
Verified openMatching 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 ...
Roselands Trust
Verified openMatching 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...
Torbay Community Development Trust Ltd
Verified openMatching programme: Torbay Council Community Fund
Torbay Communities, rooted in asset-based community development, empowers local voluntary, community, and social enterprise organizations to foster in...
Trades House of Glasgow
Verified openMatching 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...
Two Ridings Community Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Small Grants Fund
Two Ridings Community Foundation, established in 2000 by former Chief Constable David Kenworthy, inspires local giving and channels philanthropic inve...
Walton on Thames Charity
Verified openMatching 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
Verified openMatching 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...
486 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
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