Children & Young People Grants & Funding
There are 1506 UK funders offering grants for children & young people charities, with typical awards from £100 to £6,000,000.
The UK has a strong tradition of philanthropic support for children and young people, with hundreds of trusts and foundations dedicated to improving outcomes for under-25s. Funding priorities range from early years education and child poverty relief to youth employment programmes and mental health support for teenagers. Many funders in this space prioritise preventative work — early intervention projects that stop problems before they escalate. Others focus on specific demographics such as looked-after children, young carers, or those not in education, employment, or training (NEET). Geographic focus varies widely: some funders operate nationally while others target specific local authority areas or regions with high deprivation indices. Grant sizes span from small awards under £5,000 for grassroots youth clubs to six-figure multi-year grants for established charities running evidence-based programmes. The sector has seen increased funding since 2023, particularly for digital inclusion and youth mental health initiatives.
Quick Stats
- Total Funders
- 1506
- Grant Range
- £100 - £6,000,000
- Open to Applications
- 44%
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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.
Children & Young People Funders
39 of 1506 match your filtersChecked against verified programme data for 358 of 1506 funders. 1148 not yet verified are listed below; 319 that don't fit were excluded.
Addison Youth Club
Verified openMatching programme: Annual Grant Round (General Fund)
Addison Youth Club is an independent grant-making charity with a founding mission to foster holistic development—physical, intellectual, social, emoti...
Barbara Ward Children's Foundation
Verified openMatching 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...
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: London Luton Airport Operations Ltd (LLAOL) Community Trust Fund
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF), established in 1999 and registered as a charity in 2001 by founders Geoffrey Farr MBE DL, Sir Samu...
Buckinghamshire Community Foundation
Verified openMatching 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, ...
Cardiff YMCA (1910) Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Tier 2 – Larger grants scheme
Cardiff YMCA (1910) Trust, established in 1910 to support Cardiff YMCA's charitable work in South Wales, is a grant-making trust dedicated to fosterin...
Co-Operative Community Investment Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Young Gamechangers Fund
The Co-operative Community Investment Foundation, known as the Co-op Foundation, is the charitable arm of the Co-operative Group, established in 2002 ...
Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Brighter Futures
The Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust, an independent grant-making charity founded in 1969 by Sir James Colyer-Fergusson, is dedicated to improving li...
Community Foundation North East
Verified openMatching 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...
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...
Eric Wright Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Community Grants
The Eric Wright Charitable Trust embodies a founding vision of responsible business stewardship channeling construction industry profits into perpetua...
Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Medium Grant
The Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust (EKCT), established in 1963 by Ernest and Joan Kleinwort, is a family-led grant-making foundation dedicated to m...
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Grants
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, established in 1961 by Ian Fairbairn in memory of his wife, is one of the UK's largest independent funders, dedicated ...
Frieda Scott Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grants
The Frieda Scott Charitable Trust is an independent grantmaker rooted in a family legacy of compassion, established to strengthen community life by ad...
Garfield Weston Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Regular Grant
The Garfield Weston Foundation, family-founded in 1958, drives its mission to strengthen society through enduring philanthropic support for charities ...
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...
Haberdashers' Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Resilience Fund
The Haberdashers' Foundation embodies centuries-old stewardship and social responsibility, empowering young people from all backgrounds to realize the...
Hertfordshire Community Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: HCF Foundation Grants
Hertfordshire Community Foundation is an independent charity dedicated to channeling local philanthropy into grassroots solutions that alleviate depri...
James Knott Family Foundation
Verified openMatching 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...
John Lyon's Charity
Verified openMatching 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...
Keith Howard Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Keith Howard Foundation is an independent charitable trust founded in 2008 with a mission to create lasting societal change and positive impact in...
Legal Education Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Emerging Justice fund
The Legal Education Foundation (LEF), established in 2013 from the sale of the College of Law, is an independent UK grantmaker with roots in 19th-cent...
Lewin Trust
Verified openMatching programme: The Lewin Trust Grant Programme
The Lewin Trust, an independent grant-making charity established in 2021 and registered with the Charity Commission in 2022 (no. 1197855), channels ph...
Lincolnshire Community Foundation CIO
Verified openMatching 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
Verified openMatching 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
Verified openMatching 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...
P H Holt Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
The P H Holt Foundation is a legacy-driven grantmaker rooted in over a century of philanthropy aimed at improving everyday life for Merseyside residen...
Robertson Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Small Grants
The Robertson Trust, Scotland's largest independent grant-making trust, was founded in 1961 by sisters Elspeth, Agnes, and Ethel Robertson, who donate...
Salford Community & Voluntary Services
Verified openMatching programme: Salford Centenary Fund – Large Grants
Salford Community & Voluntary Services (Salford CVS), established in 1919 as part of post-WWI social service efforts and independent since 1973, serve...
Shanly Foundation
Verified openMatching 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 ...
Sir James Reckitt Charity
Verified openMatching programme: Main Grant Programme
The Sir James Reckitt Charity, founded by Quaker industrialist Sir James Reckitt, advances social, material, and moral welfare for Hull and East Yorks...
Sir Walter St.John's Educational Charity
Verified openMatching programme: £5k grants
Sir Walter St. John’s Educational Charity, established from a 1660s endowment by Sir Walter St John for a Battersea school, is a historic grant-giving...
St Giles-in-the-Fields and William Shelton Educational Charity
Verified openMatching programme: Community Investment Grant
St Giles-in-the-Fields and William Shelton Educational Charity is a historic independent grant-maker with 17th- and 18th-century roots from philanthro...
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...
Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
Verified openMatching programme: Major Grants
Forte Charitable Foundation (formerly Trusthouse Charitable Foundation), established in 1997 from the sale of Trust House Forte plc, is an independent...
UnLtd
Verified openMatching programme: Scaling Up Award
UnLtd, formerly The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, is a UK-registered charity established in 2002 by a consortium of seven non-profits with a £1...
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...
William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust
Verified openMatching programme: Ireland
The William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust, established in 1923 by Quaker philanthropist William Cadbury—former Lord Mayor of Birmingham—advances ...
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...
Woodsmith Foundation Limited
Verified openMatching programme: Community Grants
Woodsmith Foundation Limited, established in 2012 as the York Potash Foundation and now funded by Anglo American via a unique 0.5% revenue share from ...
1148 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 Children & Young People Funders
When applying for youth-focused grants, demonstrate robust safeguarding policies and evidence that all staff and volunteers hold current DBS checks. Funders expect to see that young people have a genuine voice in project design and delivery — describe how you involve youth in decision-making through advisory panels, co-production workshops, or peer-led activities. Present measurable outcomes tied to recognised frameworks: NEET reduction figures, educational attainment improvements, wellbeing score changes, or progression into employment and training. Make your delivery model age-appropriate, showing that activities and communication methods are tailored to the specific age range you serve rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. Include clear transition planning that explains what happens when participants age out of your programme — how you ensure lasting impact and connect young people to ongoing support. If your work targets specific vulnerable groups such as looked-after children or young carers, reference the evidence base for your approach and any partnerships with statutory services. Strong applications in this space balance ambitious vision with practical, evidence-informed delivery.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Children & Young People Grants
What grants are available for children & young people charities in the UK?
There are 1506+ UK funders offering grants for children & young 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 children & young people organisations get?
Grant amounts for children & young 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 children & young people grants?
Start by identifying funders whose priorities align with your children & young people work. Fundermatcher matches your charity's profile against 1506+ funders to find the best fit. Our AI assistant can then help you draft compelling grant applications.
How to Find the Right Children & Young People Funders
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