Core Cost Funding for UK Charities
There are 2880 UK funders offering grants for core costs, with typical awards from £100 to £1,000,000.
Core cost funding — sometimes called unrestricted funding, revenue funding, or running cost grants — covers the essential operational expenses that keep a charity functioning: staff salaries, rent, utilities, insurance, IT, governance, and administration. Despite being critical to organisational survival, core funding has historically been one of the hardest types of grant to secure. Most funders prefer to fund specific projects with measurable outcomes, leaving charities to cobble together overheads from multiple restricted grants. However, the landscape is shifting. Following campaigns by organisations like the Association of Charitable Foundations and research demonstrating the damage caused by chronic underfunding of core costs, an increasing number of UK funders now explicitly offer core funding or unrestricted grants. The Lloyds Bank Foundation, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, and Tudor Trust have long championed this approach. The National Lottery Community Fund also funds core costs within its programmes. Many smaller trusts will consider applications that include a reasonable proportion of overheads within project budgets. Full cost recovery — building your true overhead costs into every grant application — is now widely accepted practice, endorsed by bodies including NCVO and the Institute of Fundraising.
Quick Stats
- Total Funders
- 2880
- Grant Range
- £100 - £1,000,000
- Open to Applications
- 40%
Funders for Core Costs
2880 funders found1485 Charitable Trust
The 1485 Charitable Trust is an independent grant-making Christian trust established in 2017 by members of the Giedroyc and Parham families. Its core ...
1564 Foundation
The 1564 Foundation is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 9 March 2023, endo...
1887 Alfred Sharp Bingley Educational Trust
The 1887 Alfred Sharp Bingley Educational Trust, established in 1887 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, advances the education of children and...
1989 Willan Charitable Trust
OpenThe 1989 Willan Charitable Trust, established in 1989 and governed by Willan Trustee Limited, is a UK-based funder dedicated to alleviating social and...
29th May 1961 Charity
OpenThe 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust, founded on 29 May 1961 by Miss Helen M. Martin from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, is an independent generalist grantma...
38 Degrees Trust
38 Degrees Trust, a registered charity and charitable company (number 1139325) established on 13 October 2009 in England and Wales, aims to make the U...
4 Charity Foundation
The 4 Charity Foundation is a UK-registered charity (number 1077143) dedicated to providing grants to organisations that advance social welfare, relie...
40tude Curing Colon Cancer
40tude Curing Colon Cancer is a UK-based charity founded in 2011 by Gordon and Fraser Moore to combat colon (bowel) cancer, the UK's leading cancer ki...
64 Trust
The 64 Trust is a grant-making charitable incorporated organisation established in August 2020 (charity number 1190683) and based in Liverpool, Englan...
A and J Charitable Trust
The A and J Charitable Trust is a grant-making charity registered in England and Wales (number 1058058), with roots dating back to at least 1996 and a...
A B Charitable Trust
OpenThe A B Charitable Trust, established in 1990 by Yves and Anne Bonavero, is an independent UK grant-maker guided by a family-led board committed to ch...
A G Manly Charitable Trust
OpenThe A G Manly Charitable Trust, also known as The Manly Trust, was established in 1991 by Graham Manly OBE in memory of his father Alfred Manly, both ...
A J Bell Trust
The A J Bell Trust, established in 2011 by Andy Bell, founder and CEO of AJ Bell plc, is a UK registered charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged...
a J Stone and Family Charitable Trust
The A J Stone and Family Charitable Trust, registered in October 2020 (charity number 1192096), is a traditional family-run grant-making trust governe...
a M Charitable Trust
The M & E Charitable Trust (charity number 1077657) is a UK-based grant-making trust dedicated to advancing general charitable purposes by distributin...
a S Charitable Trust
The S and R Charitable Trust, established on 24 February 2003 and amended in 2016, is a private UK-registered charity dedicated to making grants and d...
A S Hornby Educational Trust CIO
OpenA S Hornby Educational Trust CIO advances the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language worldwide through targeted professional developme...
A Smile for a Child
OpenA Smile for a Child is a UK-based charitable grant-maker dedicated to improving the lives of disabled and disadvantaged children and young people by r...
A T.I.M.E. Limited
A T.I.M.E. Limited (charity number 1128756) is a London-based grant-giving and advocacy organization governed by six trustees and supported by five vo...
A W Charitable Trust
A W Charitable Trust, established by trust deed in 1981, is a family-governed endowment led by trustees from the Weis family—Sir Weis, Rachel Weis, an...
A Z H R Charitable Trust
A Z H R Charitable Trust is a registered UK charity established in 1984, governed by trustees David and Philip Goldberg, with a broad mission to relie...
A. Edmonds and Co. Charitable Foundation 2000
OpenA. Edmonds and Co. Charitable Foundation 2000 is an independent grant-making charity established in 2000 and registered with the Charity Commission fo...
A.D. Charitable Trust
The A.D. Charitable Trust is an independent grantmaking charity registered in England and Wales since 2003, governed by a board of five volunteer trus...
Aa Trust
The AA Trust, charity number 1139322, is an independent grant-making foundation established in December 2010 by The Automobile Association to advance ...
Ab Foundation
The AB Foundation is a registered UK charity (number 1152675), established in England and Wales to promote education globally for people of all ages, ...
Aberdeen Foundation
The Aberdeen Foundation is a registered UK charity (number 1151506) dedicated to making grants for general charitable purposes, education and training...
Aberlour Child Care Trust
OpenAberlour Children’s Charity, formerly Aberlour Child Care Trust, is a pioneering Scottish children’s charity founded in 1875 to support ‘mitherless ba...
ABF The Soldiers' Charity
OpenABF The Soldiers' Charity, also known as the Army Benevolent Fund, is the British Army's national charity established in 1944 during World War II to p...
Abg Trust Fund
ABG Trust Fund is a charitable grant-making trust registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales in February 2020, governed by three tru...
Acacia Charitable Trust
The Acacia Charitable Trust, established by deed on 1 August 1977, is an independent, family-governed grant-making trust led by trustees Angela Gillia...
Access to Justice Foundation
OpenThe Access to Justice Foundation is a UK-wide charity founded by the legal profession with the singular mission of enhancing access to free legal advi...
Action Together CIO
OpenAction Together CIO, established in 2016 through the merger of Voluntary Action Oldham and Community and Voluntary Action Tameside, serves as the infr...
Active Essex Foundation
OpenActive Essex Foundation is an independent charity established in 2016 to tackle health and social inequalities in Essex, Southend, and Thurrock throug...
Active Travel England
OpenActive Travel England champions walking, wheeling, and cycling as the preferred everyday travel modes in England, rooted in values of inclusivity, inn...
Acts 435
OpenActs 435 is a UK-based charity founded in 2009 by the then Archbishop of York, Right Reverend Dr John Sentamu, who remains its patron. It operates as ...
Ada Hillard Charitable Trust
The Ada Hillard Charitable Trust, established by trust deed on 6 March 2003, is a UK-based grant-making charity dedicated to advancing charitable caus...
Adar Charitable Trust
Adar Charitable Trust, registered charity number 328731 with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, was established on 24 July 1990 as a discre...
Addison Youth Club
OpenAddison Youth Club is an independent grant-making charity with a founding mission to foster holistic development—physical, intellectual, social, emoti...
Adenfirst Limited
Adenfirst Limited is a grant-making charitable company established in 1984 and registered with the Charity Commission in 1985, dedicated to advancing ...
Adint Charitable Trust
OpenAdint Charitable Trust, established in 1972 as charity number 265290, is a long-standing discretionary grant-making trust founded by private individua...
Adlard Family Charitable Foundation
OpenThe Adlard Family Charitable Foundation, established in November 2015 and registered with the Charity Commission, is a family-led philanthropy governe...
Adnams Community Trust
OpenThe 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...
Adrian Swire Charitable Trust
OpenThe Adrian Swire Charitable Trust embodies a family-rooted philanthropic legacy dedicated to advancing charitable purposes across health, education, a...
Adsum Foundation
The Adsum Foundation, a Belfast-based charitable foundation established in 2008, is dedicated to breaking the cycle of extreme poverty in rural Madaga...
Aeonian Foundation
Aeonian Foundation is a grant-making charitable incorporated organisation established in December 2021 (charity number 1196957), dedicated to distribu...
Agnes Hunter Trust SCIO
OpenAgnes Hunter Trust SCIO, an independent Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation founded in 1954 from the legacy of Miss Agnes H Hunter and conve...
Aguda Keren L'Dovid
Aguda Keren L'Dovid is a trustee-led charitable trust established in 1980 via a Deed of Trust, registered with the Charity Commission, and based in Pr...
Ahavas Chesed Trust
Ahavas Chesed Trust is a UK-registered charity established in June 2021, founded by trustees Abraham Adler, Isaac Abittan, and Menachem Steinmetz to p...
Ahavas Shalom Trust
Ahavas Shalom Trust is a UK-registered charity (No. 1056294) dedicated to advancing Jewish education and religion, relieving poverty, and alleviating ...
Aim Foundation
The AIM Foundation is a proactive, family-led charitable trust established in 1971 by Ian and Angela Marks following the sale of their Trebor business...
Showing 50 of 2880 funders for core costs
Tips for Core Costs Applying for Grants
When applying for core cost funding, be transparent about exactly what the money will cover and why these costs are essential to delivering your charitable mission. Funders offering unrestricted grants want to see strong organisational governance, financial management, and strategic planning — they are investing in your organisation, not just a project. Present a clear reserves policy and explain your financial trajectory: are you growing sustainably or facing a funding cliff? Include your full cost recovery calculation to show how you have calculated the true cost of delivering your work. Demonstrate that your organisation has a viable funding model beyond this single grant — funders want to support sustainability, not dependency. If applying for project funding that includes core costs, be explicit about the overhead component and reference full cost recovery principles. Many funders respect organisations that can articulate why investing in infrastructure — staff development, systems, governance — ultimately delivers better outcomes for beneficiaries. Share your theory of change or strategic plan to show how core funding enables long-term impact. Be specific about the risks of underfunding core costs: what would happen to your services if you cannot maintain basic operations? This helps funders understand the urgency without being alarmist.
Browse by Organisation Type
Frequently Asked Questions about Grants for Core Costs
What is core cost funding for charities?
Core cost funding (also called unrestricted or revenue funding) covers a charity's essential running costs: staff salaries, rent, utilities, insurance, IT, and administration. Unlike project grants, core funding can be used flexibly to keep the organisation operating effectively.
Which funders offer core cost grants for charities?
Several major UK funders explicitly offer core funding, including the Lloyds Bank Foundation, Tudor Trust, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, and the National Lottery Community Fund. Many smaller trusts also accept applications that include core costs as part of a project budget. Use Fundermatcher to find funders that support unrestricted funding.
How do I include overheads in a grant application?
Use full cost recovery: calculate the true cost of delivering your project including a proportionate share of rent, utilities, management time, insurance, and administration. NCVO and the Institute of Fundraising endorse this approach. Be transparent about the overhead component and explain why these costs are necessary for effective delivery.
How to Find the Right Funders
Describe Your Organisation
Tell us what your organisation does, who you help, and where you work. Takes 30 seconds.
Get Matched Instantly
Our AI ranks all 2880 relevant funders by how well they fit your specific work.
Write Winning Applications
Our AI assistant helps you draft and refine grant applications tailored to each funder.
Which of These 2880 Funders Are Right for You?
Browsing 2880 funders manually takes hours. Describe your organisation once and get your top matches ranked by compatibility — in seconds.
- Personalised match scores
- Eligibility checks
- AI grant writer