Grants for Small Charities in the UK
There are 2305 UK funders offering grants for small charities, with typical awards from £250 to £50,000.
Small charities — typically those with annual income under £500,000 — form the backbone of the UK voluntary sector. There are over 140,000 registered charities in this category, yet they often struggle to access grant funding that gets absorbed by larger organisations with dedicated fundraising teams. The good news is that many funders specifically target smaller organisations: they value the agility, local rootedness, and low overheads that small charities offer. The National Lottery Community Fund's Awards for All programme, for example, offers grants of £300 to £10,000 specifically designed for smaller community organisations. Many community foundations, livery companies, and family trusts also prioritise small charities in their giving. Grant sizes typically range from £1,000 to £50,000, with some funders offering multi-year core funding to help small charities build sustainability. The key challenge for small charities is capacity — finding and applying for grants takes time that stretched teams often don't have. Using a matching tool like Fundermatcher can dramatically reduce research time by surfacing the funders most likely to fund your specific work.
Quick Stats
- Total Funders
- 2305
- Grant Range
- £250 - £50,000
- Open to Applications
- 38%
Funders for Small Charities
2305 funders foundFieldrose Charitable Trust
The Fieldrose Charitable Trust is an independent UK grant-making foundation established in 2014, based in London and overseen by a small, unpaid board...
Federation of London Youth Clubs
OpenThe Federation of London Youth Clubs, publicly known as London Youth, is a historic charity established in 1887 with roots in the 19th-century ragged ...
Ellinson Foundation Limited
Ellinson Foundation Limited, incorporated in 1967, is a discreet, family-led grantmaking charity governed by a small board of trustees, with a singula...
F G Charitable Trust
The F G Charitable Trust is a UK-based grant-making charity (number 1114079), established in the early 2000s, dedicated to advancing education, improv...
Kenneth and Barbara Boardman-Weston Charitable Trust
The Kenneth and Barbara Boardman-Weston Charitable Trust is a family-governed charity stewarded across generations of the Boardman-Weston family, root...
Carpenters Company Charitable Trust
The Carpenters' Company Charitable Trust, established in 1978 by the historic Worshipful Company of Carpenters, advances education and charitable caus...
MCS Charitable Foundation
OpenMCS Charitable Foundation is an independent charity established in 2016 with a mission to accelerate widespread adoption of renewable energy and low c...
Cwplus
OpenCW+ (Cwplus) is the official charity of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, supporting over 1.5 million people across its hospitals...
Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation
The Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation, established in 2003 by Ernest Hecht OBE—a resilient Czech refugee, publisher, and philanthropist—embodied his ...
Equitix Foundation
The Equitix Foundation, established in 2021 as a grant-making CIO by trustees from the Equitix infrastructure investment group—including Chair Hugh Cr...
Desmond Foundation
The Desmond Foundation, a UK-registered charity (number 1014352) established in 1992 by entrepreneur Richard Desmond, is dedicated to relieving povert...
Dormywood Trust
The Dormywood Trust, established in England in 2017 (originally as The Currey Foundation and renamed in 2020), is a grant-making charitable trust dedi...
Connolly Foundation (UK) Limited
OpenThe Connolly Foundation (UK) Limited, established in 2004 as the Kathleen and Michael Connolly Foundation and renamed in 2020, is a Bedfordshire-based...
J R Heslam Trust
The J R Heslam Trust, founded in 1963 by businessman and philanthropist James Reginald Heslam, is dedicated to enriching the cultural and artistic lif...
England and Wales Cricket Trust
OpenThe England and Wales Cricket Trust (EWCT), a registered charity (no. 1112540), promotes community participation in cricket as a means of healthy recr...
Cascia Trust
The Cascia Trust is a family-run, grant-making charitable trust established in March 2013, governed solely by Rosefield family trustees and registered...
Corton Hill Trust
OpenThe Corton Hill Trust is an independent grant-making charity established in December 2019, dedicated to advancing general charitable purposes by enhan...
Cora Foundation
OpenCorra Foundation, established in 1985 as Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland and now independent, is a Scottish grant-making charity dedicated to stren...
David Brownlow Charitable Foundation
OpenThe David Brownlow Charitable Foundation drives positive social change by enhancing lives of disadvantaged individuals and communities through persona...
Beyond Sport Foundation
OpenBeyond Sport Foundation, established in 2008 as a UK-headquartered international charity, harnesses the power of sport to drive positive social change...
Dartington Cattle Breeding Trust
OpenThe Dartington Cattle Breeding Trust, established in 1948 as the Dartington Hall Cattle Breeding Centre by Leonard Elmhirst and Sir George Hayter-Hame...
Size of Wales
Size of Wales is a Welsh climate change charity founded in 2010 by Heather Stevens and Peter Davies, inspired by the "size of Wales" metric for rainfo...
GLF Global Leadership Foundation (UK)
GLF Global Leadership Foundation (UK), established in 2006 as the UK arm of the international Global Leadership Foundation founded by F.W. de Klerk in...
Childhood Trust
OpenThe Childhood Trust, a London-based charity founded in 2013 by Grant Gordon, works to alleviate poverty's impact on children and young people across t...
Aspen Trust
Aspen Trust is a charitable incorporated organisation registered in England and Wales (charity number 1159686), established on 18 December 2014, with ...
University Hospitals Bristol & Weston Charity
OpenUniversity Hospitals Bristol & Weston Charity is the dedicated NHS charity enhancing patient health, happiness, and hospital experiences across its pa...
Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Settlement
OpenThe Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Settlement, established in 1977 by John and Elnora Ferguson to honor Allan and Nesta Ferguson, advances world ...
City Solicitors Educational Trust
OpenThe City Solicitors Educational Trust, founded in 1989 by leading City of London law firms, initially addressed declining public funding for universit...
Isle of Wight NHS Trust Charitable Funds
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust Charitable Funds is a registered charity with the Isle of Wight NHS Trust as its corporate trustee, dedicated to enhancing...
Shemtov Charitable Trust
The Shemtov Charitable Trust is a family-led grant-making charity, founded by the Halpern family and managed by trustees Samuel, Gita, and Isiah Halpe...
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...
B and P Glasser Charitable Trust
The B and P Glasser Charitable Trust, established in 1984 in the United Kingdom, is a discreet, grant-giving trust administered by a small group of un...
Billmeir Charitable Trust
The Billmeir Charitable Trust, an unincorporated UK charity established in 1956 by shipping magnate Jack Billmeir, upholds his philanthropic legacy th...
Sir Clive Bourne Family Trust
The Sir Clive Bourne Family Trust, established in 1978 by the late British philanthropist Sir Clive Bourne—founder of Seabourne Express and Mossbourne...
Albert and Eugenie Frost Music Trust CIO
The Albert and Eugenie Frost Music Trust CIO, originally established in 1994 and converted to CIO status in 2022, is a specialist grant-making charity...
R L Charitable Trust
The RL Charitable Trust, founded in 2016 by the Lazar family—including chair Dr John Wilfred Lazar CBE—focuses on transforming the lives of disadvanta...
Joseph Rank Trust
OpenThe Joseph Rank Trust is an independent Christian grant-maker established in 2002 from charities founded by Joseph Rank (1854–1943) and family between...
B G S Cayzer Charitable Trust
The B G S Cayzer Charitable Trust, established by deed on 22 November 1982 as part of the Cayzer family’s longstanding philanthropic legacy, is a gene...
Anya Sturdy Charitable Trust for Medical Research
The Anya Sturdy Charitable Trust for Medical Research, an unincorporated trust established by deed in February 2006 by the Sturdy and Woods families, ...
Margaret Killbery Foundation
OpenThe Margaret Killbery Foundation, established by the family of educator Margaret Killbery, advances access to and participation in the arts, with prim...
Risman Foundation
The Risman Foundation is an independent UK grant-making charity established in 2008 under the leadership of Michael Adam Risman and its trustees, dedi...
Archbishop of Canterbury's Anglican Communion Fund
OpenThe Archbishop of Canterbury's Anglican Communion Fund embodies a mission to unite and empower the global Anglican family through compassionate solida...
Geoffrey and Pauline Martin Trust
The Geoffrey and Pauline Martin Trust, established on 29 December 2017 as a UK-registered charitable trust, promotes charitable purposes primarily in ...
Dashlight Foundation
OpenThe Dashlight Foundation, a UK-registered charity (number 1184873) established by trust deed in May 2019, is a grant-making body dedicated to advancin...
Bourneheights Limited
Bourneheights Limited is a discreet, long-established grant-making charity registered in England and Wales since 1988 (incorporated 1984), governed by...
Art for Cure
OpenArt for Cure is a UK-registered charity founded in 2014 by Belinda Gray MBE following her breast cancer experience, dedicated to transforming outcomes...
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Funds
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Funds, known as Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity, is an NHS-integrated charity dedi...
Dorset Health Trust Limited
Dorset Health Trust Limited, established in 1977 as a private company limited by guarantee, is a responsive grantmaker dedicated to advancing health-r...
David Family Foundation
The David Family Foundation, a UK-registered charity (number 1123198) established in 2008, advances education, promotes the arts, protects the environ...
Frank Brake Charitable Trust
The Frank Brake Charitable Trust, established in 1993 by food distribution pioneer Frank Brake (founder of Brake Bros), is a family-led grantmaker ded...
Showing 50 of 2305 funders for small charities
Tips for Small Charities Applying for Grants
Small charities have distinct advantages in grant applications — use them. Funders choosing to support smaller organisations want to see your closeness to beneficiaries, so describe the direct relationships and feedback loops you have with the people you serve. Don't apologise for your size; instead, demonstrate your cost-effectiveness by showing what you achieve relative to your budget. Many funders ask for audited accounts, but if your income is below the audit threshold, explain this clearly and provide your independent examination report instead. Be realistic about your capacity: funders would rather see a focused, deliverable project than an overambitious plan that your team cannot sustain. If you lack a track record with a particular funder, reference similar work you have successfully delivered, even on a smaller scale. Address governance by highlighting trustee skills and how your board provides oversight proportionate to your size. Small charities often win funding by being specific — rather than claiming to serve an entire region, demonstrate deep impact in a defined community or with a clear beneficiary group. Finally, if the funder offers development support or capacity-building alongside the grant, mention that you would welcome this — it signals self-awareness and a commitment to organisational growth.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Grants for Small Charities
What counts as a small charity in the UK?
There is no single definition, but most funders consider charities with annual income under £500,000 as "small". Some programmes target even smaller organisations — under £100,000 or £50,000 income. The Charity Commission classifies charities with income under £500,000 as small to medium.
Can small charities get core funding (not just project grants)?
Yes. Several funders specifically offer core or unrestricted funding for small charities, including the Lloyds Bank Foundation, Tudor Trust, and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. Core funding covers running costs like rent, salaries, and admin — not just specific projects.
How do small charities compete with larger organisations for grants?
Many funders prefer small charities because of their grassroots connections and cost-effectiveness. Use Fundermatcher to find funders that specifically target small organisations. Focus applications on your unique community knowledge, direct beneficiary relationships, and efficient delivery rather than trying to match the scale of larger charities.
How to Find the Right Funders
Describe Your Organisation
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Which of These 2305 Funders Are Right for You?
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