Henry Smith Charity

The Henry Smith Foundation, formerly Henry Smith Charity and one of the UK's oldest independent grant-makers since 1628, channels the legacy of founder Henry Smith to alleviate poverty and disadvantage through practical philanthropy. Its mission focuses on empowering people and communities to thrive amid adversity, emphasizing life transitions like early childhood, youth independence, and recovery from abuse or incarceration. Core values of trust, collaboration, equity, inclusion, and learning underpin flexible, long-term partnerships that blend immediate relief with systemic change, distinguishing it as a risk-tolerant, evidence-based funder prioritizing lived experience and measurable impact.

It funds three interlinked themes: 'Getting Started' for disadvantaged young children and families; 'Building Independence' for 14–25-year-olds, including care leavers, neurodiverse, and LGBT+ youth; and 'Safer Futures' for survivors of domestic abuse, homelessness, or prison. Specific programmes include Shout! Fund, Together We Begin, Domestic Abuse Fund, and Holiday Grants, supporting frontline services, advocacy, therapy, community solutions, core costs, capacity building, and occasional capital. Beneficiaries span low-income families, marginalized youth, and excluded groups across the UK, with grants to grassroots to major charities delivering scalable change.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, CICs, community groups, social enterprises, or academic institutions operating UK-wide (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), with programme-specific income caps (e.g., up to £5m for Shout!, £1m for Together We Begin; no minimum). Applications start with an online eligibility checker and EOI during open windows, followed by full submissions for shortlisted applicants; Holiday Grants have a 19 Nov 2025 deadline for Sep–Dec trips.

Grants range from £500–£2,750 (Holiday) to £250,000 over five years, often multi-year with salaries and overheads. Exclusions cover non-theme-aligned work, non-UK activities, and profit-making; its 400-year history, UK-wide reach, and blend of project/core funding set it apart for transformative interventions.