Lancaster Foundation

The Lancaster Foundation, established in 1997 by John and Rosemary Lancaster, is a UK charitable trust driven by Christian values, aiming to express God's love through practical action and financial support for the suffering, disadvantaged, and marginalised. Its ethos emphasises generosity, compassion, and faith-inspired philanthropy, fostering tangible transformation via relational giving, long-term partnerships, and a blend of large-scale strategic investments with personal engagement. Recognised for stewarding investment income to serve current and future beneficiaries, it prioritises projects demonstrating clear vision, practical need, and lasting impact aligned with Christian mission.

It funds medical and practical community aid, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and direct support for vulnerable groups facing health, social, or economic hardship—beneficiaries include young people, marginalised communities, and those in need. Grant types encompass project funding, core costs, capital grants (e.g., infrastructure like the Oasis Centre in Manchester), start-up/seed initiatives, and humanitarian assets (e.g., aircraft for aid). While historically active internationally, including Africa, it now restricts new African funding, focusing on UK projects and international efforts delivered via UK registered charities, often enabling grassroots pilots and expansions of innovative, faith-motivated programmes.

Eligible applicants are solely UK-registered charities (no income thresholds), with work managed and administered in the UK; strong alignment with Christian values is essential. Typical grants range from £5,000 to £250,000 (mostly £15,000–£100,000), awarded on a rolling basis via an initial online eligibility questionnaire followed by a full application. Trustee decisions occur several times yearly, with responses in 8–16 weeks. Distinctively, it avoids non-UK charities and new African projects, standing out for holistic, transformative support of faith-based innovation.