Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa

Could Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.

Typical grants
£5,000 – £10,000
Where they fund
Greater London
Applications
Accepted
How to apply
Two-stage application
Decisions
Bi annually

Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.

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shaftesburyyoungpeople.org

About Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa

Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa, operating as SYP Trust, is a grant-making trust that champions vulnerable children and young people. Their mission is to empower young people through inclusive, youth-led approaches that address barriers to education, employment, health, and participation. They value equality, diversity, and the lived experience of young people, embedding youth voice in their governance and strategy. They prefer to fund grassroots, not-for-profit organisations that work in partnership with young people. The Trust focuses its grant-making on Greater London, prioritising organisations that are inclusive of all faiths and non-secular people.

What Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa funds

SYP Trust funds projects that directly benefit young people aged 11 to 18 living in Greater London. Their priorities include youth voice and participation, learning and employment support, and mental health and wellbeing. They support activities such as peer support groups, advocacy, after-school clubs, vocational training, employability programmes, counselling, and therapeutic interventions. The Trust also funds work that addresses barriers to education, employment, health, and participation, focusing on grassroots, not-for-profit organisations.

Who can apply

SYP Trust funds registered charities, CICs, unincorporated associations, and community groups. They prioritise smaller, grassroots organisations that work in partnership with young people. Beneficiaries must be young people aged 11 to 18 living in Greater London. The Trust values inclusivity and expects organisations to be inclusive of all faiths and non-secular people in their beneficiaries and workforce. Projects must demonstrate a clear focus on the age group and geographical area.

What Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa doesn't fund

SYP Trust does not fund capital works, schools, for-profit organisations, or larger organisations. They also exclude faith groups that cannot demonstrate inclusivity of all faiths and non-secular people. Projects that do not focus on Greater London or that cannot show their main beneficiaries are young people aged 11 to 18 are not supported.

How they like to fund

SYP Trust uses a participatory, youth-led grant-making approach, embedding young people's voices in funding decisions. They welcome unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. The Trust prefers to fund grassroots organisations that work in partnership with young people.

How much does Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa give?

Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa runs one grant programme. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.

Last verified 8 August 2026 · 19 sourced facts

SYP Trust GrantsPaused
£5,000 – £10,000
  • Two-stage process
  • 2 rounds a year
  • Decisions in ~1 weeks

Those are the published figures. What your charity could realistically get — and whether you'd clear their rules on income, location and legal structure — is what the free fit check answers.

What Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa funds — and what they won't

Where they fund
Greater London
They don't fund
Capital works & buildingsSchool
The full exclusions list (6)
  • Projects which cannot demonstrate their main beneficiaries will be young people within the age range of 11 to 18 years.
  • Organisations with a turnover of over £1m.
  • For profit organisations.
  • Projects or organisations without a focus on our geographical area of benefit (Greater London).
  • Schools or Colleges.
  • Faith groups that cannot demonstrate they are inclusive of all faiths and non-secular people within their beneficiaries and workforce (including volunteers).

Good to know

FaithNo restriction
Focus areas
Children & youthEducationMental health

How to apply to Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa

Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa takes applications via two-stage application.

  • Published programme route: two-stage process.
  • Decisions are typically bi annually.
  • Check whether your charity is in scope before you spend time on a full bid.

What Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa's application asks

We hold the question from Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa's application form, word for word — so you know exactly what you're signing up to answer.

Question 1

Please tell us in 500 words or less how the outcomes of the work you deliver to children and/or young people in London align with one or more of our focus areas, or meet our innovation strand.

Max 500 words

How it works

  1. 1
    Describe your project. Once — used for this funder and others.
  2. 2
    See if this could be a fit. Honest check on cause, place, size, and rules.
  3. 3
    Draft if yes. From your real data — or move on if not.

See if Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa could be a fit. Draft if yes.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa provide?

Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa runs one grant programme — SYP Trust Grants: £5,000 – £10,000.

Where does Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa fund charities?

Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa funds charities operating in Greater London.

Does Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa accept unsolicited applications?

Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.

What does Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa not fund?

Their published exclusions include: Projects which cannot demonstrate their main beneficiaries will be young people within the age range of 11 to 18 years.; Organisations with a turnover of over £1m.; For profit organisations.; Projects or organisations without a focus on our geographical area of benefit (Greater London).; Schools or Colleges.. The full exclusions list is further up this page.

How do I apply for funding from Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa?

Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa takes applications via two-stage application. Published programme route: two-stage process.

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Could Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa be a fit?

Check free. Draft if yes, or shortlist better matches.