Spirit of 2012

The trust funds projects that foster social connection through arts, culture, heritage, amateur sport, recreation, education, volunteering, disability inclusion, community development, and equality. It favours mass participation events, festivals, creative projects, and partnerships that deliver measurable wellbeing gains. The trust supports work across the whole of the UK, including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The focus is on activities that bring people together and build community cohesion, particularly through shared experiences in arts and sport. The trust is especially interested in initiatives that reach young people, older adults, disabled individuals, and disadvantaged communities. It prioritises projects that can demonstrate tangible improvements in wellbeing and social connectedness.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities. The trust prioritises organisations that work with young people, older adults, disabled individuals, and disadvantaged communities. It welcomes applications from charities that advance inclusion and social connection through the themes the trust funds. The trust does not accept unsolicited proposals; it works through invite-only competitive rounds and targeted calls. Organisations should be able to demonstrate a commitment to rigorous evaluation and the measurement of happiness and wellbeing outcomes.

The trust does not fund individuals, unsolicited proposals, or capital and core costs. It also does not support projects that do not align with its mission of building happier people and places through social connection, events, volunteering, arts, and sport. The trust focuses on project delivery and capacity building, not on general operating expenses or building works.

The trust is a spend-out funder that awards grants through invite-only competitive rounds and targeted calls. It emphasises experimental philanthropy, with mandatory evaluation built into every grant. Grantees are required to measure wellbeing and happiness outcomes, and the trust actively shares the evidence and learning from its funded projects to influence wider policy and practice. The trust does not have open application rounds; all funding is by invitation.