Worshipful Company of Builders' Merchants Charitable Fund

The Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants Charitable Fund, established in 1964 as the philanthropic arm of a historic City of London Livery Company, advances education, training, and welfare within the UK building materials sector. Rooted in traditions of professional excellence and sector stewardship, it fosters talent pipelines for builders’ merchants by supporting newcomers, apprentices, upskilling workers, and those facing hardship—extending relief to members, former members, and dependents—while backing craft-based charities and City-linked causes across England and Wales. Its ethos emphasizes tangible career progression, practical skills investment, and industry health through targeted philanthropy.

The Fund prioritizes grants for sector qualifications, scholarships, prizes, research into building matters, and training programs promoting diversity and practical routes, benefiting individuals entering or advancing in the supply chain as well as organizations like technical colleges and groups such as Building Heroes Foundation or City & Guilds. It supports project-based education, skills development, welfare aid, and some core costs for trade-related charities advancing craft excellence.

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities, academic institutions, and individuals with demonstrable sector need; no strict income thresholds apply, though smaller entities with clear impact are favored, and geographic focus spans England and Wales without restrictions. Typical grants range from £200 to £2,000. Unsolicited applications are welcomed year-round via a downloadable form emailed per website instructions, with rolling review at quarterly Charities & Education Committee meetings—no fixed deadlines.

Distinctively, as the preeminent supporter of building supply talent, it avoids broad social causes unrelated to the industry, blending Livery Company heritage with responsive, expertise-driven giving for measurable professional and communal benefit.