Aims/priorities: The Foundation supports charitable activities under a number of grant categories which are as follows:
- Social and Criminal Justice (Main grant).
- Overseas (Main grant).
- Older People (Small grant).
Who can apply? UK registered charities or exempt charities can apply for either a main or small grants programme depending on their annual income:
- Charities with an income between £350,000 and £4 million may apply to the Main Grant programme: Social & Criminal Justice.
- Charities with an annual income between £150,000 and £4 million may apply for a Main Overseas Grant.
- Charities with an income of less than £350,000 may apply to the Small Grants Programme (Older People category).
UK registered charities who deliver projects in Commonwealth Countries of Africa may apply for the Main Overseas Grant.
Grant amount: The Foundation offers the following:
- Small Grants up to £7,000.
- Main Grants:
- Social & Criminal Justice: between £15,000 to £25,000 per annum for one to three years. Up to £25,000 may be available for a pilot project.
- Overseas: one-off grants up to £15,000.
Application process: The Small Grant Programme is open and applications are accepted any time (for projects for Older People). An application form is available to download online.
Submission to the Main Grants (Social and Criminal Justice, Overseas) programme is a two stage process as follows:
- Stage 1: A Grant Committee meets on a quarterly basis. The Committee’s role is to forward applications to stage 2.
- Stage 2: Applications recommended by the Grant Committee are considered at one of the Trustees’ meetings which take place periodically and are usually held in: March; July; and November.
The 2025 deadlines for Stage 1 Main Grants are:
- 31 January for consideration in March
- 23 May for consideration in July
- 19 September for consideration in November
For the Main Grants Programme, there is no application form. Applicants should read the guidelines before starting the application process. The proposal should be no more than four A4 pages in length and submitted by email to grants@charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk and include:
- Name and location of organisation.
- Contact details.
- Description of organisation.
- Description of project.
- Project aims.
- Project cost.
- Funds already raised and pledged.
- Outstanding shortfall.
- Project timetable.
- Most recent set of audited accounts.
Deadline: Friday 19 September 2025
Contact information: Email: grants@charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk
Website: A grant-making charitable trust for UK charities - Charles Hayward Foundation