Aims/priorities: The foundation operates two grant programmes for UK registered charities:
- Small Grants Programme – one-off grants for small projects.
- Main Grants Programme – targeted funding rounds, with grants available towards core costs to support charities working within the focus area of the active round.
Who can apply? The Small Grants Programme accepts applications from UK registered charities including charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs) but not community interest companies (CICs).
To be eligible organisations must:
- Deliver activities to meet an identified need for vulnerable people in their community.
- Have a planned expenditure of under £200,000 during the financial year in which they are applying for funding.
- Have at least one year's published accounts
The funder is looking for organisations that:
- Understand the needs of their local community.
- Are open and transparent about their work and finances.
- Are working in partnership with others.
The Main Grants Programme accepts applications from UK registered charities or Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) that:
- Are operating in the UK in an area of deprivation.
- Have an organisational income over £200,000 and under £2 million (for the coming or current year).
- Work to prevent the occurrence of and/or support recovery from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as their core focus.
- Use a trauma-informed approach and evidence-based interventions.
- Can demonstrate the effectiveness of their approach through evaluation or external research.
- Are either lived-experience led or can show significant input from those with lived experience.
Leathersellers recognises that some communities suffer from a greater likelihood of ACEs due to systemic barriers. It welcomes applications from charities who support under-represented groups.
Grant amount: The following funding is available:
- Small Grants Programme grants of up to £5,000.
- Main Grants Programme unrestricted grant (core costs) of between £20,000 and £25,000 per year for a period of up to four years.
Application process: Main Grants Programme
The 2025 application round is expected to open to expressions of interest from 26 March 2025 (10am) to 30 April 2025 (5pm). The foundation expects to make 15–20 multi-year grants.
Small Grants Programme
The fund is a rolling funding programme. The next application window will open 31 March 2025 (10am).
There are 8 application windows throughout the year. Submissions are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. As soon as 40 applications have been received, applications will close for the round. (This can occur with one hour of the application window opening.)
- 31 March 2025
- 6 May 2025
Applicants who have started an application form and then find that the maximum applications have been reached can save a draft and return to the application when the next round opens.
Applications are made using the online application form on the Leathersellers' Company website. The Small Grants Committee meets regularly to ensure charities receive a decision within a month of submitting their application.
Deadline: Wednesday 30 April 2025.
Contact information: Email: charityapp@leathersellers.co.uk
Website: Foundation -