Aims/priorities: This programme is aimed at registered charities, CIOs and CICs which are led by and working for Deaf and Disabled people. Their organisation will work directly with Deaf and Disabled people over the long term to support them to have more choice and control over their lives, access their rights and entitlements and challenge the barriers they face.
This funder uses the term ‘Disabled people’ to refer to the following groups of people: people with physical impairment, visual impairment, hearing impairment, people with long term health conditions, people with invisible impairment, people with learning difficulties, people who experience mental distress and people who are neurodivergent. The term ‘Deaf people’ refers to people whose first language is British Sign Language.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from:
- Registered charities and charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs) with the Charity Commission (England and Wales) or the Index for Charities (Isle of Man). They must have at least one set of annual accounts showing as ‘received’ on the Charity Commission website, covering a 12-month operating period, and a Board of at least three unrelated trustees in place, with their names appearing on their Charity Commission records.
- Community Interest Companies (CICs) Limited by Guarantee or Limited by Share under Schedule 2 and registered with Companies House and with an asset lock in place. They must have at least one set of annual accounts filed with Companies House that show a track record of frontline delivery and at least three unrelated Directors sitting on their Board who are registered with Companies House.
To be eligible, all organisations must:
- Be based and working in England and Wales or the Isle of Man. Most of the organisation’s time and money is spent on activities helping people living in these locations.
- Have an annual income of between £25,000 and £500,000 in the last set of published accounts. This is total income and, in the case of consolidated accounts, should cover all entities within those accounts.
- Have a bank account in the name of the organisation with unrelated signatories. If the application is successful, the grant must be paid into this account.
- Be able to show the majority of people in positions of power (including directors/trustees, the CEO and senior managers) are not related nor living at the same address.
- Have a track record of delivering support, activity or services, for at least one year, to people aged 18 and over and must be currently delivering these services.
- Have a safeguarding policy in place.
- Have a Designated Safeguarding Lead/Officer (DSL/O).
- Hold Public Liability Insurance.
- Be an independent organisation.
- Not have a live grant with Lloyds Bank Foundation with more than 12 months to run at the time of the programme closing.
Under this programme, applicants must be:
- Led by and working for Deaf and Disabled people. This means a majority (at least 51%) of Directors Trustees and half (at least 50%) of staff, at all levels of the organisation, self-identify as Deaf and/or Disabled people. Priority will be given to organisations where at least 75% of their Directors/Trustees and 50% of staff self-identify as Deaf and/or Disabled people.
- Delivering support, activities or services that are person centred and supporting people over the long term to have more choice and control over their lives.
Applicants should refer to the guidance document which sets out the full criteria.
Grant amount: The maximum grant is £75,000 for three years (£25,000 per year).
This year, the Foundation will 41 grants across England and Wales.
The Foundation can also provide up to £500 of accessibility support to enable groups to apply for this programme, including BSL interpreters, language translation, scribes and dyslexia software.
The Foundation will also offer grant recipients a range of tailored additional support to help them to strengthen, be more resilient and develop further.
Application process: The 2025 guidelines and eligibility quiz can be found on the Foundation’s website.
The Foundation will hold a live webinar and Q&A on 16 July 2025 (10:30 to 12 noon). Registration is required via the Foundation’s website
Deadline: Thursday 4 September 2025, (17:00).
Contact information: Email: enquiries@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk
Website: Funding