Henry Smith Charity - Large Grants

The Improving Lives grant programme provides grants to charitable organisations that help people when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available. The charity supports established organisations delivering services directly to beneficiaries and are looking for services which can demonstrate a track record of success, and evidence the effectiveness of the work.

Key grant details:

• Grant size - £20k - £60k per year
• Length - 1 -3 years
• Decisions timescale - 6 months

Qualifying criteria:

• Organisation size - £50k - £3m (in exceptional circumstances up to £5m)
• Location of work - UK only
• Funding covers - Running costs, salaries and projects
• Organisation type - Charities and not-for-profit organisations, including social enterprises

There are six funding priorities that describe the work the charity supports and how they want to bring about change for the most disadvantaged people in the greatest need. All the grants made must meet one of the priorities. Some applications may fit within several priority areas, but you don't need to address more than one.

Priorities:

• Help at a critical moment: Helping people to rebuild their lives following a crisis, critical moment, trauma or abuse
• Positive choices: Helping people, whose actions or behaviours have led to negative consequences for themselves and others, to make positive choices
• Accommodation / housing support: Enabling people to work towards or maintain accommodation.
• Employment and training: Supporting people to move towards or gain employment.
• Financial inclusion, rights and entitlements: Supporting people to overcome their financial problems and ensure that they are able to claim their rights and entitlements.
• Support networks and family: Working with people to develop improved support networks and family relationships

For more information about the Improving Lives grant programme, including a fuller explanation of the type of work funded, what the charity looks for in applications, and how they will assess your application, please download the full guidelines.

The Strengthening Communities grant programme aims to support small, grass roots organisations who are embedded in the community, working within the most deprived areas of the UK. Through this grant programme we want to make sure that our funding reaches organisations that provide services which are widely accessible to the whole community and respond to, and address the needs of the people living in it.

We fund established organisations with a track record of delivering services directly to beneficiaries and want to fund work that enables:

• People from across the community to participate in activities which improve connectedness, opportunities and wellbeing
• People who are excluded, vulnerable or facing other forms of hardship to have access to community-based services that support positive lasting change
• A stronger, active, more engaged community

Key grant details:

• Grant size - £20k - £60k per year
• Length - 1 -3 years
• Decisions timescale - 6 months

Qualifying criteria:

• Organisation size - £20k - £500k
• Location of work - UK only, both physically based and working within the 10% most deprived areas for England & Scotland and within the 15% most deprived areas for Northern Ireland & Wales
• Funding covers - Running costs
• Organisation type - Community-led charities and not for profit organisations

For information about the Strengthening Communities grant programme, including an explanation of the type of work funded, what the charity looks for in applications, and how they will assess your application, please download the full guidelines.