The purpose of this page is to let you know about other trusts and funding sources that might be interested in supporting your work. With the cooperation of FunderFinder we have identified a number of charitable trusts that:
The word 'might' is very important. All of these trusts have particular criteria. Some specifically say they are interested in homelessness projects. Some don't, but still might be worth approaching if your project meets their objectives (improving the health of Londoners or supporting young people at risk, for instance). Read their guidelines carefully. Whatever you do, don't just send off letters to every trust listed.
There will be other charitable trusts and foundations worth writing to that aren't listed - such as those that don't have websites; those that don't have enough information on their guidestar.org.uk entry; or those that fund a wide range of social welfare needs in a specific part of London, but don't particularly mention homelessness.
There are other funders besides charitable trusts. Click here to find out more about other sources of information on trusts and fundraising.
The trusts listed below are shown in alphabetical order. There is, therefore, no indication of priority for those at the top of the list.
Abbey National Charitable Trust. The trust's priorities do not specifically mention homelessness. They are: education and training; local regeneration projects to encourage cross community partnerships; and financial advice to help disadvantaged people take control of their money. Giving is focussed in those places where they have a Community Partnership Group which, in London, is Camden. Donations in these areas can range from £250 to a maximum of £20,000. Outside of these areas the maximum donation is £2,500.
The Abel Charitable Trust. The trust favours applications aimed at preventative methods of help. It is committed to working with charities which work with the homeless and those dealing with problems surrounding homelessness such as unemployment and drug addiction. The maximum grant is £5,000.
The Archer Trust. This Christian grant-making trust gives grants of between £250 and £3,000 to small UK charities. It supports organisations which provide aid or support to a defined group of needy or deserving people, particularly those working in areas of high unemployment and deprivation, and favours charities which make good use of volunteers.
Baring Foundation. The Baring Foundation is not interested in homeless projects as such - but it does have an interest in 'Strengthening the Voluntary Sector'. They describe this as wishing "to fund work which will lead to a significant and lasting change in the effectiveness of an organisation by improvements to its strategy, structure, systems or skills". However, applications are now closed for 2006 and new guidelines are due at the beginning of 2007. Check their website for further details.
The Bellinger Donnay Charitable Trust. Giving is focussed mainly on small charities in London and Wiltshire. The trust is keen to support charities which are concerned with youth, the elderly, disabled people and the relief of poverty and deprivation.
Big Lottery Fund. The fund has a large number of different progammes open at any one time. Some are only open for applications for a short period. Others, such as the Reaching Communities programme, have no closing date.
Bridge House Trust. Part of the Corporation of London, this fund makes grants to charitable projects that benefit the inhabitants of Greater London. Their current priorities (revised 2006) for their main grants programme are: access for disabled people; London's environment; children and young people (support to homeless young people is one of the priority areas); older people in the community; strengthening the voluntary and community sectors. Very occasionally grants are made outside of these areas if organisations can show that they are either: responding to new needs and circumstances which may have arisen since the Trust fixed its priorities (e.g. a major catastrophe impacting upon London); or requiring short-term assistance to cope with unforeseen circumstances enabling them to adapt to change and move forward (need arising from poor planning will not be considered). There is also a small grants scheme aimed at helping small organisations (with a turnover of less than £50,000) improve services for older people.
The Cadbury Schweppes Foundation. The foundation is not interested in homelessness specifically. Its support is focussed on a small number of projects dealing with education and employment within 'at risk' or 'socially excluded' groups. It also supports agencies working in health and welfare and the environment, but increasingly looks for them to develop projects which improve employability. The Foundation only funds projects which are local to where it has operations, which includes London.
The Charities Advisory Trust. Has an interest in homelessness and the website tells you how to apply for a grant. However, it says: "Nearly all our grants are made because we have prior knowledge of the project or area of concern. In most cases the idea for the project comes from us; we work with suitable organisations to achieve our objectives. We rarely respond to unsolicited applications for projects of which we know nothing. In such cases where support is given, the amounts are usually £200 or less."
The Chelsea Building Society Charitable Foundation. This foundation makes grants to registered charities operating within approximately 10 miles of a Chelsea Building Society branch office. Homelessness is one of its priorities. Donations will normally be considered in the range of £250 to £5,000.
The Church Urban Fund. The Church Urban Fund has an annual grant-making budget of £3m. Grants are awarded to projects tackling poverty and marginalisation in the urban areas of England. The funds aim to benefit people who are socially, culturally, spiritually, environmentally and financially disadvantaged. Projects don't have to be Christian, but all applications must be made through the local Anglican Diocese with the endorsement of the Diocesan Bishop.
City Parochial Foundation and Trust for London. The City Parochial Foundation is "a trust for the poor of London" which "includes people who, for whatever reason, are socially, culturally, spiritually, environmentally and financially disadvantaged" and the Trust for London aims to help small new and emerging charities in London. Both trusts welcome applications from projects working with refugees and asylum seekers/migrant groups. The current funding programmes are now closed and new guidelines, for 2007-11, will be available from September 2006. Check their website for further details.
The Clothworkers' Foundation. This large trust does not mention homelessness specifically, but funds widely across the UK with the aim of "enhancing the quality of life for the young and aged; the disabled and infirm; the disadvantaged, needy, abused and under-privileged". It prides itself on being flexible, responsive and approachable and is happy to give advice on potential applications.
Comic Relief. In the UK, the new funding guidelines for 2005 ñ 2008 will fund work under the following themes: young people; older people; mental health; refugees and asylum seekers; domestic violence and disadvantaged communities. There was one round of funding specifically for drop-in services for homeless young people, which is now closed, although there may be another round in 2007.
Co-operative Community Dividend. Funded by Co-op Dividend cardholders donating the 'odd pence' from their twice yearly Dividend payment, the scheme can give grants of between £100 and £5,000. These are available to support projects that: provide a long term benefit for a sector of the local community, either by the provision of equipment, physical benefit to the group, or through training or education; target disadvantaged groups or areas within the community; seek to address issues such as health, safety or poverty relief. Support is currently being focussed on: combating crime and anti-social behaviour; promoting education; and improving health. Projects must be in an area served by one of the Co-operative Group businesses.
Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. In the UK this trust has supported projects under the theme of 'Transition to Adulthood and Independence', targeting work of national significance with young people between the ages of 12 to 25 in the categories of mental health, refugees and asylum seekers, and prisoners' families. However during 2006, the Fund has been undertaking a process of consultation and review in order to establish operational and funding priorities for the future. One of its three future areas of funding will be young refugee and asylum seekers - focus on potential. Check their website for further details.
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. This large trust is not specifically interested in homelessness. It makes grants in four areas: social change, environment, education and arts & heritage. The "social changeW programme aims to enable people and communities facing disadvantage to improve their lives and prioritises those at greatest need. Applications should address one of two priority areas: enterprising communities - enabling people and organisations to be more enterprising and to develop new ways of tackling the needs of those at greatest disadvantage; or financial independence - supporting work which improves access to financial services for individuals, voluntary and community organisations and businesses which are unable to use traditional sources of finance. They say that they are unlikely to support homelessness, for example drop in centres, guarantee schemes and routine resettlement work, unless the proposal is genuinely developmental or there is something exceptional about the circumstances.
J Paul Getty Junior Charitable Trust. This trust describes itself as "supporting unpopular causes". Most of its funding goes to social welfare which includes "homelessness, particularly projects which help prevent people becoming homeless or to resettle them". However, it has a preference for funding projects outside London and the South East, and those which cover more than one beneficial area.
The Goldsmithsí Company Charity. The company gives widely to London-based or national charities, but not to local charities. It does not fund individual housing associations or very large charities. Its grants list includes grants to organisations working around the issue of homelessness.
Groundswell UK. Groundswell's Small Grant Award Scheme provides grants for projects that are run by homeless and ex-homeless people, and those that actively involve homeless people in decision making. Awards of up to £500 are made for innovative, community-based projects that empower homeless and ex-homeless people.
Haberdashers Benevolent Foundation. Help is given mainly to charities concerned with poverty relief. One of the trust's current focus areas is charities helping unemployed and homeless people to find jobs or improve their education or skills and to find more stable accommodation.
HACT (The Housing Associations Charitable Trust). HACT raises and distributes money to improve the quality of life of homeless people and people with housing and support needs. It currently has three programmes - older people, the supported living programme and the refugee housing integration programme - and in the past has made grants available in these areas. However, the grant programmes are currently closed. It is worth checking their website periodically to see when further funds may be available.
The Hilden Charitable Fund. This fund has four priorities, one of which is "homelessness, especially among the young". They prefer to support work at a community level rather than big national charities. They are unlikely to give grants over £5,000.
The Hyde Charitable Trust. Established by The Hyde Group (Hyde Housing Association), this small charitable trust makes grants through its Youth Plus programme to projects which "address the problems faced by disadvantaged children and young people in communities suffering high social deprivation in London and the South East of England". It specifically funds in areas where Hyde Housing is operating and where the projects will complement the wider regeneration work of Hyde Plus. There are two levels of grants: Level 1 ñ up to £1,000, and Level 2 ñ over £1,000.
Beatrice Laing Trust. The trust mentions homelessness in its annual report as one of the areas in which it gives grants. It funds both national and local organisations. The trust is administered alongside the Maurice and Hilda Laing Charitable Trust and the Kirby Laing Foundation. An application to any one of the three trusts, known collectively as the Laing Family Trusts, is treated as an application to all.
Laing's Charitable Trust. The trust's first priority is to former employees of John Laing plc who are in need. The remaining income is used to support charities that work in the areas of education; homelessness and in particular day centres and their work with health related aspects of homeless people; disadvantaged young people; community regeneration; and, increasingly, the environment. The trust takes a pro-active role in seeking out charities that fit its criteria and a first grant to a charity that writes an unsolicited bid is unlikely to exceed £5,000.
Land Aid Charitable Trust. This was founded in 1985 by a group of property professionals. It makes grants to support a variety of projects connected with homelessness and related causes. Finance is given either to help provide a property, or assist in a refurbishment project; or to give a financial kick-start to something that might not otherwise get off the ground.
Leathersellers' Company Charitable Fund. The company does not mention homelessness specifically, but funds broadly, giving priority to charities in the London area, due to its long associations there.
The Linbury Trust. This is one of the Sainsbury family trusts and, in common with most of them, tends to take a proactive approach to grant-making. It states that unsolicited applications are usually unsuccessful, although applications in the listed in their fields of interest are considered on their merits. One of these is disadvantaged young people. The trust also supports organisations that use the arts to work with disadvantaged people, including the homeless.
Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales. The trust's policy is to support under-funded charities so that people, especially disadvantaged or disabled people, can play a fuller role in the community. It supports a wide range of activities that fall within the broad areas of social and community needs, and education and training. Objectives for funding in London in 2006 are: work with socially excluded young people, particularly those leaving care, those involved with the criminal justice system and those excluded from education; work enabling asylum seekers and refugees to access mainstream services and to improve their quality of life; work around the issues facing those with mental health problems and their families; and work addressing problems faced by prisoners and their families
The Mackintosh Foundation. Although almost half of the foundation's funds are given to theatrical, musical and dramatic arts, homelessness is one of its listed areas of giving.
Merchant Taylors' Company. The company's charitable activities are directed towards education, homelessness, the elderly and infirm, and the disadvantaged generally. Smaller charities benefit rather than major national charities.
The Morris Charitable Trust. This trust particularly supports causes which alleviate social hardship and deprivation, including community uplifting organisations, urban regeneration, health care, the elderly and education. It has a preference for Islington based charities.
The Persula Foundation. Applications must fit into one of their Generic Research Project groups, of which homelessness is one. However, they should be, or have the potential to be, of national application rather than local to one area.
The Pilgrim Trust. This trust doesn't fund homelessness as such but is interested in projects that assist people involved alcohol or drug misuse, with a special interest in the provision of specialist services for young people, for those from black or ethnic minority groups and for women with multiple needs; projects in prisons and projects providing alternatives to custody.
Pret Foundation Trust. This trust was set up in support of the homeless. It's principal beneficiaries are Crisis and FareShare, but the trust is willing to consider applications from other "endeavours that support the homeless".
Mrs Smith and Mount Trust. The trust funds in south east England, including London, and homelessness is one of its priority areas.
Henry Smith's Charity. This trust has a wide range of interests including "projects providing practical support for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness".
The Sobell Foundation. Homelessness is one of the foundation's particular interests. Their funding is concentrated on small national or local charities and about half of it goes to Jewish projects.
Sir Halley Stewart Trust. The trust has a Christian basis and concentrates its funding on innovative research and pioneering developments which help people become self-sufficient. One of its areas of interests is, "innovative projects which attempt to help people 'move beyond disadvantage'. These may be concerned with youth development; the social and family aspects of youth crime; the rehabilitation of offenders; homelessness; refugees or race relations." It is also interested in innovative projects which address the needs of vulnerable people in imaginative ways.
StreetSmart. StreetSmart raises funds for the homeless through the nation's leading restaurants in November and December each year. During those months a voluntary £1 per table is added onto customers' restaurant bills in each participating city. The money is collected by StreetSmart and distributed directly to charities, hostels and projects helping the homeless. Projects should work progressively with their client group, helping the homeless to make a better life for themselves.
The Tudor Trust. This large trust funds widely and does not focus on specific themes or programmes. Their new guidelines state that "we aim to support work which addresses the social, emotional and financial needs of people at the margins of our society". The trust preferes to support smaller groups and those which: provide direct services to marginalised people; those with high levels of user involvement and those which address complex and multi-stranded, often difficult, problems in unusual or imaginative ways.
UIA Charitable Foundation. (follow the 'About us' link and then 'Charitable Foundation') Funded entirely by donations from UIA (Insurance) Limited, the foundation is particularly interested in those charities that take positive action on important social issues which might not otherwise be addressed. Support to people who are homeless is one of its specific areas of interest.
Vintnersí Gifts Charity. The Vintners' Company concentrates on different sections of charitable giving every six months and will only respond to applications from charities in these sections during each period. From November 2006 the focus is on the prevention of abuse/addiction, and from May 2007, the focus is on the disabled. Homelessness as a focus comes back in November 2008.
The Wates Foundation. The trust aims to improve the quality of life of the deprived, disadvantaged and excluded in the Greater London area, with a particular focus on South London. One of their programme areas is community support - projects facilitating the provision of local services, projects and programmes. Homelessness is one of its specific areas of interest.
The Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation. One of the foundationís areas of funding is social exclusion and in the past it has supported projects concerned with homelessness. Eligible projects should ideally be innovative, focus on the disadvantaged and have lasting effects, or should consist of work (e.g. action research, pilot schemes) that would lead to such projects, and preferably be capable of replication if successful.
The Woodward Charitable Trust. This is one of the Sainsbury family trusts, but unlike most of the others, it gives small grants in response to open application. The trust favours small-scale, locally based initiatives, with a preference for one-off projects. Priority is given to causes which seem unpopular with public opinion and/or other funders. Homelessness, particularly affecting young people and women, and covering facilities such as womenís refuges, is one of its stated priority areas.
Yapp Charitable Trust. This trust is not specifically interested in homelessness. It makes smallish grants to registered charities with an annual expenditure of less than £60,000 working with: elderly people; children and young people; people with disabilities or mental health problems; or people trying to overcome life-limiting problems such as addiction, relationship difficulties, abuse, a history of offending.
Click here to find out more about other sources of information on trusts and fundraising.
This page gives information about trusts that fund homelessness agencies. Scroll down or print this page to view them all.
We have also provided a list of other sources of information on trusts and fundraising.
