Navigate the grant-making galaxy
Howard Lake | 5 September 2022 | Sponsored posts
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Finding a grant-maker to fund your organisation can sometimes feel like you’re navigating through the stars. Thousands to look at, but how do you know which to explore, or if there are even any that share your priorities?
Fortunately, the number of grant-makers out there is eclipsed by the variety of causes they fund.
The UK’s major trusts (which DSC define as those who give over £250,000 a year) fund charities working across a whole spectrum of causes, from health to art, education to animals and disability to climate change. Many of these funders also give to more than one cause.
Whether you are an environmental charity trying to protect the planet, an education programme helping young people to succeed, or an organisation working to create a more equal society, the funding provided by the UK’s major trusts could help you to make an impact for your beneficiaries.
And they give big too! We researched the most recent data on charitable giving for over 1,000 major trusts and determined that collectively they gave over £7.33 billion to organisations across the UK.
With the cost-of-living crisis threatening to cause more disruption over the coming months and years, now is the time to get ahead of the curve and ensure you can continue the indispensable work that benefits those who need it most. Finding funding is crucial for charities directly helping families to afford the essentials they need to survive, but it is also vital for those addressing the inevitable knock-on effects, such as initiatives supporting mental health or local community projects, like sports clubs offering a healthy escape during stressful times. The work of charities, thus the role of funders, has never been more important.
The list of major trusts, of course, includes many recognisable names such as The National Lottery Community Fund, The Royal British Legion, and Cancer Research, but there is a whole galaxy of major grant-makers out there, waiting to be explored.
We know that searching for funding can feel like a daunting mission, so to help you plot your course, DSC has created The Guide to Major Trusts 2023/24. The guide includes every major trust in one handy resource and is an invaluable tool that can help to ensure you don’t get lost in space.
Jessica Threlfall
Senior Researcher
Directory of Social Change
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.