Charles Hayward Foundation grants
Charles Hayward Foundation is a national and overseas family foundation that gave around £2.65m to charities in its latest year, with a typical grant of £16,700.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
The Charles Hayward Foundation (charity number 1078969) is a family foundation giving grants to other charities and voluntary bodies across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey and Jersey. In its latest recorded year it made grants totalling around £2.65m across 966 recorded grants, with a typical award of £16,700 and the middle half ranging from about £5,000 to £25,000. Its funding runs through themed categories, each with its own grant range, including Overseas, Social & Criminal Justice, and Heritage & Conservation; its Older People category is currently suspended to new applications due to high demand.
What they fund
The Foundation funds general charitable purposes for other charities and voluntary bodies, through themed categories including Overseas, Social & Criminal Justice, and Heritage & Conservation, plus an Older People category currently suspended to new applications.
Who and where
It funds other charities and voluntary bodies throughout England and Wales, and more widely across Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey and Jersey, at a national and overseas scale.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Charles Hayward Foundation says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
What they say they're looking for
“The trustees look to fund projects which: Are preventative and being delivered at the community level, and which allow older people to stay in their own homes and remain independent.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Older People - Charles Hayward Foundation →
“Programmes aiming to alleviate isolation and depression in older people, including informal day care, or regular social, physical and recreational activities.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Older People - Charles Hayward Foundation →
Who they say they'll fund
“The Foundation will only fund charities registered with one of the UK Charity Commissions. We do not fund Community Interest Companies (CICs), social enterprises, Non-Profit organisations, or individuals.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Exclusions - Charles Hayward Foundation →
What they say they won't fund
“Retrospectively (i.e. costs already incurred prior to receiving a decision from the Foundation)”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Exclusions - Charles Hayward Foundation →
Grant sizes they mention
“Older People – one year grant up to £7,000.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Funding FAQ - Charles Hayward Foundation →
“Overseas – one year grant up to £15,000.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Funding FAQ - Charles Hayward Foundation →
“Social & Criminal Justice – one to three year grant of £15,000 – £25,000 per annum.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Funding FAQ - Charles Hayward Foundation →
“Heritage & Conservation – one year grant up to £50,000.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Funding FAQ - Charles Hayward Foundation →
Income limits they mention
“UK registered charities that have an annual income of less than £350,000.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Older People - Charles Hayward Foundation →
Deadlines they mention
“There are no submission deadlines – we accept applications at any time during the year.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Older People - Charles Hayward Foundation →
How they say to apply
“Our Older People category is currently suspended due to an unprecedented number of applications.”
Source: charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk — Older People - Charles Hayward Foundation →
What a typical grant looks like
| Typical (median) grant | £16,700 |
|---|---|
| Middle half of grants | £5,000 – £25,000 |
| Grants published openly | 966 |
| Most recent published grant | 2025 |
Recent grants
- Rising Sun Domestic Violence ProjectAdolescent Boys Programme£25,000December 2025
- We are SurvivorsOutside OUT Spoken (OSOS) - a prison release programme for male offenders who are victims of sexual abuse - Part of a multi year grant£25,000December 2025
- Kids InspireTalk Together therapeutic services for children and their families - Part of a multi year grant£25,000December 2025
- Stockport County Community Trust‘Be You’ project for at-risk teenage girls - Part of a multi year grant£24,000December 2025
- SafelineSalary of part time Early Intervention Co-Ordinator for Primary School Prevention Programme - Part of a multi year grant£21,200December 2025
- Morecambe FC Community SportsInspiring Futures' – early intervention programme for at risk youth - Part of a multi year grant£20,000December 2025
From grants Charles Hayward Foundation publishes openly via 360Giving (the UK open grants-data standard), used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To or for the benefit of such exclusively charitable purposes at such time, in such manner and in such proportions as the trustees may from time to time in their discretion determine.
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
How much does the Charles Hayward Foundation typically give?
The median grant recorded is around £16,700, with the middle half of its 966 recorded grants (latest recorded year: 2025) ranging from about £5,000 to £25,000. Grant size varies by category: its Social & Criminal Justice category gives £15,000-£25,000 per year for one to three years, its Heritage & Conservation category funds up to £50,000 for one year, and its Overseas category funds up to £15,000 for one year.
What does the Charles Hayward Foundation fund?
The Foundation gives general charitable purpose grants to other charities and voluntary bodies, funding through categories including Overseas, Social & Criminal Justice, and Heritage & Conservation. Its Older People category (currently suspended to new applications) has previously funded preventative, community-level projects that help older people stay independent, including day care and social, physical and recreational activities to alleviate isolation and depression.
Who can apply to the Charles Hayward Foundation?
The Foundation only funds charities registered with one of the UK Charity Commissions - it does not fund Community Interest Companies (CICs), social enterprises, non-profit organisations or individuals. Its Older People category (currently suspended) additionally required applicant charities to have an annual income of less than £350,000.
What won't the Charles Hayward Foundation fund?
It does not fund retrospectively - that is, costs already incurred before the Foundation has made its decision.
How do I apply to the Charles Hayward Foundation?
Full guidance is on the Foundation's own website (charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1078969). Its Older People category previously had no submission deadlines, accepting applications at any time, but that category is currently suspended due to an unprecedented number of applications - trustees should always check the funder's site for current rules, as these change.
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Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Charles Hayward Foundation.