Clothworkers' Foundation grants
Clothworkers' Foundation is a national grant-maker funding capital projects for charities, giving around £10.6m to organisations in its latest year, with a typical grant of £10,000.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
The Clothworkers' Foundation (charity number 274100) is a national, member/trade-funded grant-maker that funds capital projects - buildings, equipment and vehicles, and digital infrastructure - for charities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In its latest recorded year it gave around £10.6m across 3,707 recorded grants, with a typical award of £10,000 and the middle half ranging from about £5,550 to £20,750. To be eligible, at least 50% of the service users benefiting from a project must come from one or more of the Foundation's 10 programme areas.
What they fund
It funds capital projects - buildings, equipment and vehicles, and digital infrastructure - for UK charities, CICs and other not-for-profit organisations, including special schools, provided the work fits within one or more of its 10 programme areas.
Who and where
It supports other charities and voluntary bodies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, at a national scale.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Clothworkers' 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
“Within this programme, we prioritise organisations that embed lived experience across their work, and projects which will make a significant change to their work.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — Open Grants Programme | Capital Funding for Charities Supporting Marginalised Communities →
Who they say they'll fund
“Your organisation is not required to be a Living Wage Employer, and your answer to this question will not affect our decision.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
“We fund charities registered, and operating in, the UK, CICs, and other UK not-for-profit organisations including special schools.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
“In order to meet our eligibility criteria, you must be able to demonstrate that the work of your organisation fits within one or more of our 10 programme areas, and that at least 50% of service users benefiting from the capital project are from one or more of those groups.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
What they say they won't fund
“If your application is unsuccessful, you cannot reapply for the same project. You can apply for a different project after six months.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
Grant sizes they mention
“For projects with a balance of more than £100,000, we aim to fund at least 10% of the balance. For smaller projects of £15,000 or less, we aim to fund all, or a significant amount, of the remaining balance.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
How they say to apply
“Is there a deadline for applications? There are no application deadlines, which means you can submit an application at any time.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
“We fund capital projects such as buildings, equipment and vehicles, and digital infrastructure.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
“For Small Grants, we aim to make a decision within 12 weeks. Large Grants may take up to six months.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
“If your application is successful, you can apply again five years after your grant award letter.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
“Can I apply for funding for costs I have already paid? No, we do not make grants to cover retrospective costs, i.e. those that have already been paid.”
Source: clothworkersfoundation.org.uk — FAQs | Answers About Grants & Applications at The Clothworkers' Foundation →
What a typical grant looks like
| Typical (median) grant | £10,000 |
|---|---|
| Middle half of grants | £5,550 – £20,750 |
| Grants published openly | 3,707 |
| Most recent published grant | 2025 |
Recent grants
- NORTH TAMESIDE DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCILPurchase of minibus for a charity which works with young people living in some of the most deprived communities in the local area.£15,000December 2025
- FORT - 4 - YOUTH FOUNDATIONPurchase of minibus for a charity which works with disadvantaged young people aged 16–24, with a particular focus on immigrants and asylum seekers.£15,000December 2025
- Montrose Community TrustPurchase and installation of renewable energy infrastructure for a charity which works with people affected by health inequalities, social disadvantage and isolation.£15,000December 2025
- Neon Performing Arts LtdRefurbishment and accessibility upgrade of premises for a charity which works with young people aged 5–30 from global majority, low-income, neurodiverse, and LGBTQ+ backgrounds.£15,000December 2025
- Forfar Day Care CentrePurchase of minibus for a charity which works with individuals experiencing the following: social isolation, mental health challenges, physical health challenges and restricted mobility challenges.£15,000December 2025
- ROSS-ON-WYE & DISTRICT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATONConstruction of accessible gym for a charity which works with local residents.£15,000December 2025
From grants Clothworkers' 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):
For the advancement of such charitable purposes as the foundation shall from time to time 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 Clothworkers' Foundation typically give?
The median grant is around £10,000, with the middle half of its 3,707 recorded grants (latest recorded year: 2025) ranging from about £5,550 to £20,750. For smaller projects of £15,000 or less, the Foundation aims to fund all, or a significant amount, of the remaining balance; for projects with a balance of more than £100,000, it aims to fund at least 10% of the balance.
What does Clothworkers' Foundation fund?
It funds capital projects - buildings, equipment, vehicles, and digital infrastructure - for UK charities, CICs and other not-for-profit organisations including special schools. To qualify, an organisation's work must fit within one or more of the Foundation's 10 programme areas, and at least 50% of the service users benefiting from the capital project must be from one or more of those groups. Its Open Grants Programme prioritises organisations that embed lived experience across their work and projects that will make a significant change to their work.
Who can apply to Clothworkers' Foundation?
It funds charities registered and operating in the UK, CICs, and other UK not-for-profit organisations including special schools. Organisations are not required to be Living Wage employers to apply.
What won't Clothworkers' Foundation fund?
It does not fund retrospective costs - those already paid before an application. If an application is unsuccessful, the organisation cannot reapply for the same project, though it can apply for a different project after six months.
How do I apply to Clothworkers' Foundation?
There are no application deadlines - applications can be submitted at any time. For Small Grants, the Foundation aims to make a decision within 12 weeks; Large Grants may take up to six months. If successful, an organisation can apply again five years after its grant award letter. Full guidance is on the Foundation's own website (clothworkersfoundation.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 274100).
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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 Clothworkers' Foundation.