Freshwater Foundation grants
Freshwater Foundation makes small grants of up to £500 to voluntary and community groups based in Ealing, Hounslow or Hillingdon.
Guidance last checked 22 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Freshwater Foundation runs a small grants programme of up to £500, and says it will not fund amounts above this non-negotiable limit. Its guidance says the group must be based in Ealing, Hounslow or Hillingdon. Its Charity Commission entry records its area of operation as London and names Hounslow and Ealing. A Hillingdon group should therefore confirm with the funder first. It supports voluntary and community organisations. Its objects cover promotion of the voluntary sector, and the efficiency and effectiveness of charities and the effective use of their resources. That includes donating funds to charities and voluntary and community entities for development purposes, and the advancement of education. It will not fund statutory organisations such as local authorities, schools and the police. Nor will it fund commercial ventures, any party political or religious activity, or organisations solely for the relief of animals or plants.
What they fund
The Charity Commission register records this foundation's purposes as economic and community development and employment, and education and training. Its objects centre on strengthening the voluntary sector itself.
Who and where
The register records that it works in London, and names Hounslow and Ealing, benefiting other charities and voluntary bodies. Its own guidance says the group must be based in Ealing, Hounslow or Hillingdon.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Freshwater 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.
Who they say they'll fund
“The group must be based in Ealing, Hounslow or Hillingdon”
Source: freshwaterfoundation.org.uk — Grant Applications - Freshwater Foundation →
What they say they won't fund
“any party political and/or religious activity”
Source: freshwaterfoundation.org.uk — Grant Applications - Freshwater Foundation →
“organisations that are for the sole benefit of the relief of animals or plants”
Source: freshwaterfoundation.org.uk — Grant Applications - Freshwater Foundation →
“statutory organisations such as local authorities, schools and the police”
Source: freshwaterfoundation.org.uk — Grant Applications - Freshwater Foundation →
“commercial ventures”
Source: freshwaterfoundation.org.uk — Grant Applications - Freshwater Foundation →
Grant sizes they mention
“we will not fund amounts above this non-negotiable limit”
Source: freshwaterfoundation.org.uk — Grant Applications - Freshwater Foundation →
“small grants of up to £500”
Source: freshwaterfoundation.org.uk — Small grants (up to £500) - Freshwater Foundation →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To further such charitable purposes for the public benefit (charitable under english law) as the directors see fit from time to time in particular but not exclusively:(a) the promotion of the voluntary sector; and(b) the promotion of the efficiency and effectiveness of charities and the effective use of resources for…
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 Freshwater Foundation give?
It runs a small grants programme of up to £500, and will not fund amounts above this non-negotiable limit. In its most recent published accounts it made £47,828 of grants to organisations and nothing to individuals. It does not publish a typical or median award figure.
What does Freshwater Foundation fund?
Its objects cover the promotion of the voluntary sector, the efficiency and effectiveness of charities and the effective use of their resources. That includes donations to charities and voluntary and community entities for development purposes, and the advancement of education, including training and research. Its Charity Commission entry records its purposes as economic and community development and employment, and education and training.
Who can apply?
Its guidance says the group must be based in Ealing, Hounslow or Hillingdon. Its Charity Commission entry records its area of operation as London and names Hounslow and Ealing, so if your group is in Hillingdon it is worth confirming with the funder before you apply.
What will it not fund?
Organisations that are for the sole benefit of the relief of animals or plants. Statutory organisations such as local authorities, schools and the police. Any party political or religious activity, and commercial ventures.
How do I apply?
It publishes its grant application guidance and a separate small grants page on its own website. Check the funder's own website (freshwaterfoundation.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1172152) for current guidance, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for Freshwater Foundation?
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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 Freshwater Foundation.