Harpur Trust grants
Harpur Trust is a local charity funding people in Bedford Borough, giving around £1.23m to organisations, with a typical grant of £12,780 (recent awards ranging from £4,775 to £31,620).
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Harpur Trust is a local charity based in Bedford Borough, in the East of England, funding recreation, the prevention or relief of poverty, and education and training. It gave around £1.23m to organisations; of 187 recently recorded grants (up to 2025), the median award was £12,780, with typical awards ranging from £4,775 to £31,620. Projects must specifically help people in Bedford Borough and applicants must be a registered charity, CIC or other non-profit with a governing document, a bank account, and a committee of at least three unrelated people.
What they fund
Harpur Trust funds recreation, the prevention or relief of poverty, and education and training, with projects required to specifically help people in Bedford Borough.
Who and where
It funds within the East of England, prioritising organisations serving Bedford Borough, and requires applicants to be a registered charity, CIC or other non-profit with a bank account and a committee of at least three unrelated people.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Harpur Trust 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
“Be seeking funding for projects that specifically help people in Bedford Borough”
Source: harpurtrust.org.uk — Grants for Charities and Community Groups - The Harpur Trust →
“Be a registered charity, Community Interest Company (CIC) Ltd by Guarantee or other non-profit organisation. Have a suitable governing document (e.g. constitution/articles). Have a bank account in the name of the organisation”
Source: harpurtrust.org.uk — Grants for Charities and Community Groups - The Harpur Trust →
“Have a committee of at least three unrelated people/trustees/directors”
Source: harpurtrust.org.uk — Grants for Charities and Community Groups - The Harpur Trust →
What they say they won't fund
“Projects that promote a particular religion, although we do fund faith groups for secular work which is open to all regardless of faith”
Source: harpurtrust.org.uk — Grants for Charities and Community Groups - The Harpur Trust →
“We will not fund school staff salaries”
Source: harpurtrust.org.uk — Grants for Charities and Community Groups - The Harpur Trust →
How they say to apply
“Applications for projects in schools should explain how the work will be sustained after the project has ended or provide a legacy within the school, and how the project fits with the school improvement priorities”
Source: harpurtrust.org.uk — Grants for Charities and Community Groups - The Harpur Trust →
What a typical grant looks like
| Typical (median) grant | £12,780 |
|---|---|
| Middle half of grants | £4,775 – £31,620 |
| Grants published openly | 187 |
| Most recent published grant | 2025 |
Recent grants
- Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy CentreParkinson's Health and Wellbeing Initiative£30,715June 2025
- Bedfordshire Rural Communities CharityGood Neighbour Scheme Support£20,700June 2025
- The Brilliant ClubSupporting students with The Scholars Programme in Bedford state schools.£19,614June 2025
- Luton Town FC Community TrustEngaging secondary school pupils through football and sports£19,500June 2025
- OMG: Outreach Music Group CICCreative Futures - free creative courses for people with mental illness£19,500June 2025
- ACCM (UK)Supporting and empowering vulnerable users with language and IT skills£16,250June 2025
From grants Harpur Trust 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):
The promotion of education 2. The relief of persons resident in the area of benefit who are sick or in need, hardship or distress; and 3 the provision of facilities in the area of benefit for recreation or other leisure-time occupation for inhabitants in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving…
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 Harpur Trust typically give?
Looking at its 187 most recently recorded grants (up to 2025), the median award was £12,780, with the middle half of grants ranging from £4,775 to £31,620.
What does Harpur Trust fund?
It funds recreation, the prevention or relief of poverty, and education and training projects that specifically help people in Bedford Borough.
Who can apply to Harpur Trust?
Applicants must be a registered charity, Community Interest Company (CIC) limited by guarantee, or other non-profit organisation, with a suitable governing document, a bank account in the organisation's name, and a committee of at least three unrelated people.
What won't Harpur Trust fund?
It will not fund projects that promote a particular religion (though it does fund faith groups for secular work open to all, regardless of faith), and it will not fund school staff salaries.
How do I apply to Harpur Trust?
Applications for work in schools must explain how it will be sustained after the project ends and how it fits with school improvement priorities. Check the funder's own website (www.harpurtrust.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1066861) for current guidance, as rules and deadlines change.
Is your charity a fit for Harpur Trust?
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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 Harpur Trust.