Hiscox Foundation grants
Hiscox Foundation does not accept unsolicited funding proposals; it focuses on registered charities with an annual funding income below £10m in England and Wales.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Hiscox Foundation does not accept unsolicited funding proposals. It takes a proactive approach to grant making, so it approaches charities rather than the other way round, and that is the first thing to know before you spend any time on it. It is primarily focused on charities with an annual funding income below £10m. It can only consider registered charities — Charity Commission registered charities in the UK, or charities registered with an equivalent regulatory body — with at least one year of financial accounts submitted. It does not fund carbon offset schemes, organisations where there is a religious or political bias towards beneficiaries, other charitable foundations, scholarship programmes, event sponsorship or new business start-up funding. Unsuccessful applicants are asked to let 24 months pass before re-applying.
What they fund
The register records community and economic development and employment, education and training, and environment, conservation and heritage. The foundation describes its own giving as divided into three key pillars without naming them in the material we hold.
Who and where
The register lists England and Wales, and names children and young people, older people and disabled people among its beneficiaries.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Hiscox 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 Foundation's approach to charitable giving is divided into three key pillars. This helps to focus our efforts, and ensures we have meaningful, measurable criteria to live up to.”
Source: hiscoxgroup.com — Hiscox Foundation UK | Hiscox Group →
Who they say they'll fund
“Primarily focused on charities with an annual funding income below £10m.”
Source: hiscoxgroup.com — Hiscox Foundation UK | Hiscox Group →
“We are only able to consider applications from registered charities, such as Charity Commission registered charities in the UK, or an equivalent regulatory body. We can only consider charities with at least one year of financial accounts submitted to the relevant regulatory body.”
Source: hiscoxgroup.com — Hiscox Foundation UK | Hiscox Group →
What they say they won't fund
“We do not consider funding requests from other charitable foundations. We would ask unsuccessful applicants to ensure 24 months has passed before re-applying.”
Source: hiscoxgroup.com — Hiscox Foundation UK | Hiscox Group →
“The Foundation does not provide funding for carbon offset schemes. The Foundation does not fund organisations where there is a religious or political bias towards beneficiaries.”
Source: hiscoxgroup.com — Hiscox Foundation UK | Hiscox Group →
“Scholarship programmes are not eligible for funding. Our funding excludes event sponsorship. The Foundation does not provide new business start-up funding.”
Source: hiscoxgroup.com — Hiscox Foundation UK | Hiscox Group →
How they say to apply
“The Hiscox Foundation takes a proactive approach to grant making and does not accept unsolicited funding proposals.”
Source: hiscoxgroup.com — Hiscox Foundation UK | Hiscox Group →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To support or promote such charitable purposes as the trustees may in their absolute discretion determine.
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
Can I apply to Hiscox Foundation?
Not directly. It says it takes a proactive approach to grant making and does not accept unsolicited funding proposals.
What does Hiscox Foundation fund?
It says its approach is divided into three key pillars, which helps focus its efforts. The Charity Commission register records community and economic development and employment, education and training, and environment, conservation and heritage.
Who does it fund?
Registered charities, such as Charity Commission registered charities in the UK or an equivalent regulatory body, with at least one year of financial accounts submitted. It says it is primarily focused on charities with an annual funding income below £10m. The register lists England and Wales, with children and young people, older people and disabled people among the beneficiaries.
What won't it fund?
It says it does not provide funding for carbon offset schemes, does not fund organisations where there is a religious or political bias towards beneficiaries, and does not consider funding requests from other charitable foundations. Scholarship programmes, event sponsorship and new business start-up funding are all excluded. It also asks unsuccessful applicants to ensure 24 months has passed before re-applying.
How do I apply?
There is no open application route, because it does not accept unsolicited funding proposals. Check the funder's own website (www.hiscoxgroup.com/hiscox-foundation-uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 327635) for current guidance, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for Hiscox Foundation?
Type your charity’s name and we’ll check this funder — and every other active UK grant-maker — against your purposes, your area and your size. Free, and nothing to fill in: we read your entry on the official register.
Check my charity’s matches — free →Thinking of applying? Start here.
Finding a funder is the easy part. These short guides help with the part that decides whether you get the money.
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 Hiscox Foundation.