John Moores Foundation grants
John Moores Foundation gives grants to small, grass-roots organisations in Merseyside and Northern Ireland, with a maximum of £5,000 for one year in its Northern Ireland programme.
Guidance last checked 22 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
John Moores Foundation gives priority to small, grass-roots and volunteer-driven organisations that support those most in need and work in areas that have been under-represented in its grant-making. It runs separate programmes for Merseyside and for Northern Ireland, each with its own guidance, and the income limits differ. For Merseyside, applicants with an annual income over £750,000 are unlikely to be considered. For Northern Ireland, an application from an organisation with an annual income of over £250,000, or with large reserves, is unlikely to be considered, and the maximum grant available is £5,000 for one year. All organisations applying for funding must be established for one year and also produce one year of financial records. Its Merseyside guidance adds that no grants are made to individuals, nor for capital building projects, and that you should plan to allow up to six months from submission to a trustee decision.
What they fund
The Charity Commission records general charitable purposes for this foundation. Its own programme guidance is more specific and is described above.
Who and where
The register records it working in the North West of England and in Northern Ireland, with children and young people, people with disabilities, other defined groups and other charities.
Who they help
Where they fund
What John Moores 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
“Priority is given to small, grass-roots and volunteer-driven organisations that support those most in need and work in areas that have been under-represented in our grant-making.”
Source: jmf.org.uk — John Moores | John Moores Foundation →
Who they say they'll fund
“All organisations applying for funding must be established for one year and also produce one year of financial records”
Source: jmf.org.uk — Grants for Merseyside | John Moores →
What they say they won't fund
“No grants are made to individuals”
Source: jmf.org.uk — Grants for Merseyside | John Moores →
“nor are grants made for capital building projects”
Source: jmf.org.uk — Grants for Merseyside | John Moores →
Grant sizes they mention
“The maximum grant available is £5,000 for one year.”
Source: jmf.org.uk — Grants for Northern Ireland | John Moores →
Income limits they mention
“It is unlikely that an application from organisations with an annual income of over £250,000 or with large reserves will be considered for funding”
Source: jmf.org.uk — Grants for Northern Ireland | John Moores →
“Applicants with an annual income over £750,000 are unlikely to be considered for funding by JMF.”
Source: jmf.org.uk — Grants for Merseyside | John Moores →
How they say to apply
“do plan to allow up to 6 months from submission to Trustees reaching a decision on your application”
Source: jmf.org.uk — Grants for Merseyside | John Moores →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To advance such charitable purposes (according to the law of england and wales) as the trustees see fit from time to time.
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 John Moores Foundation typically give?
For its Northern Ireland programme it says "the maximum grant available is £5,000 for one year". It does not publish an equivalent figure for its Merseyside programme on the pages we hold, so check its Merseyside guidance directly.
What does the foundation fund?
It says: "Priority is given to small, grass-roots and volunteer-driven organisations that support those most in need and work in areas that have been under-represented in our grant-making."
Who can apply?
It says: "All organisations applying for funding must be established for one year and also produce one year of financial records." On size, its Northern Ireland guidance says "it is unlikely that an application from organisations with an annual income of over £250,000 or with large reserves will be considered for funding", and its Merseyside guidance says "applicants with an annual income over £750,000 are unlikely to be considered for funding by JMF".
What won't the foundation fund?
It says: "No grants are made to individuals", "nor are grants made for capital building projects".
How do I apply?
Apply through the guidance for the programme that covers your area, either Merseyside or Northern Ireland. It asks applicants to "plan to allow up to 6 months from submission to Trustees reaching a decision". Check the funder's own website (www.jmf.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1207661) for current guidance, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for John Moores 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 John Moores Foundation.