Merchant Navy Welfare Board grants
Merchant Navy Welfare Board makes grants to its member organisations providing welfare services for UK seafarers, fishers and their dependants, with no set deadlines.
Guidance last checked 22 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Merchant Navy Welfare Board, charity number 212799, provides grants to its constituent members to support the provision of quality welfare services for serving and retired UK seafarers, fishers and their dependants, and those visiting UK ports, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands. There are no deadlines for applications, as grants are awarded throughout the year, and the board aims to advise organisations of the outcome of their application within 28 days of submission. It does not award grants retrospectively, will not fund any VAT element that can be reclaimed by a VAT-registered organisation, and does not award grants to individuals. Applications must demonstrate robust plans for future funding of the project or service, as project sustainability is of great importance to the board.
What they fund
Merchant Navy Welfare Board supports general charitable purposes through grants, services and advocacy for the maritime welfare sector.
Who and where
It funds charities and voluntary bodies serving seafarers throughout England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Merchant Navy Welfare Board 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
“Project sustainability is of great importance to MNWB. Applications must demonstrate robust plans for future funding of the project/service”
Source: mnwb.org — Grants - Merchant Navy Welfare Board →
Who they say they'll fund
“MNWB provides grants to its Constituent members to support the provision of quality welfare services for serving and retired UK seafarers, fishers and their dependants and those visiting UK ports, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands”
Source: mnwb.org — Grants - Merchant Navy Welfare Board →
What they say they won't fund
“MNWB will not fund any VAT element that can be reclaimed by a VAT registered organisation”
Source: mnwb.org — Grants - Merchant Navy Welfare Board →
“We are unable to award grants retrospectively”
Source: mnwb.org — Grants - Merchant Navy Welfare Board →
“Regrettably, the MNWB does not award grants to individuals”
Source: mnwb.org — Grants - Merchant Navy Welfare Board →
Deadlines they mention
“There are no deadlines for applications as grants are awarded throughout the year”
Source: mnwb.org — Grants - Merchant Navy Welfare Board →
How they say to apply
“We aim to advise organisations of the outcome of their application within 28 days of submission”
Source: mnwb.org — Grants - Merchant Navy Welfare Board →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
For the public benefit to provide exclusively charitable support, services and grants to persons, associations, societies or other bodies whose objects are, or include, the provision of welfare to seafarers, or their spouses or dependants who are in need
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
Who can apply?
The board provides grants to its constituent members, to support welfare services for serving and retired UK seafarers, fishers and their dependants, and those visiting UK ports, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands. It does not award grants to individuals.
What won't it fund?
It cannot award grants retrospectively, and will not fund any VAT element that can be reclaimed by a VAT-registered organisation.
When can I apply?
There are no deadlines - grants are awarded throughout the year. The board aims to advise organisations of the outcome of their application within 28 days of submission.
How do I apply?
Contact the Merchant Navy Welfare Board to apply; grants are awarded on a rolling basis with no fixed deadlines, and it aims to advise organisations of the outcome within 28 days of submission. Applications must demonstrate robust plans for future funding of the project or service. Check the funder's own website (www.mnwb.org) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 212799) for current guidance, as processes can change.
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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 Merchant Navy Welfare Board.