Michael Bishop Foundation grants
Michael Bishop Foundation says it is unable to accept any applications for the moment. When open, it funds UK registered charities with a track record of delivery, reviewing applications twice a year.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Michael Bishop Foundation makes grants to UK registered charities across England and Wales. The first thing to know is that it is not taking applications at the moment. When this page was compiled, its apply page said it was unable to accept any applications for now, because of the large volume of existing applications made in its March window. Normally it is a small team and reviews applications twice a year, after the application deadlines of 31 March and 30 September. Its eligibility page also rules out new organisations without a track record of delivery, or without at least one year's published accounts available for review. It will not make grants larger than your organisation's annual turnover.
What they fund
These are the purposes recorded for the Foundation on the Charity Commission register. They are broader than its own eligibility page, which rules out several of them, including sports and recreation and the advancement of religion.
Who and where
The register records that it works throughout England and Wales, making grants to other charities and voluntary bodies. Its eligibility page rules out activities outside the UK, with one named exception.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Michael Bishop 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
“Organisations that are not UK charities”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Eligibility | Michael Bishop Foundation →
“New organisations that do not have a track record of delivery or do not have at least one year's published accounts available for review”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Eligibility | Michael Bishop Foundation →
What they say they won't fund
“Advancement of religion”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Eligibility | Michael Bishop Foundation →
“Animal welfare”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Eligibility | Michael Bishop Foundation →
“Activities outside the UK (except the Glendonbrook Foundation)”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Eligibility | Michael Bishop Foundation →
“Individuals”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Eligibility | Michael Bishop Foundation →
“Sports and recreation”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Eligibility | Michael Bishop Foundation →
“Campaigning or lobbying activities”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Eligibility | Michael Bishop Foundation →
Deadlines they mention
“We are a small team and will review applications twice a year after the application deadlines of March 31st and September 30th.”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Apply | Michael Bishop Foundation →
How they say to apply
“We regret we are unable to accept any applications for the moment due to the large volume of existing applications made in our March window.”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Apply | Michael Bishop Foundation →
“Grants larger than your organisation's annual turnover”
Source: michaelbishopfoundation.org — Eligibility | Michael Bishop Foundation →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To apply income or capital for the benefit of any one or more qualified charity defined as any purpose body organisation or object in any part of the world which under the law of england shall be recognised as exclusively charitable provided that no "excluded person" shall be capable of becoming a qualified charity…
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 Michael Bishop Foundation give?
We do not have sourced grant sizes for this funder, so we cannot give a figure or a range here. For scale, its most recent Charity Commission return records £3,991,736 in grants to organisations. It does say it will not make grants larger than your organisation's annual turnover.
What does Michael Bishop Foundation fund?
Its objects are to apply income or capital for the benefit of any body, organisation or object anywhere in the world which is recognised as exclusively charitable under the law of England. Its Charity Commission entry records human rights, equality and diversity, education and training, disability, health, arts, culture, heritage and science, and amateur sport. Note that its own eligibility page lists sports and recreation among the things it does not fund, so read that page before applying.
Who can apply?
Its eligibility page rules out organisations that are not UK charities, and new organisations that do not have a track record of delivery or do not have at least one year's published accounts available for review. In practice that means an established UK registered charity with published accounts.
What won't Michael Bishop Foundation fund?
Its eligibility page lists individuals, sports and recreation, campaigning or lobbying activities, animal welfare, the advancement of religion, activities outside the UK (except the Glendonbrook Foundation), and grants larger than your organisation's annual turnover.
How do I apply?
It says it is a small team and will review applications twice a year, after the application deadlines of 31 March and 30 September. When this page was compiled, its apply page said it was unable to accept any applications for the moment, due to the large volume of existing applications made in its March window. Check the funder's own website (michaelbishopfoundation.org) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 297627) for current guidance, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for Michael Bishop 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 Michael Bishop Foundation.