Shears Foundation grants
Shears Foundation is a national foundation giving small grants of between £3,000 and £6,300 to charities across England with an income of less than £1.5 million, with a typical grant of £5,750.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Shears Foundation is a national foundation offering a small grants programme to charitable organisations across England with an annual income of less than £1.5 million. Its small grants range from £3,000 to £6,300, with a typical grant of £5,750. It does not fund capital projects, though it will pay lease or rent costs.
What they fund
Shears Foundation supports general charitable purposes through its small grants programme, open to charitable organisations with an income of less than £1.5 million.
Who and where
It supports the general public, funding organisations across England.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Shears 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
“grants of between £3,000 and £6,300 from charitable organisations with an income of less than £1.5 million”
Source: shearsfoundation.org — How to apply | The Shears Foundation →
What they say they won't fund
“IMPORTANT UPDATE. FOR APPLICATIONS FROM 1st MARCH 2026, THE TRUSTEES HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO STOP ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FROM CHARITIES WHO WORK OVERSEAS, UNLESS WE ARE CURRENTLY SUPPORTING THEM.”
Source: shearsfoundation.org — | The Shears Foundation →
“We do not contribute to capital projects - by capital projects we mean we won't contribute to the cost of purchasing buildings (but we will pay lease / rent costs); refurbishing buildings; significant repairs to buildings; major outdoor works; vehicles; larger equipment etc.”
Source: shearsfoundation.org — How to apply | The Shears Foundation →
Grant sizes they mention
“small grants programme where charitable organisations with an income of under £1.5m can apply for anything between £3,000 and £6,300”
Source: shearsfoundation.org — | The Shears Foundation →
What a typical grant looks like
| Typical (median) grant | £5,750 |
|---|---|
| Middle half of grants | £5,000 – £6,000 |
| Grants published openly | 281 |
| Most recent published grant | 2026 |
Recent grants
- St Oswald's HospiceSt Oswald's Hospice: Children and Young Adult Service£96,900July 2026
- ABandOfBrothersOur Mentoring Programmes for Young Men£8,150July 2026
- Tyne Rivers TrustTyne Rivers Trust Volunteering Programme£8,115July 2026
- Cranfield TrustBuilding capacity and capabilities in voluntary sector organisations in York, Harrogate and Bradford.£6,300July 2026
- Blue CabinBlue Cabin Core Funding£6,300July 2026
- The Hut YorkThe Wellness Haven Community Wellbeing Programme£6,300July 2026
From grants Shears Foundation 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 object of the CIO is, for the public benefit, to further such exclusively charitable purposes according to the laws of england and wales as the charity trustees in their absolute discretion from time to time determine.
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 Shears Foundation typically give?
Based on grant records, the typical grant is £5,750, with most grants falling between £5,000 and £6,000. Its small grants programme offers between £3,000 and £6,300 to charitable organisations with an income of less than £1.5 million.
Who can apply to Shears Foundation?
Charitable organisations with an income of less than £1.5 million can apply. From 1 March 2026, the trustees decided to stop accepting applications from charities that work overseas, unless they are currently being supported.
What won't Shears Foundation fund?
The foundation does not contribute to capital projects, including purchasing buildings, refurbishing or significantly repairing buildings, major outdoor works, vehicles or larger equipment — though it will pay lease or rent costs.
How do I apply to Shears Foundation?
Details of the small grants programme, which offers between £3,000 and £6,300, are on the foundation's website at www.shearsfoundation.org. You can also check the foundation's entry on the Charity Commission register under charity number 1202285, and always confirm current rules directly with the foundation, as these can change.
Is your charity a fit for Shears 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 Shears Foundation.