Wolfson Foundation grants
Wolfson Foundation makes grants across the UK, mostly for buildings and equipment, in education, science and medicine, heritage, humanities and the arts, and health and disability.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Most Wolfson Foundation funding is for capital infrastructure, which means buildings - new build or refurbishment - and equipment. It awards grants to support and promote excellence in education, science and medicine, heritage, humanities and the arts, and health and disability. It only awards grants to charities or organisations with charitable status or equivalent, and it does not fund projects where the total cost is below £15,000. Over 95% of its funding is within the UK, and it welcomes applications from all parts of the UK. Where a project is for major refurbishment work on leased premises, there should generally be at least 15 years to run on the lease when you apply, and the two-stage process takes at least five months.
What they fund
These are the areas of work the Charity Commission records for the Wolfson Foundation. Its own guidance adds that most of its funding is capital funding for buildings and equipment.
Who and where
These are the groups of people and the parts of the UK recorded on the register. The foundation says over 95% of its funding is within the UK and that it welcomes applications from all parts of the UK.
Who they help
What Wolfson 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
“We award grants to support and promote excellence in education, science & medicine, heritage, humanities & the arts and health & disability.”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — The Wolfson Foundation →
Who they say they'll fund
“Over 95% of our funding is within the UK, and we welcome applications from all parts of the UK.”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — Funding FAQs →
“We only award grants to charities or organisations with charitable status or equivalent.”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — Funding FAQs →
“Most of our funding is for capital infrastructure, which means for buildings (new build or refurbishment) and equipment.”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — Funding FAQs →
“Generally, there should be at least 15 years to run on the lease at the time the application is made (assuming the project is for major refurbishment work).”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — Funding FAQs →
What they say they won't fund
“Our grants cannot cover certain costs, such as VAT or purchasing land or property.”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — Funding FAQs →
Grant sizes they mention
“We do not fund feasibility studies, or projects where the total cost is below £15,000.”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — Funding FAQs →
How they say to apply
“This means that it takes at least five months between submitting your Stage 1 application and hearing whether your Stage 2 application has been successful.”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — Funding FAQs →
“You must submit a brief, final report no later than one year from the date of project completion.”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — Grant Conditions →
“We ask that you wait five years between the date an award is offered (not paid) and submitting another application.”
Source: wolfson.org.uk — Funding FAQs →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
The charity is established for exclusively charitable purposes for the public benefit, worldwide, including in particular (but not limited to):(a) the advancement, promotion and support of science and medicine, education, the arts and humanities, health and such religions as are recognised as charitable under the law…
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 the Wolfson Foundation typically give?
The foundation does not publish a typical grant size in the sources we hold, so we cannot give one. It does say it will not fund projects where the total cost is below £15,000. In its most recent financial year on the Charity Commission register it made £37,188,710 in grants to organisations.
What does the Wolfson Foundation fund?
It funds education, science and medicine, heritage, humanities and the arts, and health and disability. Most of its funding is for capital infrastructure, meaning buildings (new build or refurbishment) and equipment. The Charity Commission also records it under education and training, environment, conservation and heritage, disability, the advancement of health or saving of lives, arts, culture, heritage and science, and religious activities.
Who can apply to the Wolfson Foundation?
It only awards grants to charities or organisations with charitable status or equivalent. It says over 95% of its funding is within the UK and that it welcomes applications from all parts of the UK. Where a project involves major refurbishment work on leased premises, it says there should generally be at least 15 years to run on the lease at the time the application is made.
What will the Wolfson Foundation not fund?
It says its grants cannot cover certain costs, such as VAT or purchasing land or property. It does not fund feasibility studies, or projects where the total cost is below £15,000. It also asks that you wait five years between the date an award is offered, not paid, and submitting another application.
How do I apply to the Wolfson Foundation?
It uses a two-stage application process. It says it takes at least five months between submitting your Stage 1 application and hearing whether your Stage 2 application has been successful. If you receive a grant, you must submit a brief final report no later than one year from the date of project completion. Check the funder's own website (www.wolfson.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1156077) for current guidance, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for Wolfson 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 Wolfson Foundation.