Discover Funding Opportunities

The Rob George Foundation Grant

The Rob George Foundation provides support to young people in two distinct areas. First, it offers practical and/or financial support to young people with life threatening or terminal illnesses who find themselves struggling to access financial assistance during their treatment. The Foundation was established in memory of Rob George, who died aged 21 following a battle with leukaemia and experienced frustration with the process of seeking financial support during his illness. Second, the Foundation provides financial support to young people who demonstrate exceptional commitment and/or ability in the worlds of sport or the performing arts but may be held back by their financial situation from pursuing their goals. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. The Foundation operates in partnership with Essex Community Foundation and accepts applications from young people within specific geographical areas in the UK: Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, and any London Borough. The Foundation aims to make a difference one individual at a time by removing financial barriers that prevent young people from pursuing their goals or accessing support during serious illness.

Holiday Grants

The Holiday Grants Programme offers one-off grants for schools, youth groups and non-profit organisations to take children aged 13 and under on recreational day trips or short residential trips. The programme helps provide memorable experiences that can have a lasting impact, boosting wellbeing, building confidence, and offering a break from daily pressures for children who face financial hardship, systemic inequity or disability. The foundation prioritises groups supporting disabled children and those with limited access to funds to go on holiday, with 60% of grants in 2025 going to organisations working in the UK's most deprived areas. Trips must be recreational only with no educational or religious aims, and must take place within the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands.

Kindred Grants

The Kindred Grants programme provides financial, emotional, and practical support to descendants of Henry Smith's sister, Joane. When Henry Smith died in 1628, his Will included a legacy to help members of his family (his 'Kindred') in financial need. Today, more than 4,500 people are registered as Kindred, and the Foundation awarded 472 grants to 223 people in 2024. The programme offers a range of help including low income support for adults on low incomes (retired or working), one-off costs for essential household items like replacing a washing machine, and financial assistance for students taking their first degree at a UK university. Financial assistance is mainly for those with low incomes and is tailored to individual circumstances. The programme also includes a free, confidential helpline open to all Kindred regardless of income, providing support for mental and physical health, financial advice, personal issues, befriending, counselling services, and legal advice. The Foundation works with partners including Charis for streamlined support delivery, The OT Practice for occupational therapy assessments, and Pennysmart for money and debt advice.

Together We Begin

Together We Begin is a funding program from the Henry Smith Foundation that invests in home-based early years support for families. The fund aims to strengthen parenting skills to improve children's outcomes, build confidence and reduce stress in the home, and connect families to their local community. Organizations must provide face-to-face support to families in their homes, have proven experience of working with families facing financial hardship or social isolation who have children aged 0-5 and/or during pregnancy, and deliver work in high-need areas where at least 24.9% of children live in poverty. The work must be rooted in communities, strengths-based, responsive to need, inclusive and accessible, and focused on meaningful, lasting change. This fund is part of the Getting Started funding priority, which supports families to give young children the best possible start in life.