The Leathersellers’ Foundation provides a wide range of funding to UK registered charities, educational institutions and university students.
The foundation operates two grant programmes for UK registered charities:
- Small Grants Programme – one-off grants for small projects
- Charity Main Grants Programme – targeted funding rounds, with grants available towards core costs to support charities working within the focus area of the active round
The funding is for small registered charities and Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) that have been active for at least one year and who are delivering activities to meet an identified need for vulnerable members of the community within the UK.
The funder is looking for organisations that:
- Understand the needs of their local community.
- Are open and transparent about their work and finances.
- Are working in partnership with others.
Single year unrestricted grants of up to £5,000 are available.
Who Can Apply
Applications are open to registered charities and Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) that have been active for at least one year.
To be eligible organisations must have:
- An annual income and expenditure of less than £200,000 in both the current and previous financial year.
- At least one year’s published annual accounts available through the Charity Commission, OSCR or Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
- A publicly accessible website (not a social media page/profile) clearly showing who they are and what they do.
- No more than six months running costs in free reserves.
- Evidence of delivering activities to meet an identified need for vulnerable members of the community, as well as evidence of the impact or difference these activities have made, such as testimonials, feedback or questionnaire results.
Restrictions
Funding is not available for:
- Community Interest Companies (CICs).
- Capital projects.
- Hospices.
- Medical research or charities supporting life-threatening medical conditions/specialised medical needs.
- Services that charge participants for access, irrespective of a person’s ability to pay.
- PTAs/school budget fundraising.
- Scouting groups.
How To Apply
There are a number of application windows throughout the year.
Each window will close when 40 applications have been received, or after two weeks of the open date.
There is an extended window over the winter break in which 60 applications will be accepted.
Applications for 2026-27 open at 10am on:
- 03 September 2026 – for the 07 October 2026 Committee Meeting (closed on 3 September 2026).
- 08 October 2026 – for the 11 November 2026 Committee Meeting
- 26 November 2026 – for the 27 January 2027 Committee Meeting
- 28 January 2027 – for the 03 March 2027 Committee Meeting
- 04 March 2027 – for the 07 April 2027 Committee Meeting Date
- 08 April 2027 – for the 12 May 2027 Committee Meeting Date
- 13 May 2027 – for the 16 June 2027 Committee Meeting Date.
Applications are made using the online application form on the Leathersellers’ Company website. Applicants will receive a decision within one week of the relevant committee meeting.
This is a highly competitive fund with a recent success rate of 13% (45 grants were awarded in a year).
Contact the Leathersellers’ Foundation for further information.