The Allen Lane Foundation

Allen Lane Foundation Grants

Grants of up to £15,000 (single-year, or spread over two or three years) from the Allen Lane Foundation for small UK charities and voluntary groups working with specific groups that experience marginalisation or discrimination, through seven programmes: female asylum seekers and refugees; Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities; women affected by the criminal justice system (and people in prison for violence against women); older people (generally 70+); people affected by violence or abuse; people with moderate or severe mental health conditions; and young people aged 12-21 who have fallen through the gaps. Most grants are much smaller, averaging £5,000-£6,000, and can pay for core and running costs, salaries or projects. Local organisations must have income/expenditure under £100,000 (national ones under £250,000), and work within Greater London is not funded. Applications are accepted all year.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: Up to £15,000; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

Small registered charities and other charitable not-for-profit organisations, including constituted voluntary groups and some Community Interest Companies, working anywhere in the UK other than solely in the capital
Organisations working across a local area (village, estate or town) must have income/expenditure under £100,000; those working across the whole UK must be under £250,000
CICs are considered only if their board has at least three unrelated members with equal control, and only for wholly charitable projects; all applicants need at least three unrelated people on the governing body
Trustees are currently focusing on more established organisations rather than those set up in the last 12 months or so (new organisations can apply, giving their establishment date and income and expenditure to date)
The work must directly benefit one of the seven programme beneficiary groups; general community associations are eligible only for such work
Individuals and statutory bodies (schools, colleges, universities, NHS bodies, councils) cannot apply

What it funds

Core and running costs, salaries or project costs (single-year or spread over two or three years) for work within one of seven beneficiary programmes that makes a lasting difference to people's lives, reduces isolation, stigma and discrimination, and helps marginalised groups share in the life of the whole community; priority for community-led groups. Programmes:

Asylum seekers and refugees, women only: advice, advocacy, social and therapeutic activities, practical and emotional support, English classes, destitution support, hosting and drop-ins
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities: advice and advocacy, capacity building, tackling hate crime, discrimination and accommodation inequalities
Offenders and ex-offenders: women in prison, 'through the gate', female ex-offenders and women at risk of offending, and work with people in prison for violence against women
Older people, generally in their 70s-90s: befriending, handyman services, intergenerational projects, transport, advice on pensioner and fuel poverty, advocacy, dementia support (lunch clubs and social activities only through a smaller strand of grants up to £2,000)
People affected by violence or abuse: therapeutic, practical and advice support, recovery programmes, support groups, prevention work and work with perpetrators
People with moderate or severe mental health conditions: mental health charities and user-led groups, peer support, befriending, therapeutic arts, advice and advocacy
Young people aged 12-21 who are persistently absent from school, leaving school without qualifications, or in or leaving care, or otherwise disengaged or at risk of exploitation

The Foundation is also interested in unusual, imaginative or pioneering projects.

What it will not fund

Work within Greater London (London-based organisations are eligible only if beneficiaries are not only in London)
Individuals
Work outside the UK
Schools, colleges, universities, NHS bodies or town, city or county councils
Local organisations with more than £100,000 income and expenditure
National organisations with more than £250,000 income and expenditure
Organisations governed by fewer than three unrelated individuals, or whose board members have unequal control
For-profit organisations
Children and young people outside the Young People's Programme
Addiction, alcohol or drug misuse
Animal welfare or animal rights
Annual or one-off events or festivals
Capital grants; property purchase, building or refurbishment; vehicle purchase
Endowments or contributions to other grant-making bodies
General arts, cultural or language projects
General health or healthcare, and general wellbeing projects
Holidays, holiday play-schemes or day trips
Medical research
Museums or galleries
One-to-one counselling or therapy
Overseas travel
Physical or learning disability
Private and/or mainstream education; university or postgraduate education
Publications
Restoration or conservation of historic buildings or sites
Single nationality community groups or organisations supporting one nationality only
Specific medical health conditions or neurodivergences
Sports and recreation
Work Trustees believe is rightly the responsibility of the state
Work that will already have taken place before a grant is agreed
Young People's Programme: work in schools, work mainly focused on neurodiversity, and general youth provision

How to apply

Read the Funding Criteria, the relevant programme page and the Exclusions list to check your work fits one of the seven programmes
Complete the online eligibility questionnaire (via Applying for Funding); if eligible you are directed to the online application form
Complete and submit the online form (you can save and resume within 30 days); the Foundation asks for plain English in your own words rather than generic AI-generated text
Within about two to three weeks the Foundation will ask for further information, tell you the application is going forward with a timetable for a decision, or say it cannot help; a visit may be arranged
Trustees decide at meetings generally in February, June and October

Applications are accepted at any time. On 28 Sep 2026 the October 2026 meeting was closed to new applications; applications received until early December may be considered in following rounds.

Queries about applying go to Gill Aconley (gill@allenlane.org.uk); general enquiries to info@allenlane.org.uk or 07300 306592.

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