GrantRadar

The Hilden Charitable Fund

Hilden Charitable Fund UK Programmes

Grants of about £5,000-£7,000 a year, for up to two years, for small UK charities with income up to £200,000 working with asylum seekers and refugees or in penal affairs (in-prison and post-release resettlement work, especially with women). Applicants choose unrestricted funding (if all their work fits the priorities) or project funding, and project grants can include 15-20% for overheads. The fund opens once a year for about a month in late July/August. The 2026 window has closed and the next is expected in summer 2027.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£5,000 – £7,000
Deadline
Not published
no closing date given
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • UK-based registered charities, CIOs, charitable companies (registered as both a charity and a company) and excepted charities
  • Total annual income in the most recent accounts should be no more than £200,000, or the average over the last three years under £200,000
  • Organisations expecting income above the threshold can apply but may be a lower priority
  • New organisations are eligible, but established ones are preferred, and applicants are normally expected to provide at least one year's independently examined accounts
  • The project must address one of the two priorities (asylum seekers and refugees, or penal affairs)
  • Priority goes to organisations with good governance (on-time filing, at least four unrelated trustees who are not related to the CEO and do not share an address, and robust safeguarding, equalities and financial policies), with lived experience on the board or staff or shaping services, with a clear track record (and quality marks where relevant, e.g. advice or ESOL), and with free unrestricted reserves under 50% of annual income
  • When demand is high, organisations based outside Greater London may be prioritised

What it funds

Two UK programmes.

  1. Asylum Seekers and Refugees: organisations and projects that provide essential services, meet asylum seekers' and refugees' needs and support their participation in the wider community. Migrants in general are mostly not a priority, and mixed services must show the scale of benefit to asylum seekers and refugees.
  2. Penal Affairs: work 'through the door' where charities go into prisons to help prisoners, especially women, cope, maintain family bonds and prepare to resettle, plus post-release projects supporting positive resettlement, re-establishing family bonds and reducing reoffending

Job-search and employment agency projects are not a priority.

Grants are usually £5,000-£7,000 (max) a year for up to two years, as unrestricted funding (only if all of the organisation's activities meet the criteria) or project funding, which may include full-cost recovery of typically 15-20%.

What it will not fund

  • Individuals, including via bursaries
  • Organisations awarded 2-year funding from the fund in the previous year's round that still have a year to spend
  • Community Interest Companies
  • Non-charitable activities
  • Organisations whose principal function is the promotion of religion
  • Party-political organisations or party-political campaigning (charitable campaigning is fine)
  • Medical research
  • Registered Social Landlords (e.g. housing associations)
  • Hospitals or primary healthcare provision
  • Educational establishments
  • Fundraising-only posts (posts where fundraising is part of the role can be funded)
  • Statutory organisations or services
  • Residential care
  • Recruitment/employment agencies

How to apply

  1. Read the UK Funding page (eligibility, priorities and exclusions) in full
  2. When the window opens, complete the online eligibility checklist; only eligible applicants can open the main form
  3. Draft answers offline using the Word version of the form questions, keeping within word limits
  4. Submit the online application form with its supporting documents before the window closes; you receive an automated confirmation email
  5. Trustees may arrange a phone or Zoom conversation during assessment

The window runs about a month once a year (2026: 10am Tuesday 28 July to 3pm Thursday 27 August). The site says the UK programmes will not reopen until summer 2027. Email requests outside the window are not considered.

Feedback is available on request if declined.

Have ready

  • Most recent annual accounts, independently examined (even if your regulator does not require it)

The form also asks for other supporting documents that the website does not list; a missing document is a common reason for no confirmation email.

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