GrantRadar

Henry Smith Foundation

Enterprise Gateway Fund (Intermediary Partners)

A £6m, three-year Henry Smith Foundation fund, part-funded by Access – the Foundation for Social Investment, to help small VCSE organisations and social entrepreneurs develop earned income. Henry Smith is recruiting at least four Intermediary Partners, each receiving £500,000 to £1.5 million over three years to run onward grants (up to £40,000 each) with enterprise support and peer learning. Small organisations and individuals cannot apply directly; they will be recruited later by the partners. Expressions of interest open on 28 October 2026 and close on 25 November 2026.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£500,000 – £1,500,000
Deadline
36 days left
25 November
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • Organisations applying to become Intermediary Partners
  • They must have annual income of at least £500,000 and a year's accounts that have been audited or independently examined
  • They also need a track record of helping organisations or social entrepreneurs develop enterprise or trading activity, experience of managing onward grants (processes, financial controls and grant data), and the ability to deliver enterprise support alongside grants, including facilitated peer support
  • They should have networks reaching groups underserved by enterprise support, such as IMD 1-3 areas
  • Partners need not work UK-wide: national and local organisations are both welcome
  • Partnerships that combine enterprise support with grant-making can apply under a named Lead Partner
  • New organisations are not encouraged
  • An up-to-date safeguarding policy is required

What it funds

Delivery of a support package for early-stage VCSE organisations and social entrepreneurs, combining:

  • Onward grants to participating organisations and social entrepreneurs
  • Enterprise development support
  • Peer learning and networking
  • Programme management, staffing or administration

across the fund, about 70% of the £6m is expected to go out as grants, with individual onward grants up to £40,000. Participants must work in one or more of Henry Smith's priority areas (Getting Started, Building Independence, Safer Futures). £4m is ring-fenced for asset-locked organisations in England and £2m for non-constituted organisations and individuals UK-wide.

What it will not fund

  • Direct applications from small organisations or social entrepreneurs (they apply later through Intermediary Partners)
  • Individuals applying for the Intermediary Partner role

How to apply

  1. Optionally book a 20-minute one-to-one application surgery (19, 20, 22, 26 or 29 October 2026, 9am-1pm, via Calendly), sending questions at least 24 hours ahead
  2. Take the online eligibility checker
  3. Submit an Expression of Interest between 9am on 28 October and 5pm on 25 November 2026
  4. Hear in the week commencing 14 December 2026 whether you are invited to submit a full application
  5. Submit the full application (opens 11 December 2026) by 5pm on 22 January 2027
  6. Have a phone conversation with the team in late January or February 2027
  7. Partners are told in the first week of April 2027

sample EOI and application forms, budget guidance and full guidelines are published on the fund page.

Have ready

  • A year's worth of audited or independently examined accounts
  • Up-to-date safeguarding policy

if successful, a bank statement dated within the last 3 months.

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