GrantRadar

Charles Hayward Foundation

Social & Criminal Justice grants

The Charles Hayward Foundation's Social & Criminal Justice category funds UK registered charities with annual income of £350,000-£4 million for projects that stop people entering the criminal justice system or help those in contact with it rebuild their lives. Grants are £15,000-£25,000 a year for one to three years. Applications are a four-page emailed proposal in a two-stage process with three deadlines a year; the next is 5 February 2027.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£15,000 – £75,000
Deadline
110 days left
5 February
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • UK registered charities (registered with one of the UK Charity Commissions) with annual income between £350,000 and £4,000,000; CICs, social enterprises, other non-profits and individuals are not funded
  • The Foundation is unlikely to fund large charities with endowments, that make grants themselves, hold large reserves and/or have substantial contractual arrangements with government
  • Newly established charities without at least one set of annual accounts cannot apply
  • Unrestricted reserves below three months' or above nine months' expenditure need explaining, and grants are unlikely where unrestricted reserves exceed 12 months' expenditure without good reason
  • Projects must operate in the British Isles (quality matters more than location)
  • Previous grantees must wait two years from the last payment, and unsuccessful applicants one year, before reapplying

What it funds

Projects operating in the British Isles in four sub-categories only:

  • Targeted early intervention programmes reaching the most troubled and vulnerable families in a community
  • Targeted preventative and diversionary projects for young people at risk of offending, including work addressing the particular needs of girls and young women
  • Programmes combining prison-based and community interventions on rehabilitation of offenders, accommodation and support on release, maintaining family relationships, mentoring and pathways to employment
  • Schemes offering viable alternatives to custody, in particular for women and young people

Trustees look for projects that address multiple and complex needs, are tailored to individual needs and local situations (partnership delivery welcome), are of appropriate duration and intensity with a clear rationale and proper monitoring and evaluation, and have a plan for the future including an exit strategy.

The Foundation is open to creative and specialist approaches and trialling new solutions, and funds ongoing projects that can show effectiveness, developments of existing projects, and evidenced new projects.

Grants of £15,000-£25,000 a year over one to three years (this is the only category offering multi-year grants); trustees may award less than requested depending on the budget available.

What it will not fund

  • Policy and research
  • Short-term interventions
  • Trips and youth volunteering
  • Uniformed organisations
  • Generic youth programmes
  • Capital projects
  • Immigration advice/support
  • Legal advice
  • Organisations not registered with one of the UK Charity Commissions, including CICs, social enterprises and other non-profits
  • Individuals
  • Endowments
  • General appeals
  • Unrestricted grants
  • Grant-making charities
  • Academic institutions
  • Loans and deficits
  • Retrospective costs (costs incurred before a decision from the Foundation)

How to apply

  1. Take the Foundation's online eligibility quiz and check the category criteria and general exclusions
  2. Write a proposal of no more than four A4 pages covering: charity name, address and registered number; contact details; description of the charity; project title and description; outcomes and monitoring/evaluation (with past outcomes if ongoing); budget with funds raised, shortfall and pending applications; timetable
  3. Email the proposal with your latest accounts to grants@charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk by a submission deadline (next: 5 February 2027)
  4. Stage 1: the Grants Committee shortlists (meetings in March, July and November); all applicants are told by email about eight weeks after the deadline
  5. Stage 2: shortlisted charities submit additional financial and project information; trustees make final decisions at board meetings (three a year), a further 10-12 weeks later

Deadlines for submission (Social & Criminal Justice and Overseas): 5 February 2027, 28 May 2027 and 24 September 2027.

Past grantees must wait at least two years from the last grant payment before reapplying; unsuccessful applicants must wait one year from the date of declination. Applications missing any required information are not considered and the charity cannot reapply for one year.

No comments on drafts and meetings only with current grantees; questions by phone (01727 853 991, preferred) or email.

Have ready

  • Proposal of no more than four A4 pages containing all the required information
  • Latest set of accounts
  • Annual report (if available)
  • List of trustees (if not in the accounts)
  • Draft or management accounts for the most recent financial year if your accounts are more than 12 months old
  • Brief explanation if accounts show a significant surplus or deficit, or high or low reserves

Applications without all the required information are not considered, and the charity cannot submit a new application for one year. Stage 2 asks for further financial and project information.

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