GrantRadar

Charles Hayward Foundation

Overseas grants

The Charles Hayward Foundation's Overseas category gives one-year grants of up to £15,000 to UK registered charities with annual income of £150,000-£4 million for projects improving the livelihoods of disadvantaged communities in 21 Commonwealth countries of Africa. It funds clean water and sanitation, sustainable livelihoods linked to environmental and wildlife conservation, and training in farming and income generation. Applications are a four-page emailed proposal in a two-stage process; the next deadline is 5 February 2027.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£150,000 – £15,000
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 £150,000 and £4,000,000, delivering projects in the listed African Commonwealth countries through an established delivery partner
  • Applicants must show robust governance and monitoring procedures
  • CICs, social enterprises, other non-profits and individuals are not funded
  • Newly established charities without at least one set of annual accounts cannot apply
  • Unrestricted reserves below three or above nine months' expenditure need explaining; grants are unlikely where unrestricted reserves exceed 12 months' expenditure without good reason
  • Previous grantees must wait two years from the last payment, and unsuccessful applicants one year, before reapplying

What it funds

Projects delivered in the Commonwealth countries of Africa (Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia) in three sub-categories only:

  • Clean water and sanitation
  • Development of sustainable livelihoods in the context of environmental and wildlife conservation
  • Self-sustainability through training in farming skills and other income generation activities

Trustees look for projects with a holistic approach and a well-defined exit strategy, delivered at grass-roots level through an established, proven delivery partner fully engaged with the local community, with clear local community involvement and the training and education needed to sustain the project after the partner leaves.

One-year grants of up to £15,000; trustees may award less than requested.

What it will not fund

  • Disaster appeals
  • Education
  • Gap years, electives and project visits overseas
  • Overseas disability awareness
  • Projects outside the listed Commonwealth countries of Africa
  • 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; budget; funds raised; outstanding 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

Stage 2 asks for further financial and project information.

More like this

Other grants open to organisations like yours.