GrantRadar

Veterans' Foundation

Veterans' Foundation Small, Standard and Salary Grants

The Veterans' Foundation, funded by the Veterans' Lottery, gives grants to charities and not-for-profit organisations that support people in need among serving armed forces personnel, veterans, operationally qualified seafarers and their immediate families. Small Grants (£500-£5,000) are aimed at small grassroots groups with income under £100,000; Standard Grants go up to £30,000 (one year or spread over up to three years) and Salary Grants up to £25,000 a year for three years (max £75,000). All three programmes are now rolling with no closing date, and applicants may submit only one application per quarter.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£500 – £75,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Registered charities and other not-for-profit organisations (e.g. CICs limited by guarantee) that provide support to those in need among serving armed forces personnel, veterans, operationally qualified seafarers and their immediate families
  • Priority goes to organisations directly involved in providing support and with low to medium income
  • Organisations that have noted any individual with significant control on Companies House cannot apply
  • Small Grants are for groups with annual income up to £100,000 (not CICs limited by shares, PLCs, statutory bodies or individuals) and are aimed at small grassroots groups, including newer groups that can provide 3 months of bank statements or a 12-month cashflow
  • Standard and Salary Grants need a track record of service delivery and annual accounts, and the amount requested should be proportionate to the organisation's income
  • Organisations need not serve Armed Forces beneficiaries exclusively
  • The Foundation funds organisations across the UK, including Northern Ireland
  • Applications are encouraged from under-represented groups (people with additional support needs, ethnic minorities, LGBT+ and female groups)

What it funds

  • Services and projects for those in need in the Armed Forces community (serving personnel, veterans, operationally qualified seafarers and their immediate families), in areas including homelessness, employability, financial disadvantage, disability, welfare, mental health, support for families and children and assistance in older age
  • Small Grants (£500-£5,000, spent within 12 months) fund well-costed community-based activities such as breakfast clubs and drop-in centres; salary costs are not accepted but sessional worker costs may be
  • Standard Grants (£5,001-£30,000) fund salary, project and overhead costs for one year or up to three years
  • Salary Grants (up to £25,000 a year for three years, max £75,000) are exclusively for salary costs
  • Research that will benefit veterans may be considered

Organisations that do not exclusively serve Armed Forces beneficiaries can apply but must explain how the Armed Forces service differs.

What it will not fund

  • Organisations that do not provide direct service delivery to veterans or their families (research benefiting veterans may be considered)
  • Work usually considered a statutory or local authority responsibility
  • Schools, colleges or universities, except schools where most pupils are connected to the Armed Forces community
  • Start-up costs, or organisations without a track record of service delivery or annual accounts (does not apply to Small Grants)
  • Organisations without an up-to-date safeguarding policy (does not apply to Small Grants)
  • Overseas trips unless there is a benefit over doing the activity in the UK
  • General appeals or requests for donations
  • Gap years, study trips or fundraising expeditions
  • Campaigning, lobbying or general awareness-raising work
  • Retrospective funding
  • Repayment of loans or debts
  • Armed Forces Day celebrations
  • Cadet groups, unless the grant specifically supports veterans associated with the Cadets
  • Salary costs through the Small Grants programme
  • Organisations with a registered Person with Significant Control at Companies House
  • Small Grants only: groups with annual income above £100,000, CICs limited by shares, private limited companies, statutory organisations and individuals

How to apply

  1. Read the guidance for the relevant programme (Small Grants, or Standard/Salary Grants) and the 'What We Will Not Fund' document
  2. Complete the online eligibility checker for that programme from the 'Apply for a grant' page
  3. If eligible, complete the online application form (it can be saved and resumed within 30 days using the latest emailed link) and upload the supporting documents
  4. The Grants Team assesses the application; Small Grants are considered by the CEO, Standard/Salary Grants by the CEO and/or Grants Committee
  5. Successful applicants receive an email explaining how to accept the award and its terms and conditions; monitoring reports are required

Only one application per quarter across all funding streams (quarters Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, Oct-Dec). If you hold an existing award you can apply again six months after the previous award; unsuccessful applicants can reapply three months after the decision.

Major Grants (£200,000-£500,000) are closed for 2026 and are not covered by this record.

Have ready

  • Annual approved accounts (Small Grants: or bank statements for the last 3 months or a 12-month cashflow for new groups; micro-entity accounts should be accompanied by management accounts)
  • Governing document (constitution, articles of association, trust deed etc.; Small Grants: only if not a registered charity or company)
  • Safeguarding policy (Small Grants: if available)
  • Reference from someone working in the Armed Forces community who knows your organisation (if you have not had a VF grant before)
  • Project breakdown of costs / project plan and budget
  • Standard/Salary Grants: list of funding sources and amounts received in the past 12 months, plus pending applications
  • Standard/Salary Grants: 12-month cash flow budget/forecast
  • Salary Grants: job description and person specification

Up to three further supporting documents can be uploaded; the Grants Team may ask for more during assessment.

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