Top 15 Grant Opportunities for Funding Mental Health Projects
We have put together a list of 15 mental health grant funding opportunities for charities working in the UK.
Mental health problems are a growing public health concern. At least 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives, and at least a third of all families include someone who is currently mentally ill. Every week, 1 in 6 adults experience symptoms of a common mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression (The Mental Health Foundation 2016).
This makes it more important than ever that charities have the means to support people in their community who may be struggling with their mental health. Grant funding can provide the resources that charities need to do this. In recent years we have seen examples of funders becoming much more involved with mental health charities.
Major funding from the Llankelly Chase Foundation was allocated to create a knowledge hub focusing on the mental health issues of ethnic minorities in 2017. In the same year, Lloyds Banking Group staff voted for a £2m corporate partnership with Mental Health UK.
This is very encouraging and there is much to be celebrated —but the fact remains that charities providing mental health services continue to be over–reliant on statutory funding. Many mental health charities are struggling, following years of cuts to these funds.
Furthermore, funders who support mental health are in short supply. Research (Think NPC, 2017) highlights that only 2% of grant funders support mental health organisations and funders with specific mental health portfolios are rare.
We have therefore sent our team on a mission to find some of the best grant funding opportunities for mental health projects. Take a look and see if your charity could benefit.
Lloyds Bank Foundation – The Lloyds Bank Foundation supports charities with an annual income of £25,000 to £1 million with a strong track record of working with people living with or recovering from mental health problems which have significantly disrupted their everyday lives. They offer core costs funding and tailored development support to help charities be more effective. In 2019 the Foundation invested £25.7 million in grant funding.
www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk
The Tudor Trust – The Tudor Trust funds a wide range of social welfare organisations working to support positive change in people’s lives. They prioritise those working directly with people on the edges of mainstream society to encourage inclusion and social connection, integration, and independence to promote wellbeing and a better quality of life. In 2019, The Tudor Trust distributed over £19 million; of which £2.4million was given to 33 recipients with a specific Mental Health focus with grants ranging in size from £2k to £120k.
The Albert Hunt Trust – The Albert Hunt Trust funds charities across the UK with smaller incomes (under £250k). Albert Hunt’s priorities include those working to promote health and wellbeing from those with physical, emotional, and learning disabilities to projects supporting deprivation and social challenges and include mental health. Grants fund project, revenue, and capital costs. They have specific funding themes for Hospice Care and support for the Homeless. Welfare grants range in size from £1k to £50k.
The Garfield Weston Foundation – A broad funder of projects which aim to ‘make a positive difference’. Garfield Weston provides revenue, project and capital funding for projects including health, community, and welfare. In 2019, The Garfield Weston Foundation distributed over £79million (2,126 grants) – £1.3million of which was granted for Mental Health support.
Henry Smith Charity – The Henry Smith Charity focuses on grants to reduce social and economic disadvantage.
HSC’s main grants programme ‘Improving Lives’ covers six priority areas, all of which could potentially link to supporting mental health/wellbeing. ‘Help at a critical moment’ specifically supports those suffering trauma or abuse – and those going through ‘mental health crisis’. Other priority areas link to vulnerable groups with poor mental health eg: housing, employment, addiction, and offending. Grants under these priorities range from £20k to £60k per year for up to 3 years.
Bupa UK Foundation – The Bupa UK Foundation’s purpose is to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives. The foundation run and help fund practical projects that have a positive impact on people’s mental health. Over the past five years, the Bupa UK Foundation has awarded more than £3 million in grants to around 110 projects to improve people’s mental health, support carers and empower young adults living with ongoing health challenges to live life to the full.
The Allen Lane Foundation – The Foundation aims to fund work benefitting people affected by mental health problems – lessening their isolation and feelings of stigma, improving wellbeing and promoting recovery, and enabling people to feel included in their local communities. The Foundation has a long history of supporting work aimed at improving mental health. In recent years, The Allen Lane Foundation has funded an average of 25 grants to a total value of around £110,000 per year.
The Stone Family Foundation – The Foundation makes grants to charities working to improve the lives of people with mental health issues, most of which tend to focus on service delivery for adults experiencing severe and enduring mental illnesses or in crisis. Grants may also be made to charities which support children and young people experiencing or at risk of severe mental illness, or in crisis. Each year, the Foundation provides a total of around £800,000 in grants to organisations within this portfolio. Although, the foundation does not have a formal application process.
Llankelly Chase Foundation – The Llankelly Chase Foundation exist to bring about change that will transform the quality of life of people who face severe and multiple disadvantage, such as homelessness, substance misuse, mental and physical illness, extreme poverty, and violence and abuse. Focusing on work that promotes people’s voice, power and rights and systemic change.
National Lottery Community Fund – The fund supports people and communities most in need due to: problems they have (e.g. needing emergency support or people with long-term poor mental health or long-term unemployment), situations they face (e.g. discriminated against, socially isolated, lacking family support), barriers (e.g. people who are isolated due to lack of confidence or serious illness / disability), where they live (e.g. disadvantaged area). Grants range in size, with smaller grants being under 10k and larger grants being up to £500k. Larger grants include multi-year funding up to 5 years.
St James’ Place Charitable Foundation – The Charitable Foundation aims to make a positive and lasting change in people’s lives. The fund operates across four main themes including mental health.
Fishmongers Charitable Trust – The Fishmongers’ Company’s Charitable Trust supports a wide range of organisations and charities, particularly across the field of education, all of which are working to help people improve their lives for the long term. Under the banner of the advancement of education, the foundation focuses on funding projects in the area of mental health.
Coral Samuel Charitable Trust – The trust was established with general charitable purposes. It can support a wide range of causes but mainly makes grants to socially supportive, cultural and educational charities. This includes charities working in the field of mental health. Grants are generally made between £1,000 and £18,000. The trust does not maintain a website.
The Rayne Foundation – The Rayne Foundation looks for creative ways of tackling entrenched social issues through the arts, health, wellbeing, and education. Young People’s mental health is one of the trusts special areas on interest. Grants typically fall between £10,000 to £20,000 per year for up to three years.
The Wolfson Foundation – The Wolfson Foundation supports organisations focused on mental illness. Grants are awarded towards capital projects with a particular emphasis on projects which focus on training, employment and supported housing. Grants typically fall between £20,000 – £75,000.
Hopefully some of these Mental Health grant funding opportunities will support you in securing new grant income for your charity. If you are looking for more opportunities matched specifically to your cause then our Funder Prospect Research Service may be just what you are looking for. We also support clients with all aspects of Trust Fundraising.
