Main Grants Programme

UPDATED APRIL 2021: Due to the exceptional need across the charitable sector, our approach to main grants for 2020-21 has changed. We are not operating a rolling main grants programme but have instead ran two funding rounds to identify new charities in our target areas of Domestic Abuse and Homelessness, working with other funders to share grant applications to reduce duplication and save time and effort by charities.

We have already been in touch directly with the charities whose applications have been shared with us and shortlisted, and are not seeking further applications at this stage. If your charity has an income of under £200,000 you may be interested in applying for a small grant under this open programme – more details here.

Looking ahead? We are now working on a renewed grants strategy for 2021-22 (beginning September 2021) and will publish information as to what funding can be applied for then. To hear as soon as new funding rounds open, please sign up to our mailing list here or by clicking the button below:

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PLEASE NOTE: no new applications are being accepted (more information at the top of the page). 

The Leathersellers’ Company Charitable Fund supports a broad range of charities for up to four years at a time, mostly with core, unrestricted funding. A full directory of which organisations received funding in our last financial year (2019-20) is available in our latest Charitable Fund Report: generally, we focus on tackling deprivation and social problems.

We are working on making our grants data available on 360giving – we will provide an updated link when this is available.

We do not typically fund:

  • Medical research
  • Hospices
  • Capital restoration projects
PLEASE NOTE: no new applications are being accepted (more information at the top of the page). The information below relates to those applications in process through our collaboration with other funders. Any new funding programmes will provide specific details on the relevant process and timelines. 

Step 1: Initial Assessment

Initial reviews will be undertaken by both the Grants team at the Leathersellers and member(s) of the Charity Committee. You will then be notified that either your application has been unsuccessful or that it will be considered by the full Committee at a shortlisting meeting.

Step 2: Initial Charity Committee Consideration

The Charity Committee will consider shortlisted applications in full and decide which should be visited for a discussion. If you are unsuccessful at this stage you will be notified shortly after the committee meeting.

Step 3: Visit or Presentation

A member of the Grants team and one or more members of the Charity Committee will request a visit to meet your team to discuss more about your work.

Step 4: Final Charity Committee Decision

The Charity Committee will make a final decision at the meeting following the visit. This will then be put forward for approval at the next Court meeting of the Leathersellers’ Company. We will inform you of the outcome shortly after this. We will keep you informed of the timeline at each stage of the process.

PLEASE NOTE: the main grants programme is currently suspended and no new applications are being accepted (more information at the top of the page). The information below relates to the usual operation of the main grants programme and is there for your information relating to when the standard programme is reopened.

  • When can I reapply for funding?

This may depend on specific funding programmes (each of which will specify criteria when they are released. In general, if you were successful in obtaining a grant, then you need to wait for a period equal to the length of that grant before reapplying. For example: if you received a one-year grant you can reapply one year after the date on which your final end of year grant report was submitted. Similarly, if you received multi-year funding for four years, you can reapply four years after the date on which your final grant report was submitted.

If you were unsuccessful in obtaining a grant, you can reapply one year after the date on which you were informed of that decision.

If you are unsure when your final end of year grant report was submitted, or when you were informed that your application was not successful, please contact us.

  • Do Leathersellers’ Charitable Fund only fund charities in London?

No, we support registered charities working within and for the benefit of communities across the UK.

  • Can I request feedback if my application is unsuccessful?

Unfortunately, as we only have a small Grants team at the Leathersellers’ it is not possible for us to provide feedback to all applicants.

  • Do we need to have a connection to the Livery Company or one of its members?

No, the Leathersellers’ Charitable Fund does not require a charity to have a particular connection to the Livery. If you do have a connection and are applying for a grant under an open funding programme there will be an opportunity to identify that person and connection in the application form.

  • If we apply for too much funding, will we get nothing?

No, if your requested sum is larger than the Committee consider appropriate, they may grant a smaller amount. Your funding request is not an all or nothing consideration.