The CSJ Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Foundation says it champions grassroots charities tackling poverty and social breakdown in the UK, so work on those themes with a UK footprint fits its stated purpose.
- Neither a grant range nor a published application process is stated, and the only amount given for a single programme is the £20,000 prize each CSJ Awards winner receives, so that is the only size you can reasonably plan around.
- The Foundation shortlists Awards applicants itself before external judges choose winners, and it looks for frontline work that reaches the hardest to reach, shows impact and has scaled beyond its own neighbourhood, with desk analysis, site visits and extensive discussion following.
- Because no open call or dates are published, check the annual report for news of the Awards before getting in touch.
- Organisations that are not small charities, or that do not work on poverty or social breakdown in the UK, are unlikely to fit the Awards as described.
Overview
The CSJ Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1211095).
The CSJ Foundation was set up to amplify the work of grassroots charities and change the way they are seen and funded. Its stated purpose is to prevent and relieve poverty and related social issues causing hardship and deprivation. Each year it runs a major Awards programme for small charities in the UK, and each winning charity receives £20,000 in prize money. It also identifies local organisations and connects them with philanthropists and national policymakers.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The CSJ Foundation champions grassroots charities tackling the root causes of social breakdown in the UK, with a focus on poverty and the most disadvantaged. It identifies local organisations and connects them with philanthropists and national policymakers, using regional relationships and due diligence to help donors find high-impact, hyper-local charities. Its annual CSJ Awards programme celebrates and showcases small charities, with winning organisations receiving prize money and a platform for their work. The Foundation aims to give smaller charities a voice in national policy discussions as well as connect them with donors, drawing on its network and regional offices to understand local charities.
Themes
- Poverty
- Social breakdown
Geographic Focus
UK.
How to apply
The Foundation assesses Awards applicants and shortlists them before external judges choose the winners.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The Awards look for outstanding, innovative and effective organisations fighting poverty on the frontline.
- Strong candidates help the hardest to reach, demonstrate impact and have found ways to scale their work beyond their own neighbourhoods.
- Award candidates are assessed through desk-based analysis, site visits and extensive discussion.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The CSJ Foundation.
1 year of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 May 2025 | £2,107,249 | £2,013,142 | £1,304,000 | Accounts for year to 31 May 2025 |
- Grants paid, all years: grants paid out in the year.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- csjfoundation.org.uk
- csjfoundation.org.uk/mission · read on 30 October 2026
- csjfoundation.org.uk/private-donors · read on 30 October 2026
- csjfoundation.org.uk/awards/2026 · read on 30 October 2026
- csjfoundation.org.uk/contact · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 May 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The CSJ Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 020 3150 2326source
- Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, Westminster, SW1P 3HQsource
- csjfoundation.org.uk
- Contact form
Applying to The CSJ Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 020 3150 2326source
- Kings Buildings, 16 Smith Square, Westminster, SW1P 3HQsource
- csjfoundation.org.uk
- Contact form