The Lions
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Don't spend time on an approach; the similar funders below support the same kind of work.
Key takeaways
- The Lions does not accept unsolicited requests, so a charity should approach it only if it already has a link through a charity it works with or through its Lions, Strengthen, Alive Kids or consultancy programmes, and its charitable objectives align.
- Its grants go only to charities in that position, so a charity without such a link should not expect to be funded.
- Individual Christian entrepreneurs and pioneers can apply for The Lions Experience, which is for a strictly limited number of kingdom-focused people and requires availability for all six Lions weekends.
- Applicants who are not Christian entrepreneurs and pioneers are excluded from that programme.
- For The Lions Experience, the application is an online form with a video of no more than two minutes and a church and a work reference, and delegates may be considered for up to £12,000 of seed funding.
Overview
The Lions is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1100673).
The Lions is a Christian charity that exists to promote and advance the Christian religion, the worship of God and the spreading of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in the UK and overseas. It runs The Lions, Strengthen, Alive Kids, Consultancy and Giving Grants. In its latest annual report it awarded £7,746,575.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The charity promotes and advances the Christian faith and spreads the gospel. Through The Lions Experience it supports Christian entrepreneurs and pioneers with businesses, charities, social enterprises or the seed of an idea, using training, mentoring, networking, accountability and the possibility of seed funding. Strengthen brings church pastors together for encouragement and shared learning. Alive Kids promotes the gospel through children’s activities at Christian festivals, while its consultancy gives charitable organisations short-term management support to address challenges. Its grants go to charities it works with or knows through its charitable programmes where their objectives align. The trustees also invest in charities and individuals able to influence towns, regions and the nation in their area of expertise while promoting the gospel.
Themes
- Christian faith
- Christian entrepreneurship
Geographic Focus
Priority: UK.
What they don't fund
- Grants to charities other than those it works with or is aware of via its charitable activity programs and whose charitable objectives align
- The Lions Experience only: applicants who are not Christian entrepreneurs and pioneers
How to apply
Apply for a place on The Lions Experience by completing the online form and uploading a short video explaining the project or idea, no longer than two minutes.
Who can apply:
- The Lions Experience
- For Christian entrepreneurs and pioneers who have a business, charity, social enterprise, or the seed of an idea and want help taking it to the next level.
- Each successful delegate must be available for all six Lions weekends.
What to send:
- The Lions Experience
- A short video explaining the applicant’s project or idea, no longer than two minutes.
- A recent written church-related reference, with the full reference text.
- A recent written work-related reference, with the full reference text.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- For grants, the charity works only with charities it knows through its programmes whose charitable objectives align.
- The Lions Experience is for a strictly limited number of kingdom-focused people.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Lions.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £1,182,259 | £1,077,574 | £912,057 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £2,430,374 | £2,290,324 | £2,020,259 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £1,569,070 | £1,618,154 | £1,248,987 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £3,564,427 | £3,601,229 | £2,973,311 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £13,222,553 | £8,267,074 | £7,746,575 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2023; year to 31 December 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
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
- thelions.org.uk · read on 31 October 2026
- thelions.org.uk/apply · read on 31 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 31 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Lions?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- karina@thelions.org.uksource
- The Lions, The Gate International Drive, Solihull West Midlands, B90 4WAsource
- thelions.org.uk
- Contact form
- Apply online
Applying to The Lions?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- karina@thelions.org.uksource
- The Lions, The Gate International Drive, Solihull West Midlands, B90 4WAsource
- thelions.org.uk
- Contact form
- Apply online