John Lyon's Charity

Charity Number: 237725

Annual Expenditure: £19.8M
Barnet, Brent, Camden, City Of London, City Of Westminster, Ealing, Hammersmith And Fulham, Harrow ... [1 more]

Contact Info

Website:www.jlc.london

Phone:020 7259 1700

Email:info@jlc.london

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £12-15 million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 6+ months for main grants; 2-8 weeks for small grants
  • Grant Range: £2,000 - £50,000+ (first-time applicants typically £10,000-£20,000 p.a.)
  • Geographic Focus: Nine London boroughs (Barnet, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Kensington & Chelsea, Cities of London and Westminster)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.jlc.london
  • Email: info@jlc.london
  • Phone: 020 7259 1700
  • Online Portal: Applications must be submitted through the Online Grants Portal at www.jlc.london
  • Pre-application Support: Contact the Grants Team for guidance on eligibility and suitability

Overview

Established in 1991, John Lyon's Charity is a major grant-making foundation that has distributed over £219 million to support children and young people across nine North and West London boroughs. The Charity, which traces its origins to John Lyon's original 16th-century bequest, currently distributes £12-15 million annually to promote the life chances of children and young people through education. Under CEO Dr. Lynne Guyton's leadership since 2017, the Charity has evolved into a more strategic funder and sector thought leader, pioneering the Young People's Foundations model that now operates nationally. The Charity's recent five-year strategy explicitly includes equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) for the first time, with particular emphasis on disability inclusion and supporting grassroots organizations. The Charity is widely regarded in the sector as “supportive and rigorous in equal measure,” and is committed to flexible funding that supports core costs, salaries, and both new and established projects.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Open Programme (Main Grants)

  • First-time applicants: Typically £10,000-£20,000 per annum for up to three years
  • Previous recipients: Typically £30,000+ per annum, grants up to five years considered
  • Two-stage application process via Online Grants Portal
  • Decisions made at Trustee meetings in March, June, and November

Small Grants Fund

  • Up to £5,000 for smaller projects
  • Applications under £2,000: Single-stage process with faster decisions (2-3 weeks)
  • Applications £2,000-£5,000: Considered within 2-3 weeks
  • No fixed deadlines; considered at least six times per year

Refurbishment Fund

  • Small Grants: Up to £10,000
  • Main Grants: Up to £35,000
  • One-off grants for renovation and repair of service delivery spaces
  • Requires three quotes and 5% contingency funding
  • Projects must complete within one year
  • Only one refurbishment grant per organization

School Holiday Activity Fund (SHAF)

  • Up to £4,000 per award
  • Supports holiday programs providing food, enrichment, and play
  • £500,000 distributed annually across the sector

Cultural Capital Fund

  • £10,000-£30,000 per year for up to two years
  • For arts organizations working with at least two schools in the Beneficial Area
  • Has reached nearly 80,000 children (25% of local youth population)

Capacity Building – Micro Grants

  • Supports organizational development and strengthening
  • Contact Grants Manager for details

Schools in Partnership Fund

  • Supports collaborative school-based projects
  • Focus on four themes: School Access and Progression; Emotional Wellbeing; Arts & Culture; SEND Enrichment

Young People's Foundations (YPFs)

  • Support for approximately 1,300 grassroots organizations through local consortia
  • YPFs are now the second-largest funders of youth services in many boroughs after JLC

Priority Areas

For Charities - Four Programme Areas:

  1. Formal Education: Supporting community organizations that help children's academic learning outside school settings, focused on curriculum subjects delivered after school or weekends
  1. Informal Education: Youth clubs, play provision, and other informal learning opportunities
  1. Access to Education: Alternative pathways for young people not pursuing traditional Further or Higher Education; organizations helping communities acquire basic and vocational skills
  1. Capacity Building: Strengthening organizational effectiveness, confidence, skills, knowledge, and resources

For Schools - Four Themes:

  • School Access and Progression
  • Emotional Wellbeing
  • Arts & Culture (enriching the curriculum with high-quality Drama, Dance, Music, Visual Arts)
  • SEND Enrichment

Cross-cutting Priorities:

  • Equity, diversity, and inclusion (explicit strategic priority)
  • Disability inclusion (£500,000 ring-fenced for inclusive work opportunities in Arts)
  • Supporting D/deaf, visually impaired, disabled, and neurodivergent young people
  • Grassroots organizations serving the most disadvantaged children

What They Don't Fund

Geographic Restrictions:

  • Projects outside the nine specified London boroughs (unless through YPF Trust for replication of YPF model)
  • National organizations with no track record or connections to the Beneficial Area

Organizational Restrictions:

  • Community Interest Companies (CICs) are not eligible
  • Organizations without charitable status (must be registered charity, state school, or have automatic charitable status)
  • Organizations without a bank account in their own name

Refurbishment Fund Exclusions:

  • Equipment purchases or renewals
  • Office space refurbishments (must be service delivery/user spaces)
  • Retrospective grants or work already begun
  • New builds or capital projects over £100,000 total budget

General Exclusions:

  • Projects not benefiting inhabitants of the nine beneficial boroughs
  • Organizations unable to produce annual reports and audited accounts (or equivalent financial information)

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership:

Dr. Lynne Guyton, Chief Executive Officer (since April 2017)

  • Background: First in family to attend university; holds Masters and Doctorate in Economics from Cambridge; 18-year banking career until 2012
  • Strategic Vision: “Grant-making by walking around” - emphasizing grassroots engagement
  • On continuous funding during Covid: "We haven't got the luxury to sit back and pause funding... it had never been in more demand"
  • Focus: Positioning JLC as thought leader, campaigning on behalf of grantees, utilizing knowledge for grantees' benefit

Trustee Board:

  • David Eyton CBE - Chair of Charity and Foundation
  • The Hon. Andrew Butler KC - Deputy Chair
  • Giles Goodfellow KC - Trustee
  • Dr. Shenila Rawal - Trustee
  • Neil Enright - Trustee
  • Charles Gallagher - Trustee
  • Sir Jonathan Symonds CBE - Chair of Investments Committee

Senior Management:

  • Grants Director
  • Finance Director

Strategic Approach:

The Charity emphasizes collaboration, partnerships, and sustainable impact. As sector recognition states, JLC is “widely regarded in the sector as supportive and rigorous in equal measure.” The organization has recently recruited its first Research, Evaluation and Learning Manager to support its commitment to evidence-based practice.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Online Grants Portal (Required for All Applications):

All applications must be submitted through the Online Grants Portal at www.jlc.london. Create a login to access all grant funds using the same credentials.

Stage One: Initial Proposal Letter

  • Approximately two sides of A4
  • Submit at any time (no deadlines for initial proposals)
  • Include: Brief organizational overview, evidence of impact on children/young people's life chances, total funding needed and amount requested from JLC
  • Can upload subtitled video guidelines available on website
  • For applications under £2,000: This is the only stage required

Stage Two: Full Application (by invitation only)

  • Part 1: Online Application Form via Grants Portal
  • Part 2: Project Budget (downloadable form)
  • Part 3: Organization Budget (downloadable form)
  • May include site visit and assessment by external Advisers

Support Available:

  • If unable to apply online, contact Grants Team: 020 7259 1700 or info@jlc.london
  • Subtitled guidelines available for Grants Portal
  • Grants Team available for pre-application discussions

Decision Timeline

Main Grants Programme:

  • Minimum 6 months from submission to decision
  • Submit proposals at least 6 months before desired Trustee meeting
  • Trustee meetings: March, June, November
  • Earlier submission recommended as funding rounds have limited capacity and are always oversubscribed
  • For school-year aligned projects: Submit by early November for March meeting consideration (grants released September)

Small Grants:

  • Under £2,000: Decisions within 2-3 weeks
  • £2,000-£10,000: Decisions within 2-3 weeks
  • Considered at least six times per year (outside main Trustee meetings)

Refurbishment Fund:

  • Decisions made at Trustee meetings in March, June, November
  • Projects must complete within one year of grant offer

Notification:

  • Formal decision letter sent to all applicants
  • Grants Team may contact during assessment for additional information or site visits

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, the Charity notes that:

  • All funding rounds are “always oversubscribed”
  • The Charity has seen “a vast increase in applications, often speculative and from outside its area” as other funders close
  • Currently supporting at least 250 organizations in active grants
  • Reaching approximately 160,000 children and young people directly, plus 1,300 grassroots organizations through YPFs
  • Total distributed: £219 million since 1991

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful Applications:

  • Advised not to approach the Charity again within 12 months
  • Will receive formal decision letter
  • Trustee policy: No additional feedback provided beyond decision letter

Successful Previous Applicants:

  • Can apply for higher amounts (typically £30,000+ per annum)
  • Longer grant periods considered (up to five years)

One-off Restrictions:

  • Refurbishment Fund: Only one refurbishment grant per organization

Application Success Factors

Critical Alignment Factors:

  1. Geographic Specificity: Must clearly demonstrate benefit to children/young people in the nine beneficial boroughs. National organizations must show strong track record and connections to the area.
  1. Life Chances Through Education: All projects must connect to promoting educational opportunities and life chances, even if delivered through informal settings like youth clubs or arts programs.
  1. Early Engagement: With oversubscribed funding rounds, early contact with Grants Team (6+ months before desired start date) is essential.
  1. Evidence of Impact: Applications should provide clear evidence of how funding will support young people's development and opportunities.

Strategic Priorities to Emphasize:

  • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: EDI is now explicit in the five-year strategy. Projects supporting disabled, D/deaf, visually impaired, and neurodivergent young people are particularly aligned with current priorities.
  • Grassroots Approach: The Charity values organizations working directly at community level. CEO Lynne Guyton champions “grant-making by walking around” and grassroots engagement.
  • Flexibility in Delivery: JLC supports core costs, salaries, and project costs for both new and established work. Emphasize how flexible funding enables your impact.
  • Partnership and Collaboration: The YPF model demonstrates JLC's commitment to collaborative approaches. Show willingness to work with others.

Application Quality Indicators:

  • Projects delivering curriculum-based learning outside school hours (for Formal Education strand)
  • High-quality arts programs that enrich curriculum or support access to other subjects
  • Alternative pathways for young people not suited to traditional education routes
  • Specialist services where universal provision cannot adequately meet needs
  • Organizational development aligned with long-term sustainability

Language and Approach:

Use terminology around “life chances,” “educational opportunities,” and “promoting potential” rather than deficit-based language. The Charity seeks to create change and opportunities, not just address problems.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:

  • Applying too close to desired project start date (minimum 6 months needed)
  • Insufficient connection to the nine beneficial boroughs
  • Unclear link to educational outcomes and life chances
  • Applying as a CIC or organization without charitable status
  • Submitting refurbishment applications without required quotes and contingency funding
  • Expecting feedback beyond the decision letter if unsuccessful

Standout Factors:

  • Clear articulation of how project promotes young people's life chances through education
  • Evidence of grassroots community connections and engagement
  • Demonstration of organizational sustainability and development plans
  • Track record in the beneficial area (even for first-time applicants to JLC)
  • Well-developed budgets with realistic contingency planning
  • Inclusive approach to disabled and neurodivergent young people

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Apply Early and Strategically: With oversubscribed funding rounds meeting only three times yearly, submit proposals at least 6 months before your desired start date. Early contact with the Grants Team is strongly advised.
  1. Geographic Focus is Non-Negotiable: Your project must clearly benefit children and young people in the nine specified London boroughs. National organizations need demonstrated track record and strong connections to the area.
  1. Education-Focused Life Chances: Every application must articulate how the project promotes life chances through education, even if delivered through informal settings like youth clubs, arts programs, or alternative pathways.
  1. EDI and Inclusion Are Strategic Priorities: With equity, diversity, and inclusion now explicit in the five-year strategy, projects supporting disabled, D/deaf, visually impaired, and neurodivergent young people align strongly with current funding priorities. The Charity has ring-fenced £500,000 for inclusive opportunities in the Arts sector.
  1. Build Relationships Before Applying: JLC values “grant-making by walking around” and grassroots engagement. Connect with the Grants Team before applying, attend site visits willingly, and demonstrate collaborative spirit aligned with the YPF partnership model.
  1. Flexible Funding Philosophy: Unlike many funders, JLC explicitly supports core costs, salaries, and both new and established projects. Structure your budget to show how flexible funding enables sustainable impact rather than limiting requests to project-only costs.
  1. Accept the Process Constraints: No feedback is provided beyond decision letters; if unsuccessful, wait 12 months before reapplying. The Charity is “supportive and rigorous in equal measure” - respect the process and use the time to strengthen organizational capacity and area connections.

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References

  • John Lyon's Charity Official Website. “About Us.” www.jlc.london/about-us
  • John Lyon's Charity. “Grants.” www.jlc.london/grants
  • John Lyon's Charity. “How to Apply.” www.jlc.london/index/how-to-apply
  • John Lyon's Charity. “New Applicants FAQ.” www.jlc.london/grants/faq/new-applicants
  • John Lyon's Charity. “Charities - Funding Priorities.” www.jlc.london/grants/funding-priorities/charity
  • John Lyon's Charity. “Schools - Funding Priorities.” www.jlc.london/grants/funding-priorities/school
  • John Lyon's Charity. “Refurbishment Fund.” www.jlc.london/grants/charities/refurbishment-fund
  • John Lyon's Charity. “Capacity Building – Micro Grants.” www.jlc.london/grants/charities/capacity-building-micro-grants
  • John Lyon's Charity. "Young People's Foundations." www.jlc.london/grants/jlc-extra/young-peoples-foundations
  • John Lyon's Charity. "Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)." www.jlc.london/about-us/equality-diversity-inclusion-edi
  • John Lyon's Charity. “Trustees.” www.jlc.london/about-us/our-people/trustees
  • John Lyon's Charity. “Dr Lynne Guyton - CEO.” www.jlc.london/about-us/our-people/staff/dr-lynne-guyton
  • Charity Commission. "JOHN LYON'S CHARITY - 237725." Register of Charities. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=237725
  • 360Giving GrantNav. "John Lyon's Charity." https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/org/GB-CHC-237725
  • Civil Society. "Lynne Guyton: 'We haven't got the luxury to sit back and pause funding.'" www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/lynne-guyton-we-haven-t-got-the-luxury-to-sit-back-and-pause-funding.html
  • Jericho Chambers. "£100 million Big Giver - Interview with Dr Lynne Guyton of John Lyon's Charity." https://jerichochambers.com/100-million-big-giver-interview-with-dr-lynne-guyton-of-john-lyons-charity