Links International

Charity Number: 1168872

Annual Expenditure: £1.6M
Geographic Focus: West Sussex, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Honduras, India, Kenya, Lebanon ... [18 more]

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £1,647,033 (total expenditure, 2024)
  • Income: £1,608,914
  • Geographic Focus: International (64+ nations across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and beyond)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Application Process: No public application process

Contact Details

UK Office:

  • Charity Number: 1168872
  • Type: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
  • Registered: 23 August 2016
  • Address: PO Box 198, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN16 3UQ
  • Phone: 01903 778515
  • Email: mandy@links.charity
  • Website: https://www.links.charity/

US Office:

Additional offices: South Africa, Malawi

Overview

Founded in 1985 by Norman and Grace Barnes, LINKS INTERNATIONAL operates through offices in the US, UK, and South Africa, working with partners in 64 nations across multiple continents. With an annual expenditure of approximately £1.65 million (2024), the organisation advances Christian faith while providing humanitarian support through education/training, health advancement, poverty relief, and economic/community development. The Charity Commission identifies their main method of carrying out purposes as grant-making to both individuals and organisations. The charity employs 7 staff members and engages 100 volunteers, with operations overseen by 7 trustees. Their mission is to “connect people to confront poverty, create potential and change the world,” working through strategic partnerships to provide holistic and sustainable solutions to global challenges.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

LINKS INTERNATIONAL makes grants to partner organisations and individuals working in international development, though specific grant amounts and programme names are not publicly disclosed. According to the Charity Commission register, grant-making is their primary method of delivering charitable purposes.

Areas of Support:

  • Clean water projects
  • Community healthcare
  • Micro-enterprise development
  • Education initiatives
  • Leadership training
  • Missionary mobilisation
  • Strategic partnerships for community development

Priority Areas

  • Poverty Relief: Focus on sustainable solutions that enable communities to break free from poverty, emphasising “a hand up, not a hand out”
  • Christian Faith Advancement: Supporting faith-based initiatives and missionary work
  • Education and Training: Building capacity through leadership development and skills training
  • Health: Community healthcare initiatives
  • Economic Development: Micro-enterprise and community economic empowerment

Geographic Priorities: Works internationally in Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Honduras, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United States, West Sussex (UK), Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

What They Don't Fund

Information about specific exclusions is not publicly available.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The charity has 7 trustees who control the work, management and administration of the charity on behalf of its beneficiaries. Specific trustee names and roles are available on the Charity Commission register.

Staff and Leadership

Jason Bollinger serves as CEO/President of Links International USA, working alongside his wife Holly, who heads up the Links Office and Communications.

The charity has 7 employees and is supported by 100 volunteers across their international operations.

How to Apply

LINKS INTERNATIONAL does not have a public grant application process.

The organisation operates through established partnerships with churches, organisations, and communities in their target countries. Rather than accepting unsolicited grant applications, they work through a partnership model where they identify and support organisations aligned with their mission through existing relationships and networks.

According to their website, organisations interested in partnering with Links International can contact them via:

However, this appears to be for general partnership inquiries rather than grant applications.

Getting on Their Radar

Church Partnerships: Links International works with churches through their “Links Church Connect” programme, providing mission-focused resources including prayer groups, social media content, Sunday service talks, presentations, and mission trip opportunities. Churches interested in partnership can explore opportunities through their website.

Existing Networks: The organisation works in 64 nations through established partner relationships. Organisations working in their priority areas (poverty relief, Christian mission, healthcare, education, micro-enterprise) in their target countries may be able to connect through:

  • Existing partner organisations in their network
  • Mission networks and Christian development organisations
  • Direct outreach to their offices in the US, UK, or South Africa

Trustees and Leadership: With 7 trustees overseeing operations, the organisation's grant decisions appear to be made at trustee level based on strategic alignment with mission partners.

Application Success Factors

Since LINKS INTERNATIONAL operates through a partnership model rather than open applications, success in receiving support from this funder depends on:

Strategic Alignment: Organisations must align with their mission to advance Christian faith while addressing poverty, health, education, or economic development needs in developing nations.

Partnership Approach: The organisation emphasises collaborative relationships, stating they “link with partners in developing countries to inspire, empower, train and resource individuals and communities.” They seek partners who embrace capacity-building and sustainable development rather than dependency models.

Holistic Solutions: Their approach focuses on “holistic and sustainable solutions,” suggesting they favour comprehensive programmes that address multiple dimensions of poverty and development.

Geographic Focus: Organisations must operate in one of their 64+ target nations, with particular concentration in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Faith-Based Foundation: As a Christian charity advancing the Christian faith, organisations with Christian foundations or that work within Christian communities are likely to be prioritised.

Empowerment Philosophy: Their emphasis on helping people “onto the first rung of the ladder so they can pull themselves out of poverty” (hand up, not hand out) suggests they prefer programmes that build local capacity rather than create ongoing dependency.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Applications: This is not a funder you can apply to through a standard grant process—they work through established partnerships and trustee-led identification of grantees
  • Partnership Model: Focus on building relationships through their partnership programmes (churches, missions networks) rather than submitting applications
  • Christian Mission Central: Advancing the Christian faith is their primary charitable purpose; secular organisations unlikely to receive support
  • International Development Focus: They fund work in developing nations (64+ countries), not UK-based service delivery
  • Capacity Building Emphasis: They value training, empowerment, and sustainable development over direct service provision
  • Established Network: Founded in 1985, they likely have deep relationships in their priority countries—breaking into their network as a new organisation may be challenging
  • Multiple Contact Points: With offices in US, UK, and South Africa, organisations may want to identify the most relevant office for their geographic work

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References

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