Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £24.2 million (2023 charitable expenditure)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Varies by programme
• Grant Range: £25,000 - £150,000 per year
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

• Website: www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk
• Email: enquiries@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk
• Phone: 020 7378 4610
• Pre-application Support: Available via online meetings and eligibility quiz
• Programme-Specific Contacts: collaborations@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk

Overview

Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales (Charity No. 327114) is an independent charitable foundation established in 1986 and funded by Lloyds Banking Group. The Foundation receives 0.5% of the Group's pre-tax profits. In 2024, Lloyds Banking Group made its largest annual donation since 2013 of £35.2 million, split between the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, the Bank of Scotland Foundation, the Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland and the Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands. Their mission is to partner with small and local charities working with people facing complex issues and barriers, providing unrestricted funding and development support. Since 2014, Lloyds Banking Group has donated £243 million to its charitable foundations, with over £131 million provided since 2020. The Foundation focuses on charities with annual incomes between £25,000-£500,000 and supported over 2,400 charities through grant-making and colleague matched giving in 2023.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

• Specialist Programme: £75,000 over three years (£25,000 annually) plus tailored development support. The Foundation expects to make approximately 83 grants across eight priority areas.
• Racial Equity Programme: £75,000 over three years (£25,000 annually) - at least 25% of core funding budget allocated. Approximately 41 grants awarded across England and Wales per round.
• Local Collaborations Programme: Up to £100,000 over two years for partnerships seeking local/regional change, with potential extension of one year and additional £50,000
• Deaf and Disabled People's Organisations Programme: £75,000 over three years (£25,000 annually) for charities led by and working with Deaf and Disabled people. Approximately 41 grants per round.
• National Influencing Programme: Closed programme (previously awarded up to £150,000 over three years)

Most programmes have specific application deadlines rather than rolling applications.

Priority Areas

• Small and local charities supporting people facing complex issues and barriers
• Organisations working with disadvantaged or disabled people aged 18+
• Charities focusing on accommodation, social security, refugees and asylum seeker support
• Work influencing policy, practice and systems change
• Organisations led by and working with marginalised communities

What They Don't Fund

• Large national charities (typically those with income over £500,000)
• Organisations without a one-year track record of service delivery
• Multiple grants to the same organisation simultaneously (except through different programmes)

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Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive: Matt Hyde OBE (joined September 2024, formerly CEO of Scout Association for 11 years)

Chair of Trustees: Dame Ann Limb DBE DL

Recent Trustee Appointments (2024):

• Ajneet Jassey, Laura Needham, and Jayne Opperman from Lloyds Banking Group

Leadership Philosophy: Matt Hyde emphasises building long-term, constructive relationships with funded charities. The Foundation's Chief Executive personally signs all rejection letters and often encourages charities to reapply. As Hyde notes: “The needs and aspirations of people drive their work. They strengthen the small and local charities that support them and the communities they live in.”

How to Apply to Lloyds Bank Foundation For England & Wales

How to Apply

• Complete online eligibility quiz first
• Pre-application meetings available with Foundation team
• Expression of Interest for Local Collaborations programme
• Online applications through Foundation portal
• Up to £500 accessibility support available

Decision Timeline

• Most programmes have specific application deadlines
• Assessment involves regional manager review and potential site visits
• Decision timelines vary by programme

Success Rates

Specific success rates not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants receive personalised feedback letters signed by the CEO with specific reasons for rejection. The Foundation actively encourages reapplication and views constructive feedback as critical to their approach. Organisations with live grants can apply to other programmes for collaborative work.

Application Success Factors

Direct Foundation Guidance:

• “Through unrestricted funding, support to develop and influencing policy and practice, they help small and local charities thrive”
• Regional managers assess applications and conduct site visits to “properly understand funding needs and how a grant might help”
• Foundation seeks charities “looking to influence and achieve change in national policy and practice”

Key Success Elements:

• Demonstrate clear track record serving people aged 18+ facing complex barriers
• Show annual income between £25,000-£500,000
• Evidence local/community connection and understanding of complex issues
• Articulate how unrestricted funding will strengthen organisational capacity
• Align with Foundation's focus on disadvantaged populations
• Present clear policy/practice influence potential

Partnership Approach: Foundation partner testimonial: “The grant is fantastic because it covers our core costs... These costs are always the hardest to secure yet provide the foundations from which services can operate.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Core Funding Focus: Foundation exclusively provides unrestricted funding - emphasise how core support will strengthen your organisation's foundation
• Size Matters: Target sweet spot of £25,000-£500,000 annual income organisations where their funding makes greatest impact
• Complex Issues: Demonstrate deep understanding of complex barriers faced by your beneficiaries rather than simple service delivery
• Policy Influence: Articulate potential for local, regional, or national systems change and policy influence
• Long-term Relationship: Frame application as beginning of partnership, not one-off transaction
• Pre-application Engagement: Take advantage of eligibility quiz, guidance documents, and pre-application meetings
• Reapplication Welcome: View rejection as opportunity for feedback and improvement - Foundation actively encourages resubmission

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Masonic Charitable Foundation
• The Forrester Family Trust
• The Mercers' Charitable Foundation
• The Mohn Westlake Foundation
• The Barbara Ward Children's Foundation
• The Yapp Charitable Trust
• The Hilden Charitable Fund
• The Weavers' Company Benevolent Fund
• The Boris Karloff Charitable Foundation
• Man Group Plc Charitable Trust

References

• Lloyds Bank Foundation website: www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk
• UK Charity Commission Register: Charity No. 327114
• “Lloyds Banking Group makes largest ever annual donation to its charitable foundations” - UK Fundraising, March 15, 2024
• Lloyds Bank Foundation 2022-2026 Strategy: “Building a Better Future”
• “Bridging the Gap: our impact in 2023” - Foundation Impact Report
• Foundation programme guidance documents and eligibility resources
• 360Giving GrantNav data on Foundation giving patterns