Lloyds Bank Foundation For The Channel Islands

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £798,873 (2023)
• Total Given: Over £24 million in 40 years
• Decision Time: 6-7 weeks from deadline
• Grant Range: £30,000 - £40,000
• Geographic Focus: Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney)

Contact Details

Website: www.lloydsbankfoundationci.org.uk

Email: JLePoidevin@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 01481 706360

Address: 1 Smith Street, St Peter Port, GY1 4BD

Executive Director: Jo Le Poidevin

Pre-application contact: Applicants should contact the Executive Director before proceeding with an online application.

Overview

Founded in 1984, the Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands operates as an independently registered charity (327113), funded by the profits of Lloyds Banking Group. Over 40 years, the Foundation has distributed over £24 million to charitable organisations across Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney. The Foundation's mission is to fund, support, and champion charities that make a positive difference to the lives of people who are socially excluded and disadvantaged, enabling them to play a fuller role in the community. Alongside financial grants, the Foundation provides developmental support including mentoring, charity response forums, skills exchanges, and matched giving to help charities improve their resilience and sustainability.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Core Grant Programme: Designed for charities seeking funding for a specific purpose and amount for salaries and operating costs between one and three years. Grants of approximately £30,000 are available. The 2026 Core Grant Programme has three deadline dates: Thursday 12 February, Thursday 21 May, and Thursday 24 September.

Financial Resilience Fund: Specifically designed for charities which work directly with people who are socially excluded and disadvantaged over the long term to support them with the challenges of financial insecurity. 10 grants of £40,000 in unrestricted funding available. Applications close Thursday 25 September 2025.

40th Anniversary Programme: Designed to help charities hit hardest by cost-of-living increases, with 10 grants of £40,000 in unrestricted funding available to charities who can demonstrate a significant increase in demand due to the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on people who are socially excluded and disadvantaged. Unrestricted funding means charities can determine how best to use the funds without applying for a specific funding request.

Priority Areas

• Charities working with people who are socially excluded and disadvantaged
• Support for people experiencing homelessness
• Services for adults with learning disabilities and difficulties
• Support for women experiencing domestic abuse
• Mental health and wellbeing services
• Services addressing food insecurity
• Employment support for disadvantaged individuals
• Financial insecurity and cost-of-living support

What They Don't Fund

• Charities that do not benefit residents of the Channel Islands
• Promotion of religion (though charities with a religious element may be considered if their objectives demonstrate wider benefit to people experiencing disadvantage)
• Schools and colleges (except for projects that will benefit disadvantaged students and are clearly additional to statutory responsibilities)
• Charities which have received one of their grants in the previous 12 months
• Charities which have received three years continuous funding

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Governance and Leadership

Chair: Philippa Stahelin (appointed May 2021)

Executive Director: Jo Le Poidevin (joined February 2016) - described as “the very heart of the Foundation, guiding the Board in our decision-making and continuing to be a crucial link between the charities and the Board.” As the Foundation's sole employee, Jo “handles everything at the Foundation with enormous skill” and visits each applicant to prepare a comprehensive report for the trustees.

Recent Trustee Appointments:

• Tom Holvey
• Adele Bohlen - Island Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lloyds Bank International

The Board of Trustees meets three times each year to discuss and agree grant applications. No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Before proceeding with an online application, applicants must contact the Executive Director, Jo Le Poidevin, to discuss their grant request and receive guidance on eligibility, the application process, timescales, and deadlines. Jo visits each applicant to prepare a comprehensive report for the trustees.

Applications can be submitted at any time during the year through the online application portal, but there are three fixed deadlines per year after which all applications are taken to the board for review.

Decision Timeline

Applications are reviewed by the Board of Trustees at three meetings per year. For recent programmes, the timeline from deadline to decision has been approximately 6-7 weeks. All applicants are informed of the outcome of their application and the reasons for the decision.

Success Rates

Specific success rate statistics are not publicly available. The Foundation has distributed over £24 million over 40 years. In 2021, grants totalling £1,071,643 were awarded to 13 charities in Jersey alone.

Reapplication Policy

Applicants are advised to wait at least one year from the date of their grant application before submitting a new application. Charities which have received one of their grants in the previous 12 months or have received three years continuous funding cannot apply.

Application Success Factors

Pre-Application Engagement is Essential: The Foundation requires applicants to contact Executive Director Jo Le Poidevin before submitting an application. This consultation allows for discussion of eligibility and fit with Foundation priorities.

Site Visits are Standard: Jo Le Poidevin visits each applicant to prepare a comprehensive report for trustees, demonstrating the Foundation's hands-on, relationship-based approach to grant-making.

Focus on Disadvantage and Social Exclusion: The Foundation's primary focus is on charities working with people who are socially excluded and disadvantaged. Applications should clearly demonstrate how they serve this population.

Long-term Impact: The Foundation values charities working with beneficiaries over the long term, particularly in the Financial Resilience Fund programme.

Recent Funded Projects Include:

• Caritas Jersey: £40,000 towards CEO salary
• Shelter Trust (Jersey): Support for women experiencing homelessness and multiple disadvantages
• Grow in Guernsey: Funding for workshop manager salary, supporting adults with learning disabilities through occupational training
• Jersey Women's Refuge: Support for women experiencing domestic abuse
• Other 2021 grantees: Autism Jersey, Beresford Street Kitchen, Brightly, Centre Point Trust, Family First, Jersey Action Against Rape, Jersey Childcare Trust, Jersey Eating Disorder Support, Jersey Employment Trust, NSPCC Jersey, Words and Numbers Matter

Unrestricted Funding Available: The Foundation offers unrestricted funding in some programmes, allowing charities flexibility in how they use grants. This demonstrates trust in charity leadership to allocate resources effectively.

Cost-of-Living Impact: Recent programmes prioritize charities experiencing significant increases in demand due to cost-of-living pressures, reflecting the Foundation's responsiveness to current challenges.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Contact Jo Le Poidevin first: Pre-application consultation is required and provides valuable guidance on fit and eligibility
• Demonstrate work with disadvantaged populations: Clear evidence of serving people who are socially excluded and disadvantaged is essential
• Channel Islands focus only: Only charities benefiting residents of Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney are eligible
• Consider timing: With three board meetings per year, plan your application around the fixed deadlines for the programme you're targeting
• Long-term relationships valued: The Foundation has funded some charities for decades (e.g., Grow in Guernsey for nearly 40 years), indicating value placed on sustained impact
• Prepare for site visit: Jo Le Poidevin visits all applicants, so be prepared to host and demonstrate your work in person
• Think beyond grants: The Foundation offers developmental support including mentoring, so consider how you might benefit from their wider support services

References

• Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands official website: https://www.lloydsbankfoundationci.org.uk/
• Charity Commission Register - Charity 327113: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/327113
• “Lloyds Bank Foundation celebrates 40 years with new grant programme worth £400,000” - Channel Eye
• “More than £1m awarded to CI charities by Lloyds Bank Foundation” - Bailiwick Express
• 2025 Grant Programmes page: https://www.lloydsbankfoundationci.org.uk/grants/2025-grant-programmes/
• When to Apply page: https://www.lloydsbankfoundationci.org.uk/grants/when-to-apply/
• What We Can't Fund page: https://www.lloydsbankfoundationci.org.uk/grants/what-we-cant-fund/
• Our People page: https://www.lloydsbankfoundationci.org.uk/about-us/our-people/