London Freemasons Charity

Charity Number: 1081205

Annual Expenditure: £2.6M

Stay updated on changes from London Freemasons Charity and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £2.58 million (charitable activities expenditure, 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not specified (applications acknowledged and decided by Board of Trustees)
  • Grant Range: £3,000 - £10,000
  • Geographic Focus: London only

Contact Details

Address:

60 Great Queen Street

London, WC2B 5AZ

Email: e.faux@metgl.com (Elaine Faux, Executive Assistant)

Alternative Email: c.hunt@metgl.com

Phone: 020 7539 2930

Website: www.london-freemasons-charity.org.uk

Registered Charity Number: 1081205

Overview

Founded in 1999, the London Freemasons Charity manages and administers funds raised by approximately 35,000 London Freemasons belonging to the Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Chapter of London. The charity recorded total income of £2.17 million in 2024, distributing £2.58 million in charitable activities. Over the past forty years, the organization has provided over £130 million to London charities. The charity's mission is to award grants to charities serving London, helping them maximize their impact within the community. The organization operates with a lean structure of 7 trustees, 1 employee, and 2 volunteers, with no trustees receiving remuneration. Chair of Trustees Stratton Richey states: “We award grants to charities that serve London, helping them maximise their impact within our community.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Standard Grants Programme: £3,000 - £10,000 (rolling basis via email application)

  • Grants are generally awarded for one year
  • Occasionally larger grants may be awarded
  • Multi-year grants are only awarded in special cases
  • Applications must be submitted via email to Elaine Faux
  • All applications acknowledged and decided by Board of Trustees

Priority Areas

The London Freemasons Charity is particularly interested in supporting:

  • Children and young people - projects serving younger populations
  • Elderly people - services for older Londoners
  • Education opportunities - advancing educational access and outcomes
  • Local community projects - grassroots initiatives with direct community impact
  • Inclusive charities - organizations serving diverse populations

Applications are looked upon more favorably when identifying specific projects or requirements rather than general charity funds.

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual grants (only organizational funding)
  • Core operational funding
  • Retrospective activities
  • Projects already underway
  • Work outside London
  • Requests from charities outside London are unlikely to succeed
Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for London Freemasons Charity?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Chair of Trustees: Stratton Richey

Board Composition: 7 trustees (all unpaid)

Staff: 1 employee

Key Quote from Leadership:

Stratton Richey emphasizes the charity's mission: “We award grants to charities that serve London, helping them maximise their impact within our community.”

The charity operates on four key Freemasonry principles: Integrity, Friendship, Respect, and Charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via email only to Elaine Faux at e.faux@metgl.com

Required Documentation:

  • For registered charities: Latest Charity Commission return and accounts
  • For unregistered charities: Similar accounts showing income, expenses and reserves
  • Detailed project information demonstrating how funding will make “significant difference to the work of the charity”
  • Expected timeline for fund utilization (must be within 12 months)

Application Format: Email submission (no online portal or postal applications)

Decision Timeline

  • All applications are acknowledged by email on receipt
  • Applicants are notified by email whether successful or not
  • If additional information is required, the charity will contact applicants before the application is considered by the Board of Trustees
  • Specific decision timeframes are not publicly disclosed
  • Grants must be fully deployed within 12 months of receipt

Success Rates

Success rate statistics are not publicly disclosed by the charity.

Reapplication Policy

12-month waiting period: Whether an application for a grant was successful or not, no further application may be submitted until 12 months have elapsed since the date of the grant payment or notification of an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

Key Advice from the Funder

  1. Geographic specificity is critical - “Requests for grants outside London are unlikely to succeed.” Larger established charities must clearly demonstrate the project “is for the benefit of London and the residents of London.”
  1. Favor smaller organizations - “The LFC looks more kindly towards smaller registered charities and organizations with charitable purpose.”
  1. Specific projects over general funding - “Applications are generally looked upon more favorably if a specific project or requirement is identified rather than a donation into general charity funds.”
  1. Financial prudence matters - Trustees evaluate applicant reserve levels when making decisions.
  1. Simple, clear applications - Keep applications straightforward with key points, avoid jargon, and explain acronyms on first use.

Examples of Funded Projects

  • Attend ABI - £4,650 grant for work with adults and young people who have survived acquired brain injury
  • Autism support services - Grant to support autistic young people affected by the pandemic
  • Emergency response - COVID-19 funding provided 1,000 PC tablets to hospitals, 300,000 meals, 38 tonnes of food, and thousands of pieces of PPE

What Makes Applications Stand Out

  • Clear demonstration of London-based impact
  • Specific, measurable project outcomes
  • Smaller charities with direct community engagement
  • Focus on priority populations (children, youth, elderly)
  • Educational opportunities and community-level impact
  • Comprehensive financial documentation showing organizational sustainability

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. London-only focus is non-negotiable - Ensure your project directly serves London residents; applications from outside London will be rejected.
  1. Small is beautiful - Smaller registered charities are preferred; larger organizations must demonstrate exceptional London-specific impact.
  1. Be project-specific - Applications for specific projects significantly outperform general operational funding requests.
  1. Plan for one year - Grants typically cover one-year periods and funds must be deployed within 12 months; multi-year funding is rare.
  1. Mind the 12-month gap - Plan application timing carefully as you cannot reapply for 12 months after any decision.
  1. Financial transparency is essential - Provide comprehensive accounts and be prepared for scrutiny of reserve levels.
  1. Email is the only channel - No online portals or postal applications accepted; establish contact with Elaine Faux for submission.

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References