Paul Hamlyn Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £35-57 million annually
• Success Rate: 10-12% (Youth Fund, typical across funds)
• Decision Time: 4 months
• Grant Range: £20,000 - £400,000+ (depending on fund and organisation size)
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide (some international migration work)

Contact Details

Website: www.phf.org.uk

Phone: 020 7812 3300

Email: information@phf.org.uk

Online Applications: Available through their website portal

Accessibility Support: Up to £750 bursary available if online portal is inaccessible due to disability

Overview

Founded in 2004 by publisher Paul Hamlyn, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation has distributed over £500 million in grants to charitable causes. As one of the UK's largest independent foundations, it works collaboratively with organisations and individuals building a just society. The foundation focuses on arts, education and learning, migration, and young people, with a commitment to becoming anti-racist and championing truly inclusive culture. The foundation has signed the Funder Commitment on Climate Change, demonstrating environmental responsibility alongside social justice priorities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Arts Fund: Grants of £90,000-£300,000 over 3 years for organisations working at the intersection of art and social change
• Ideas and Pioneers Fund: £20,000 grants for individuals aged 18-30 exploring social change ideas (rolling applications)
• Youth Fund: Long-term grants of up to £150,000 over 3 years for organisations working with young people aged 14-25 (rolling applications, 20 grants annually)
• Migration Fund: Long-term grants of up to £60,000 per year for 3-4 years (or up to £50,000 per year for 5 years) for organisations supporting migration justice (rolling applications)
• Awards for Artists: £75,000 awards (10 annually - 5 visual artists, 5 composers)
• Teacher Development Fund: Up to £165,000 for arts-based teaching in primary education over two academic years

Priority Areas

• Social justice and systemic change
• Arts access and participation, particularly for underrepresented communities
• Supporting young people facing complex transitions to adulthood
• Migration justice - ensuring freedom of movement and protection from forced migration
• Racial justice and equity initiatives
• Arts-based learning in formal education settings

What They Don't Fund

• Work starting within 4 months of application
• Multiple concurrent grants to same organisation
• Reapplications within 12 months of rejection
• Statutory responsibilities (education services, social care, waste collection, etc.)
• Grants exceeding annual turnover
• Endowment building (except by invitation)
• Work benefiting people outside UK (except specific programs)
• Capital/property projects
• Organisations without safeguarding policies
• Unincorporated groups (except Migration and Ideas & Pioneers funds)

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Governance and Leadership

Chair: James Lingwood (became Chair December 2025)

CEO: Halima Khan (joined November 2024)

Trustees: Jane Hamlyn (Paul Hamlyn's daughter), Michael Hamlyn, Marcus Davey, Martha MacKenzie, Akeela Ahmed, Bernard Dallé

Trustee appointments in March 2025 included Bernard Dallé (Senior Advisor to P1 Ventures), Marcus Davey (Chief Executive and Artistic Director at the Roundhouse), and Martha MacKenzie (Executive Director of the Civic Power Fund, former Head of Global Humanitarian Advocacy at UNICEF). The foundation's senior leadership team was strengthened in 2024 with appointments of Liz Winder as Chief Operating Officer and Paula Gay as Director of People and Culture.

Leadership Quote: "We're working towards a just future in which everyone, especially young people, can realise their full potential and enjoy fulfilling and creative lives."

How to Apply to Paul Hamlyn Foundation

How to Apply

• Online application system through www.phf.org.uk/funding
• Multi-stage process for most funds
• First stage: Initial application form
• Second stage: Assessment meetings with grants managers for shortlisted applicants
• Final decision by panel of trustees and advisors

Decision Timeline

• Standard timeline: 4 months from application to decision
• Migration Fund: 4-9 months to receive a decision
• Applicants notified of outcomes at each stage

Success Rates

• Youth Fund: 10-12% success rate (20 grants from approximately 200+ applications annually)
• Highly competitive across all funds
• Foundation rated in top 15% of funders for helpful selection processes

Reapplication Policy

• Must wait 12 months after rejection before reapplying
• Cannot hold multiple grants simultaneously
• Previous unsuccessful applicants can reapply with different projects after waiting period

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Direct Advice:

• “We look for work that seeks to create wider systemic change rather than just direct service delivery”
• Organisations must demonstrate how their work advances social justice
• Strong emphasis on lived experience and community-led approaches
• Importance of showing potential for wider impact beyond immediate beneficiaries

Key Success Factors:

• Clear alignment with social justice mission
• Evidence of systemic change approach rather than service delivery
• Strong safeguarding policies for work with vulnerable groups
• Demonstrated understanding of the communities you serve
• Financial sustainability and appropriate grant request size
• Clear theory of change showing path to wider impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Mission Alignment Critical: Must demonstrate clear connection to social justice and systemic change goals
• Size Appropriately: Request no more than 50% of annual turnover; ensure minimum thresholds are met
• Emphasise Systemic Impact: Show how work creates change beyond immediate beneficiaries
• Lead Time Essential: Apply at least 4 months before project start date
• One Grant at a Time: Cannot apply for multiple grants simultaneously
• Relationship Building: Foundation values collaborative approach and long-term partnerships
• Racial Justice Priority: Organisations advancing racial equity receive preferential consideration
• Process is Thorough: Multi-stage assessment with meetings for shortlisted applicants - prepare accordingly

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• National Lottery
• The Arts Council Of England
• Garfield Weston Foundation
• Bbc Children In Need
• The Henry Smith Foundation
• Trust For London
• Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
• The Wolfson Foundation
• Awards For All
• Greater London Authority
• The National Lottery Heritage Fund
• The A B Charitable Trust
• The Bridge Trust
• London Legal Support Trust
• The Childhood Trust
• The Blagrave Trust
• The Ballinger Charitable Trust
• The Foyle Foundation
• Henry Smith
• Google

References

• Paul Hamlyn Foundation website (www.phf.org.uk)
• “Working Together for Social Change” Annual Review 2023-24 - Paul Hamlyn Foundation
• Grant awards announcements - Paul Hamlyn Foundation
• General Exclusions guidance - Paul Hamlyn Foundation website
• Trustee and leadership announcements - Paul Hamlyn Foundation
• 360Giving GrantNav database entries for Paul Hamlyn Foundation