ShelterBox
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Don't spend time on an approach; the similar funders below support the same kind of work.
Key takeaways
- ShelterBox funds overseas partners that provide shelter, essential items and technical assistance to people who have lost their homes to disaster, so your work fits best if it already shares that goal.
- It takes applications by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered; the charity describes partnership as central to its strategy, so building contact with it through that work is the more realistic route.
- Its geographic focus is worldwide.
- Typical grants fall between £8,000 and £1,050,000, with a median of about £130,000, so any request should be sized against that range rather than assumed to be small.
- Organisations that do not share its commitment to supporting people who have lost their homes to disaster should not apply.
Overview
ShelterBox is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1096479).
ShelterBox exists to provide humanitarian relief, aid and assistance on a worldwide basis to people affected by, or vulnerable to, disaster, particularly by providing shelter. It began as a Cornish Rotary Club's millennium project. In its most recent reported year it paid £7.03m in grants to partners overseas, up from £5.8m the year before. Its support is grouped under emergency shelter, essential items and technical assistance, and it works in partnership with organisations that share its mission.
What they fund
Priority Areas
ShelterBox provides shelter, essential items and technical assistance to help vulnerable people recover and rebuild their homes after disaster. It listens and adapts its support to each community, working alongside people affected by disaster and its partners. Its grants support partner organisations overseas, including humanitarian and international development organisations and local governments, so they can deliver shelter projects. ShelterBox favours locally led responses, recognising that local and national organisations are well placed to respond to their communities’ needs; it provides partners with funding and training to strengthen their work. Its approach is collaborative and tailored, helping communities in remote or dangerous settings with the emergency shelter and aid they need to recover.
Themes
- Emergency shelter
- Essential items
- Technical assistance
Geographic Focus
Worldwide.
How to apply
The charity states that it takes applications by invitation only.
Who can apply:
- We always make sure that we work with organisations who share our goal to support people who have lost their homes to disaster.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- It selects operational partners who share its commitment to supporting people who have lost their homes to disaster.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- International
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to ShelterBox.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 18 grants in year to 31 December 2024 by size
Median £217k (year to 31 December 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- HELP Burkina Faso£1,297,000year to 31 December 2024
- Uttaran Bangladesh£1,028,000year to 31 December 2024
- AHTD Chad£926,000year to 31 December 2024
- Public Concern Cameroon£923,000year to 31 December 2024
- Juba Foundation Somalia£813,000year to 31 December 2024
- MAP Gaza£587,000year to 31 December 2024
- Benevolence Coalition Humanitarian Yemen£309,000year to 31 December 2024
- SBOP - Grant£308,000year to 31 December 2024
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £14,193,000 | £11,664,000 | £1,183,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £22,279,000 | £17,555,000 | £4,143,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £26,152,000 | £23,064,000 | £5,820,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £20,128,000 | £22,570,000 | £7,030,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £17,956,000 | £21,584,000 | £7,183,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2023; year to 31 December 2025: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2024: grants paid out in the year.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- shelterbox.org
- shelterbox.org/partnerships/operational-partners · read on 23 October 2026
- shelterbox.org/contact · read on 23 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2024)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 23 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to ShelterBox?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- +44 (0)300 0300 500source
- hello@shelterbox.orgsource
- Osprey House, Malpas Road, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1UT, UKsource
- shelterbox.org
Applying to ShelterBox?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- +44 (0)300 0300 500source
- hello@shelterbox.orgsource
- Osprey House, Malpas Road, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1UT, UKsource
- shelterbox.org