The Charles Hayward Foundation

Charity Number: 1078969

Annual Expenditure: £3.1M
Throughout England And Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey

Contact Info

Website: www.charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 020 7370 7063

Email: grants@charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £3.0 million (approximately)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Up to 4 months
  • Grant Range: £7,000 - £50,000 (depending on programme)
  • Geographic Focus: UK (British Isles), plus Commonwealth countries in Africa for Overseas category

Contact Details

Website: www.charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk

Email: grants@charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 020 7370 7063

Eligibility Quiz: Available on website before applying

Overview

The Charles Hayward Foundation was established by Sir Charles Hayward, a successful industrialist who founded Firth Cleveland Ltd and created his first charitable trust in 1961. The current Foundation was formed on 1st January 2000 through the merger of the Hayward Foundation and the Charles Hayward Trust. With annual expenditure of approximately £3 million, the Foundation supports small and medium-sized UK registered charities through targeted grant programmes. Chaired by Mrs. Sue Heath (née Hayward), the Foundation focuses on four strategic areas: Social & Criminal Justice, Heritage & Conservation, Overseas development in Commonwealth African countries, and Older People (currently closed). The Foundation favours projects that offer consistent and sustained benefit rather than one-off events or short-lived activities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Main Grants Programme:

  • Social & Criminal Justice: £15,000 - £25,000 per annum for 1-3 years (up to £25,000 for pilot projects)
  • For charities with income between £350,000 and £4 million
  • Rolling applications; quarterly Grant Committee meetings
  • Heritage & Conservation: Up to £50,000 one-off grants
  • For charities with income over £350,000
  • Protecting, restoring and interpreting industrial heritage, discoveries, and defining moments
  • Overseas: Up to £15,000 one-year grants
  • For UK charities with income between £150,000 and £4 million
  • Projects in Commonwealth countries of Africa

Small Grants Programme:

  • Small Grants: Up to £7,000
  • For Social & Criminal Justice and Older People projects
  • For charities with annual income under £350,000
  • Rolling applications

Priority Areas

Social & Criminal Justice:

  • Early intervention programmes with young children and their families
  • Tailored preventative work with young people at risk of entering the criminal justice system
  • Holistic support services aimed at reducing re-offending and aiding re-settlement
  • Supporting those in contact with the criminal justice system to rebuild their lives

Heritage & Conservation:

  • Conservation and preservation of pictures, manuscripts, books and objects for public display
  • Development of libraries, museums and galleries
  • Adaptation of former Industrial Heritage sites to creative and educational spaces
  • Preserving heritage assets of national significance
  • Displaying heritage in a modern context for public engagement, use and learning

Overseas (Commonwealth countries in Africa):

  • Clean water and sanitation projects
  • Development of sustainable livelihoods in the context of environmental and wildlife conservation
  • Self-sustainability through training in farming skills and income generation activities
  • Projects in: Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia

Older People (CURRENTLY CLOSED):

  • Preventative and early intervention programmes at community level
  • Programmes allowing older people to stay in their own homes and remain independent
  • Enhancing quality of life at a community level

What They Don't Fund

General Exclusions:

  • Community Interest Companies (CICs), social enterprises, or non-profit organisations
  • Individuals
  • Grant-making charities
  • Endowments or general appeals
  • Loans and deficits
  • Retrospective costs (already incurred prior to decision)
  • Unrestricted grants
  • Core operational or running costs

Social & Criminal Justice Specific Exclusions:

  • Policy and research
  • Short-term interventions
  • Trips and youth volunteering
  • Uniformed organisations
  • Generic youth programmes
  • Capital projects

Governance and Leadership

The Charles Hayward Foundation is governed by a board of voluntary trustees, chaired by Mrs. Sue Heath (née Hayward), demonstrating the continuing family connection to Sir Charles Hayward's legacy.

The Foundation employs professional staff to manage grant applications and provide support to applicants. Contact person Dorothy can be reached at dorothy@charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Main Grants Programme:

  • No application form required
  • Submit proposal by email to grants@charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk
  • Proposal should be no more than four A4 pages
  • Must include: organisation name and location, contact details, description of organisation, project description, project aims, project cost, funds raised and pledged, outstanding shortfall, project timetable, and most recent audited accounts
  • Strongly recommended: Take the eligibility quiz on the website before applying

Small Grants Programme:

  • Application form available to download online
  • Submit completed form according to guidelines

Decision Timeline

Two-Stage Process:

Stage 1: Grant Committee meets quarterly to review applications and forward recommendations to Stage 2

Stage 2: Trustees' meetings consider recommended applications, typically held in March, July, and November

Overall Timeline: All applications are acknowledged, with decisions provided within four months of submission

Success Rates

Specific success rate statistics are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

  • Unsuccessful applicants: Must wait one year from the date of declination before re-applying
  • Previous grant recipients: Must wait two years from the date of the last grant payment before re-applying

Application Success Factors

Key Advice from the Funder

Make your application accessible: “Make your application as easy to read as possible - the people who are assessing your application may not have a lot of time or much knowledge of the work you do so being clear is key.”

Alignment is critical: "Consider whether your work aligns with the Foundation's funding priorities before submitting an application."

Sustained impact matters: The Foundation favours projects that offer consistent and sustained benefit rather than one-off events or short-lived activities.

Application Tips

  • Be concise: Stick to the four-page limit for Main Grants
  • Use plain language: Avoid jargon and technical terms that assessors may not understand
  • Demonstrate sustainability: Show how your project will have lasting impact
  • Show clear outcomes: Articulate specific project aims and measurable results
  • Complete the eligibility quiz first: This ensures you meet minimum criteria and saves time
  • Read category-specific guidelines carefully: Each category has additional exclusions and requirements
  • Provide complete financial information: Include all required financial details upfront

Standing Out

  • Projects demonstrating early intervention and prevention approaches (particularly for Social & Criminal Justice)
  • Clear evidence of need and community engagement
  • Strong track record of delivery in your area of work
  • Partnerships and collaboration with other organisations
  • Innovation in traditional heritage presentation (for Heritage & Conservation)
  • Sustainable development approaches (for Overseas projects)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Income thresholds matter: Different programmes have different income requirements - Small Grants (under £350k), Main Social & Criminal Justice (£350k-£4m), Overseas (£150k-£4m), Heritage (over £350k)
  • Timing is strategic: With quarterly Grant Committee meetings and Trustees' meetings in March, July, and November, plan your submission to align with these cycles
  • Clarity trumps complexity: Simple, accessible language is explicitly valued over detailed technical descriptions
  • Sustained impact wins: One-off events and short-term activities are not favoured; show long-term benefit
  • Use the eligibility quiz: This free tool can save you significant time and effort before investing in a full application
  • Multi-year funding available: Social & Criminal Justice grants can run 1-3 years, providing valuable longer-term support
  • Be patient with rejections: The one-year waiting period for unsuccessful applicants is relatively short compared to some funders, allowing for refinement and resubmission

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References