The Unitarians
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
- The Innovation Fund suits congregations, districts, fellowships and individual ministers or lay leaders with a new project serving Unitarian communities, and it looks for ideas that work in a new way, address a real community need and could work in other Unitarian communities.
- The stated amounts by programme are Development Grants of £1,000 to £5,000, Innovation Grants of £5,000 to £25,000, and up to £125,000 from the Innovation Fund.
- For the Innovation Fund, do not apply for building repairs or capital maintenance, existing staff posts or ongoing salaries, work already completed, projects based outside the UK, or continuing existing activities.
- The stated application method is unclear, since one entry says the charity is by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, while the application steps describe an online expression of interest, so confirm the route with the charity before you write a full proposal.
- Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with decisions made quarterly, and the charity gives about 16 weeks as its decision time.
Overview
The Unitarians is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 250788).
The Unitarians is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under number 250788. It exists to promote a free and inquiring religion through the worship of God and the celebration of life, the service of humanity and respect for all creation, and the upholding of the liberal Christian tradition. Its Innovation Fund aims to deploy £1.25m in collaborative projects with Congregations and Districts to enable capacity building, innovation and rejuvenation across the movement over the next five years. Its annual giving was £93,815, according to the annual report.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The foundation uses its Innovation Fund to support bold projects that help Unitarian communities grow, connect and make lasting impact. It supports congregations, districts, fellowships and others with a project serving Unitarian communities, including work that reimagines what those communities can be. Its stated focus is collaborative capacity building, innovation and rejuvenation across the movement, alongside small-scale development projects for congregational activity intended to build confidence, competence or capacity within a chapel community. Projects may test new ideas, address a real community need and develop approaches that could spread to other Unitarian communities. It expects funded projects to represent new activity or a step change, rather than continuing existing work.
Themes
- Movement innovation
- Congregational development
Geographic Focus
Scotland; UK.
What they don't fund
- Innovation Fund only:
- Building repairs or capital maintenance
- Existing staff posts or ongoing staff salaries for business-as-usual activity
- Work that has already been completed
- Projects based outside of the UK
- continuation of existing activities
- continuing existing work
- replace existing salary funding or sustain roles that are already part of normal operations
How to apply
Applicants submit an online expression of interest with their initial concept. Promising ideas receive feedback and development support; applicants are then invited to submit a detailed proposal with budget, timeline, measures of success and risks. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with decisions made quarterly.
Who can apply:
- Innovation Fund: Congregations; Districts; Fellowships; Individual ministers or lay leaders; Anyone with a project serving Unitarian communities (you might need a Unitarian sponsor or partner, but we can help with that)
What to send:
- Innovation Fund
- A safeguarding policy and DBS checks are needed if the project involves children, young people, or vulnerable adults.
- Proper permissions and governance approvals from your congregation or district.
- Systems for managing money responsibly.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The Innovation Fund looks for ideas that do things in a new way.
- It looks for projects addressing a real need in the community.
- It considers whether a project could work in other Unitarian communities.
- It values genuinely inclusive planning that considers who might not feel welcome.
- Funded projects provide quarterly progress updates.
- Funded projects provide an annual written report about what is working, what is not and what they have learned.
- Funded projects share what they have learned with other Unitarian communities.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
- Scotland
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Unitarians.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 30 September 2021 | £888,924 | £1,083,990 | £34,209 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2021 |
| year to 30 September 2022 | £1,127,046 | £1,291,253 | £56,026 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2022 |
| year to 30 September 2023 | £1,296,540 | £1,294,501 | £36,494 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2023 |
| year to 30 September 2024 | £1,378,302 | £1,474,582 | £63,594 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2024 |
| year to 30 September 2025 | £862,893 | £1,188,610 | £93,815 | Accounts for year to 30 September 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 30 September 2021; year to 30 September 2022; year to 30 September 2023; year to 30 September 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 30 September 2025: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.
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
- unitarian.org.uk
- unitarian.org.uk/unitarian-innovation-fund · read on 30 October 2026
- unitarian.org.uk/contact · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 30 September 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Unitarians?
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Contact
Applying to The Unitarians?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required