The Goldsmiths' Company Charity

Charity Number: 1175593

Annual Expenditure: £3.5M
Geographic Focus: Throughout London

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £3.5 million (Goldsmiths' Foundation) + additional general charity grants
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 3 months (rolling applications)
  • Grant Range: £5,000 - £50,000 (varies by programme)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (with some London-specific priorities)

Contact Details

Website: www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/charities

Email: the.clerk@thegoldsmiths.co.uk

Phone: 020 7606 7010

Charity Number: 1175593

Overview

The Goldsmiths' Company Charity was established as the charitable arm of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, one of the historic livery companies of the City of London. The charity now operates primarily through the Goldsmiths' Foundation, which was launched following a strategic reinvigoration of the Company's philanthropy. The Foundation provides approximately £3.5 million annually in grants and charitable support, with additional funding through the Company's general charity programme. The charity's mission focuses on advancing creative, technical, and vocational skills education and training in goldsmithing, silversmithing, jewellery, and the wider creative industries, while also supporting prisoner resettlement, youth programmes, and services for an ageing population. In 2023/24, charity partners directly supported more than 126,000 individuals, trained 4,744 facilitators, and indirectly reached a further 58,000 people. The charity has also launched a £10 million Landmark Grants Programme running from 2023 to 2035 to maximise impact through skills development and poverty alleviation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Goldsmiths' Foundation - Regular Grants: £30,000 - £50,000

  • For UK registered charities working at the intersection of creativity and social change
  • Focus on vocational skills and training in creative industries
  • Can support operating/core costs or project-specific funding
  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis with periodic deadlines

Goldsmiths' Foundation - Landmark Grants: £100,000+ per annum

  • Considered once every three to four years by Trustees
  • Up to £10 million total available between 2023-2035
  • Support projects that alleviate poverty, create opportunities, and deliver lasting impact through skills development

General Charity - Large Grants: Up to £30,000

  • Currently by invitation only for prisoner resettlement charities
  • Priorities: youth schemes (leaving care, young carers, mental health, homelessness); prisoner rehabilitation/resettlement; ageing population (isolation and loneliness)

General Charity - Small Grants: Up to £5,000

  • Programme currently paused
  • When active, supports: culture; general welfare; medical welfare and disability

Priority Areas

Goldsmiths' Foundation:

  • Building capacity and resources for technical and vocational skills development in creative industries, especially within historically underfunded communities
  • Realising the role that skills development and creative people can play in addressing social justice issues
  • Creating infrastructure for a more equitable creative industry sector
  • Safeguarding heritage skills in goldsmithing, silversmithing, and jewellery
  • Breaking down barriers and opening creative pathways for underrepresented communities

General Charity Committee (following 2016 strategic review):

  • Prisoner resettlement and rehabilitation (particularly interested in programmes for women in prison and addressing racial disproportionality)
  • Youth support (leaving care, young carers, mental health issues, homelessness)
  • Ageing population (isolation and loneliness)

Education Committee:

  • Primary and secondary education
  • Improvement of STEAM subjects
  • Community engagement
  • Wellbeing of teachers

What They Don't Fund

  • Charities that seek to promote a particular religion (though applications promoting social integration and open to all communities will be considered)
  • Grant-making organisations or those making onwards donations/bursaries
  • Mailshots or letters requesting donations
  • Individual church restoration projects (block grants made to National Churches Trust)
  • Applications from branches/affiliates of associations (must apply through governing body/head office)
  • Social enterprises or Community Interest Companies (registered charities only)
  • Charities with turnover above £5 million (General Charity programme)
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Governance and Leadership

Chair of the Goldsmiths' Foundation: Dame Lynne Brindley DBE

  • Former Master of Pembroke College, Oxford (2013-20)
  • Former CEO of the British Library (2000-12)
  • Made a Dame (DBE) in 2008 for services to education
  • Prime Warden in 2021/22

Dame Lynne stated: "I am delighted to be appointed as Chair of the Foundation and extend a very warm welcome to my fellow Trustees. They each bring a wealth and depth of experience to the Goldsmiths' Foundation and are committed to increasing our philanthropic impact through grant funding and charitable partnerships that will foster development of skills and enable creative talent to flourish."

Current Prime Warden: Lord Bridges (Mark Bridges)

  • Succeeded Dame Lynne Brindley
  • Has served on the Charity Committee and as one of the first Trustees of the Goldsmiths' Centre

Foundation Board of Trustees (9 members) includes:

  • Blondel Cluff: Currently CEO of the West India Committee, a UNESCO Consulting NGO
  • Diane Lees: Former Director-General of the Imperial War Museum (until 2023)

The Court is chaired by the Prime Warden and comprises four to five Wardens and all current Assistants.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Goldsmiths' Foundation - Regular Grants:

  1. Review detailed application guidelines available on website
  2. Applications accepted on a rolling basis with periodic deadlines
  3. Apply via online form when application window is open
  4. Applicants strongly advised to review full guidelines carefully

General Charity Programme:

  1. First submit an eligibility form via the website
  2. Once reviewed, suitable applicants will be invited by email to complete an online application form
  3. Must complete application within 2 weeks of receiving the invitation (unless more time is specifically requested)
  4. Applications accepted at any time (rolling basis)

Decision Timeline

  • General Charity: Aims to review all appeals within 3 months of submission
  • Goldsmiths' Centre Grants (separate affiliated entity): 3-6 months approval process depending on project complexity, with quarterly reviews (August, November, February, May)

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. In the inaugural Goldsmiths' Foundation grant round, 17 charitable partners received awards totaling £750,227.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy or waiting period for unsuccessful applicants is publicly disclosed. Contact the charity directly for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must be a UK registered charity
  • At least one year's worth of annual accounts required
  • Must submit independently audited/examined annual accounts or Charity Commission annual return
  • For General Charity: turnover must be less than £5 million
  • Full and complete applications with all supporting documents required

Strategic Alignment

The Foundation supports organisations demonstrating:

  • Understanding of complexity of issues faced by target communities
  • Work at the intersection of creativity and social change
  • Focus on vocational skills and training
  • Commitment to breaking down barriers for underrepresented communities
  • Programmes that safeguard heritage skills
  • Projects creating pathways for historically underfunded communities

Recent Grant Recipients (2024)

Examples of successful applications include:

  • Bishopsland Educational Trust: Silversmithing sessions with expert makers to inspire next generation
  • Blueprint for All: National charity supporting 8,000+ young people from diverse ethnic backgrounds
  • Peckham Platform: Youth Platform initiative engaging 115 young people through Creative Access Programmes
  • Iron Age village project (Loch Tay, Perthshire): Apprenticeship programmes for young people with barriers to employment
  • Prisoner rehabilitation charity: Training prisoners and prison leavers in paid high-level needlework and textiles production

What Makes Applications Stand Out

  • Demonstrating understanding of complexity of issues within target communities
  • Focus on skills development with tangible outcomes
  • Evidence of breaking reoffending cycles (for prisoner resettlement work)
  • Addressing racial disproportionality and supporting underrepresented communities
  • Clear connection between creative/vocational skills and social change
  • Strong safeguarding of heritage crafts while addressing modern social justice issues
  • Programmes that transform lives through sustainable career and business opportunities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Focus on the intersection: Applications should clearly demonstrate how creativity, skills development, and social change connect in your work
  • Be specific about impact: The charity values tangible outcomes - show how many people you'll reach and the specific skills they'll develop
  • Complete documentation essential: Incomplete applications will not be considered; ensure all supporting documents are included
  • Different programmes for different needs: Choose between Foundation grants (£30,000-£50,000 for skills/creative work) and General Charity grants (£5,000-£30,000 for broader charitable work in priority areas)
  • Understand current restrictions: The small grants programme is paused and large grants for prisoner resettlement are currently by invitation only
  • Plan for timeline: Allow 3 months for decision on rolling applications
  • Strategic fit matters: For General Charity, align with the three priorities from 2016 review (prisoner resettlement, youth, ageing population); for Foundation, focus on vocational/creative skills
  • Don't assume rejection is final: While no formal reapplication policy is published, contact the charity directly if you believe your project has evolved to better fit their priorities

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