The Haberdashers' Foundation

Charity Number: 275067

Annual Expenditure: £1.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £1,000,000 (across all three foundations)
  • Small Grants Fund: £100,000
  • Success Rate: 38% (2024)
  • Decision Time: 6 weeks (from deadline to notification)
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £5,000 (Small Grants Programme)
  • Geographic Focus: Specific London boroughs (Bexley, Hackney, Lewisham, Southwark), Telford & Wrekin, and selected other areas
  • Application Method: Fixed deadline (annual)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.haberdashers.co.uk
  • Email: grants@haberdashers.co.uk or enquiries@haberdashers.co.uk
  • Phone: 020 7246 9988
  • Grant Enquiries: grants@haberdashers.co.uk (encouraged to contact with questions about applications)

Overview

The Haberdashers' Foundation (registered charity 275067) is one of three grant-making foundations operated by the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies of London. With records dating back to 1371 and a royal charter from 1448, the Company has evolved from its medieval roots in the silk and velvet trades to become a significant educational and charitable institution. The Foundation distributes almost £1 million annually across its three grant-making arms: the Haberdashers' Benevolent Foundation, Haberdashers' Educational Foundation, and Haberdashers' Christian Foundation. The current mission is to “empower young people from every background to fulfil their potential through our schools and by supporting their communities.” The Foundation has committed to being an "Open & Trusting funder" under the IVAR commitments, demonstrating transparency and openness in its grant-making approach. The Foundation publishes all grant data through 360Giving, having made 447 grants to 102 recipients in recent years.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Small Grants Programme (Haberdashers' Benevolent Foundation)

  • Grant Amount: Up to £5,000
  • Total Fund: £100,000 annually
  • Eligibility: UK Registered Charities and Community Interest Companies (CICs must have at least three active officers)
  • Income Threshold: Charities with income of c.£500,000 or less welcome; those with income under £250,000 actively encouraged
  • Application Method: Fixed annual deadline (typically March)
  • 2024 Statistics: 104 organisations applied at Stage 1, 50 full applications received, 19 grants awarded (38% success rate). 10 of the successful organisations had annual income of £250,000 or less.

Major Grants Programme

  • Proactively identified grants to organisations working within specific focus areas and geographies
  • Closed programme - not open to applications
  • Complements the work of Haberdasher schools in south London and Telford, Shropshire

Priority Areas

The Small Grants Programme specifically supports charities addressing disadvantage experienced by young people:

  1. Early Years: Work with children aged 0-5 years old
  2. Social Mobility: Young people experiencing disadvantage related to social mobility
  3. Youth Justice: Young people with experience of custody/criminal justice system
  4. Homelessness: Young people experiencing homelessness
  5. Broader Poverty Relief: Support for the unemployed, homeless, and ex-offenders

Additional focus areas across all foundations include:

  • Campus capital investment projects
  • Mental health and resilience initiatives
  • Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support
  • Character education
  • School improvement strategic projects
  • Arts funding
  • Fashion industry scholarships and grants (maintaining heritage links)

Geographic Eligibility

Applicants must work within specific geographic areas:

  • London Borough of Bexley
  • London Borough of Hackney
  • London Borough of Lewisham
  • London Borough of Southwark
  • Borough of Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire
  • Forest of Dean District
  • Town of Chertsey, Surrey
  • Village of Albrighton, Shropshire (and surrounding areas)
  • Town of Wigston, Leicestershire (and surrounding areas)
  • Village of Bunbury, Cheshire (and surrounding areas)

These areas have historical connections to the Company and typically include locations of Haberdasher schools, churches, and almshouses.

What They Don't Fund

  • National charities are not eligible for the Small Grants Programme
  • Charities working with children/young people experiencing disadvantage other than social mobility (e.g., physical disabilities, additional educational needs alone)
  • Work outside the specified geographic areas
  • Applications that do not meet the focus area criteria
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Governance and Leadership

The Haberdashers' Foundation operates under the governance framework of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers. The Master and four Wardens (similar to a Chair and Trustees) are democratically elected from the Court and serve for one year from November to November.

Trustees proactively seek out organisations for the Major Grants Programme and review all Small Grants applications. They tend to fund successful organisations for up to three consecutive years.

The Foundation emphasizes that "the charity's work must provide inclusive solutions to the challenges faced by communities in the boroughs/geographical areas within which they work, with programmes being open access and meeting the needs of all sectors within that community."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Small Grants Programme - Two-Stage Process:

  • Subject line: “Small Grants Programme”
  • The Foundation actively encourages applicants to contact them with questions about the application form or process
  • 2025 Deadline: Friday 14 March 2025 at 5pm

Application Opens: Early January (6 January 2025 for current round)

Decision Timeline

  • Application Deadline: Mid-March (14 March 2025)
  • Decision Notification: Late April (by 25 April 2025)
  • Processing Time: Approximately 6 weeks from deadline to notification
  • Notification Method: Email

Success Rates

2024 Statistics:

  • 104 charitable organisations completed Stage 1
  • 50 full applications received
  • 19 small grants awarded
  • Success rate: 38% (based on full applications)
  • 10 successful organisations (53% of recipients) had annual income of £250,000 or less

Reapplication Policy

  • Previous grant recipients: May apply again and are welcomed to do so
  • Funding duration: Trustees tend to fund organisations for a maximum of three consecutive years
  • Unsuccessful applicants: No specified waiting period; can reapply in subsequent years
  • New applicants: Equally welcomed alongside previous recipients

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Funder

The Foundation emphasizes the following characteristics for successful applications:

Inclusive Community Work: "The charity's work must provide inclusive solutions to the challenges faced by communities in the boroughs/geographical areas within which they work, with programmes being open access and meeting the needs of all sectors within that community."

Complementary to Haberdasher Network: “Typically the work of successful charities complements the work of Haberdasher schools and/or churches within their communities/boroughs.”

Open Communication: The Foundation strongly encourages applicants to reach out: “Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the application form or if you would like to discuss the application process. We would be very happy to hear from you.”

Recent Funded Projects

Examples of recent successful grants include:

  • A charity inspiring and enabling young people to overcome barriers and discover careers in the construction sector
  • Services for young people aged 16-24 focused on improving their Housing, Health, Safety and Life Skills
  • Campus capital investment projects at Haberdasher schools
  • Mental health and resilience initiatives
  • Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support programmes
  • Character education projects
  • School improvement strategic initiatives
  • Arts funding programmes

Key Success Factors

  1. Geographic Alignment: Must work in one of the specified geographic areas
  2. Focus Area Match: Clear alignment with one or more priority areas (early years, social mobility, youth justice, homelessness)
  3. Small Organisation Size: Applications from charities with income under £250,000 are “actively encouraged”
  4. Community Integration: Programmes should be open access and meet needs across the community
  5. Connection to Haberdasher Network: Work that complements Haberdasher schools or churches in the area strengthens applications
  6. Inclusive Approach: Solutions that address community challenges inclusively
  7. Significant Impact: For organisations where a grant of up to £5,000 would make a meaningful contribution

Language and Terminology

The Foundation uses language emphasizing:

  • “Disadvantage experienced by young people”
  • “Social mobility”
  • “Inclusive solutions”
  • “Open access programmes”
  • “Community-focused work”
  • “Empowering young people from every background to fulfil their potential”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Geographic specificity is crucial - Applications must demonstrate work in one of the specified London boroughs or other designated areas; this is a hard eligibility requirement.
  1. Smaller organisations have an advantage - With 53% of 2024 grants going to organisations with income under £250,000, and active encouragement for applications from this segment, smaller charities are well-positioned.
  1. Focus on young people and social mobility - The Small Grants Programme specifically targets work with disadvantaged young people; clearly demonstrate how your work addresses barriers to social mobility.
  1. Emphasize community inclusivity - Successful applications show how programmes provide “inclusive solutions” and are “open access” to all sectors of the community.
  1. Connect to the Haberdasher network if possible - While not essential, demonstrating how your work complements Haberdasher schools or churches in the area can strengthen your application.
  1. Don't hesitate to ask questions - The Foundation actively encourages pre-application contact; use this opportunity to clarify eligibility and discuss your proposal before applying.
  1. Plan for multi-year funding - With trustees willing to fund for up to three consecutive years, consider how you might build on initial success with follow-up applications.

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