The Lily Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Lily Foundation's research grants are open to institutions and UK academic researchers with expertise in mitochondrial disease, so a small charity without research capacity in that field should not apply for them.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but no grant range is stated, and the annual report shows £91,921 awarded in total, so check the likely size of a request with staff before drafting.
- The application is a proposal summary in the specified format, with outline ethics approval.
- The trustees set the grantmaking focus and staff engage directly with organisations able to deliver it, so an early conversation with staff is worth having.
- Applications are assessed on potential patient benefit, scientific merit, research quality and feasibility of outcome, and how many applicants compete for funding is not stated.
Overview
The Lily Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1122071).
The Lily Foundation is a charity whose purpose is to end the suffering caused by rare mitochondrial diseases through support, research and education. Its funding strategy focuses on two key areas, improving diagnosis and finding treatments. It holds an annual grant call for applications from UK academic researchers and institutions committed to discovering innovative treatments for mito. The annual report shows £91,921 awarded.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Lily Foundation funds research into mitochondrial disease, with its strategy focused on improving diagnosis and finding treatments. Its annual research call seeks applications from UK academic researchers and institutions committed to innovative treatments. Its research and educational programmes fund students, researchers, research institutions and healthcare bodies, supporting work intended to improve life for patients and carers. This includes developing therapies and potential medications, managing symptoms and improving personal care. Trustees set a focus for grantmaking, then staff engage directly with organisations able to fulfil it; institutional applicants submit proposal summaries in a specified format with outline ethics approval. It also provides ongoing support to patients, families and carers and values patient benefit, scientific merit, research quality and feasible outcomes.
Themes
- Improving diagnosis
- Finding treatments
Geographic Focus
UK.
How to apply
Institutional applicants submit a summary of their proposals to the trustees in a specific format, together with outline ethics approval.
Who can apply:
- Research grants
- Applicants must have expertise in the field.
- Applications are from institutions.
- Applications are invited from UK academic researchers and institutions who can demonstrate commitment to discovering innovative treatments for mito.
What to send:
- Research grants
- A summary of the proposal in a specific format.
- Outline ethics approval.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Applicants must demonstrate expertise in the field.
- Applications are assessed for potential patient benefit, scientific merit, research quality and feasibility of outcome.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Lily Foundation.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- Rare Disease Research Partners · Research£68,921year to 31 August 2025
- Newcastle University · Research£23,000year to 31 August 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 August 2021 | £580,954 | £508,405 | £99,939 | Accounts for year to 31 August 2021 |
| year to 31 August 2022 | £939,122 | £679,819 | — | Accounts for year to 31 August 2022 |
| year to 31 August 2023 | £1,436,646 | £1,297,244 | £467,582 | Accounts for year to 31 August 2023 |
| year to 31 August 2024 | £974,389 | £1,414,075 | £273,667 | Accounts for year to 31 August 2024 |
| year to 31 August 2025 | £1,094,015 | £1,079,840 | £91,921 | Accounts for year to 31 August 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 4 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 August 2021; year to 31 August 2023; year to 31 August 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 August 2025: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
— No grants figure for that 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
- thelilyfoundation.org.uk
- thelilyfoundation.org.uk/affected-by-mito/our-research/our-research-strategy · read on 30 October 2026
- thelilyfoundation.org.uk/charity/what-we-do/our-mission · read on 30 October 2026
- thelilyfoundation.org.uk/news/lily-research-funding-call-opens-september-19th · read on 30 October 2026
- thelilyfoundation.org.uk/contact · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 August 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 Lily Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 0300 400 1234source
- liz@thelilyfoundation.org.uksource
- 31 Warren Park, Warlingham, Surrey CR6 9LDsource
- thelilyfoundation.org.uk
- Contact form
Applying to The Lily Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 0300 400 1234source
- liz@thelilyfoundation.org.uksource
- 31 Warren Park, Warlingham, Surrey CR6 9LDsource
- thelilyfoundation.org.uk
- Contact form