The Merchant Taylors' Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £500,000+
• Success Rate: ~17% (Early Years Programme)
• Decision Time: 2-5 months depending on grant size
• Grant Range: £500 - £100,000
• Geographic Focus: Four London boroughs (Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lewisham)

Contact Details

Website: www.merchant-taylors.co.uk

Email: charities@merchant-taylors.co.uk

Phone: 020 7562 2320

Address: Merchant Taylors' Hall, 30 Threadneedle Street, London

Online Application Portal: https://www.tfaforms.com/4637699

Overview

The Merchant Taylors' Foundation was established in 2015 as the grant-making arm of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors, one of London's Great Twelve Livery Companies. The Foundation awards grants exceeding £500,000 annually and focuses on creating positive lasting change in people's lives through targeted support in education, homelessness, and community projects. Operating exclusively across four inner London boroughs—Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, and Lewisham—the Foundation demonstrates a strong preference for smaller community-based charities with annual incomes under £100,000. Recent strategic initiatives include a partnership with Leathersellers' Foundation on Early Years programming and a £100,000 commitment to Depaul UK for youth homelessness prevention, reflecting the Foundation's commitment to both capacity building and sustainable impact.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Scheme

• £500 - £5,000 for one-off grants
• Up to £9,000 aggregate for multi-year funding (typically 2 years)
• Rolling application windows with decisions within 2 months for grants under £3,000
• Grants typically limited to 5% of a charity's annual income
• Applications over £3,000 require a charity due diligence visit (decision within 5 months)

Merchant Taylors' Consolidated Charities for the Infirm

• £5,000 - £20,000 typically, with larger amounts considered for transformational projects
• Fixed application windows three times annually
• Focused on charities supporting people in need by reason of age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage

Strategic Partnerships

• Major multi-year grants (£20,000 - £100,000+) for strategic initiatives
• Recent examples include Early Years Programme (£220,000 over 2 years) and youth homelessness prevention

Priority Areas

• Education: Funding educational opportunities for disadvantaged students, whole person education, bursaries and scholarships, educational amenities and resources
• Homelessness: Prevention programs, youth homelessness services, family mediation, and pathways to stable accommodation
• Community Impact: Projects creating positive lasting change, cost-of-living support, early years services, social mobility programs
• Geographic Priority: Strongest preference for charities working exclusively or mainly in Hackney, Lewisham, Southwark, and Tower Hamlets; second preference for bordering boroughs
• Charity Size: Top preference for charities with annual income under £100,000; second preference for £100,000-£500,000
• Core Costs: Open to funding general running costs—applicants encouraged to be straightforward rather than repackaging requests

What They Don't Fund

• Non-charitable organizations (currently under legal review but not funded as of 2024)
• Charities operating outside their four priority London boroughs (except bordering boroughs as second preference)
• Grants exceeding 5% of a charity's annual income under Small Grants Scheme
• Projects without clear sustainability planning for years 3-4

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Governance and Leadership

Chair of Trustees: Richard Nourse

The Foundation is governed by trustees appointed by the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The Foundation operates as part of the Company's broader philanthropic mission, which has supported education and charitable causes for centuries.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Online Application Portal: Applications submitted via https://www.tfaforms.com/4637699

• Create account to save and resume applications
• Automated email confirmation sent immediately upon submission
• Applicants receive copy of submitted information

Application Windows (Consolidated Charities for the Infirm):

• April 16 - September 9: Decisions at October/November trustees' meeting, notified by November 30
• September 10 - December 15: Decisions at late January/early February meeting, notified by end of February
• December 16 - April 15: Decisions at June meeting, notified by June 30

Small Grants Scheme: Rolling basis with monthly or bi-monthly review cycles

Decision Timeline

• Under £3,000: Decision within 2 months after application window closes
• Over £3,000: Decision within 5 months after application window closes (includes mandatory charity due diligence visit)
• Strategic Grants: Variable timeline depending on project complexity

Success Rates

The Foundation's Early Years Programme (joint with Leathersellers' Foundation) had a 17% success rate with 5 grants awarded from 29 applications in 2023-24. The Foundation explicitly states they “receive many more good quality applications than we can afford to fund,” indicating high competition across all programs.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants may reapply, but the Foundation notes that "lodging a fresh application in the year after the 'fallow year' might indicate that you had not taken advantage of that opportunity fully." While not a strict prohibition, this suggests careful consideration before reapplication. No specific waiting period is mandated for unsuccessful applications.

For previously funded organizations, the Foundation expects charities to sustain programs independently during “fallow years” between funding periods.

Application Success Factors

Direct Guidance from the Foundation

Be Straightforward About Funding Needs: "The Foundation is open to funding general running costs ('core costs'), and prefers that applicants tell them straightforwardly rather than trying to fit applications into other categories."

Demonstrate Sustainability Planning: Charities should “plan ahead for how they would fund projects in years 3 and 4 without Foundation support” and if heavily dependent on specific individuals, should explain contingency plans.

Geographic Alignment is Critical: The Foundation has stated explicitly that "the Scheme is for charities which exist specifically for the good of people in one or more of those boroughs, and it's likely that nearly all the charities funded will be community-based charities in those boroughs."

Recent Funded Projects Demonstrate Preferences

The Foundation has funded:

• Homestart Southwark and Lewisham, MammaKind, National Literacy Trust, Early Years Alliance, The Parent Village (Early Years Programme - £20,000 each)
• Depaul UK (Youth homelessness prevention - £100,000 total)
• Team Up Social Mobility (Maths and English coaching for Black and Minority Ethnic boys - £4,500)
• Lewisham Local (Cost of living crisis support - £20,000)
• Construction Youth Trust (Multi-year project supporting young people in Lewisham)

These examples show preference for: community-based delivery, clear beneficiary groups, evidence-based interventions, partnerships with established organizations, and programs addressing immediate needs while building long-term capacity.

Key Success Indicators

Language and Terminology: Use terms like “positive lasting change,” “disadvantage,” “whole person education,” “resilience,” “efficiency,” and “greater impact”

Demonstrate Local Knowledge: Show deep understanding of the specific challenges in Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, or Lewisham

Proportionate Ask: Ensure grant request doesn't exceed 5% of annual income for Small Grants Scheme

Prepare for Due Diligence: For grants over £3,000, be ready to host a charity visit demonstrating operational capacity and impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic focus is non-negotiable: Unless your charity works exclusively or mainly in Hackney, Lewisham, Southwark, or Tower Hamlets, your application is unlikely to succeed
• Smaller is better: Strong preference for charities under £100,000 annual income—this is your competitive advantage if you qualify
• Core costs are welcome: Don't artificially project-ize your request; the Foundation explicitly prefers straightforward asks for running costs
• Plan beyond the grant: Applications must demonstrate sustainability thinking for years 3-4 without Foundation support
• Success rates are competitive: With approximately 17% success rate on programs, quality over quantity matters—ensure strong alignment before applying
• Be patient with timelines: Build 2-5 month decision periods into your cash flow planning depending on grant size
• Partnership opportunities exist: The Foundation undertakes strategic multi-year partnerships with established organizations—consider whether a collaborative approach could strengthen your application
• Due diligence is thorough: For grants over £3,000, expect an in-person visit; use this as an opportunity to showcase your work and build relationships

References

1. The Merchant Taylors' Foundation - Apply for a Grant. Available at: https://www.merchant-taylors.co.uk/philanthropy/foundation-funding-application (Accessed: October 2024)

1. The Merchant Taylors' Foundation - Small Grants Scheme Eligibility Criteria. Available at: https://www.merchant-taylors.co.uk/small-grants-scheme-eligibility-criteria (Accessed: October 2024)

1. The Merchant Taylors' Foundation - Consolidated Charities for the Infirm. Available at: https://www.merchant-taylors.co.uk/philanthropy/merchant-taylors-cci (Accessed: October 2024)

1. The Merchant Taylors' Foundation - Grant Making. Available at: https://www.merchant-taylors.co.uk/philanthropy/grant-making (Accessed: October 2024)

1. The Charity Commission - The Merchant Taylors' Foundation (1161568). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1161568 (Accessed: October 2024)

1. Leathersellers' Foundation and Merchant Taylors' Foundation Begin Early Years Programme (2024). Available at: https://leathersellers.org/early-years-programme/ (Accessed: October 2024)

1. Depaul UK - Merchant Taylors' Foundation supports homelessness prevention. Available at: https://www.depaul.org.uk/news/merchant-taylors-largest-ever-gift/ (Accessed: October 2024)

1. Lewisham Local - Cost of Living Crisis Appeal donation (2022). Available at: https://www.lewishamlocal.com/lewishams-cost-of-living-crisis-appeal-gets-a-boost-thanks-to-the-generous-donation-from-the-merchant-taylors-foundation/ (Accessed: October 2024)

1. Community Southwark - Applying for Merchant Taylor's Foundation Funding Workshop. Available at: https://communitysouthwark.org/event/applying-for-merchant-taylors-foundation-funding-workshop/ (Accessed: October 2024)

1. The Merchant Taylors' Foundation - A Strategy to Take Us Forwards. Available at: https://www.merchant-taylors.co.uk/news/mtf-a-new-strategy (Accessed: October 2024)