The Speech, Language And Hearing Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £169,173 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Applications reviewed 3 times per year
• Grant Range: £500 - £15,000
• Grant Duration: 1-3 years
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide (England and Wales)

Contact Details

Website: www.slhf.org.uk

Email: administrator@slhf.org.uk

Phone: 07511 063 751

Address: 101 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6XH

Overview

The Speech, Language and Hearing Foundation (SLHF) was registered as a charity on 10 April 1991 and operates as a charitable company. Founded in 2019 as a grant-making trust by the founding members of Christopher Place, The Speech Language and Hearing Centre—a specialist nursery school for babies and young children with speech, language and hearing difficulties that operated in Kings Cross, London, between 1995 and 2015. The foundation receives income from property rental which is solely used to make grants to charities and organisations providing support, therapy, and education to children who are hearing impaired, autistic, and communication delayed. With total income of £182,486 and expenditure of £169,173 in 2024, SLHF maintains a focused mission to relieve the needs of pre-school age children in the United Kingdom who suffer from difficulties with hearing or speech.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

SLHF operates a rolling grant programme with awards ranging from £500 to £15,000 for periods of one to three years. The funding has been used primarily to employ part-time speech and language therapists in schools and nurseries, particularly those in areas of high deprivation where children may not meet the criteria for education, health and care plans (EHCP) and cannot access speech and language therapy from their local authority.

Priority Areas

• Children with hearing impairment: Supporting access to specialist therapy and equipment
• Speech and language delay: Funding speech and language therapists for schools and nurseries
• Communication difficulties: Supporting children with complex communication needs
• Children with complex needs: Including autistic children requiring communication support
• Medical innovation and new developments: Research relating to childhood hearing, speech and language difficulties
• Research: All topics relating to children with hearing, speech, language or communication challenges

Recent funded projects include research into childhood deafness carried out by Action on Hearing Loss, and a pilot project for I CAN's award-winning 'Tots Talking' Programme in Barnes and Somerset.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's objectives are specifically limited to pre-school age children in the UK suffering from difficulties with hearing or speech. By implication, applications outside this age group or geographic area would not align with their charitable objectives.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (5 total)

1. Katie Jaye-Lipton
2. Tanya Smollan-Kaplan
3. Adam Charles Marks
4. Andrew Jaye
5. Angela Harding

The trustees meet three times per year to consider grant applications on a rolling basis.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. To apply:

• Visit www.slhf.org.uk, or
• Email a brief outline of your application to administrator@slhf.org.uk

Your initial enquiry should include:

• Your charity registration number (or that of your supporting charity)
• A few short paragraphs outlining your project
• The overall cost of the project
• The amount you will be seeking from the Foundation
• The period over which it will be spent

Eligibility Requirements

• Applications are open solely to organisations that operate as charities registered with the Charity Commission, or charities that hold a Certificate of Exemption from the Inland Revenue
• Overseas applicants must supply the details of a UK registered charity through which grants can be channelled on their behalf
• Open to schools, nurseries and small national and local charities
• Projects must support pre-school age children with hearing, speech, language or communication difficulties

Decision Timeline

Trustees meet three times per year to consider grant applications on a rolling basis. Specific meeting dates are not publicly advertised, but this suggests decisions are made approximately every 4 months.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

No information is publicly available regarding reapplication policies or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

The foundation values organisations working in areas of high deprivation where children may not meet criteria for education, health and care plans (EHCP) and cannot access speech and language therapy from their local authority. Previous successful applications have included:

• St Mary Magdalene CE Primary School in Westminster: Supporting children requiring speech and language support
• Oxford Gardens Primary School in W10: School with high percentage of children requiring speech and language support
• Sherwood School in Mitcham: Supporting children with speech and language needs
• Action on Hearing Loss: Research into childhood deafness
• I CAN: Pilot project for award-winning 'Tots Talking' Programme in Barnes and Somerset

Based on these examples, successful applications appear to:

• Demonstrate clear need among pre-school or primary age children
• Focus on providing direct therapy services (particularly employing part-time speech and language therapists)
• Target areas of high deprivation or underserved communities
• Include innovative approaches or pilot programmes
• Support both direct service delivery and research into childhood hearing, speech and language difficulties

The foundation particularly values applications that fill gaps where statutory services are unavailable or insufficient.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Keep it simple: Initial applications require only a brief outline via email—a few short paragraphs covering the key points
• Focus on therapy provision: Most successful grants fund part-time speech and language therapists
• Demonstrate the gap: Show where children cannot access statutory services through local authorities or EHCP
• Target pre-school age: The foundation's charitable objectives specifically focus on pre-school age children
• Consider multi-year funding: Grants can be awarded for up to three years, providing sustainability for staffing
• Registered charities only: Ensure you have Charity Commission registration or a supporting charity arrangement in place
• Rolling applications welcome: No fixed deadlines means you can apply when your project is ready

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• THE RIX-THOMPSON-ROTHENBERG FOUNDATION
• Clara E Burgess Charity
• The Leslie Smith Foundation
• THE KENTOWN WIZARD FOUNDATION
• SARAH'S TRUST
• The Greenslade Family Foundation
• THE GEOFF & FIONA SQUIRE FOUNDATION
• Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation
• The Desmond Foundation
• Masonic Charitable Foundation

References

• UK Charity Commission Register, The Speech, Language and Hearing Foundation (1002463), accessed 28 December 2025: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/1002463/full-print
• Nursery World, "Grants available for children's speech, language and hearing development," accessed 28 December 2025: https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news/grants-available-for-children-s-speech-language-and-hearing-development
• Giving is Great, “The Speech, Language and Hearing Foundation Charity Factsheet,” accessed 28 December 2025: https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1002463