The Tibet Relief Fund Of The United Kingdom

Charity Number: 1061834

Annual Expenditure: £0.7M
Geographic Focus: China, India, Nepal

Stay updated on changes from The Tibet Relief Fund Of The United Kingdom and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £717,690 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not specified - rolling assessment
  • Grant Range: Not publicly specified (varies by project type)
  • Geographic Focus: Tibet, India, and Nepal (Tibetan communities)
  • Application Method: Rolling basis via online expression of interest form

Contact Details

Address: Tibet Relief Fund, 99 Kentish Town Road, London NW1 8PB

Phone: 020 3119 0041

Email: info@tibetrelieffund.co.uk

Website: www.tibetrelieffund.co.uk

For Project Proposals: Submit via online expression of interest form at tibetrelieffund.co.uk/contact-us/

Overview

The Tibet Relief Fund of the United Kingdom was founded in 1959, within weeks of the Dalai Lama reaching India, making it the oldest UK-based charity working with Tibetans. With an annual charitable expenditure of £717,690 (2024), the organization empowers Tibetans to build sustainable communities and better futures through education and innovative practical grassroots initiatives. Operating under the patronage of the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, TRF supports Tibetan-led organizations and communities in Tibet, India, and Nepal. The charity's strategic approach emphasizes grassroots, community-initiated projects that respond directly to the needs identified by Tibetan communities themselves. Over its 65+ year history, TRF has financed over £3 million worth of vital projects. Their small size and structure allows them to act quickly and with agility, building deep trust within Tibetan communities both in exile and inside Tibet.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Tibet Relief Fund operates a rolling grants program accepting applications throughout the year via an online expression of interest form. Grants support both capital projects (infrastructure, equipment) and ongoing programmatic work (education sponsorship, healthcare support, training programs).

Key Funding Areas:

  • Education (schools, libraries, educational materials, student sponsorship)
  • Healthcare (medical centers, equipment, doctor salaries, traveling clinics)
  • Elderly support (care facilities, living support for elderly refugees and ex-freedom fighters)
  • Youth programs (skills training, employment schemes, scholarships)
  • Community building (infrastructure, water systems, housing reconstruction)
  • Sustainability and empowerment (vocational training, income generation)
  • Cultural preservation (language materials, handicraft centers, cultural events)

Priority Areas

Eligible Beneficiaries: Projects must primarily benefit Tibetans and peoples of ethnic Tibetan descent, including majority Tibetan or ethnic Tibetan communities inside Tibet or in exile.

Priority Given to Projects Focusing On:

  • Education initiatives
  • Healthcare access and quality
  • Support for elderly community members
  • Youth development and employment
  • Community building and infrastructure
  • Sustainability and economic empowerment
  • Preservation of Tibetan culture and language

Geographic Focus: Tibet, India, and Nepal

Project Initiation Approach: "Projects are always initiated by the refugee communities themselves or by the Tibetan-Government-in-Exile's administration at Dharamsala in northern India.“ The organization emphasizes that ”Tibetans inform our work, we respond to the needs of Tibetan communities."

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the fund's focus is exclusively on projects benefiting Tibetan and ethnic Tibetan communities. Projects outside this beneficiary group or geographic focus areas (Tibet, India, Nepal) are unlikely to be considered.

Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for The Tibet Relief Fund Of The United Kingdom?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Patron

  • Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

Board of Trustees (7 members)

  • Greg Bruno
  • Hannah Sanders
  • Jigme Sither
  • Jonathan Moult
  • Keith MacIntosh
  • Namgyal Samuels
  • Nick Bulloch (Treasurer)
  • Rowena Field

Staff Team

The organization employs 7 staff members total: 5 UK-based staff and 1 Project Liaison Officer in India.

  • Chris Butterworth - Interim Charity Manager
  • Jampa Gyaltsen - Accounts Manager
  • Thupten Thupten - Programmes Manager
  • Harry Mear - Fundraising and Communications Officer
  • Tenzin Nyima - Project Liaison Officer (India)

Organizational Vision and Mission

Vision: “A world where Tibetans can live and work with equality and security and celebrate their rich culture and traditions.”

Mission: “Empower Tibetans to build sustainable communities and better futures through education and innovative practical grassroots initiatives.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Expression of Interest

Applicants submit a short expression of interest form via the Tibet Relief Fund website (tibetrelieffund.co.uk/contact-us/). This initial form helps TRF assess whether the proposal aligns with their funding priorities.

Step 2: Assessment

The organization reviews submissions on a rolling basis. Their small team structure allows them to respond relatively quickly to applications.

Step 3: Decision and Partnership

If a project is approved, TRF works closely with partner organizations, not just providing grants but also helping projects develop over time. As they state: “We have a close working relationship with our partner projects and help them to develop as well as giving them grants.”

Decision Timeline

Applications are assessed on a rolling basis throughout the year. Specific timelines for decisions are not publicly disclosed, though the organization emphasizes that “our size and structure means we can act quickly and with agility.”

Success Rates

Success rates and total application numbers are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

No specific restrictions on reapplication are mentioned. The organization maintains ongoing relationships with many partner organizations, suggesting that repeat applications from successful partners are welcomed.

Application Success Factors

Community-Led Initiatives

TRF explicitly states that "projects are always initiated by the refugee communities themselves or by the Tibetan-Government-in-Exile's administration at Dharamsala." Applications should demonstrate genuine community need and local leadership.

Alignment with Priority Areas

Successful projects clearly fall within TRF's five key focus areas: education; clean water and inclusive healthcare; training, jobs and sustainable livelihoods; rights and how to apply them; language and culture preservation.

Grassroots and Practical Focus

The organization emphasizes “practical grassroots initiatives” - projects should be implementable, community-based, and focused on tangible outcomes rather than abstract or top-down approaches.

Sustainability and Empowerment

Projects that build community capacity and work towards self-sufficiency are particularly valued. TRF aims to “empower Tibetans to build sustainable communities.”

Examples of Funded Projects

Successful projects funded by TRF include:

  • Education: Sponsorship programs supporting over 600 children across partner organizations including Tibetan Homes Foundation (4 schools, 200+ children), Tibetan Children's Villages (100+ children), Sambhota Tibetan Schools Society (34 schools, 60+ children), and Snow Lion Foundation in Nepal (12 schools, 30+ children)
  • Healthcare: Paying 45% of annual salaries for 6 Tibetan doctors; traveling eye clinics and cancer screening programs; medical supplies for grassroots healthcare facilities
  • Infrastructure: Rebuilding seven houses destroyed using earthquake-resistant concrete stabilized earth blocks; community water pumps and solar kettles for nomadic families; tractors, ambulances, and water tanks for Tibetan settlements
  • Cultural Preservation: Production of 5 Tibetan language baby board books by Manjushri Educational Services; opening of children's library in Dharamsala; distribution of activity booklets to 6,872 children; support for Tibetan Women's Centre providing handicraft training and employment
  • Skills and Employment: Support for Tibetan Women's Centre in Rajpur (one of oldest Tibetan handicraft centers outside Tibet, employing and training poor and vulnerable Tibetan women); entrepreneurial and youth employment schemes
  • Elderly Care: Support for Lodrik Welfare Fund caring for 86 elderly ex-freedom fighters

Working Relationship

TRF emphasizes partnership rather than transactional grantmaking. They work closely with partner projects over time to help them develop, not just providing one-off funding. Their Project Liaison Officer in India facilitates ongoing communication and support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Beneficiary eligibility is critical: Projects must primarily benefit Tibetans and peoples of ethnic Tibetan descent in Tibet, India, or Nepal - this is non-negotiable.
  • Community-led is essential: Applications should demonstrate that the project is initiated and led by the Tibetan community itself, not imposed externally.
  • Focus on practical grassroots impact: TRF values tangible, implementable projects over abstract or administrative initiatives - think schools, medical equipment, training programs, infrastructure.
  • Emphasize sustainability and empowerment: Show how the project will build community capacity and work towards self-sufficiency rather than creating dependency.
  • Use the expression of interest process: Start with the short online form rather than preparing extensive documentation - this allows for initial dialogue about fit.
  • Be prepared for partnership: TRF sees grantees as partners they work with over time, not just funding recipients - applications should reflect openness to ongoing collaboration and development support.
  • Leverage their agility: As a small organization, TRF can move quickly - they may be particularly suitable for time-sensitive or emergency needs within Tibetan communities.

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References