The Veterans' Foundation

Charity Number: 1166953

Annual Expenditure: £5.7M

Stay updated on changes from The Veterans' Foundation 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: £5.7 million (FY ended June 2024)
  • Total Grants Since 2016: Over £25 million
  • Grant Range: £500 - £200,000 (depending on programme)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 3 months for Standard/Salary grants
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
  • Organisations Supported: Over 543 charities, 1,100+ projects

Contact Details

  • Website: www.veteransfoundation.org.uk
  • Email: enquiries@veteransfoundation.org.uk
  • Grants Email: grants@veteransfoundation.org.uk
  • Phone: 0333 999 3899
  • Charity Number: 1166953

Overview

The Veterans' Foundation was established in 2016 by retired Major General David Shaw CBE to raise funds for charities supporting the British armed forces community. Since inception, the Foundation has awarded over £25 million to more than 543 organisations across 1,100+ projects. In the financial year ended June 2024, the Foundation awarded or dedicated more than £5.7 million. The majority of funding comes from the Veterans' Lottery, played by over 130,000 people monthly with a £75,000 jackpot - believed to be the UK's largest single-cause lottery. The Foundation focuses on supporting low to medium-wealth charities that need funds to continue their work helping veterans, serving personnel, operational qualified seafarers, and their immediate families across all four UK nations. In 2024, the Foundation launched its Major Grants Scheme, awarding over £1.7 million to ten UK charities in the first round.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants: £500 - £5,000

  • Rolling programme assessed quarterly
  • Must be spent within 12 months
  • No fixed deadlines

Standard Grants: £5,001 - £30,000

  • One-year or multi-year grants (up to 3 years)
  • Quarterly application rounds with fixed deadlines
  • Next deadlines: 21st July 2025, 8th October 2025, 12th January 2026, 30th March 2026
  • Decision approximately 3 months after deadline

Salary Grants: Up to £25,000 per year (maximum £75,000 total)

  • Exclusively for salary costs
  • Available for up to 3 years (sometimes limited to 1-2 years)
  • Same deadlines as Standard Grants

Major Grants: £100,000 - £200,000

  • Launched in 2024
  • One-year or multi-year grants (up to 3 years)
  • Prioritises organisations with clear track record of delivering meaningful impact with evidenced outcomes
  • Separate application process via Expressions of Interest

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports projects that address:

  • Mental health and suicide prevention
  • Homelessness and housing support
  • Employment and training (including HGV training, horticultural therapy)
  • Physical injury and rehabilitation
  • Social isolation and confidence building
  • Poverty and welfare support
  • Alcohol and drug dependency
  • Family welfare and support
  • Remembrance and bereaved children's support
  • Education (including university scholarships)

What They Don't Fund

Applicants should review the “What We Will Not Fund” document available on the website before applying.

Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for The Veterans' Foundation?

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

CEO and Founder

Major General David Shaw CBE - Retired Major General who commanded 2nd Division until 2012. Co-founder of the Veterans' Lottery. David has stated: “When we launched eight years ago we could hardly have imagined that we would go on to provide £25 million to such a range of worthy causes. The needs of that community just grow and grow, as does the request for funds.”

Chief Operating Officer

Simon - Joined October 2023, bringing over 30 years of experience from the energy industry.

Trustees

Meet every 3-4 months to ensure compliance with the Charity Commission, OSCR, Gambling Commission, Fundraising Regulator, and Cobseo guidance. Board includes:

  • Guy Cartwright - Chartered Accountant, currently Bursar and Clerk to the Court of Directors at Edinburgh Academy
  • Trustee with 12 years on Army Families Federation board (including as Chair) and Army Widows Association trustee experience

For trustee enquiries: governance@veteransfoundation.org.uk

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Complete online eligibility checker on the website
  2. Read grant guidance specific to the funding programme
  3. Submit application via online portal at www.veteransfoundation.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/
  4. Applications can be saved and completed later using email/password
  5. Only one application permitted per quarter
  6. Organisations with existing grants must wait 6 months from previous award date before applying again

Decision Timeline

  • Small Grants: Assessed quarterly on a rolling basis
  • Standard/Salary Grants: Approximately 3 months from deadline to decision
  • 21st July 2025 deadline → decision by end of September 2025
  • 8th October 2025 deadline → decision by end of December 2025
  • 12th January 2026 deadline → decision by end of March 2026
  • 30th March 2026 deadline → decision by end of June 2026
  • Major Grants: Timeline varies; Expressions of Interest assessed separately

Success Rates

In 2023, over 420 different charitable organisations received grants from the Foundation. The Foundation has supported more than 543 organisations with 1,100+ projects since 2016, demonstrating substantial reach across the veterans' charity sector.

Reapplication Policy

Organisations with existing grant awards must wait 6 months from the date of their previous award before submitting a new application. Information on reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly specified; contact grants@veteransfoundation.org.uk for guidance.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Looks For

Trustees consider multiple factors when evaluating applications:

  • The project or items being funded - Clear, specific objectives aligned with veterans' needs
  • Number of beneficiaries - Demonstrable impact on the armed forces community
  • Importance of the grant to the applicant - How critical the funding is to the organisation
  • Organisational efficiency - Evidence of effective delivery and value for money
  • Needs of beneficiaries - Alignment with priority areas and demonstrated need

Major Grants Programme Priorities

For Major Grants, the Foundation prioritises:

  • Clear track record of delivering meaningful impact
  • Evidenced outcomes for the Armed Forces Community
  • Strong alignment with Veterans' Foundation objectives

Examples of Recently Funded Projects

2024 Major Grant Recipients:

  • Scotty's Little Soldiers (£200,000) - Supporting bereaved military children coping with the death of a parent
  • Ten charities total received over £1.7 million in the first Major Grants round

2023 Grant Recipients:

  • Little Troopers - Forces children support
  • On Course Foundation (Northern Ireland) - Veterans support through golf
  • Housing Options Scotland - Veterans accommodation support
  • Veterans into Logistics - HGV training vehicles for ex-service personnel career transitions
  • Care for Veterans (£25,000) - In-house rehabilitation services, Worthing
  • Liverpool FC Foundation (£30,000) - “Barracks to Boot Room” military veterans project
  • The Open University - Scholarship for veteran to study university degree

Key Application Advice

  • Read the specific guidance for your chosen funding programme before applying
  • Complete the eligibility checker to confirm suitability
  • Email grants@veteransfoundation.org.uk for support and guidance before applying
  • Focus on evidenced outcomes - demonstrable impact is crucial, especially for larger grants
  • Submit only one application per quarter - multiple applications are not permitted
  • Save your application - the online form can be saved and returned to later

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Demonstrate efficient delivery: Organisational efficiency is a key assessment criterion; show value for money and effective project management
  • Quantify beneficiaries: Be specific about how many veterans, service personnel, or family members will benefit from the grant
  • Evidence the need: Clearly articulate why this grant is important to your organisation and the specific needs it will address
  • Multi-year funding available: Don't overlook the opportunity to apply for 2-3 year grants for sustained support (Standard and Salary Grants)
  • Major Grants require track record: For grants £100,000-£200,000, ensure you can demonstrate previous impact with evidenced outcomes
  • Timing matters: Plan applications around quarterly deadlines; allow 3 months for decisions
  • Seek pre-application support: The Foundation encourages contact via grants@veteransfoundation.org.uk for guidance - use this resource
  • Focus on Foundation priorities: Mental health, homelessness, employment, and family welfare are consistently supported areas based on funding patterns

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

🎯 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