Allen Lane Foundation
The Allen Lane Foundation supports small registered charities, voluntary groups, and charitable organisations across the UK working to make a lasting difference to people’s lives.
Funding Aims
The Foundation funds work that:
- Makes a lasting difference to people’s lives rather than simply alleviating current problems
- Reduces isolation, stigma, and discrimination
- Encourages or enables groups experiencing marginalisation and/or discrimination to share in community life
Funding Available
Grants of up to £15,000, which can be spread over three years, two years, or as a single grant. However, most grants are much smaller, with an average grant size of £5,000-£6,000.
The Foundation typically makes 130-150 grants per year, totalling £720,000-£800,000.
What They Fund
The Foundation supports running and core costs to help organisations achieve flexibility, security, and longevity. They can also contribute to project costs or salaries.
While supporting ongoing, proven projects, the Foundation is particularly interested in unusual, imaginative, or pioneering projects that may not yet have caught public attention.
Funding Programmes
The Foundation runs seven programmes:
Adult Programmes:
- Asylum seekers and refugees
- Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities
- Offenders and formerly incarcerated people
- Older people
- People affected by violence or abuse
- People with mental health issues
Young People’s Programme:
- Supporting people aged approximately 12-21 from a broad range of backgrounds
Eligibility
Organisation size:
- Local organisations (working in a village, estate, or town): income/expenditure under £100,000
- UK-wide organisations: income under £250,000
Organisation type:
- Registered charities
- Constituted voluntary groups
- Some Community Interest Companies (for wholly charitable projects)
- Governing boards must have a minimum of three unrelated members with equal control
Not eligible:
- Schools, colleges, universities
- NHS bodies
- Local authorities
- Individuals
Geographic coverage: UK-wide, except Greater London. London-based organisations are eligible if beneficiaries are outside London.
How to Apply
Check the exclusion list and review the specific criteria for your relevant programme before applying.
Visit the Allen Lane Foundation website to start your application.