The United Kingdom has over 12,000 grant-making Trusts and Foundations. 1,200 are set up to make grants to nonprofits in the United States. View the extensive list of US not for profit that have received funding from UK Trusts and Foundations and learn more about what we do for US nonprofits.  

UK Trusts and Foundations  support all sizes of nonprofits in the US across a wide range of causes including health, education, community, environment, the arts, sport and more. 

International Funders has been helping charities and not-for-profit organisations around the world for over 35 years. Our business is helping US nonprofits approach and make successful applications to UK and European grant-makers. If you would like to learn how we can help your organisation, get in touch.

Guide to applying to UK Foundations and Trusts 

You may already be familiar with grant-writing and making funding applications in the United States. UK grant-makers operate in a similar way but the guide below will provide you with a few useful tips to help you. 

In the US, grant-makers are usually referred to as Foundations. In the UK, they are usually referred to as Trusts, but they are effectively the same thing, that is, grant-making charities or grant-making nonprofits. 

In generally, funders in the UK have a much less formal application process. Many of them do not use online applications forms. Instead, they prefer to receive applications in proposal form (between 2 and 4 pages), accompanied by a cover letter.

The best way to get started is to visit a funder’s website, if they have one, to understand if your nonprofit is eligible to apply. Before going ahead and making an application, it is always best to contact the funder to confirm that it would be appropriate to apply. 

Many funders have ‘general charitable purposes’ and can, in theory, support any type of activity so it is best to find out if your nonprofit is within their field of interest. The more research you do, the better your chances of success. 

Start by sending a brief introductory email outlining the purpose of your nonprofit and for what purpose you are seeking a grant. It’s a good idea to include a link to your website and a link to a webpage that features a relevant area of your work.

Your email should include the following questions to gather information before you consider making an application:

• Are application guidelines available by email?

If there are no application guidelines: 

• What does an application need to include?

• How many pages should an application be?

• What else needs to be provided / attached?

• Can an application be submitted by email or does it have to be submitted by post?

• Who should the cover letter be addressed to?

• What is a realistic amount to request?

• What is the maximum that can be requested?

• When is the next deadline?

• When are the deadlines throughout the year?

In a few some cases, funders do not have a website or email. You can always call to obtain this information. Remember that the UK is a least 5 hours ahead, depending on which part of the US you are located in.

Preparing and writing your application

Below is a guide for writing effective applications to UK-based funders.

Consider the points below when preparing all your applications:

Review guidelines carefully:

Read the funder’s priorities, eligibility criteria, and restrictions to ensure

your project fits.

Align and personalise:

Tailor your application to reflect the funder’s mission. Clearly show how your

project supports their objectives and delivers meaningful change.

Demonstrate impact:

Link your charitable aims to the funder’s goals. Describe expected outcomes and

community benefits, using measurable targets and clear metrics where possible.

Provide evidence of need:

Use relevant research, data, and statistics to justify your project and explain

why your approach is effective.

Present a Strong Budget:

Include a realistic breakdown of income and expenditure. 

Highlight partnerships:

Showcase collaborations that strengthen delivery and include perononal quotes showing support.

Write clearly and professionally:

Avoid jargon, keep language concise, follow formatting and word limits, and

present a compelling narrative.

Proofread

Check for errors, seek peer review, submit on time.

Remember that competition for grant funding in the UK, as in the US, can be intense, so putting in the effort to create a strong, tailored application is important if you want to succeed.

Contact us to order the complete list of U.K. funders that support nonprofits in the U.S. 

New funders are being set up every month so be sure to subscribe to receive our free funding alerts.