Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation

Overview

They aim to support activity that creates a significant impact on individuals and/or communities, and leaves a lasting legacy. 

At the beginning of July 2025, they updated their funding criteria for grants to registered charities.

The Wingate Foundation provides support in five areas:

• Music
• Performing Arts (excluding music)
• Jewish / Interfaith
• Medical Research Travel Grants
• Personal Awards (a new category, since July 2025)

Music

Trustees will consider applications for support in those areas of music performance and education which do not readily attract backing from commercial sponsors or which are not eligible for full public funding. Priority will be directed towards supporting the work or education of musicians based in, or wishing to study in, the UK, but by no means exclusively so. An important criterion will be whether, in the opinion of the Trustees, the funding sought will make a significant difference to beneficiaries’ prospects. They will favour projects that actively involve participants and increase their skills, especially those that include performance.  They will not fund ticket subsidies. 

Priority will be given to:

1. Encouraging excellence with bursaries, apprenticeships and fellowships for named individuals of any age within, or supported by, institutions that are recognised for the excellence of their creative output and their nurturing culture. We particularly welcome applications benefitting people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
2. Projects that enable significant, active participation in performances by adults who are often excluded, namely; homeless people, asylum seekers, prisoners, those not in education employment or training.
3. Projects that enable significant, active participation in performances by children and young people who would otherwise face significant challenges to engaging with music performance. We expect the majority of participants to come from widening participation ‘target schools’ (for example, in London, those identified by the Mayor’s Fund) or where more than 40% of students receive pupil premium funding or free school meals.

Performing Arts (excluding music)

The Foundation has been a consistent supporter of the performing arts for many years and the Trustees intend to maintain this policy.

Priority will be given to:

1. Encouraging excellence with bursaries, apprenticeships and fellowships for named individuals of any age within, or supported by, institutions that are recognised for the excellence of their creative output and their nurturing culture. They particularly welcome applications benefitting people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
2. Projects that enable significant, active participation in performances by adults who are often excluded, namely; homeless people, asylum seekers, prisoners, those not in education employment or training.
3. Projects that enable significant, active participation in performances by children and young people who would otherwise face significant challenges to engaging with the performing arts. They expect the majority of participants to come from widening participation ‘target schools’ (for example, in London, those identified by the Mayor’s Fund) or where more than 40% of students receive pupil premium funding or free school meals.

Jewish / Interfaith

Applications are especially welcome from organisations with a demonstrable track-record in effective inter-faith and inter-cultural engagement, in the promotion of mutual understanding and reconciliation between Jews in Israel and their Arab neighbours, and the encouragement of liberal values in both communities. They strongly favour projects where we foresee likely and useful practical outcomes.

In the UK, their focus is:

• Promotion of peaceful co-existence and understanding between the UK’s Jewish and Muslim communities (such as through joint cultural projects).
• Enhancing cross-cultural understanding and mutual respect with activities that include greater public understanding of Jewish life, history and culture.

In the Middle East, they support:

• Activities designed to defuse tension and conflict, aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence and respect between Arab/Palestinian and Jewish citizens of Israel and potentially, neighbouring territories as well.

Medical Research Travel Grants

The Trustees are mindful of the influence of new clinical and laboratory techniques on the advance of medical science, and are aware of the advantages that may be derived from visits to laboratories for the acquisition of new skills, and for setting up inter-institutional collaborative research. They are prepared to consider applications for funds to cover the expenses of travel and subsistence for such visits up to a maximum of £1,000. There is no application form but applicants should submit information covering the following areas:

1. Applications should specify the benefit to the applicant of a proposed visit, including the relevance to the applicant’s ongoing research programme and career development.
2. Applications must be accompanied by letters of support from the applicant’s Head of Department, and from the corresponding individual in the department to be visited.
3. Applicants must submit a CV.
4. Applications must include justification of the amount requested.
5. The Trustees will not support the costs of travel, subsistence or registration for international or national congresses and symposia.

The next deadline for applications is 17.00 on 26th August 2025. Applications should be submitted by email to admin@wingate.org.uk 

Personal Awards

New category since July 2025

They recognise that great initiatives often start with the idea and vision of an individual who identifies a need for change, or a gap in their sector.

Within the existing categories that the Foundation currently supports, they welcome applications from individuals to help them be a catalyst for beneficial change. The maximum amount of any personal grant will be £5,000 and the trustees may set conditions such as interim progress reports, before payment of the full sum. In some circumstances, repeat funding will be considered for continuing projects.

Applications must specify:

• the benefit to the applicant of the proposal
• whether the benefit is aimed at the public at large or specific groups of people
• how the successful outcome of the proposed activity would have a clear and positive impact on people’s lives
• to what extent the proposal is based on established approaches or on original or non-routine methods
• details of any funding to be provided from other sources
• how impact will be monitored and evaluated

There is no application form for Personal Awards. The application process will be in two stages:

• Stage 1 - Applicants must submit an initial Expression of Interest, no longer than 350 words, accompanied by a CV/biography (only the first two pages will be read). The next deadline for Stage 1 applications is Tuesday 26 August 2025 at 5pm.  Applications should be submitted by email to admin@wingate.org.uk.
• Stage 2 - Applicants who are successful at the first stage will be given individual feedback and invited to make a formal application, which will include:
• An outline proposal, no longer than 1300 words.
• An endorsement from at least one recognised body in the relevant field.
• The name of a trustworthy entity (possibly the same as the organisation above), to act as custodian of funds and joint applicant) or two professional references (at least one of whom will act as mentor to the project, able to comment at each reporting stage) and one character reference.
  • Trustees are open to other endorsement arrangements as long as they would give at least a similar level of assurance.
• Justification for the amount requested and a budget setting out how the funds will be used. Travel expenses for attendance at congresses etc will be allowable only if they are strictly necessary for completion of an approved project.
• A condition of any personal grant will be the agreement of a schedule of progress reports and staged payments.

Previous Grants

To see what has previously been funded click here.

Previously funded amounts vary from around £4,000 up to £15,000.